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Ivey tells PARCA to vote yes on Amendment One

Brandon Moseley

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Friday, Alabama Governor Kay Ivey (R) addressed the Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama (PARCA) at the annual Albert Brewer Legacy lunch at the Harbert Center in Birmingham.

Albert Brewer (D) (1928-1917) was elevated to Governor in 1968 when Lurleen Wallace (D) died in office from cancer. Later in life, while on the faculty at Samford, he became the first Executive Director of PARCA.

“In 1962 I was elected Lt. Governor of Girl’s State and Albert Brewer was Speaker of the House,” Ivey said. “He spent his time explaining to me how state government works. A small act of kindness can have a huge impact on somebody’s life.”

Ivey said that in 1970 she was a volunteer for Gov. Brewer when he ran for re-election. He lost to former Gov. George C. Wallace.

“2.7 percent unemployment is the lowest in the history of the state,” Ivey said. The state also has a 56.8 labor participation which is a 1.28 percent improvement over Ivey’s term. 72,000 people have been added to the work force in the Ivey Administration.

“It might be hard to top the $8.7 billion in investments announced in the state in 2018,” Ivey said. “It is the investment of employers and the hard work of the people of Alabama that keep the Alabama economy moving forward.”

“The Workforce Council of Alabama has set the goal of 500,000 employees with post-secondary credentials by 2025,” Ivey said. “It is going to take work across all aspects of our education and workforce development system to achieve this.”

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“I want to thank the Alabama Workforce Council and PARCA in their work to achieve this goal,” Ivey added.

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Ivey said that the state is driving the integration between education and workforce development so that the next generation has the best start possible.

Wee-Cat for three year old, computer science expansion to every high school in the state, and emphasizing STEM careers like never before are efforts that Ivey said her administration is making to improve education in Alabama.

Ivey said that STEM jobs “are growing twice as fast as other careers.”

“I am not only focusing on new workers entering the workforce; but also those on the fringes so that they can move up,” Ivey said on increasing the number of Alabama workers with credentials.

“Work based learning is the key to getting employees the training that they need to be successful employees,” Ivey said. “We have created the Alabama Office of apprenticeship.”

“I will give the state of the state address on Tuesday night,” Ivey said. “I will be sending a challenge on the areas that we need to improve.”

“The upcoming census is absolutely essential,” Ivey said. “Even if you are out of state but are in Alabama on April first fill out that census form. It is critical.”

“We are going to lose a congressman and a ton of federal money,” Ivey explained if the census is undercounted. “Over a million young people including children went uncounted ten years ago.”

“Another issue that has gone unaddressed for a long time is the dangerous conditions of our prisons.” Ivey warned. The federal courts could take it over if we don’t act. “We must buckle down.”

“The status quo is not an option,” Ivey said. “My Commissioner of Correction Jeff Dunn is spearheading the effort to turn our facilities from warehousing to rehabilitation.”

Ivey said that she wants the prisoners to “Learn a skill so they don’t come back.”

“Alabama is at the bottom in about every education category that can be found,” Ivey said. “Too many of our third graders cannot read and too many of our high school graduates are not ready for a career or college.”

“Vote yes on amendment one when you go to the polls on March 3,” Ivey said. “We have had three superintendents in five years. We can do better.”

Amendment one will replace the existing elected state Board of Education with a commission appointed by the Governor.

“I am confident that we will find solutions to our problems,” Ivey said. “I will continue to partner with you.”

Governor Ivey was in a sling due to tripping over the first dog at the mansion earlier in the week and had deferred necessary surgery in part to attend Friday’s PARCA event.

PARCA will be hosting columnist George Will on September 17 for their annual fundraiser.

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McClendon introduces legislation to rein in gambling influence in state politics

Bill Britt

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At a press conference earlier today, Sen. Jim McClendon, R-Springville, introduced legislation that prohibits gambling interests from giving money to candidates for the Legislature, the lieutenant governor, and the governor. It likewise bans candidates for those offices from accepting campaign contributions from gambling interests.

“The purpose of this legislation is to get things in Alabama back in balance,” said McClendon. “There is a multibillion-dollar international corporation that has given hundreds of thousands of dollars to Alabama senate candidates. This corporation owns casinos in three countries, three states, and has four locations in Alabama and they want more.”

McClendon was clearly referencing the Poarch Band of Creek Indians without mentioning its name. 

“No other entity in Alabama that has an interest in gambling, whether it be a lottery, electronic bingo, horseracing, or charity bingo, has amassed the buying power of this group,” continued McClendon. “Any other competitor in Alabama is ill-equipped to compete.”

Over the last decade, PCI has used cash resources from its billion-dollar gambling empire to give millions to political candidates, giving them unprecedented access to influential Republican members of the state legislature. 

McClendon points out that other states have legislation prohibiting or limiting contributions from those in the gambling industry to elected officials, candidates, or parties. These states included Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Nebraska, New Jersey, and Virginia.

“Champions of campaign finance reform praise this reform as a necessity to curb excessive influence and corruption,” said McClendon.

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He also listed three persuasive reasons as to why such legislation is necessary and wise.  

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“First, a state has a compelling interest in regulating gambling and protecting its citizens from the dangers associated with gambling. Secondly, a state has a compelling interest in preventing or attempting to prevent gambling entities from gaining influence over legislators or other political officials and thirdly, a state has a compelling interest in protecting the gambling entities themselves from being pressured into making such political contributions.”

McClendon said he was not, “making claims of corruption,” or “undue influence based on monetary contributions,” but said the state offices holder should “be wary of the appearance of corruption” or “undue influence.”

He also acknowledged that there is a possibility that some gambling entities or others might bring a legal challenge to the legislation but says there is precedent for such restrictions.

“There is precedence in Alabama for campaign contribution restrictions in Alabama,” said McClendon. “Public utilities are banned from making political contributions to candidates for the Public Service Commission. No attempts were made to overthrow the legislation.” He further stated, “There is precedence in Alabama for restrictions to be placed on advocacy groups that overstep their bounds.”

He concluded the press conference saying, “Let there be no doubt about my intent in advocating for the passage of this bill. I emphatically state that the purpose of the bill is to limit the gambling industry’s influence in the political process.”

He also urged his fellow lawmakers to “realize that we are at a crossroads for our state. Now is the time to put a stop to this invasion of gambling dollars with such high propensity for corruption.”

 

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Doug Jones leads Republican rivals in fundraising

Brandon Moseley

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The Doug Jones for Senate campaign reports a strong fourth quarter with over $1.9 million raised in the fourth quarter of 2019. He is leading all of his Republican rivals.

The Doug Jones campaign raised over $7.5 million in total, with an average contribution of $68.05. Most of that money is from out of state donors. Jones raised $1,076,952.32 from political action committees.

“From securing permanent funding for Historically Black Colleges and Universities, repealing the Military Widows Tax, simplifying the college aid application process and helping to secure paid parental leave for over 50,000 federal workers in Alabama, Doug has had an incredible year in the Senate and on the campaign trail,” said Doug Turner, Senior Advisor, Doug Jones for Senate Campaign. “We’re looking forward to continuing his work of bringing people together to get things done for Alabama in 2020.”

Jones entered 2020 with $5,042,251.25 in cash on hand.

Former Auburn head football Coach Tommy Tuberville has raised $1,328,437.18 in contributions. 98.3 percent of Tuberville’s contributions came from political action committees. PACs have donated just $16,734.11 to Tuberville. Coach Tuberville loaned his campaign $1,000,000 and has spent $804,698.50 leaving him with just $1,523,738.68 in cash on hand to spend.

Congressman Bradley Byrne, R-Montrose, raised $1,085,152.51 last year. Most of that came from individual donors with just $221,500 coming from political action committees. Byrne also transferred $2,261,084 from his Congressional campaign account and spent $1,152,953.09 in 2019 leaving him with $2,193,283.11 in cash on hand.

Former Attorney General Jeff Sessions was very late getting in the race. Despite the late entry Sessions was able to raise $185,326 in individual contributions and $126,734 from Political Action Committees during the last weeks of 2019. Sessions was also a Senator for over twenty years until leaving the Senate to become Attorney General in 2017. In his last race in 2014, the popular Senator Sessions did not have a single opponent, Republican or Democrat. Sessions thus had well over $2 million left in his Friends of Jeff Sessions account earning interest. Despite spending $311,266.22, Sessions’ 2019 contributions, combined with his carried over balance, means he enters 2020 with $2,542,974.24 in cash on hand – more than any other Republican in the field.

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Former Chief Justice Roy S. Moore was narrowly defeated by Jones in the 2017 special election for the remainder of Sessions’ term. Moore has had some difficulty raising money this time in the crowded Republican field. Moore has raised just $126,925.23, all of it from individuals. No political action committees have contributed to Moore’s campaign. Moore has spent $82,809.55 leaving his campaign with just $44,115.68 in cash on hand.

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State Representative Arnold Mooney, R-Indian Springs, has raised $769,088.30 in contributions, with political action committees contributing just $18,000. Mooney has spent $465,458.47 on his campaign leaving him with just $321,629.83 in cash on hand.

Northwest Alabama businessman Stanley Adair has only raised $148,977.39 and $0 from political action committees. Adair has also contributed $134,421.08 of his own money to his race for Senate and has borrowed $4,500. Adair has spent $286,519.32 leaving him with just $1,379.15 in cash on hand.

The Federal Elections Commission is not showing any current reports for Ruth Page Nelson of Dothan.

Secretary of State John H. Merrill dropped out of the race shortly after Sessions announced his candidacy. Before dropping out Merrill has raised $928,497.69, spent $513,897.35, and still has $414,600.34 in cash on hand.

Michael Parish is attempting to qualify for the ballot as an independent, a difficult task in Alabama. He reports total receipts of just $5,116.21, spending $1,742.87, and cash on hand of just $3,373.34.

The Republican primary will be on March 3. Jones does not have a Democratic Party opponent. Jones will face the eventual Republican nominee on November 3.

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Iowa Caucuses are tonight

Brandon Moseley

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Iowa Democrats go to caucuses tonight to decide who wins the first of fifty state caucuses and primaries that will decide who the Democratic Party nominates to challenge President Donald J. Trump (R) in the November general election.

The polls are too close to call. U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (Vermont) is leading in some recent polls; while others show former Vice President Joe Biden leading. Many different contenders have been in third. South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg and U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (Massachusetts) are currently the two closest. Billionaire and former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is filling the airwaves with commercials; but his is not participating in the Caucus. U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (Minnesota) has been trending and could break the top four.

“We certainly need to have a strong finish here in Iowa,” Buttigieg replied Sunday when George Stephanopoulos asked if he needed to crack the top three in Iowa.

A poll released on Friday had Biden, Sanders, Warren, and Buttigieg all with between 20 and 17 percent support.

Sanders polls best with young voters and first-time voters. He is hoping those groups show up in force, a big gamble according to some veteran Iowa watchers.

“History has shown us that the biggest risk we could take with a very important election coming up is to look to the same Washington playbook and recycle the same arguments and expect that to work against a president like Donald Trump who is new in kind,” Buttigieg said.

“My gut tells me that it is going well,” Biden told NBC news. “It is going to be close.”

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I think the way to go after Donald Trump is to point out what he hasn’t done, point out what he won’t do and point out why it is important and the bad things that he has done and how it has hurt the character of the country,” Biden said. “The good news is that they know me, the bad news is that they don’t know me.”

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Biden said that while he would like to win Iowa, whatever happens it won’t change anything. “I have a real firewall in South Carolina.”

“By joining our movement, you’re joining a fight for human solidarity,” Sanders said on Twitter. “You’re standing against all forms of racism, bigotry and discrimination. You’re working towards criminal justice reform, a humane immigration system and disability rights. That’s what this campaign is about.”

Warren has been dropping in the polls; but most sources say that she has the strongest organization in the state. Warren insists that her being a woman makes her electable.

“The world changed when Donald Trump got elected,” she told reporters Saturday. “Women candidates helped us win back the House in 2018 and won a lot of statehouse races in competitive elections.”

Warren and Sanders are both proposing a new tax on wealth to fund massive increases in entitlements.

The Alabama presidential primary is only four weeks away.

(Original reporting by ABC News, the Hill, and NBC News contributed to this report.)

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Pringle campaign announces grassroots leaders

Brandon Moseley

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Thursday, First Congressional District State Representative Chris Pringle, R-Mobile, announced a list of county grassroots leaders from across the district in support of his campaign. The team includes nearly 100 key leaders and growing.

“I’m humbled by the support of so many local conservatives who have joined the movement to send ‘one of us’ to Washington,” said Pringle. “Our team of volunteers and grassroots leaders continue to work across the first district, spreading our winning message of conservative principles and Southwest Alabama values.”

The Pringle Campaign will release videos of various grassroots leaders talking about why they support Chris Pringle.

“I’ve known Chris for many years and through my dealings with him personally and in the real estate business, I’ve come to admire his strong work ethic and high moral values,” said realtor Jess Martin. “I know he will be able to go to Washington and build the strong relationships we need, like he has down here in Southwest Alabama, to benefit us in the future.”

“Chris Pringle and I have been close personal friends since childhood. I know him to be a man of character and integrity,” said Mobile Bar Pilots Patrick Wilson. “We have had the opportunity to work professionally together as adults and I’ve seen Chris fight for our shipping industry and be a strong voice for Southwest Alabama.”

“I’ve known Chris Pringle my entire life…As a state Rep. he represents the district where I live,” said Mobile Assistant Police Chief Clay Godwin. “He has championed very pro-law enforcement legislation in the state and I know he will always be a friend to law enforcement.”

“I’m voting for Chris Pringle for Congress because I believe Chris understands and can communicate the needs of our community in Washington. I know Chris,” said Construction company owner Cay Rogers. “I know his family. He loves God. He loves his family. He loves his Country. And Chris loves his friends.”

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Pringle’s campaign announced that in Mobile County his team includes: Shannon and Noel Bedwell, Andie and John Bender, Betsy and Joe Brown, Susan and Kevin Carley, Mark Clark, Ann and Bob Collins, Kate and Frank Conwell, Bo Cross, Paula and Bill Daniels, Sherri and Mike Dees, Katy and Peter D’Olive, Ed Fields, Clay Godwin, Jeanette Green, Therese Hillyer, Craig Kleinmann, Corinne and Barney March, Bess and David Marks, Kirk Mattei, Kevin McKinney, Appie and Thomas O’Melia, Leigh Owens, Marion Quina, Ben Radcliff, Jeri and Erling Riis, Cay and Mike Rogers, Mitch Shackleford, Vivian and John Sheldon, Debbie and Thornton Stephens, Win Stuardi, Corneila and David Tisher, Catie and Cooper Trent, Tal Vickers, Bestor Ward, Mike Ward, Michael Weaver, Paul Weaver, Katelanne Whitehead, State Representative Margie Wilcox, Florence and David Williams, Sally and Skip Wilson, and Patrick Wilson.

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Pringle’s Baldwin County team includes: Brady Berglin, Mary and Grey Cane, Paige Dawson, State Representative Joe Faust, Shane Hadley, Chis Haley, the Honorable Perry Hand, Mayor John Konair, State Representative Steve McMillan, Mayor Charles Murphy, Chuck Norwood, Beth and Spud Schramm, State Representative Harry Shriver, Teresa and Gus Smith, and Plumer Tonsmeire.

In Monroe County Pringle’s team includes: Patrick Harrigan, Jess Martin, Tom Sawyer, and Dennis Stallworth.

In Escambia County Pringle’s grassroots team includes: Coley and Collin McMillian, Brewton Police Chief Monte McGougin, and Paul Owens.

In Washington County Pringle’s grassroots team includes: State Representative Brett Easterbrook, Mary Bowling Glover, Billie Glover, and May Holly Glover.

In Clarke County Pringle’s campaign team consists of Mayor Paul South and Cheryl and Wayne Lathan.

Incumbent Congressman Bradley Byrne, R-Montrose, is running for the Senate seat currently held by Doug Jones (D).

The Republican primary is on March 3.

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