publisher Archives • Alabama Political Reporter

The Ayers factor: A disturbing lack of compassion

When former Anniston Star publisher H. Brandt Ayers admitted last year to assaulting women who worked for him — including my wife Veronica when she was a young reporter — Ayers resigned as chairman of Consolidated Publishing, the company that owns the Star and other newspapers. Ayers was supposed to have nothing more to do … Continued

May 9, 2019

Editor who wrote KKK editorial says he sold his paper. One of the new owners has Klan ties

The Alabama newspaper publisher who called for a return of the Ku Klux Klan has apparently sold his newspaper to a man with possible ties to the KKK. C.T. Harless — one of the paper’s two new co-owners, according to a front-page story in the March 28 issue of The Democrat-Reporter — has apparent ties to … Continued

April 2, 2019

KKK editorial writer steps down: “I’m going to drink beer and sex young women”

The editor and publisher of a small town newspaper who called for the resurgence of the KKK and for the lynching of Democratic politicians in an editorial published last week is stepping down after several days of backlash. In an phone interview with the Alabama Political Reporter, the editor and publisher of The Democrat-Reporter, Goodloe Sutton, doubled down … Continued

February 22, 2019

Everyday racism of publisher Goodloe Sutton is neither surprising nor uncommon

Goodloe Sutton is not a racist. That might seem impossible considering Sutton, the publisher of the Democrat-Reporter newspaper in Linden, just wrote an editorial calling for “the Ku Klux Klan to night ride again.” APR’s Chip Brownlee first brought attention to the editorial, which encourages the KKK to take out Democrats who are advocating for … Continued

February 19, 2019

Joe Dickson, Birmingham World publisher and civil rights activist, dies at age 85

Joe Dickson demonstrated alongside Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth before becoming a leading voice in the Alabama Republican Party. He was the chairman of the Alabama State Personnel Board. He died Saturday.

July 25, 2018

This is why women don’t come forward

By Joey Kennedy Alabama Political Reporter Alabama Political Reporter Editor in Chief Bill Britt and reporter/columnist Josh Moon have done a fine job exposing state Attorney General Steve Marshall’s lack of action when a woman who worked in his office was aggressively sexually assaulted by an assistant district attorney who also worked there. Men who … Continued

January 18, 2018

Journalist Eddie Burkhalter’s principles are intact; the Anniston Star’s, not so much

By Joey Kennedy Alabama Political Reporter Journalist Eddie Burkhalter did what few in our business will ever do. Burkhalter quit his job on at The Anniston Star in November on principle because the newspaper wouldn’t allow him to pursue a story about allegations that former Star Publisher H. Brandt Ayers spanked some of his women … Continued

January 1, 2018

My wife is Time’s Person of the Year

By Joey Kennedy Alabama Political Reporter I was heartened and encouraged by Time magazine’s Person of the Year. It’s one of those years where the person is persons. One of those persons is my wife. No, not Taylor Swift. Nor Alyssa Milano. Nor Rose McGowan. Nor Selma Blair. Veronica Pike Kennedy. My wife. Whom I’m … Continued

December 7, 2017