Robert Bentley blasts release of secretly recorded private call
In a surreptitiously recorded phone call from last year, Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley discourages a state lawmaker from asking for an investigation of his use of state property amid rumors of an affair with a top staffer. Bentley and his attorney lashed out at the sudden release of the call Thursday, with Bentley saying it was an orchestrated distraction ahead of a next week’s special session on a proposed state lottery. The governor’s lawyer also said the call’s release proves that the lawmaker who recorded the conversation shouldn’t serve on a committee investigating Bentley’s possible impeachment. The embattled governor has struggled to shake off the lingering effects of scandal since he admitted in March to making inappropriate remarks to a senior political adviser, who has since resigned. He is facing an impeachment effort in the Legislature and calls for him to step down. Bentley has said he did nothing wrong and he will fight any effort to remove him from office. The release of the recording comes as the governor’s lawyers seek a halt to a potentially wide-ranging impeachment investigation unless lawmakers can better define what they think he has done wrong. In the August 2015 phone call, recorded several days after Dianne Bentley filed for divorce from the governor, he tells state Rep. Allen Farley that he blames casino gambling interests for churning the affair rumors, denies having an affair and discourages Farley’s plans to ask Attorney General Luther Strange to review whether he had misused the state jet and security personnel. On the call, Farley says he wants to get the attorney general to “clear up” that no wrongdoing had occurred. “Allen, I’ve explained things to you. I don’t think you need to get Luther involved with it, personally. There is nothing we are trying to hide,” Bentley says on the recording obtained by The Associated Press. Bentley on Thursday confirmed the conversation and Farley acknowledged recording the governor without his knowledge. Farley said he released the recording after the governor called a special session on a proposed state lottery because of his remarks about gambling interests. “This for me is putting every piece of the puzzle out there for people to see,” Farley said. Bentley said he called Farley last year because he wanted to, “assure him we had not used state funds for any reason improperly.” Farley eventually did send a letter to the attorney general asking him to investigate whether there had been any misuse of property. The governor sharply criticized the release of the recording days before he calls lawmakers back to Montgomery to start a special session on a proposed state lottery. “That needs to be seen for what it is. That is a smoke screen to try to keep us from getting a vote of the people on a lottery. …. They say, ‘Look over here. Look at what the governor said a year ago’ which is not anything bad,” Bentley said. The governor’s administration seized on the recording’s release as they seek Farley’s recusal — along with two other lawmakers —from a House Judiciary Committee investigation on whether Bentley committed any impeachable offenses. Twenty-three lawmakers in April signed impeachment articles after Bentley’s former law enforcement secretary accused him of having an affair with a staffer and interfering with law enforcement business. “It would be outrageous, and in my experience unprecedented, for a member of a legislative committee conducting an investigation to have surreptitiously recorded and then released a private telephone conversation with the subject of that inquiry. If this occurred, it clearly requires Rep. Farley’s recusal,” said Ross Garber, an attorney representing Bentley in the impeachment probe. Farley said he has no plans to leave the committee. “My job in the House Judiciary Committee is to make sure all the information is brought out on the table,” Farley said. The governor’s office, in a separate motion, also asked the House Judiciary Committee to hit the pause button on impeachment proceedings until the full House of Representatives defines the area of the inquiry and what they think Bentley did wrong. The loosely worded impeachment articles accuse the governor of corruption and neglect of duties but do not lay out specific allegations. “The current impeachment resolution appears to sanction the deployment of governmental power to conduct a roving investigation that is unbounded by time or subject matter, and to then compel the governor to defend himself against amorphous allegations that almost certainly have no bearing on a lawful impeachment process. This the Alabama Constitution does not permit,” the governor’s lawyers wrote. Republished with permission of the Associated Press.
New Mobile, Ala. Veterans Affairs clinic finally on way
Soon veterans living in Mobile won’t have to travel far to receive care. A new clinic has been approved by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to replace the current, outdated clinic on Springhill Avenue. Thanks in part go to Alabama 1st District U.S. Rep. Bradley Byrne, who’s made getting a new VA clinic one of his top priorities in Congress. Byrne made the announcement of the new clinic in a press release Thursday afternoon. “This announcement is music to the ears of the over 50,000 veterans who live in Southwest Alabama,” said Byrne. “Since being elected to Congress, I have repeatedly called on the VA to move forward with this project. It is a shame the process took as long as it did, but the new facility will be able to better serve those who have given so much to our country.” Byrne continued, “The work is not done. I will continue to provide diligent oversight throughout the construction process to ensure the project remains on schedule. We must also continue pushing for reforms at the VA to ensure accountability and promote greater choices for our veterans.” Last April, Byrne sent a letter to Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Robert McDonald, urging the VA to expedite construction of a new VA clinic in Mobile. More information on the new clinic is not yet available.
Jimmy Baker appointed acting chancellor of Alabama’s two-year college system
Jimmy Baker has been appointed acting chancellor of the Alabama Community College System. Baker’s promotion from chief of staff to chancellor is only temporary and comes in the wake of Chancellor Mark Heinrich‘s request for a leave of absence to be treated for shingles. “My prognosis for a full recovery is yet to be determined and no time frame for my return can currently be medically determined,” Heinrich wrote in the letter Tuesday. “At this time, the combination of the medication therapy and the symptoms of this severe health condition have simply rendered me incapable of performing my duties and responsibilities as chancellor.” The state’s two-year system’s board of trustees approved the leave request and promotion during a meeting at John C. Calhoun Community College in Tanner on Wednesday. “During his absence, and through these weeks, there have been so many situations that have come up this week that are too important not to be handled properly by the office of the system,” said board of trustees’ vice president Al Thompson. “We hope this will be short term, but I think it’s very necessary to provide proper leadership.”
City of Tallaseee files lawsuit against two mayoral candidates
The Tallassee City Council has filed a lawsuit against mayoral candidates Jeanna Kervin and Trey Taylor contesting their city residency, according to AlabamaNews.net. The residencies were first challenged July 14 at the Tallassee City Council meeting, where locals questioned whether two candidates were legally qualified to run for the position. Council members then voted 3-2 to allow the courts to decide rather than the council. Both candidates argue they are in fact legal residents and plan to continue their campaigns. The election will take place Tuesday, Aug. 23.
Selma police officers demand more pay, go on strike
Police officers in Selma went on strike Thursday morning, after demanding the city increase their pay. The strike started at 5:30 a.m. and quickly forced administration employees to patrol the streets, according to NBC affiliate WSFA. Department spokesman Lt. Sam Miller told WSFA patrol shift workers did not come into work this morning and night shift officers have already called out. He said some supervisors also are absent. Last week, Selma officers anonymously sent city officials a letter asking for pay increases. The letter, dated Aug. 5, which is addressed to the Mayor of Selma, Selma City Council, Personnel Director, Treasurer, City Attorney and Police Chief John Brock, is a request for a “collaborative” and “mandatory” meeting. Chief Brock says his officers are ready for the city to take action. “The officers want a raise,” Brock told WFSA. “They’ve been waiting, they’ve been put off for several years and it’s time to put up or shut up. Since Day 1 when I took this job, I said to the council that night that they had to give the officers a pay raise. They’ve got bonuses over these last several years, but an actual pay raise they haven’t had since 2007.” A Selma Police Department spokesman confirmed the requested meeting is set for Thursday afternoon downtown. “It’s not something that’s been ignored,” Selma Mayor George Evan told WFSA. “It’s just a matter of trying to find all of the pieces to put it together to be able to find any money to do that. We all agree that our police officers and those in public safety and all of our departments deserve more money. It is my belief that the city council and mayor will work to get that done.”
Alabama Board of Education names new state superintendent
Just in time for the new school year, the Alabama Board of Education has selected a new superintendent who will oversee nearly 900 employees at the Alabama State Department of Education (ALSDE). Michael Sentance, former Massachusetts Secretary of Education and regional representative to the U.S. Department of Education, was voted to the position at the Thursday morning board meeting in Montgomery. Last week Gov. Robert Bentley, president of the board, said he wanted a leader who would improve the state’s national education rankings. “It’s very important that we choose a leader that has in mind improved achievement for our students so they can be prepared to live a quality life, get a job, support themselves and support their families,” said Bentley. The board interviewed six educators from across the country last week to replace former superintendent Tommy Bice, who retired this spring after working for four years in the Alabama State Department of Education. The the other five finalists for the position were: — Bill Evers, research fellow at Stanford University — Dee Fowler, superintendent of Madison City Schools — Craig Pouncey, superintendent of Jefferson County Schools and former deputy state superintendent — Jeana Ross, secretary of the Alabama Department of Early Childhood Education — Janet Womack, superintendent of Florence City Schools
Alabama is the ninth-worst state for underprivileged children
Despite its global power and unrivaled prosperity, the U.S. has the ninth-highest rate of child poverty among economically developed nations. To put that in perspective, nearly a fifth, or about 16.1 million, of all children in America live in households with incomes below the poverty line . In fact, in the U.S., a baby is born into poverty every 32 seconds. In Alabama, that translated to 27 percent of the 1,082,408 children in the state in 2014, living in a household with less than 100 percent of the federal poverty level, according to figures from the National Center for Children in Poverty. That’s means a family of four trying to survive on less than $24,008 in annual income, and research suggests that, on average, families need an income of about twice the federal poverty threshold to meet their basic needs. And now, according to a new study released by the personal finance site WalletHub, the numbers aren’t looking any better for underprivileged children living in the Yellowhammer State. Alabama is the ninth-worst state for underprivileged children in the U.S. Throughout most of the metrics used in the study, Alabama ranked among the worst. According to WalletHub, the Yellowhammer State ranks 46th in the percentage of children living in households with below-poverty income, 48th in the percentage of children living with grandparents and no parent in the home, and a whopping 51st in infant mortality rate. Welfare of children in Alabama (1=Best; 25=Avg.): 46th: percentage of children in households with below-poverty income 18th: percentage of maltreated children 48th: child food-insecurity rate 51st: infant mortality rate 46th: percentage of children in single-parent families 31st: ratio of children in renter-occupied to owner-occupied homes 48th: percentage of children living with grandparents and no parent in the home But the state isn’t doomed to the status quo — things have the potential to turn around if the Yellowhammer State refocuses its priorities. “Elected officials need to place their highest priority on our next generation,” said Janet Schneiderman, research associate professor in the Department of Child, Youth and Families, and in the Department of Nursing at the University of Southern California School of Social Work. “Rather than responding to the crisis at hand, elected officials need a longer view and more thoughtful planning. All programmatic responses and funding decisions need to address how best to serve families in poverty to assure that children have the best chance for developing into healthy, productive adults.” Here’s a look at how Alabama compares to the rest of the country: Source: WalletHub The data was collected from the U.S. Census Bureau, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services — Administration for Children and Families, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Center for Educational Statistics, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Equality of Opportunity Project, Kids Count — Annie E. Casey Foundation, and Feeding America.
Stephen Colbert to air live after Donald Trump – Hillary Clinton presidential debates
Stephen Colbert, who capitalized on the political conventions with live airings of his late-night show, will do the same for the presidential and vice presidential debates. “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” will air live on CBS after the scheduled Sept. 26 and Oct. 19 debates between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump and following the Tim Kaine–Mike Pence debate Oct. 4, the network said Wednesday. Colbert, who is in his first-season transition from his Comedy Central series “The Colbert Report,” clearly reveled in making his CBS show more topical with convention comedy. It also yielded what the network called his “biggest viral clips to date,” a measure beyond ratings of how much attention a show is attracting. Those popular bits: fellow Comedy Central alumnus Jon Stewart‘s guest appearance and Broadway star Laura Benanti‘s impersonation of Melania Trump. The host also has introduced a version of the faux Colbert he played on “Colbert Report,” using him to crack biting political jokes. Colbert told viewers that lawyers from his old company said the blowhard cable news host he had played was not his intellectual property — so he introduced “Stephen Colbert’s identical cousin.” CBS entertainment chief Glenn Geller was asked at a meeting of TV critics Wednesday if negotiations were underway to allow Colbert to use more of his old character. Geller ducked the question, saying that Colbert addressed it on his show and that he would let him speak for himself. Republished with permission of the Associated Press.
Daniel Sutter: Should we criminalize global warming skepticism?
Is Exxon-Mobil a criminal organization? The attorneys general (AGs) of New York and Massachusetts apparently think so. These AGs may also believe that engaging in public discourse on this very significant policy issue is criminal. Sixteen Democratic AGs announced a joint investigation of Exxon this past March. The allegations involve Exxon’s denial of the consequences of global warming and opposition to the Obama administration’s climate change policies. The AGs have also left open the door to legal action against others delaying action on climate change. The legal basis of the Exxon probe is inadequate disclosure of the risks of global warming in reports to stockholders. Corporations issue annual reports for their stockholders explaining the current condition and future outlook for the company, including future risks. So, for instance, a corporation will disclose pending lawsuits against it, as well as an estimate of how much the claims might eventually cost. As part of the investigation, a dozen policy organizations, including the Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI) and the Heartland Institute, were subpoenaed for correspondence with Exxon going back to at least 1997. CEI and Heartland have argued against aggressive policy action to combat global warming. (For full disclosure, I once wrote a policy study for CEI on global warming and the costs of hurricanes.) The AGs have offered a parallel to tobacco companies’ hiding evidence on the risks of smoking. But the cases differ significantly. Tobacco companies conducted and withheld research studies showing the risks of smoking, while publicly denying the health risks in spite of the evidence. Adequate disclosure in their annual reports was secondary — the real offense was withholding evidence. Alex Esptein of the Center for Industrial Progress (one of the subpoenaed organizations), author of the excellent book “The Moral Case for Fossil Fuels,” has pointed out how global warming differs. Persons labelled “climate change deniers” argue using government data and papers published in academic journals. Epstein, CEI, and others simply draw different conclusions from the data and studies used by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Exxon is not sitting on studies “proving” the validity of human-caused warming. President Barack Obama often cites a 97 percent scientific consensus on global warming, so is there really a valid debate? I am an economist, so my opinion on the climate science underlying global warming doesn’t really matter. Surveys touting the 97 percent claim typically ask a very narrow question about whether warming is occurring and humans are contributing. This is not in doubt. The case for aggressive policy action depends entirely on how much warming will occur and how costly it might prove. These questions are reasonably debatable. Satellites provide the most accurate measurement of the Earth’s temperature, and show an increase in global temperatures since the start of these records in 1979. But the increase since 1990, the date of the first IPCC report, has been less than half of that predicted by leading climate models. A 2015 paper in the Scientific Bulletin argues the climate models may run hot because they were built from engineering models including positive feedback loops, or in other words, may be a feature of the models, not the world. And the appropriate response to warming would involve economic factors beyond the scope of climate science. I think that the Democratic AGs are essentially threatening prosecution of opponents of the Obama administration’s climate change policies. The Democratic AGs have been called out by some of their fellow AGs for this. Thirteen AGs, led by Alabama’s Luther Strange, released a letter in June noting the “substantial First Amendment concerns” raised by a prosecution on a policy issue on which “a vigorous debate exists in this country.” Appreciation of the importance of freedom of speech in the search for truth goes back to at least John Milton and John Stuart Mill. Our democracy is based on citizens’ freedom to campaign against current officeholders and their policies in the next election. Global warming skeptics may be wrong. The proper response to an incorrect argument, however, is a better argument, not subpoenas and threats of criminal prosecution. ••• Daniel Sutter is the Charles G. Koch Professor of Economics with the Manuel H. Johnson Center for Political Economy at Troy University and host of “Econversations” on TrojanVision. The opinions expressed in this column are the author’s alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of Troy University.
