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100 days of Democrats

This week will mark a hundred days Democrats have held power in the House of Representatives in Washington. I considered listing tangible Democrat achievements so far this Congress, but that would result in a blank page. Instead, all Democrats have managed to do in 14 weeks is obstruct what is best for the American people, … Continued
April 8, 2019

Sen. Doug Jones leads effort questioning threatened auto tariffs

Sen. Doug Jones, D-Alabama, is leading a bipartisan effort to urge the U.S. Department of Commerce to release its report on whether imported automobiles and auto parts threaten the country’s national security. The department initiated a national security investigation into automotive imports under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 in 2018 under … Continued
March 25, 2019

Alabama executions: strictly a Christian affair

Over 60 years ago, Supreme Court Chief Justice Earl Warren wrote that “[t]he basic concept underlying the Eighth Amendment is nothing less than the dignity of man. While the State has the power to punish, the Amendment stands to assure that this power be exercised within the limits of civilized standards.” Turning this concept – … Continued
February 4, 2019

Nine stories to keep an eye on in 2019

9. Who will challenge Sen. Doug Jones in 2020? It may have been only a year ago that Doug Jones won in a historic victory that sent a Democrat from Alabama to the U.S. Senate for the first time in a quarter century, but he’s up for re-election in 2020. With that election just around the corner, … Continued
December 31, 2018

DAs can make the difference

Alabamians are ready to see a broken criminal justice system fixed, and it’s time to let those sitting in the most powerful position know it — our District Attorneys (DAs). District Attorneys are the lead prosecutors in counties across the state, but what voters may not realize is that the District Attorney wields an incredible … Continued
November 1, 2018

Energy Institute to host Lineman Appreciation Day celebration Monday

The Energy Institute of Alabama will honor the men and women who keep the power on in Alabama by hosting the 2018 Lineman Appreciation Day celebration Monday, June 4. Linemen keep the lights across the state by climbing power poles and using bucket trucks to repair and install distribution lines. “We’re excited to once again … Continued
May 31, 2018

Inside the Statehouse: Senator Shelby appropriations

In my book, “Of Goats and Governors: Six Decades of Alabama Political Stories,” I suggest that based on seniority, tenure, power and prestige that Alabama’s greatest senators have been Lister Hill, John Sparkman, and Richard Shelby. Folks, Richard Shelby has probably forged to the front of that triumvirate with his elevation to the chairmanship of … Continued
May 30, 2018

Court records raise troubling questions about $87 million coastal bridge project

A nearly $100 million taxpayer-funded bridge project connecting the Foley Beach Express to Alabama’s beach destinations landed the state’s top transportation officials in court last week. A lawsuit filed by privately owned Baldwin County Bridge Company and Baldwin County Revenue Commissioner Teddy J. Faust led to a court appearance by the Alabama Department of Transportation … Continued
May 2, 2018

Canary-Hand dumpster fire leads to emergency conference call; PAC plan revealed

A scramble to save embattled Business Council of Alabama C.E.O. Billy Canary led to an emergency conference call with the group’s executive committee early Monday morning. Organized by Canary and current BCA Chairman Perry Hand, the call was to “dispel” inaccurate reports about Canary’s status at BCA, even though it was acknowledged that Canary would … Continued
April 24, 2018

The black hand behind Perry Hand

Shortly after the Alabama Political Reporter made it known that the Business Council of Alabama’s Executive Board had voted on April 10 to terminate Billy Canary from his position as CEO, nearly a dozen Republican lawmakers were burning-up their mobile phones, trying to find out who Perry Hand is and who could convince him to … Continued
April 19, 2018