Update: In its original report, APR stated that it had reached out to Joshua McKee and offered him an opportunity to respond prior to publication, but that no response had been received. Early Wednesday, APR was notified by McKee’s campaign that a response email had been sent on Tuesday, prior to our deadline. Although APR did not initially locate the email, APR is satisfied it was sent and has since received a copy.
In the interest of fairness and full transparency, APR is publishing McKee’s response in full, without editing.
Voters in Alabama’s 1st Congressional District are being asked to consider a Republican congressional candidate whose public record includes two personal bankruptcies, a federal tax lien, a residential foreclosure, and a political history that spans multiple party registrations across several states.
That candidate is Joshua Logan McKee, a 44-year-old Robertsdale resident who has filed to run for Congress as a political outsider. A review of publicly available records—federal court filings, voter registration databases and county-level documents—shows a far more complicated background than campaign messaging alone would suggest.
A Life Marked by Constant Relocation
McKee’s adult life, as reflected in public records, has been geographically unsettled.
Over roughly 25 years, he has lived at nearly two dozen addresses across at least seven states, including New York, North Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Michigan and Alabama. Early addresses cluster around military installations in Georgia and North Carolina. Later residences span suburban and rural communities in Michigan and Florida before his relocation to Baldwin County in mid-2022.
There is nothing inherently improper about frequent moves. But in a district-based congressional race, voters are entitled to understand where a candidate’s adult life unfolded, where financial and legal obligations were incurred, and how long the candidate has been rooted in the community he now seeks to represent.
Public records indicate McKee’s Alabama residency begins approximately three years before the 2026 election.
Party Registration: A Shifting Political Identity
McKee’s voting history reflects a political affiliation that evolved over time.
Records show that he was registered as a Democrat in Baldwinsville, New York, in 2001. By 2004, he was registered as a Republican in North Carolina. Subsequent voter registrations list him as Republican in multiple states, with one instance of “No Party Declared” in Florida in 2011.
Since 2014, his registrations have consistently reflected Republican affiliation, including his current voter registration in Alabama. He voted in the 2020 general election as a Republican voter in Florida and remains listed as an active Republican voter in Alabama.
What is absent from the public record is any explanation from McKee himself describing this evolution—when it occurred, why it occurred, or what principles he believes define his current political identity. That absence may matter to voters assessing ideological consistency and motivation.
Financial History: Two Bankruptcies, a Tax Lien and a Foreclosure
Court filings show that McKee has filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy twice. The first was filed in 2001 in the Eastern District of North Carolina. The second was filed in June 2022 in the Southern District of Alabama and closed later that year.
The 2022 bankruptcy listed total liabilities exceeding $568,000. Those liabilities included large loan deficiencies from Michigan-based credit unions, mortgage-related losses, and debts sent to multiple collection agencies.
The public record reflects the following sequence of events: two voluntary Chapter 7 bankruptcy filings more than two decades apart; a residential foreclosure completed in 2014; and a federal tax lien in the amount of $40,274 filed in Florida in 2015, with no satisfaction or release reflected in the public record.
According to McKee’s sworn bankruptcy declarations in 2022, he reported no checking or savings accounts, no investments and no vehicle ownership. He reported having $5 in cash on hand and a monthly surplus of $14.67 after expenses. His filings show gross income exceeding $177,000 in 2020, in addition to VA disability benefits, followed by reliance on VA benefits alone in subsequent years.
The filings also state that no payments were made to creditors in the year preceding the bankruptcy.
These records raise unresolved questions. Credit union loans listed in the bankruptcy typically require active financial accounts, yet McKee declared having none at the time of filing. The method by which routine income and VA benefits were received during that period is not explained in the filings.
Bankruptcy is legal. It exists to give individuals a fresh start. But when someone seeks federal office—particularly a seat involving oversight of national budgets, taxation and public debt—voters are entitled to examine how a candidate managed significant personal financial resources, and what lessons he claims to have learned from financial failure.
McKee has not publicly addressed these issues.
Criminal Record: Limited but Recurrent Traffic Offenses
McKee’s criminal history consists almost entirely of traffic-related offenses, primarily in North Carolina between 2002 and 2011.
These include speeding citations, equipment violations and multiple instances of driving while license revoked. There are no violent offenses, no allegations of fraud, and no felony convictions reflected in the records reviewed.
The repeated license-related violations, however, indicate a pattern during that period rather than isolated incidents. All cases appear to have been resolved.
Business and Employment Claims
Public records show McKee listing managerial involvement with JLM Industries, LLC, beginning in 2024 at his Robertsdale address. Beyond that, documentation of sustained private-sector business operations is limited.
Notably, McKee’s 2022 bankruptcy filing states that he did not own a business during the four years preceding the filing—a period that overlaps with substantial loans incurred while he was living in Michigan.
Clarification from McKee regarding how these records align with his claims of business experience would assist voters in evaluating his professional background and assertions of financial competence.
Why This Matters to Alabama’s 1st District
Elections are not moral judgments. They are accountability exercises.
Voters in Alabama’s 1st Congressional District must decide whether a candidate’s history—financial, political and personal—reflects the judgment, transparency and preparation required for federal office.
Joshua Logan McKee’s record raises legitimate questions about financial stewardship, political consistency and community roots. Those questions are not accusations. They are the natural consequence of seeking public power.
Alabama’s 1st District will ultimately decide whether McKee’s past represents a story of recovery or a warning about judgment. That decision belongs to voters—but only if the full record is understood.
The following reflects Mr. McKee’s responses, reproduced in full as received by APR.
When did you first move to Alabama, and when did you decide to run for
Congress in Alabama’s 1st District?
My family roots in Alabama trace back to John McKee, one of our state’s early
congressmen and a pioneer settler in Tuscaloosa County. Like many military families, I’ve
lived in multiple states due to service requirements and subsequent corporate roles. I
returned to Alabama in 2022, settling in Baldwin County because it embodies the values
I fought to protect: strong communities, faith, and opportunity. After years of watching
Washington fail districts like ours, I announced my candidacy in August 2025 to bring
mission-focused leadership to Congress.
Records show you were registered as a Democrat in New York in 2001 and later
as a Republican in several states. How do you explain that change?
I’m genuinely puzzled by this claim. In 2001, I was stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina,
serving as a Special Forces medic. I was not living in New York and have no recollection
of ever registering to vote there. I’ve been a registered Republican in every state where
I’ve voted and have consistently supported conservative principles throughout my adult
life. If you have documentation showing otherwise, I’d appreciate seeing it so I can
understand what may have occurred. My military service record and duty stations during
that period are a matter of official record.
You filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in 2001 and again in 2022. What circumstances
led to your most recent bankruptcy?
The 2001 filing occurred when I was a young enlisted soldier at Fort Bragg. I was 20 years
old, newly in the Army, and like many young service members, I made financial mistakes
before I had the life experience to know better.The 2022 filing resulted from being victimized by identity theft involving over a million
dollars in fraudulent obligations. Rather than simply pay debts I had not incurred, I chose
to fight. I filed Chapter 7 to formally challenge these fraudulent claims in federal court,
where the evidence supported my position and the court discharged the fraudulent
obligations. It was a difficult process, but I refused to let criminals profit at my expense.
Your 2022 bankruptcy filing listed more than $568,000 in liabilities. What should
voters understand about that financial period?
Voters should understand that the liabilities listed in that filing were the fraudulent debts I
was challenging, not legitimate obligations I had incurred. The bankruptcy court reviewed
the evidence and discharged those claims. Since then, I’ve rebuilt and continued to grow
the businesses and investments I’ve developed through my military career, corporate
leadership roles, and entrepreneurial ventures. This experience reinforced my belief that
our systems must better protect Americans from fraud and identity theft—something I’ll
champion in Congress.
A federal tax lien was filed against you in 2015. Has that lien been resolved?
Yes. The 2015 lien was filed during an IRS audit of my 2012 tax year. The audit concluded
in my favor, the IRS issued a determination letter showing no amount owed, and the lien
was withdrawn. I’ve maintained clean tax records since and am committed to bringing
that same accountability to how Congress handles taxpayer dollars.
You list involvement with JLM Industries, LLC beginning in 2024. What is that
business, and what is your role?
JLM Industries, LLC is my company specializing in commercial construction and strategic
consulting. As founder and CEO, I leverage my experience leading complex operations,
from Special Forces missions to global corporate strategy roles, to help businesses
navigate challenges and build infrastructure. It represents the entrepreneurial spirit I want
to foster throughout Alabama’s 1st District.
Your record reflects several traffic-related offenses, including driving while
license revoked. What should voters know about that period of your life?
Those incidents occurred primarily between 2002 and 2010, years when I was dealing
with frequent military deployments, the strain those put on my family, and ultimately a
difficult divorce. I was a young soldier trying to balance combat rotations with life at home,
and I didn’t always handle it well. Most of those charges were dismissed, but I take full
responsibility for the ones that weren’t. I haven’t had any similar issues in over 15 years.
Those difficult years taught me hard lessons about personal accountability—lessons I’ve
carried into my leadership roles ever since.
Why should voters be confident in your judgment and readiness to serve in
Congress?
Because I’ve been tested in ways most politicians never will be. Twenty-five years in Army
Special Forces, including multiple combat deployments, taught me to make sound
decisions under pressure, lead diverse teams through chaos, and accomplish the mission
regardless of obstacles. I’ve faced setbacks: financial challenges, a difficult divorce, the
struggles many military families know too well, and I’ve overcome them. I’m not a polished
career politician. I’m someone who has lived the challenges ordinary Americans face,
fought for this country overseas, and now wants to fight for Alabama families in
Washington. Voters can count on me to secure our borders, defend our constitutional
rights, create economic opportunity, and never forget who I work for.
Best regards,
Joshua Logan McKee
Candidate for U.S. Congress, Alabama’s 1st District
