The doctor is in: White House physician nominated to lead VA
President Donald Trump fired Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin and nominated White House doctor Ronny Jackson to replace him following a bruising ethics scandal and a mounting rebellion within the agency. A Navy rear admiral, Jackson is a surprise choice to succeed Shulkin, a former Obama administration official and the first nonveteran to head the VA. Trump had been considering replacing Shulkin for weeks but had not been known to be considering Jackson for the role. In a statement, Trump praised Jackson as “highly trained and qualified.” It was a decision that signaled Trump chose to go with someone he knows and trusts, rather than choosing a candidate with a longer resume, to run a massive agency facing huge bureaucratic challenges. Shulkin said he was undone by advocates of privatization within the administration. He wrote in a New York Times opinion piece that they “saw me as an obstacle to privatization who had to be removed.” He added: “That is because I am convinced that privatization is a political issue aimed at rewarding select people and companies with profits, even if it undermines care for veterans.” Jackson has served since 2013 as the physician to the president, one of the people in closest proximity to Trump day in and day out. His profile rose after he conducted a sweeping press conference about the president’s medical exam in January in which he impressed Trump with his camera-ready demeanor and deft navigation of reporters’ questions as he delivered a rosy depiction of the president’s health, according to a person familiar with the president’s thinking but not authorized to discuss private conversations. Jackson eagerly embraced the idea of moving to the VA, according to a White House official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss personnel matters. Ironically, it was Shulkin who had recommended Jackson for an undersecretary position at the agency in fall. Jackson was vetted during that time on his policy positions and other issues, the official said. The promotion of Jackson marks the latest Trump hire to be driven at least as much by personal familiarity with the president as by his vision for the role at government’s second-largest department, responsible for 9 million military veterans in more than 1,700 government-run health facilities. Brig. Gen. Dr. Richard Tubb, who trained Jackson, said in a letter read at Jackson’s briefing that the doctor had been attached like “Velcro” to Trump since Inauguration Day. “On any given day,” he wrote, “the ‘physician’s office,’ as it is known, is generally the first and last to see the President.” A White House official said Shulkin was informed of his dismissal by chief of staff John Kelly before the president announced the move on Twitter on Wednesday. A major veterans’ organization expressed concern over Shulkin’s dismissal and Trump’s intention to nominate Jackson, whom they worried lacked experience to run the huge department. “We are disappointed and already quite concerned about this nominee,” said Joe Chenelly, the national executive director of AMVETS. “The administration needs to be ready to prove that he’s qualified to run such a massive agency, a $200 billion bureaucracy.” Rep. Phil Roe, chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, said he believed Shulkin did a “fantastic job” and didn’t think he should have been dismissed, but “at the end of the day, Cabinet secretaries serve at the pleasure of the president.” “I respect President Trump’s decision, support the president’s agenda and remain willing to work with anyone committed to doing the right thing on behalf of our nation’s veterans,” said Roe, a Republican from Tennessee. Shulkin is the second Cabinet secretary to depart over controversies involving expensive travel, following Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price’s resignation last September. Trump said in a statement he is “grateful” for Shulkin’s service. Shulkin had agreed to reimburse the government more than $4,000 after the VA’s internal watchdog concluded last month that he had improperly accepted Wimbledon tennis tickets and that his then-chief of staff had doctored emails to justify his wife traveling to Europe with him at taxpayer expense. Shulkin also blamed internal drama at the agency on a half-dozen or so rebellious political appointees, insisting he had White House backing to fire them. But the continuing VA infighting and a fresh raft of watchdog reports documenting leadership failures and spending waste — as well as fresh allegations that Shulkin had used a member of his security detail to run personal errands — proved too much of a distraction. It was the latest in a series of departures of top administration officials, including Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and national security adviser H.R. McMaster. The VA change comes as Trump is trying to expand the Veterans Choice program, fulfilling a campaign promise that major veterans’ groups worry could be an unwanted step toward privatizing VA health care. His plan remains in limbo in Congress. Having pushed through legislation in Trump’s first year making it easier to fire bad VA employees and speed disability appeals, Shulkin leaves behind a department in disarray. Several projects remain unfinished, including a multibillion-dollar overhaul of electronic medical records aimed at speeding up wait times for veterans seeking medical care as well as expanded mental health treatment for veterans at higher risk of suicide. Trump selected Robert Wilkie, undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness, to serve as the acting head of the VA. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
Alabama among states benefiting most by Trump’s tax overhaul
The Yellowhammer State is among the states reaping the most benefits from President Donald Trump‘s recently enacted federal tax overhaul. According to a new report from personal-finance website WalletHub, Alabama takes home the no. 2 spot on the list of 2018’s States Most Affected by Tax Reform. While the changes to the tax law won’t affect most Americans’ 2018 filings for the 2017 fiscal year, 2019 will be a much different story. Citizens of certain states will benefit more than others, too. In Alabama, high-income earners will benefit more so than in any other state. Average tax change in Alabama (1= benefiting the most, 25= avg.): 47th: Low-income families 15th: Middle-income families 1st: High-income families The study also concluded red states are benefiting slightly more than blue states from tax reform as red states received an average ranking of 24.17 versus blue states’ 24.62. Along with Alabama, the states reaping the most benefits from tax reform are Alaska, Tennessee, District of Columbia and Nevada. The states found to be least affected by the overhaul are West Virginia, Connecticut, New York, Maryland and New Jersey. In order to determine which states will get the best tax breaks going forward, WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia based on the state-specific average tax change for low, middle and high-income families. Here’s how Alabama compares to the rest of the country: Source: WalletHub
Donald Trump says Second Amendment won’t be repealed
President Donald Trump tweeted Wednesday that the Second Amendment “WILL NEVER BE REPEALED” and called on voters to elect more Republicans in this fall’s congressional elections because the GOP “must ALWAYS hold the Supreme Court.” Trump’s statements came a day after retired Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens wrote in an essay in The New York Times that repealing the amendment would make it easier for Congress to enact gun control legislation. Last month’s shootings that killed 17 people at a high school in Parkland, Florida, have galvanized young people, liberals and Democrats for a renewed push to curb firearms. That has included demonstrations that have drawn hundreds of thousands of marchers in cities across the country. “THE SECOND AMENDMENT WILL NEVER BE REPEALED!” Trump tweeted early Wednesday. “As much as Democrats would like to see this happen, and despite the words yesterday of former Supreme Court Justice Stevens, NO WAY. We need more Republicans in 2018 and must ALWAYS hold the Supreme Court!” As with many issues, Trump’s stated position on guns has been inconsistent. In a televised meeting after the Parkland massacre with shooting survivors, lawmakers and others, he suggested letting authorities confiscate guns from people considered dangerous even without court permission and expanding required background checks to also cover private gun sales. He’s since abandoned those views. There is no current, major push to repeal the Second Amendment. Any effort to do so would be unlikely to succeed in today’s divisive political climate. Under the most common way to amend the Constitution, the House and Senate would both need to approve the proposal by two-thirds majorities. It would then need to be ratified by three-fourths of the states. Political parties do not technically “hold” the Supreme Court like they control Congress. Justices are nominated by presidents and must be confirmed by the Senate. It is true justices often reflect the political views of presidents who select them, but that is not always the case. Of the current nine justices, the four considered to comprise the court’s conservative wing were appointed by GOP presidents and the four more liberal judges were selected by Democratic presidents. The ninth, often considered the crucial swing vote, is Anthony Kennedy, who was nominated by Republican President Ronald Reagan. Trump would have an easier time filling the next Supreme Court vacancy if Republicans can expand their current 51-49 Senate majority in November’s elections. The Supreme Court ruled in 2008 that the Second Amendment lets people own guns for self-defense. Republished with permission from the Associated Press.
Donald Trump: Good chance NKorean leader will do ‘what is right’
President Donald Trump said Wednesday there’s “a good chance” that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will “do what is right for his people and for humanity” and make moves toward peace. In a pair of morning tweets, Trump says he received a message from Chinese President Xi Jinping that a meeting Xi had with Kim this week “went very well.” Trump says that according to Xi, the North Korean leader “looks forward” to meeting the American president. The White House has said Trump plans to meet Kim by May amid nuclear tensions between the two nations. Trump has agreed to historic talks after South Korean officials relayed that Kim was committed to ridding the Korean Peninsula of nuclear weapons and was willing to halt nuclear and missile tests. In the meanwhile, Trump says, “unfortunately, maximum sanctions and pressure must be maintained at all cost!” The Trump administration has slapped sanctions on companies across the globe to punish illicit trade with North Korea. Received message last night from XI JINPING of China that his meeting with KIM JONG UN went very well and that KIM looks forward to his meeting with me. In the meantime, and unfortunately, maximum sanctions and pressure must be maintained at all cost! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 28, 2018 “For years and through many administrations, everyone said that peace and the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula was not even a small possibility,” Trump tweeted Wednesday. “Now there is a good chance that Kim Jong Un will do what is right for his people and for humanity. Look forward to our meeting!” State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said that Kim’s visit to China “was an unprecedented, historic step in the right direction.” For years and through many administrations, everyone said that peace and the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula was not even a small possibility. Now there is a good chance that Kim Jong Un will do what is right for his people and for humanity. Look forward to our meeting! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 28, 2018 “It is also evidence that @POTUS’ maximum pressure campaign is working. We look forward to sitting down with Kim Jong Un to talk about a better future for his people,” Nauert said in a tweet. However, it remains unclear if there has been direct communication between Washington and Pyongyang on the planned Trump-Kim summit that is slated for May, and under what conditions North Korea would agree to give up the nuclear arsenal it has spent decades building. According to the Chinese state news agency Xinhua, Kim told China’s Xi that North Korea is willing to have dialogue with the United States and hold a summit of the two countries. Kim also said the issue of denuclearization can be resolved if South Korea and the U.S. take “progressive and synchronous measures for the realization of peace.” Republished with permission from the Associated Press.
House delays vote, continues negotiations on bill to track race at traffic stops
Alabama lawmakers on Tuesday adjourned before debating a highly controversial bill that would require police officers to collect data about race and ethnicity at traffic stops, so that they could continue negotiations. The bill, SB84, sponsored by Birmingham-Democrat state Sen. Rodger Smitherman, has been added to Wednesday’s first special order calendar. It seeks to put an end to the racial profiling of Alabama drivers. The legislation would require police agencies to record data about the race and ethnicity of stopped motorists including the nature of the alleged traffic violation that resulted in the stop and whether a warning or citation was issued, an arrest made, or a search conducted as a result of the stop. Law enforcement agencies would then report the information to the attorney general, who would compile a report and penalize police departments who are guilty of racial profiling in the form of withholding funds from the county or municipal police department until such time that the county or municipal police department completes appropriate training regarding racial profiling. The Alabama Senate unanimously approved the legislation in January, but the measure failed a procedural vote in the House last week when lawmakers refused to debate the bill.
Following expiration, Pike Road terminates purchase contract for Georgia Washington Middle School
On Monday a contract for the sale of Georgia Washington Middle School to the Town of Pike Road expired amid an ongoing lawsuit filed by the Alabama Education Association (AEA) on behalf of three Montgomery Public Schools (MPS) employees. A judge in the Montgomery County Circuit Court was scheduled to hear the case on Thursday, but Pike Road’s attorney, Susan Copeland, told WFSA-12 the town has gone ahead and terminated the contract and is pursuing “other options” to serve students in the fall. Copeland’s full statement is below: Pike Road’s termination of the contract for the purchase of Georgia Washington school does moot that part of the appeal that concerns the sale of GW school. However, the trial court’s injunction on appeal was much broader than merely enjoining the sale of GW. It enjoined the State Superintendent from closing GW and other MPS schools and prohibited him from taking any action to accomplish those closures and relocating students to other schools. So the appeal remains as to the power and authority of the State Superintendent to act on behalf of a local board of education in those matters Interim State Superintendent Dr. Ed Richardson announced the sale of Georgia Washington in early February during a press conference when an intervention plan of the Montgomery Public School System was released. He said if the school isn’t sold, layoffs will have to be made. “If Georgia Washington is NOT sold, we anticipate approximately 200 MPS teachers and 75 support staff will have to be laid off in order for MPS to meet its financial obligation,” Richardson added.
Patricia Todd, Alabama’s first gay legislator bids farewell to House
Alabama’s first openly gay legislator bid farewell to the House of Representatives on Tuesday evening. Rep. Patricia Todd, a Democrat from Birmingham, will not seek re-election after serving 12 years. Todd said on the House floor that her colleagues are “incredible, beautiful people” who all treated her with equality, even though some she thought she “would never get along with or like.” Todd sponsored controversial failed legislation including decriminalizing possession of small amounts of marijuana and adding sexual orientation as a protected category under hate crime law. She said she hoped she “opened up some hearts and minds” and wouldn’t be the last gay legislator. A gay former Marine is one candidate running for her seat. Todd received a standing ovation after her speech in the House. Republished with permission from the Associated Press.
All female senators want debate on anti-harassment bill
The Senate must begin debating legislation helping people who work in Congress pursue claims of sexual harassment or discrimination, all 22 female senators said Wednesday in a letter to the chamber’s leaders. “Inaction is unacceptable,” the group wrote to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. The letter, signed by 18 Democratic and four Republican women, was an unusual bipartisan display of public pressure on party leaders. The House approved legislation in February requiring lawmakers found culpable of violations to reimburse the Treasury within 90 days if they’ve used federal money to pay claims against them. Lists of offices reaching sexual harassment settlements would be published twice annually. The legislation would also speed processes enacted in 1995 for harassment complaints, eliminating required counseling and mediation before people can file cases. Employees could work out-of-office while their complaints are investigated. David Popp, a spokesman for McConnell, said he didn’t know when a bipartisan group would finish crafting a Senate bill. He added that McConnell “supports members being personally, financially liable for sexual misconduct in which they have engaged.” In a written statement, Schumer said, “We strongly agree that the Senate should quickly take up legislation to combat sexual harassment on Capitol Hill.” The letter comes as lawmakers continue reacting to allegations of sexual harassment that have swept Congress and the entertainment, media and other industries. In recent months, at least seven members of Congress have resigned or decided against seeking re-election following allegations of sexual misconduct. One of the women signing Wednesday’s letter, Sen. Tina Smith, D-Minn., replaced one of those men in January: former Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., who stepped down after being accused of improper conduct by several women. “Survivors who have bravely come forward to share their stories have brought to light just how widespread harassment and discrimination continue to be throughout Capitol Hill. No longer can we allow the perpetrators of these crimes to hide behind” slow-moving processes enacted in 1995, the 22 senators wrote. Both chambers of Congress have enacted measures requiring lawmakers and staff to take periodic anti-harassment training. But in Wednesday’s letter, the senators said they felt “deep disappointment that the Senate has failed to enact meaningful reforms” to how complaints are handled. The lawmakers said the effort to submit the letter was led by Democratic Sens. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, Washington state’s Patty Murray and Kirsten Gillibrand of New York. Republished with permission from the Associated Press.
Rex Reynolds wins special election to fill House District 21
Republican Rex Reynolds was elected to represent House District 21 in a special election on Tuesday. The former former Huntsville police chief and city administrator narrowly defeated his Democratic opponent Terry Jones to fill the position held by former Meridianville-Republican state Rep. Jim Patterson who died suddenly following a heart attack in October. According to AL.com, Reynolds took the oath of office shortly after polls closed. Alabama Republican Party Chairman Terry Lathan made a statement Tuesday night congratulating Reynolds. “As the results indicate, Mr. Reynolds, a former police chief, is extremely well respected in his district. We are appreciative of the citizens who went and supported him,” said Lathan. “This election shows that Alabama voters agreed that conservative policy clearly benefits our citizens. We are excited to showcase our strong state and county candidates in November who will support our policies that have made such a positive impact in Alabama.” Reynolds will face Jones again in November, as Patterson was up for reelection.
Birmingham City Council approves $90M BJCC expansion
The Birmingham City Council on Tuesday approved a controversial $90 million investment over the next 30 years to renovate the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex (BJCC) including construction of a new downtown stadium. After hours of public comment, councilors voted 6-3 in favor of the project. Councilors Shelia Tyson, Darrell O’Quinn and Lashunda Scales voted against the measure. The vote follows a vote in the State House last week where lawmakers approved a 3 percent tax on automobile leases and rentals in the county to help support the new stadium, renovations and expansion at the BJCC. The city will pay $3 million annually for the expansion. They will be joined by several other outside entities contributing to the expansion including Jefferson County, which will pay $1 million per year for 30 years. The BJCC Authority has also committed $10.7 million, and UAB and its corporate partners will pay $4 million for 10 years. Following the council meeting, Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin tweeted 100 percent of the money generated from this project will go to funding revitalization efforts for all of the city’s 99 neighborhoods. Thank you Birmingham! #PuttingPeopleFirst pic.twitter.com/r360835jFE — Randall Woodfin (@WoodfinForBham) March 27, 2018 The master plans for the renovation include: Notable items of the master plan include: An open-air stadium north of Uptown District with 45,000 fixed seats programmed to be expandable to 55,000 with a pre-designed temporary seating plan. Interviews and program requirements were conducted with stakeholders and potential users of the stadium, including the University of Alabama at Birmingham and ESPN. Legacy Arena would get a facelift, with an updated façade on the outside, new entrances, an added suite level and premium club space. The flow of the concourse will be improved and an upper level concourse added. It will also include enhanced food and beverage locations and options and improvements to the overall guest experience for sporting events, concerts and family oriented programming. The piazza outside of the arena will be renovated to feature a more open plan that will serve as a natural gathering and prefunction space encouraging activity and anchoring the pedestrial flow around the arena, concert hall and theater. Establishing a consistent and effective wayfinding experience throughout the BJCC venues to better guide attendees to their appropriate destinations and creating a stronger sense of place. The open-air stadium is expected to be the future home of UAB football games. After the council’s vote, UAB Blazers head coach Bill Clark tweeted his excitement and approval. Huge Day for Birmingham!!! Proud of great leadership who believe in where our City is headed. #WTD #GreaterBHAM — Bill Clark (@CoachBillClark) March 27, 2018 Watch live coverage (previously recorded) of the Birmingham City Council meeting:
Steve Flowers: A fun election year – every statewide office is up for grabs
Every constitutional statewide office is up for election this year. Just like the governor’s office you can serve two consecutive four-year terms and then you are through. Kay Ivey would have been term limited as Lt. Governor. She could not have run again for that post even though she ascended to governor last year. Young Boozer has served his two four-year term limit as Treasurer. Young has chosen to not run again for anything. John McMillan has exhausted his eight-years as Agriculture Commissioner. He is running for State Treasurer and is favored to win that post. John Merrill can run for another four-year term as Secretary of State, which is what he is doing. The same is true for State Auditor, Jim Zeigler. The Attorney General’s office was vacated by Luther Strange when then Governor, Robert Bentley, appointed him to Jeff Sessions’ Senate Seat. With the vacancy in the Attorney General’s office, Bentley plucked an obscure former District Attorney named Steve Marshall to serve the remainder of Luther Strange’s term. Marshall is seeking election to a full term. However, he is not expected to fare well in a very competitive race for this coveted post. Marshall’s only claim to fame is that he was appointed to the post by Robert Bentley and that is not a very good calling card. A Republican is favored 60-to-40 in this Attorney General contest. Former Attorney General, Troy King, is the favorite to win the GOP Primary and ultimately a four-year term. Name identification is a precious commodity in these secondary statewide offices. King’s name ID surpasses the rest of the field. Alice Martin could give Troy King a run for his money. She is a veteran well qualified prosecutor who was the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama for the better part of a decade. Being from North Alabama gives her some invaluable name identification in her hometown of Florence, but more importantly in Birmingham. Chess Bedsole, who is a Birmingham attorney, has roots in Mobile and was an integral part of the Trump campaign, could be a player. He will have to spend a good bit of personal money to get into the mix. The winner of the GOP Primary will be favored. However, they will probably be met by a well-known Democratic name in November. Joseph Siegelman is running for AG as a Democrat. Young Siegelman, who is only 30, will be favored to win the Democratic nomination over another Birmingham Attorney, Chris Christie. The office of Lt. Governor is currently vacant. This post does very little except wait for the Governor to die or be removed from office. Therefore, we have not been devastated by the vacancy. If the Attorney General’s race is dependent upon name identification, the Lt. Governor’s post is doubly reliant on this precious commodity. There are three good people seeking the GOP mantle. PSC President Twinkle Cavanaugh, Mobile State Senator Rusty Glover, and Sand Mountain State Representative Will Ainsworth. Twinkle Andress Cavanaugh is the prohibitive favorite in this race. She is sitting in the catbird’s seat and could win without a runoff. She has run and been elected several times statewide. She has also been head of the State Republican Party and has built a statewide organization. Her statewide name identification dwarfs her two opponents. Will Ainsworth is said to have personal money that he is willing to invest. If he does, he could challenge Twinkle. Ainsworth has received the Farm Bureau endorsement, which is a coup. Anyone who has ever met State Senator Rusty Glover likes him. If he could meet every voter in the state, most would vote for him. However, that would be hard for him to do. The race for Agriculture Commissioner will be a quiet contest. Veteran State Senator Gerald Dial, who has represented East Alabama well for four decades is the favorite. He is facing Lowndesboro Mayor and lifetime farmer, Rick Pate, who garnered the Farm Bureau endorsement. Tracey Crane is a former FBI agent from Jefferson County. He may benefit from being first on the ballot, which is an advantage in down ballot races where none of the candidates are known. John Merrill will easily win reelection as Secretary of State. He is probably the best retail politician in the state and maybe the most popular. Jim Ziegler is running for a second four-year term as State Auditor. He makes it interesting around the Capitol. It will be a fun year. See you next week. ••• Steve Flowers is Alabama’s leading political columnist. His weekly column appears in over 60 Alabama newspapers. He served 16 years in the state legislature. Steve may be reached at www.steveflowers.us.
