Alabama-based PAC celebrates productive 2015
The conservative non-profit Take Back Our Republic and its new political action committee Take Back Action Fund are basking in the Holiday glow of a fruitful 2015, Take Back’s Executive Director John Prudner wrote in an email to supporters Monday. The Auburn-based group boasted cited positive media coverage in outlets to from POLITICO and The New York Times to Al-Jazeera in 2015, as well as positive fundraising amid the founding of the Take Back Action Fund, a new 501(c)(4) SuperPAC dedicated to promoting the group’s mission of campaign finance reform and conservative governance. Prudner, who is also president of the Take Back Action Fund, also heralded the group’s success in promoting a report it produced on the political spending of nonprofit groups, particularly Planned Parenthood. Conservative site Breitbart, for instance, carried a story detailing the report, which highlighted data showing local Planned Parenthood groups exceeding the legal 50 percent limit on spending to influence elections in some cases, as well as a high volume of political spending in general by the nonprofit. The group also celebrated a recent December fundraising drive that garnered $37,811 in “small” donations that were matched by a larger donor and the inception of the new Take Back political committee. The campaign finance reform organization was founded in January by Prudner, who ran the campaign of Virginia U.S. Rep. David Brat, who successfully ousted former Majority Leader Eric Cantor by running to his right during the 2014 midterm elections.
Martha Roby: New VA facility a turning point, but more improvements needed
You may have seen the news that the Central Alabama VA has opened a new 150,000 square-foot, state-of-the-art clinic on Chantilly Parkway, in Eastern Montgomery. Our veterans deserve a world-class facility like this one, and I was proud to join my colleague Rep. Mike Rogers, community leaders and Veterans Affairs officials to cut the ribbon on such an impressive new facility. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ new Chantilly clinic is intended to increase access to care for veterans who depend on the VA for medical and psychological services. The deep and complex problems that have plagued the VA nationwide, and particularly in this area, are well-documented. When I worked with whistleblowers and the news media to expose major counts of malfeasance, mismanagement and cover-up within the Central Alabama VA, we knew extensive changes would have to be made and that the road to success would be a long one. But, I am encouraged by recent progress. Badly needed staff has been hired to fill some of the gaps that have existed for years. Major headway has been made to reduce the backlog of patients waiting for appointments. That means more veteran patients are receiving the care they need in a timely fashion. Of course, a new building will not fix all the problems with patient access by itself. As nice as it is, the new facility doesn’t make the journey for care any shorter for veterans living in Greenville, Andalusia, Troy or other areas relatively far from VA hospitals in Montgomery and Tuskegee. That’s why I’m working to build a network of local hospitals, clinics and other providers that can allow many veterans to access care right in their hometown. Very soon, I will be bringing together local, regional and national VA leaders to sit down with hospital CEOs from across Alabama so we can work out an agreement to develop a community veterans health network. When veterans are able to get treated by local providers, it means they aren’t forced to drive long distances to receive care. It also means the demand at VA facilities is lessened so they can tend to the patients already on their rolls. I believe this common-sense, hybrid approach is the future of veterans’ health care, and I’m optimistic we can build a community veterans’ health network in Alabama that can serve as a national model. It’s refreshing to be able to share positive news about our work to improve the VA. My staff and I will remain vigilant in making sure our veterans are receiving the care they need because that’s our job. I hope the opening of the new VA facility marks a turning point in our mission to improve VA services and make sure no veteran gets left behind. Martha Roby represents Alabama’s 2nd Congressional District. She is in her third term.
Fox announces date, team for Iowa debate
Fox News Channel says it will host the seventh Republican presidential debate, taking place next month in Des Moines, Iowa, ahead of that state’s caucuses. Fox said Monday that the two-hour debate on Jan. 28 will be anchored by Bret Baier, Megyn Kelly and Chris Wallace. That’s the same team that moderated the campaign’s first GOP debate in August, which drew a cable news record audience of 24 million people. The sixth debate will be shown on the Fox Business Network on Jan. 14. Criteria for participation will be announced later. The GOP field narrowed on Monday with Sen. Lindsey Graham‘s announcement that he was ending his campaign. Republished with permission of the Associated Press.
Jeb Bush “only one” with courage to stand up to Donald Trump, new ad says
Jeb Bush is the only Republican candidate with the courage to take on Donald Trump and his “unhinged proposals,” says a new ad coming from the Bush campaign. “The Only One,” a minute-long digital spot released Monday, has Bush blasting the billionaire real estate developer over his defense of Vladimir Putin – who recently praised Trump as “bright and talented.” The ad also targets Trump’s proposal to screen immigrants according to their religion and for showing a general lack of understanding of America’s place in the world. At the same time, the spot portrays fellow Republican candidates Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio and Chris Christie as either staying silent or praising the brash front runner. “I salute Donald Trump,” Cruz says in a clip. “I commend Donald Trump.” In contrast, Bush has stood up to Trump’s rhetoric, including sending a tweet from @JebBush saying, “a true freedom-loving conservative wouldn’t be flattered by praise from a despot like Putin #chaoscandidate.” “Jeb Bush was the only one who tried to go after Donald Trump,” one commentator says in a voice-over. According to a campaign statement, Bush will “stand up for conservative principles and American leadership against Trump’s irresponsible proposals and defense of Putin even if the others won’t.” “The Only One” is now available on YouTube.
Ted Cruz super PAC takes swipe at Marco Rubio in new digital ad
A new digital spot produced by the super PAC supporting Ted Cruz hits airwaves this week, taking a gentle swipe at rival Marco Rubio, with whom the Texas senator has been battling over national security and immigration. As reported by Katie Glueck of POLITICO, “Trust” is a 60-second ad from Keep the Promise I and the Keep the Promise PAC. The digital ads are part of six-figure media buys running in four early primary states, as well as Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi, where Cruz recently finished a campaign swing. The ad uses clips from recent debate performances, with Cruz saying he is someone “who at has actually stood up not just the Democrats, but to leaders in our own party.” As he speaks, the ad shows images of both Rubio and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. Also shown in the ad are voter testimonials with comments such as, “He’s not afraid to say the honest truth, even from the Senate floor, even if it’s unpopular,” and “he has been consistent on every issue.” Glueck writes that “Trust” comes at a time when Rubio’s campaign is hitting Cruz hard on questions of consistency in his opposition to immigration reform. “Trust” will appear on both Facebook and YouTube and is expected to run through the end of the year.
Bradley Byrne: America is still the light of the world
A few weeks ago, I was holding a town hall meeting on Facebook where I answered questions from my constituents. Most of the questions related to issues like local transportation projects, illegal immigration, and the fight against terrorism. One question really stuck out to me though. Raymond asked me how I remain optimistic in light of so many bad things that are happening in our country and around the world. As we celebrate Christmas, I believe this is an important topic that we should all take time to reflect on. Our nation is facing many challenges, and I know that most Americans are understandably afraid about our national security and the direction our country is heading. The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) is a radical terrorist regime that is focused on attacking Americans, but we cannot allow this vile enemy to change the way we live our lives. If we live in fear, then these terrorist organizations win. We should all be vigilant and never hesitate to report something that seems unusual to the proper authorities, but continue to go about your lives this Christmas season as you normally would. I take great comfort in knowing we have remarkable men and women all across the globe who are fighting to defend the United States and the values we hold dear. These people are on ships and in various countries abroad, and they won’t be able to spend time with their families this Christmas because they are busy serving our country. Let’s make sure to keep them in our prayers. I also take comfort in our police officers and first responders who will also work throughout the holidays. These individuals put others above themselves in an effort to keep our local communities safe and secure. As we go through these challenging times, I am also constantly motivated by my faith. At Christmas it is especially easy to get caught up in all these worldly events, but there is obviously something much greater than us taking place. So I am comforted by the fact that I serve an all-loving God who will continue to provide for me even when the going gets tough. I’m also inspired by the grit and determination of the American people. Our nation has been through very difficult times before. We have faced enemies both at home and abroad, and each time we have risen to the challenge and overcome the challenges before us. I don’t expect this time will be any different. In August, I had the opportunity to visit Israel with some of my Congressional colleagues to learn more about the relationship between our two countries. During one of the stops, our tour guide, an Israeli citizen, made a comment that has stuck with me. He said that we, as Americans, are the light of the world and a beacon of hope for all those in despair. This comment reminded me of one of my favorite Bible verses, which is John chapter one, verse five. It reads, “the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” This Christmas, may we all try to be a light of love and hope for those in our own communities who are struggling, and may our nation continue to be a light of freedom that shines all across the globe. Bradley Byrne is a member of the U.S. Congress representing Alabama’s 1st Congressional District.
Presidential Primary Brief: 322 days until Election Day
119 days until AL Presidential Primary 322 days until Election Day Convention Dates: Republican July 18-21 2016, Democratic July 25-28 2016 Weekly Headlines: 5 takeaways from the Democratic debate GOP debate drew 18 million, making it third most-watched ever CBS Poll: Cruz still ahead in Iowa Press Clips: Insiders: DNC data flap is overblown (Politico 12/20/15) The clash between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders over a voter data breach? “Who cares? An issue that’s forgotten in 48 hours,” said one Iowa Democrat. That dismissive opinion is widely shared among Democrats and Republicans surveyed for the POLITICO Caucus, our panel of the top activists, strategists and operatives in Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada. The revelations that a senior Sanders campaign staffer — and potentially several others — had breached Clinton’s proprietary voter files set Washington abuzz Friday, with the Democratic National Committee cutting off Sanders’ access to his entire voter database in response. Could Federal Reserve help decide who wins the White House in 2016? (The Street 12/16/15) Republicans seem to hate the Federal Reserve while Democrats are hesitant to publicly criticize it these days — is it because the nation’s central bank could play a pivotal role in the 2016 election? On the campaign trail in Iowa in 2011, presidential candidate and former Texas Gov. Rick Perry made a not-so-thinly-veiled threat to then-Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke over the policy of quantitative easing. “If this guy prints more money between now and the election, I dunno what y’all would do to him in Iowa but we would treat him pretty ugly down in Texas,” he said. Sanders camp suspends two more staffers over data breach (Politico 12/20/15) Bernie Sanders’ campaign suspended two more staffers directly involved in the data breach that has roiled the party, a Sanders aide confirmed to POLITICO after the Democratic debate on Saturday night. Pending an investigation, the two aides join data director Josh Uretsky in leaving the campaign following the revelation that they accessed and downloaded voter information from Hillary Clinton’s team during a technology glitch on Wednesday. Obama ends 2015 with rare praise for GOP, vows to campaign aggressively for Dems in 2016 (US News and World Report 12/18/15) President Barack Obama closed his next-to-last year in office with rare praise for congressional Republican leaders who helped orchestrate a bipartisan budget deal Friday, then vowed to work hard to beat the GOP and get a fellow Democrat elected to succeed him in the White House. “I do want to thank Congress for ending the year on a high note,” Obama said in his annual year-end news conference. He singled out former House Speaker John Boehner for kick-starting the budget process shortly before leaving Congress and gave current Speaker Paul Ryan “kudos” for seeing the effort through. The budget package, which staved off a government shutdown and extended tax cuts for families and businesses, was finalized shortly before Obama addressed reporters in the White House briefing room Friday afternoon. The president quickly signed the measure into law. Rubio fundraises off Sanders data breach (Politico 12/19/15) Marco Rubio’s presidential campaign has latched onto the still-unfolding Democratic data breach to reel in cash. In a fundraising email sent Saturday evening, less than an hour before the start of the third Democratic presidential debate, Rubio lumped questions about Hillary Clinton’s private email with new revelations that her chief rival Bernie Sanders had stolen some of Clinton’s proprietary voter files. Supporters were then asked to decide whether they considered the Democratic candidates trustworthy. Either answer directs users to Rubio’s fundraising page.
Chuck Yeager “endorsement” of Donald Trump? False, Snopes says
Snopes.com has debunked the recent “endorsement” of presidential candidate Donald Trump by aviation hero and retired Air Force Gen. Chuck Yeager. The latest online legend began as a Nov. 5 post on “conservative strategist” Gary Forbes‘ blog. An about 1,900-word article purportedly written by the 92-year-old former test pilot — famous for the being first person to break the sound barrier — reads as a defense of Trump. For example, “while it may surprise many, he’s actually humble when it comes to his generosity and kindness,” it says. The post also sticks up for Trump as a friend of the military and believer in a strong national security plan, among other things. One problem: Yeager didn’t write it, according to Snopes, a fact-checking website for claims in email chains and on the Internet. This article, titled “Donald Trump — Who He REALLY Is by Chuck Yeager,” was not written by the retired USAF General, nor was it first published on the Gary Forbes website. The article has been posted on a variety of blogs and websites … Chuck Yeager’s name was eventually tacked on to the essay, first by Catholic.org in August, and later by Gary Forbes, but this form of credit was undertaken without the General’s knowledge or approval. As people started to tweet links to the post, Yeager’s personal Twitter account (@GenChuckYeager) tweeted back not to. “Please delete this,” read one tweet. “As a military person, I do not publicly endorse candidates.” Screenshots of the tweets were included in the Snopes post, but it appears they’ve since been hidden from Yeager’s public Twitter account. (Here’s a direct link to one of them.)
Lindsey Graham ends his 2016 presidential campaign
Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham has ended his 2016 presidential campaign. The South Carolina senator posted a video Monday, saying he was suspending his campaign. He said he had run “a campaign we can be proud of” that was focused on the nation’s security. Republished with permission of the Associated Press.
