Justice is meant to be blind to all factors, including age
Justice is meant to be blind. She’s blind to all of the outside factors that would affect an outcome of fairness. I’ve seen a lot of people in the last week oppose the use of the death penalty for Walter Leroy Moody, 83, due to his age. They were wrong. The state was right to execute him. He was sentenced to death in 1996 for the capital murder of Judge Robert Vance. The death penalty isn’t an outcome that our justice system hands out lightly. There are far more avenues for those convicted to escape it than there were for their victims to escape their fate or their families and loved ones to escape living in the shadow of reality of that included a heinous often violent crime. There are ways to get out of the death penalty. The courts allow an appeal process that often leads to years and years of waiting to see justice served. This process should not be allowed to be an automatic get out of your sentence card if you can take up as much time as possible. The question of fairness or kindness should not fall to a system that is rendering a punishment chosen by a judge and/or jury. No magic age or magic turning point in health should mean one deserves compassion over justice. Where was compassion when the defendant committed the crimes that got them there? If anything this latest execution should serve as a motivator for justice to move more swiftly for everyone involved. If it is unfair or unjust to execute the old, than once they’ve exhausted all reasonable appeals, let the punishment be handed down without further pause. Was justice served, yes. Due process allowed this man more years than he probably should have had but it owes him no more. The court doesn’t hand down sentences based on the old man you may become in an over burdened criminal justice system. The sentence is given based on the acts of the man sitting in court. That is what is right that is what is fair. The physical treat posed by this man may not have been grave today but the threat posed by setting a precedent that you can evade justice with time is and was grave.
Bill signing ceremony celebrates new guardianship law to assist those with disabilities
In February, the State of Alabama launched Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) accounts, a new financial savings tool for individuals with disabilities. The Enable Savings Plan is a financial program that allows individuals with disabilities to open tax-exempt savings accounts to save for disability-related expenses without impacting resource-based benefits. The program permits individuals with disabilities to save more than a total of $2,000 in assets (cash, savings, etc.) in their name in an Enable account without jeopardizing their public benefits like Medicaid and Supplemental Security Income (SSI). In March, Moulton-Republican State Rep. Ken Johnson and Montgomery-Republican State Sen. Dick Brewbaker, introduced legislation to assist those eligible for an account by granting their guardians full financial capabilities when opening and managing an ABLE account. The bill ultimately passed both chambers and moved to Gov. Kay Ivey‘s desk for a signature. On Thursday, the State celebrated the new guardianship assistance law with a ceremonial bill signing at the state capitol in Montgomery, Ala. “Alabama’s recent guardianship decision will serve to benefit many individuals and their families throughout the state, providing greater access to an important resource, the Enable Program. Giving guardians this power simplifies matters for individuals with disabilities by allowing guardians to open, invest in, and manage an Enable account,” said Alabama Treasurer Young Boozer, who attended the ceremonial bill signing.
Port of Mobile taps partners to develop $60M auto export facility
The Port of Mobile is poised to become a major hub of auto export activity, with a new facility that will allow vehicles to be driven directly onto cargo ships bound for markets around the world. Representatives of the Alabama State Port Authority and AutoMobile International Terminal, a joint venture of Terminal Zárate S.A. and SAAM Puertos S.A., signed a Memorandum of Understanding this week to develop and operate a vehicle processing roll-on/roll-off (RO/RO) facility at the Port of Mobile. The signing took place in Buenos Aires, the headquarters of Terminal Zárate S.A. and also the site of a trade mission involving Alabama business leaders. The state delegation is visiting Argentina and Ecuador this week to find new markets for Alabama products and services. The agreement is a giant step forward in supporting automotive logistics in the Americas and abroad, according to James K. Lyons, director and CEO of the Port Authority. “This agreement represents a key step in diversifying the Port Authority’s business while providing a strategic asset to regional automotive shippers,” Lyons said. Important infrastructure Automobiles have long been Alabama’s top export, topping $7.75 billion last year alone. State-made models are currently loaded onto ships at ports in other states, so the new RO/RO facility at the Port of Mobile will provide a more convenient option for state automakers. “Alabama is the No. 3 auto exporter among U.S. states, with shipments to 88 countries last year,” said Greg Canfield, secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce. “This new facility is an important piece of infrastructure that will help our automakers maintain their competitive edge as they continue to grow.” Construction on the automotive RO/RO terminal is scheduled to start by the end of this year, with completion expected by the end of 2019. The new terminal would convert about 57 acres of a former bulk material handling facility into a state-of-the-art automotive processing and logistics terminal. The 40-foot ship draft facility is served by five Class I railroads serving all of North America and immediate, unencumbered access to two interstate systems (I-65 and I-10). The overall project represents a total investment of about $60 million. Proceeds from the Port Authority’s recently awarded $12.7 million Transportation Infrastructure Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant and the $28.8 million grant from the Alabama Gulf Coast Recovery Council as authorized under the Resources and Ecosystems Sustainability, Tourism Opportunities and Revived Economy of the Gulf Coast (RESTORE) Act of 2011 would help pay the cost of the project. Ideal partners In late 2016, the Port Authority initiated a Request for Proposal process to identify a potential partner in the construction of the facility to meet the region’s growing demand for finished automobile import/export facilities in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico. The authority selected the partnership between Terminal Zárate S.A. and SAAM Puertos S.A. and began concession agreement discussions for the construction and operation of the new facility. Terminal Zárate S.A. specializes in port services; cars, containers and project cargo handling operations; storage and logistics services; warehousing; equipment rental and other activities providing value to client logistic chains, economic sectors and overseas trade. It is among the largest RO/RO terminals in the Americas, with a 9 million vehicle throughput to date. “This project is a significant component of our growth strategy, and given our strong experience as a RO/RO terminal we are convinced we will develop AutoMobile International Terminal into a world class RO/RO processing and handling facility,” said Robert Murchison, president of Terminal Zárate S.A. The other partner in the joint venture, SAAM Puertos S.A., is a subsidiary of Sociedad Matriz SAAM S.A., a Chilean multinational company that provides foreign trade services by means of port terminal operations, towage and logistics. With a network of 11 ports in six countries, SAAM Puertos S.A. is one of the major port operators in South America and partners with the world’s leading shipping companies. “We look forward to work together with Terminal Zárate and the Alabama State Port Authority and bring all our knowledge and experience to the service of the terminal, and consolidate our position in America,” said Yurik Díaz, manager of SAAM Puertos S.A. Republished with the permission of the Alabama Newscenter.
2018 gubernatorial ad roundup: April 20 edition
The June 5 Republican and Democratic primary is only 46 days away and Alabama’s gubernatorial candidates have taken to the internet and the airwaves with campaign ads in hopes of swaying Yellowhammer State voters to their side. This week only former Chief Justice Sue Bell Cobb and Governor Kay Ivey released new ads. Ivey’s “Monuments” ad in which she praises her own signing of a controversial law prohibiting the removal of Confederate monuments in Alabama made waves within the state. Cobb released yet another ad for the fifth week in a row, so while viewers might be tired of seeing the other gubernatorial candidates ads on repeat, hers ads are likely to be a breath of fresh air for voters across the state. Republicans Kay Ivey: Title: Monuments Published: April 17, 2018 Tone: Reveling Democrats Sue Bell Cobb: Title: Unafraid of Being the Lone Voice Published: April 18, 2018 Tone: Peerless
Autocar holds grand opening at Birmingham area truck plant
The $120 million Autocar plant in Birmingham’s Pinson Valley cut the ribbon for an official grand opening today, but that doesn’t mean the factory hasn’t already been churning out trucks. “Our rapid growth meant we had to be up and running really fast,” said Andrew Taitz, chairman of Autocar. “We knew we could do it because of the people of Alabama and all of the great leaders of this state assured us that we would have partners on the road to building this fast. As you can see by looking around, when Alabamians make a promise, they keep it.” Autocar started producing trucks in September about the same time the plant formerly known only by the code name “Project Sunrise” was announced as an expansion of the Indiana-based Autocar. Autocar cuts the ribbon on $120 million Alabama truck plant from Alabama NewsCenter on Vimeo. “As you can see, Autocar has wasted no time in establishing its operations,” said Lee Smith, East Region CEO for BBVA Compass and 2018 chairman for the Birmingham Business Alliance (BBA). “The company is already building trucks for 46 states and provinces and plans to reach all 50 states from right here in Center Point.” Autocar was able to get off to such a fast start for a few reasons. First, it had an existing 1 million-square-foot facility in the former Meadowcraft plant that was large enough to accommodate its operations. Second, it worked closely with the Alabama Industrial Development Training (AIDT) program to get skilled and trained workers on board to begin production. Also, officials praised the team effort that included Birmingham, Center Point, Jefferson County, the BBA, the Alabama Department of Commerce, Alabama Power and others to make getting up and running easier. “This facility and this project is a prime example of regional cooperation,” Center Point Mayor Tom Henderson said. “The rewards of having this company and any of its suppliers in the future in our community will be realized by our citizens for many years to come.” Josh Carpenter, director of the Birmingham Office of Economic Development, noted that the city has a large industrial park next to the Autocar plant that would be a perfect place for suppliers. He said Autocar is a perfect fit for the metro area. “Birmingham is and has always been a city of builders, so it stands to reason that the biggest, baddest trucks in America should be built nearby,” Carpenter said. “I think this a great testament to what can be done with regional cooperation.” Autocar is expected to generate $645.1 million annually, which includes nearly $229 million to Alabama’s gross domestic product (GDP) and $130.1 million in earnings to Alabama households from 2,655 direct and indirect jobs, according to an impact study from the Center for Business and Economic Research at the University of Alabama’s Culverhouse College of Commerce. For the Birmingham metropolitan area, operations at the company will generate $600 million annually in economic impact, which includes $224 million contributed to the metro’s GDP and $123.9 million in earnings to households from 2,538 direct and indirect jobs. “Autocar already has a significant impact on Jefferson County, and will continue to do so with this new manufacturing plant,” Gov. Kay Ivey said. “By continuing to invest in Alabama, Autocar further proves that what we’re doing in our state is working. Autocar, and its expansion because of its success, is a fantastic representation of our commitment to help businesses not just survive but thrive.” Jim Johnston, president of Autocar, said the company’s hiring and production are running faster than expected. “We’re actually way ahead of schedule,” he said. Johnston said for now the plant is producing only its refuse cab-over-engine line of trucks but will add other models within the year. For now, Autocar is using only one of the two Meadowcraft buildings, but Johnston anticipates at the rate they’re growing, it won’t be long before the other building will come into play.“That is for growth and we will use that as needed,” he said. “We expect that this was the right choice for growth for many years.” Jefferson County Commissioner Joe Knight said it’s good to see those buildings buzzing with activity again. “It is indeed refreshing to see the resurrection of this icon of a building together with its new owner that will now breathe new life into our community,” he said. Johnston said they already feel like a member of the community. “We’re proud to be part of this great Alabama family and look forward to building trucks, communities and dreams together,” he said. Republished with the permission of Alabama NewsCenter.
In James Comey memos, Donald Trump talks of jailed journalists and ‘hookers’
In a series of startlingly candid conversations, President Donald Trump told former FBI Director James Comey that he had serious concerns about the judgment of a top adviser, asked about the possibility of jailing journalists and described a boast from Vladimir Putin about Russian prostitutes, according to Comey’s notes of the talks obtained by The Associated Press on Thursday night. The 15 pages of documents contain new details about a series of interactions with Trump that Comey found so unnerving that he chose to document them in writing. Those seven encounters in the weeks and months before Comey’s May 2017 firing include a Trump Tower discussion about allegations involving Trump and prostitutes in Moscow; a White House dinner at which Comey says Trump asked him for his loyalty; and a private Oval Office discussion where the ex-FBI head says the president asked him to end an investigation into Michael Flynn, the former White House national security adviser. The documents had been eagerly anticipated since their existence was first revealed last year, especially since Comey’s interactions with Trump are a critical part of special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into whether the president sought to obstruct justice. Late Thursday night, Trump tweeted that the memos “show clearly that there was NO COLLUSION and NO OBSTRUCTION.” In a Friday morning tweet, Trump lamented that Flynn’s life has been “totally destroyed” after he pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about his contacts with the Russian ambassador, “while Shadey (sic) James Comey can Leak and Lie and make lots of money from a third rate book (that should never have been written).” He added: “Is that really the way life in America is supposed to work? I don’t think so!” The president also has accused Comey of leaking classified information. The memos obtained by the AP were unclassified, though some portions were blacked out as classified. Details from Comey’s memos reported in news stories last year appear to come from the unclassified portions. In explaining the purpose of creating the memos, which have been provided to Mueller, Comey has said he “knew there might come a day when I would need a record of what had happened” to defend not only himself but the FBI as well. The memos cover the first three months of the Trump administration, a period of upheaval marked by staff turnover, a cascade of damaging headlines and revelations of an FBI investigation into potential ties between the Trump campaign and Russia. The documents reflect Trump’s uneasiness about that investigation, though not always in ways that Comey seemed to anticipate. In a February 2017 conversation, for instance, Trump told Comey how Putin told him, “we have some of the most beautiful hookers in the world” even as the president adamantly, and repeatedly, distanced himself from a salacious allegation concerning him and prostitutes in Moscow, according to one memo. In another memo, Comey recounts how Trump at a private White House dinner pointed his fingers at his head and complained that Flynn, his embattled national security adviser, “has serious judgment issues.” The president blamed Flynn for failing to alert him promptly to a congratulatory call from a world leader, causing a delay for Trump in returning a message to an official whose name is redacted in the documents. “I did not comment at any point during this topic and there was no mention or acknowledgment of any FBI interest in or contact with General Flynn,” Comey wrote. By that point, the FBI had already interviewed Flynn about his contacts with the Russian ambassador, Sergey Kislyak, and the Justice Department had already warned White House officials that they were concerned Flynn was vulnerable to blackmail. Flynn was fired Feb. 13, 2017, after White House officials said he had misled them about his Russian contacts during the transition period by saying that he had not discussed sanctions. The following day, according to a separate memo, Comey says Trump cleared the Oval Office of other officials, encouraged him to let go of the investigation into Flynn and called him a good guy. Flynn pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI and is now cooperating with Mueller’s investigation. The memos reveal that days before Flynn’s firing, then-White House chief of staff Reince Priebus asked Comey if Flynn’s communications were being monitored under a secret surveillance warrant. “Do you have a FISA order on Mike Flynn?” Priebus asked Comey, according to the memos, referring to an order under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. Comey said he “paused for a few seconds and then said that I would answer here, but that this illustrated the kind of question that had to be asked and answered through established channels.” Comey’s response is redacted on the unclassified memos. The memos also show Trump’s continued distress at a dossier of allegations — compiled by a former British spy whose work was funded by the Democratic National Committee and the Clinton campaign — examining potential ties between him and his aides and the Kremlin. Comey writes how Trump repeatedly denied to him having been involved in an encounter with Russian prostitutes in a Moscow hotel. “The President said ‘the hookers thing’ is nonsense,” Comey writes, noting that Trump then related the conversation with Putin about the “most beautiful hookers.” Comey says Trump did not say when Putin had made the comment. The documents also include the president’s musings about pursuing leakers and imprisoning journalists. They also provide insight into Comey’s personal and professional opinions. He judges the administration’s travel ban to be legally valid, and he takes a swipe at former Attorney General Loretta Lynch, calling her predecessor, Eric Holder, “smarter and more sophisticated and smoother.” The memos were provided to Congress earlier Thursday as House Republicans escalated criticism of the Justice Department, threatening to subpoena the documents and questioning officials. In a letter sent to three Republican House committee chairmen Thursday evening, Assistant Attorney General Stephen Boyd wrote that the department was sending a classified version of the memos
Poll: Americans expect Russia tension will get worse
Americans largely fear the country’s relationship with Russia and China will get worse in the coming year, and despite signs of diplomatic progress with Kim Jong Un on nuclear weapons, nearly half say the same about North Korea. That’s according to a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research (AP-NORC) that provides insight into the public’s view on the direction of U.S. ties with those key strategic rivals, 15 months after President Donald Trump took office. “Trump has opened up a whole bucket of worms, and he’s doing it with too many countries all at once,” said John Parker, 70, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. “It’s almost like he’s trying to get us into trouble.” The poll found that Americans are most downbeat about the relationship with Russia: 56 percent think it will get worse over the next year, while just 13 percent think it will improve. Even among Republicans, more expect the relationship with Russia to get worse than better, 40 percent to 20 percent, though another 40 percent expect it to stay about the same. Eric Brammer, 30, an information technology specialist from Roanoke, Virginia, who describes himself as Democrat, said he expects tensions to continue over Russia’s support of the government of President Bashar Assad in civil war-wracked Syria, where the U.S., Britain and France last week launched missile strikes against Syrian chemical weapons facilities. Brammer also said that if more allegations of Russian interference in U.S. elections come to light, it will sow more distrust among the American public and worsen the relationship. On China — with which Trump has forged cooperation against North Korea but drawn sharp differences on trade — some 48 percent expect relations to get worse in the next year, while just 17 percent expect things to get better. “The farmers here are worried about trade with China because of the soybeans, corn and hogs that all go there,” said Dorothy Jorgensen, a retiree from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, who expects relations with the world’s second-largest economy to deteriorate. “If one side raises taxes and the other side does the same, it’s not going to help either country.” As Trump looks to narrow the U.S. trade deficit, he has threatened to raise U.S. tariffs on up to $150 billion of Chinese goods to counteract what he says are that country’s unfair trade policies. That has fueled fears of a trade war. China has threatened to retaliate with tariffs of its own, including on American agricultural produce. But Marta Vicentini, a retired neurophysiologist from Miami Beach, Florida, said Trump was right to hit back against China over theft of U.S. know-how and trade secrets and predicted his strategy would work in America’s favor. “They (China) have no alternative but to trade with the U.S.,” she said. Vicentini also supports the Republican president’s approach toward North Korea. She said the imposition of sanctions is paying off and the young dictator Kim has been brought to the table by fears Trump will resort to military force and even a nuclear strike. “He (Kim) is going to grow up and mature and he’s going to realize that he’s playing with fire,” Vicentini said. Trump is planning to meet with Kim by June, in search of a deal in which North Korea would give up his nuclear weapons. It would be the first U.S.-North Korea summit after six decades of hostility since the Korean War. Despite the promise of the summit, far more Americans think relations with the North Korea will get worse than better, 47 percent to 20 percent. Republicans are more optimistic. Forty percent think that the relationship that grew increasingly tense last year will improve in the next year. Some 34 percent think it will stay about the same, and just 25 percent expect it to worsen. Outside of foreign affairs, 40 percent of Americans approve of the overall job Trump is doing as president, the poll found. That’s about the same percentage as said so a month ago, up slightly from where it’s been for most of the year. Fifty-nine percent now say they disapprove of the job the president is doing. Americans are also largely pessimistic about the state of the country generally. Sixty percent think the U.S. is headed in the wrong direction, though a majority of Republicans — 67 percent — think it’s headed the right way. The AP-NORC poll of 1,140 adults was conducted April 11-16 using a sample drawn from NORC’s probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for all respondents is plus or minus 4.0 percentage points. Respondents were first selected randomly using address-based sampling methods, and later interviewed online or by phone. The following graph shows results from the AP-NORC Center poll: Graphic shows results of AP-NORC Center poll on foreign relations and Trump approval. [Photo Credit: AP Photos]Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
Donald Trump says midterm elections are choice for country on taxes
President Donald Trump says the November elections are “a choice” for the country between Republicans who want to protect their signature tax cut law and Democrats who he says “want to end them and raise your taxes substantially.” In a Friday morning tweet, Trump says Democratic House leader Nancy Pelosi “is going absolutely crazy” over the law. On Thursday, she called the notion that economic growth would cover the budgetary shortfall from the corporate and personal income tax cuts “nonsense” and “BS.” Republicans are pinning their midterm hopes on Americans believing the tax cuts benefit them, as they look to counter headwinds that threaten their congressional majorities. Trump is set to hold a roundtable discussion with Republican National Committee donors Friday. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
Terri Sewell proposal passes in IRS reform package
The House voted Wednesday to pass the Taxpayer First Act, bipartisan legislation aimed at transforming taxpayer interactions with the IRS for the first time since 1998 by strengthening the transparency and accountability at the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and improving taxpayer services. H.R. 5444 passed the House 414-0 with the full support of the Alabama delegation. Among the bill’s many components was a provision proposed by Alabama 7th District U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell and her colleague Missouri-Republican Rep. Jason Smith. Originally introduced as the Preserving Taxpayers’ Rights Act, the provision aims to streamline and improve IRS audit processes and restore a more collaborative approach to resolution of disputes between taxpayers and the agency. “This legislation is a chance for us to strengthen the relationship many taxpayers have with the IRS. Tax season is a stressful time for millions of Americans, and the compliance burden on the average American and small business owner is unnecessarily difficult,” Sewell explained. “Today, Congress took important steps to make the tax filing experience more sensible, fairer, and more efficient.” Sewell continued, “The bill we passed today includes a bipartisan provision which I drafted with Rep. Jason Smith that improves efficiency and customer service at the IRS and gives taxpayers a chance to resolve disputes with the IRS without being forced to litigate in court. While our fight for a friendlier, more efficient tax system is not over, today’s vote is a victory for all taxpayers.” The Preserving Taxpayers’ Rights Act, which was included in the underlying legislation that passed the House today, contains provisions which: maintains taxpayers’ legal right to have cases heard by the IRS Office of Appeals; further defines which IRS cases can be designated for litigation; further defines when tax liability assessments can be levied; and eliminates the use of outside law firms for federal tax audits.
Alabama education board to choose next state superintendent
Alabama State Board of Education members will choose the state’s next superintendent of education Friday. Board members will interview the four finalists Friday in Montgomery to pick the next head of Alabama’s education system. The finalists are Jefferson County Superintendent Craig Pouncey, Hoover City Schools Superintendent Kathy Murphy, Superintendent Association of Alabama Executive Director Eric Mackey and former Texas Education Commissioner Robert Scott. The board is seeking a replacement for former Superintendent Michael Sentance who resigned in September after one year and one day. He stepped down after he received a poor performance evaluation. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
Jim Zeigler: Executions of murderers take too long — waaaaay too long
It now appears (8 p.m.Thursday) that the execution of Walter LeRoy Moody can go forward tonight in Alabama. He killed a federal judge over 30 years ago. Folks, 30 years is too long to carry out a sentence. Killers are not worried about what may happen 30 years from now. They think in terms of the next 30 minutes. It is very little deterrent to a would-be killer that he MIGHT be executed 30 years later. We have got to correct this problem and start carrying out swifter justice. The family of the victim has been suffering 30 years. We the taxpayers have been paying Moody’s room, board and medical expenses for 30 years. I am working on a plan that will greatly speed up executions without increasing the danger of executing the wrong person. I call the plan “Execution Delayed is Justice Denied.” When complete, I will release it and ask for your support. ••• Jim Zeigler is State Auditor of Alabama.
