Your 2018 guide to Memorial Day weekend events happening across Alabama
On Memorial Day, May 28, Americans will honor and remember all of those who died while serving in the U.S. armed forces. In recognition of the holiday’s rich history, Alabama Today put together a list of Memorial Day weekend events occurring across the state: Alexander City RXR Festival in Alexander City When: Friday May 25- Sunday May 27, starting at 6 p.m. nightly Where: The Town Green at Russell Crossroads Price: Free Attendees can enjoy local and regional musical acts. Cooler, kids, chair or blanket, pup (on a leash please) are all welcome. Andalusia Memorial Day Ceremony When: Monday, May 28 at 10 a.m. Where: Held at the Covington Veterans Memorial behind Andalusia City Hall Price: Free Birmingham Family Fun Friday When: May 25 at 6 p.m. Where: Railroad Park Price: Free Get the entire family on track to better health with this fun hour of low to high impact activity designed to promote exercise for all ages. Families are invited to enjoy team activities like kickball, soccer or wiffle ball. Brilliant CoalFest When: Friday, May 25 – Saturday, May 26 Where: Various locations throughout downtown Price: Free Live bands, food, arts and crafts, clogging, children attractions and state checkers champions plays local politicians, much more. Gulf Shores LuLu Palooza in Gulf Shores When: Saturday, May 26 from 12 noon – 10 p.m. Where: Outdoor boat stage at the Homeport Marina Price: Free Enjoy all-day live music. Living History Memorial Day Tribute When: Saturday, May 26 from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Where: Fort Morgan State Historic Site Price: See website (varies depending on age) Living History staff will be dressed in uniforms from various periods of Fort Morgan’s occupation. Demonstrations will interpret and remember the lives of those who served at Fort Morgan. Huntsville Concerts on the Dock When: May 25 at 6p.m. Where: East Dock: Lowe Mill, 2211 Seminole Dr. Price: Free, $5 parking Performances by Bobby Blount (fun melodic, hooky rock ‘n’ roll), Kirsta Channell (soulful, jazzy folk), Jim Cavendar (blusey and dark on bass) and others guarantee a diverse sample of Huntsville’s incredible music scene— from jazz to rock to soulful ballads— all on one stage for an incredible variety of homegrown talent with something for everyone. Montgomery Montgomery Symphony Jubilee Pops Concert When: Friday, May 25 at 7 p.m. Where: On the lawn of the Alabama Archives and History Building across from the State Capitol Price: Free Orange Beach Pepsi Beach Ball Drop When: Friday, May 25 at 5 p.m. Where: The Wharf: 23101 Canal Road, Orange Beach Price: Free The Wharf will celebrate the start of the summer with a concert by country star Craig Campbell, live entertainment, children’s activities, and rides. 5,000 beach balls will be released. Admission is free. Missing an event? Let us know at info@altoday.com. More events to be added as they come in.
Women of Influence: U.S. Representative Martha Roby
Arguably, one of the most politically influential women in the state, 2nd District U.S. Rep. Martha Roby has been hard at work; serving the state of Alabama, and the members of her district for fifteen years. Roby was born and raised in Montgomery Ala.. After receiving her Bachelors degree in music from New York University in 1998, she returned to the Yellowhammer state to pursue a law degree at the Cumberland School of Law at Samford University in Birmingham, Ala. Roby and her (now) husband Riley, were attending her younger brother’s graduation ceremony in Montgomery while she was in her third year at Samford, when the commencement speaker caught her attention. “He challenged the graduates not to contribute to Alabama’s ‘brain drain,’ a long-existing problem in which young, talented Alabamians leave the state to follow their ambitions elsewhere. ‘Invest in Alabama,’ he said. ‘Chase your dreams, but whenever possible, contribute to building up your home and making it a better place,’” Roby told Lean IN. “How many bright, talented individuals had we seen leave the state to pursue careers in so-called greener pastures? Montgomery and the State of Alabama had hard-to-fix problems. Would it make the difference if Riley and I, who care deeply about our home, put down roots?” Roby continued. “Ambition to follow one’s dreams is admirable, I thought, but so is realizing a responsibility to stay and help lift up a community. If we didn’t, who would?” After finishing law school, Roby’s mind raced with possibilities on how she could serve those in her community; and her opportunity came just a few short years later when a local city council member announced her retirement. She entered the race, and won the Montgomery City Council District 7 seat in 2003. A position she maintained until 2010, when she announced her run for U.S. Congressional District 2. Winning the race in 2010, Roby has since served her constituents in the 2nd District with an enthusiasm that’s hard to match. Roby is a former member of several congressional committees including the Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies and currently serves as a member of the Judiciary committee, the Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies, Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations, Subcommittee on Defense, Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies, and is the first representative from the 2nd Congressional District to serve on the House Appropriations Committee. She also serves on many non-legislative committees including the Caucus for Womens Issues, Congressional Army Aviation Caucus, Congressional Pro-life Caucus and the Congressional Air Force Caucus. Roby has been instrumental in bringing jobs, and investments to her district, including fighting to keep eight C-130 aircrafts at Montgomery’s Maxwell Air Force Base, and working in Congress to help the Army Aviation Center of Excellence at Fort Rucker avoid crippling budget cuts that would have decimated training capabilities. She has also been a proponent of Veterans Affairs and has worked tirelessly to address some of the misconduct at the Central Alabama Veterans Health Care System (CAVHCS). Roby is a women who has dedicated her life in-service to the state of Alabama. She works endlessly for those in her District and across the nation, and was kind enough to answer some of Alabama Today’s questions about her life, work and influences. How have other women influenced your success? I am blessed to have been surrounded by strong, driven women – my mom, my grandmothers, and others. Growing up, my dad always told me, “You can be anything you want to be.” I believed him, and I was fortunate to see this truth lived out by women in my life. What shaped your desire to work in politics? My husband Riley and I were sitting in the audience at my brother’s high school graduation, and the commencement speaker talked about the “brain drain.” He mentioned how important it is to go out into the world and do all the things you dream of doing, but then to return home to serve your community in whatever way you feel called. The challenge had a profound effect on both of us. Shortly thereafter I kicked off my first campaign in my hometown for the Montgomery City Council. Later, when my husband and I were debating and praying about whether or not to run for Congress, we sought the advice of countless people, many of whom had done this job before or were currently serving. I had a four-year old and a twelve-week old, and when asked, most people told me I shouldn’t run for Congress – that I wouldn’t be able to do it. Before officially announcing my bid for Congress, I visited Washington, D.C., and had the opportunity to sit down with my now great friend and colleague, Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA). I told her my dilemma, and I told her that most people had encouraged me not to run due to the stresses associated with being young mom. I knew Cathy had recently had her first child, and she now has three beautiful children. She looked at me and said, “You can do this.” I took her advice. To this day, she inspires me, and I am grateful to call her a friend. What has been your favorite area of service, and what is your favorite thing about that position? I truly love this job, and because of that, I have several favorite areas of service. Perhaps both my biggest responsibility and greatest joy in Congress is being in a position to fight for proper treatment for our nation’s veterans. We owe the men and women who have put their lives on the line in service to this great country the absolute best care available, but far too often we fall short. I remain committed to advocating for commonsense solutions to make the Department of Veterans Affairs work for veterans. Have you read any books that have shaped your perspective on life? I am an avid reader. While I have
NFL owners adopt new policy to address anthem protests
NFL owners approved a new policy Thursday aimed at addressing the firestorm over national anthem protests, permitting players to stay in the locker room during the “The Star-Spangled Banner” but requiring them to stand if they come to the field. Commissioner Roger Goodell said the change was approved unanimously by the owners at their spring meeting in Atlanta, but it was met with immediate skepticism by the players’ union. “We want people to be respectful of the national anthem. We want people to stand,” Goodell said. “That’s all personnel, and to make sure they treat this moment in a respectful fashion. That’s something that we think we owe. We’ve been very sensitive on making sure that we give players choices, but we do believe that moment is an important moment and one that we are going to focus on.” In a sign that players were not part of the discussions, any violations of the policy would result in fines against the team – not the players. The NFL Players Association said it will challenge any part of the new policy that violates the collective bargaining agreement. The owners spent several hours addressing the contentious issue – which has reached all the way to the White House. Former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick began kneeling during the national anthem in 2016, a quiet but powerful protest against police brutality and racial inequities in the justice system. Other players took up the cause, and the gesture carried on during the 2017 season even after Kaepernick left the 49ers and failed to land a job with another team. President Trump turned the anthem protests into a campaign issue , saying the NFL should fire any player who takes a knee during “The Star-Spangled Banner.” The NFL hasn’t gone that far, but Kaepernick has yet to land another job and one of his former teammates and fellow protesters, safety Eric Reid, is also out of work. Both have filed collusion grievances against the NFL. While the owners touted the change as a compromise and noted it was approved unanimously, the players’ union made it clear it was not part of the discussions. “The NFL chose to not consult the union in the development of this new ‘policy,’” the NFLPA said in a statement. “NFL players have shown their patriotism through their social activism, their community service, in support of our military and law enforcement and yes, through their protests to raise awareness about the issues they care about.” The statement added, “The vote by NFL club CEOs today contradicts the statements made to our player leadership by Commissioner Roger Goodell and the Chairman of the NFL’s Management Council John Mara (co-owner of the New York Giants) about the principles, values and patriotism of our League.” Republished with permission from the Associated Press.
Mike Pompeo: US will fight Russian interference in 2018 elections
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Wednesday the Trump administration will not tolerate Russian interference in the 2018 congressional midterm elections. Pompeo told the House Foreign Affairs Committee that the administration will take “appropriate countermeasures” to fight what he called “continued efforts” by Russia to meddle in November’s vote. He did not elaborate on the Russian interference or say what the countermeasures would be but said there was much more work to be done to stop Russia’s efforts. He said the U.S. had not yet been able to establish “effective deterrence” to halt them. The top-ranking Democrat on the committee, Eliot Engel, however, contended that the Trump administration “is giving Russia a pass” because Russian President Vladimir Putin “supported President Trump over Hillary Clinton” in the 2016 presidential election. “If we allow foreign interference in our elections so long as it supports our political objectives, then we’ve put party before country and put our democracy in crisis,” Engel said. Russian meddling in the presidential election remains a touchy topic for President Donald Trump, as the White House tries to combat the threat posed by special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into potential ties between Russia and the Trump campaign. Trump denies there was any collusion. Pompeo was making his first congressional appearance since becoming top diplomat nearly a month ago, after Trump fired his predecessor, Rex Tillerson. Pompeo was testifying on the State Department’s budget, operations and policy priorities, but was asked about a wide range of issues, ranging from diplomacy with North Korea, the pullout from the Iran nuclear deal, and Russia. “We will not tolerate Russian interference in the 2018 elections,” he told lawmakers. “We will take appropriate countermeasures to continued Russian efforts.” He defended the Trump administration’s “enormous efforts to push back against Russia,” which he claimed were “light-years better than what was done in the previous administration.” Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
Women-owned Huntsville company lands $47M government contract
A women-owned small business (WOSB) headquartered in Huntsville, Ala. has been awarded a $47 million government contract to manage cybersecurity risk operations for the U.S. military’s Defense Health Agency (DHA). Sentar announced they received the contract on Tuesday. They competed against 11 other bidders for the contract in a small business set aside competition. Sentar previously held the contract with DHA, but it ended this month after two years. Work on the new contract will begin immediately within a one-year base period and two, one-year option periods. “Winning repeat business represents proven and enduring customer satisfaction, trust, and confidence from the company’s government customers,” said April Nadeau, VP (DHA, SPAWAR, Navy and Marine Corps). “We are thrilled for the latest re-compete win and look forward to our continued partnership with the Navy and its sponsor organizations.” Sentarwas founded in 1990.
On Long Island, Donald Trump to speak on immigration, gang violence
President Donald Trump will hold a roundtable discussion on Long Island on illegal immigration and gang violence that the White House is calling a “national call to action for legislative policy changes.” White House spokesman Hogan Gidley says the discussion with law enforcement and local leaders will focus on “immigration loopholes” that he said allows the violent MS-13 gang “to infiltrate our communities.” MS-13 has been blamed for some two dozen killings on Long Island the past two years. Trump has used the violence to bolster the urgency of his push to overhaul the nation’s immigration laws, as well as the need to build a border wall with Mexico and enact tougher travel restrictions. He’s also argued for loosening restrictions on law enforcement, encouraging police officers whom he calls “rough guys.” “Please don’t be too nice,” he told law enforcement officials in a similar trip he made to Long Island last July. Trump will also attend a fundraiser in his hometown of New York City on Wednesday evening. The 75-person dinner is expected to raise $5 million for the Republican National Committee and the president’s re-election campaign, the RNC said. Last week, Trump used the word “animals” to describe some people who enter the country illegally, in response to a comment about MS-13. The president says he will continue to use the term in referring to the gang. The White House also released a fact sheet Monday morning titled “WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE VIOLENT ANIMALS OF MS-13.” MS-13, or the Mara Salvatrucha, is believed by federal prosecutors to have thousands of members across the U.S., primarily emigrants from Central America. It has a stronghold in Los Angeles, where it emerged in the 1980s as a neighborhood street gang, but it also has wreaked violence in cities and suburbs across the U.S., including Long Island. The president has called for an end to “catch-and-release” policies, which generally refers to the release of unauthorized immigrants while they await immigration hearings instead of keeping them in custody as well as changes ro rules governing minors and asylum seekers. Gidley claims the policies “allow hundreds of thousands of illegal and unauthorized aliens to gain entry and release in the United States” and says they can be exploited by violent gangs, cartels, and drug dealers. Many teenagers on Long Island have been held on gang accusations, swept up in various federal investigations. But Immigration advocates say some teenagers arrested in the crackdowns in New York and California have been unfairly tied to gangs and wrongly held at detention centers. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
Alabama, Mo Brooks sue over inclusion of illegal aliens in US Census
Alabama 5th District U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks and Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall have filed a lawsuit against the federal government over what they said was the Census Bureau‘s “unlawful” decision to include of illegal immigrants in census data “used to determine the apportionment of the U.S. House of Representatives and the Electoral College.” Marshall says the move will cause Alabama to lose a seat in the U.S. House of Representative as well as a vote in the Electoral College. “If the U.S. Census Bureau follows through with its plan to include illegal aliens in the 2020 census for purposes of apportionment, Alabama will lose both a seat in the U.S. House of Representative and a vote in the Electoral College,” explained Marshall. “Alabama’s loss will be another state’s gain, as states with a growing illegal alien population will be the beneficiary of this reapportionment. I have joined with Congressman Mo Brooks in filing suit against the federal government to stop the inclusion of illegal aliens in the census’s apportionment population. The Constitution does not permit the dilution of our legal residents’ right to equal representation in this manner.” Brooks echoed Marshall’s thoughts. “Each decade, 435 Congressional seats are apportioned among the states based on population. Congressional seats should be apportioned based on the population of American citizens, not illegal aliens. After all, this is America, not the United Nations,” said Brooks. Brooks says there are roughly fifteen million illegal aliens in America (no one knows for sure the exact number), which would mean roughly 20 Congressional seats would be taken from low-illegal alien population states and given to high-illegal alien population states like California. “As of today, Alabama likely loses a Congressional seat after the 2020 census if apportionment includes illegal alien counts. The loss of an Alabama Congressional seat will be a huge loss in Alabama’s political influence and will diminish Alabama’s influence in Congress and its importance in presidential elections,” Brooks continued. “This lawsuit will have significant and enduring effects on Alabama and other states harmed by unconstitutional census methods. Fundamentally, the issue is fair and equal representation for United States citizens. While some stand for illegal aliens, I stand for American citizens.” In their lawsuit, Marshall and Brooks argue the Census Bureau’s “Residence Rule” — which allows foreign nationals living in the United States to be counted in the census and allocated to the state of their “usual residence” regardless of whether they are legally present in the U.S. — violates the Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and the constitutional principal of equal representation: “The Residence Rule breaches the federal government’s constitutional obligation to conduct an ‘actual Enumeration’ of the number of ‘persons in each State.’ The phrase ‘persons in each State’ was understood at both the Founding and in the Reconstruction era to be restricted to aliens who have been lawfully admitted to the body politic constituted by the Constitution. Aliens who are unlawfully present in the United States did not qualify because they are not entitled to political representation. Thus, the actual enumeration of the population cannot include such aliens.” Alabama is not alone in being adversely affected by the Census Bureau’s decision to include illegal aliens in the apportionment calculation. Ohio is likely to lose a congressional seat and an electoral vote, and Montana will not gain a congressional seat and an electoral vote it would have acquired if illegal aliens were excluded from the 2020 census and the apportionment base. The State of Alabama’s lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Commerce and the Census Bureau was filed May 21, 2018, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama. Click HERE to view the lawsuit. Watch Brooks’ House floor speech making the announcement below:
Alabama tourism hits record high, grows $1 billion in 2017
Alabama tourists spent a record $14.3 billion as the state topped 26 million guests for the first time in state history. Gov. Kay Ivey announced the news of the travel industry’s whopping $1 billion growth at the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum at the Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham on Tuesday. “Every part of the state saw dramatic growth, from the beautiful mountains of the Tennessee Valley to the stunning white sand beaches along the Gulf Coast,” Governor Ivey said. “Most communities generated more revenue and gained jobs through hosting meetings, conventions, sporting events and visits to museums, among other attractions. These gains were especially seen in those areas which have invested in sporting venues which attract youth sports tournaments.” The figures come from the state’s newly released Alabama Tourism Department annual report. According to the report, the tourism industry added 7,399 jobs last year, bringing total employment to 186,906. The industry notched its highest growth in 2017, since the Gulf Coast oil spill in 2010, when tourists spent $9 billion, said Alabama Tourism Director Lee Sentell. “This is such great news for the state of Alabama. In 2017, we had more visitors than at any other time in our history – visitors whose spending added one billion dollars more to the state economy than the year before,” Sentell said. “The site of today’s announcement, Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum, is one of the reasons for these gains. The Barber Museum and Park generated almost 100,000 hotel room-nights of occupancy in 2017 and had 352,000 visitors, an increase of more than 35 percent from the year before.” The tourism industry generates millions of dollars for state and local government. The hospitality industry was responsible for $627.5 million in state taxes and an additional $251.6 million in local revenue for a total of $879 million, an increase of five percent over the previous year, the report said. Some $70 million was generated in state lodgings taxes, of which 75 percent benefits the State General Fund. According to a study by Montgomery economist Dr. Keivan Deravi, the top tourists spots were: Baldwin County added 82,238 guests for a total of 6.4 million guests who spent a record $4.4 billion, despite a wet July. Jefferson County’s hospitality industry grew by a record 9.8 percent and 148,498 tourists. About 3.3 million total visitors helped Jefferson County cross the $2 billion mark in tourist spending for the first time. Madison County saw an increase of 85,728 visitors yielded a total of 3.1 million guests who spent $1.3 billion for a 9.8 percent increase. Mobile County tourism grew by 8 percent. An additional 178,770 visitors meant a total of 3.4 million guests who spent $1.2 billon. Montgomery County, which ranked fifth, added 8,940 guests for a 3.3 percent increase in tourist spending. The city had just under two million visitors who spent $841 million. Deravi says that without those taxes, each household in Alabama would have had to pay $467 in additional taxes to maintain current service levels.
US, South Korea work to keep North Korea summit on track
The United States and South Korea are laboring to keep the U.S. summit with North Korea on track even after President Donald Trump abruptly said “there’s a very substantial chance” it won’t go off as planned. “The fate and the future of the Korean Peninsula hinge” on the meeting, South Korea’s president told Trump in an Oval Office meeting Tuesday. The summit, scheduled for June 12 in Singapore, would offer a historic chance for peace. But there also is the risk of a diplomatic failure that would allow the North to revive and advance its nuclear weapons program. U.S. officials say preparations are still underway. “We’re driving on,” said Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who was to testify before the House Foreign Affairs Committee on Wednesday. Trump’s newfound hesitation appeared to reflect recent setbacks in efforts to bring about reconciliation between the two Koreas, as well as concern whether the self-proclaimed deal-maker can deliver a nuclear accord with the North’s Kim Jong Un. Trump said Kim had not met unspecified “conditions” for the summit. But Trump also said he believed Kim was “serious” about negotiations, and South Korean leader Moon Jae-in expressed “every confidence” in Trump’s ability to hold the summit and bring about peace. “I have no doubt that you will be able to … accomplish a historic feat that no one had been able to achieve in the decades past,” Moon said. Trump said he didn’t want to “totally commit” himself on whether North Korea should denuclearize all at once or in phases. “It would certainly be better if it were all in one,” Trump said, before adding, “You do have some physical reasons that it may not be able to do exactly that.” Trump suggested the summit could be delayed rather than canceled: “It may not work out for June 12, but there is a good chance that we’ll have the meeting.” He did not detail the conditions he had laid out for Kim but said if they aren’t met, “we won’t have the meeting.” His spokeswoman, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, said Trump was referring to a commitment to seriously discuss denuclearization. Skepticism about the North’s intentions have mounted in recent weeks after Kim’s government pulled out of planned peace talks with the South last week, objecting to long-scheduled joint military exercises between U.S. and South Korean forces. The North also threatened to abandon the planned Trump-Kim meeting over U.S. insistence on rapidly denuclearizing the peninsula, issuing a harshly worded statement that the White House dismissed as a negotiating ploy. Trump expressed suspicion that the North’s recent aggressive barbs were influenced by Kim’s unannounced trip to China two weeks ago — his second in as many months. Trump said he’d noticed “a little change” in Kim’s attitude after the trip. “I don’t like that,” he said. The president said he hoped Chinese President Xi Jinping was actually committed to the goal of denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula, calling him a “world-class poker player.” Trump said he was displeased by China’s softening of border enforcement measures against North Korea. Trump encouraged Kim to focus on the opportunities offered by the meeting and to make a deal to abandon his nuclear program, pledging not only to guarantee Kim’s personal security but also predicting an economic revitalization for the North. “I will guarantee his safety, yes,” Trump said, noting that promise was conditioned on an agreement to complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization. Trump said if such an agreement is reached, China, Japan and South Korea would invest large sums to “make North Korea great.” Republished with permission from the Associated Press.
Donald Trump eager to sign bill rolling back Dodd-Frank regulations
President Donald Trump indicated Wednesday that he’s eager to sign a bill that would dismantle a chunk of the rules framework for banks, installed to prevent recurrence of the 2008 financial crisis that brought millions of lots jobs and foreclosed homes. The House voted 258-159 on Tuesday to approve legislation rolling back the Dodd-Frank law, notching a legislative win for Trump, who made gutting the landmark law a campaign promise. The Republican-led legislation, pushed by Wall Street banks as well as regional banks and smaller institutions, garnered 33 votes from House Democrats. Similarly, the bill splintered Democrats into two camps when the Senate voted 67-31 to approve it in March. “Big legislation will be signed by me shortly,” Trump tweeted Wednesday. “Big changes to DODD FRANK.” The bill raises the threshold at which banks are deemed so big and plugged into the financial grid that if one were to fail it would cause major havoc. Those banks are subject to stricter capital and planning requirements. Backers of the legislation are intent on loosening the restraints on them, asserting that would boost lending and the economy. The legislation is aimed at especially helping small and medium-sized banks, including community banks and credit unions. But critics argue that the likelihood of future taxpayer bailouts will be greater once it becomes law. They point to increases in banks’ lending and profits since Dodd-Frank’s enactment in 2010 as debunking the assertion that excessive regulation of the banking industry is stifling growth. The Dodd-Frank act, named after its co-authors, Democratic Sen. Christopher Dodd of Connecticut and Democratic Rep. Barney Frank of Massachusetts, boosted government oversight of banks. U.S. banks’ net income climbed to $56 billion in the January-March quarter, a 27.5 percent increase from a year earlier, as profits were revved up by the corporate tax cuts enacted late last year, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. reported Tuesday. “This is not a bill that benefits consumers. It is a big-bank bonanza,” Rep. Al Green, D-Texas, said in debate on the House floor before the vote. The bill makes a fivefold increase, to $250 billion, in the level of assets at which banks are deemed to pose a potential threat if they fail. The change would ease regulations and oversight on more than two dozen financial institutions, including BB&T Corp., SunTrust Banks, Fifth Third Bancorp and American Express. Eventually, the exempted banks will no longer have to undergo an annual stress test conducted by the Federal Reserve. The test assesses whether a bank has a big enough capital buffer to survive an economic shock and keep on lending. The banks also will be excused from submitting plans called “living wills” that spell out how a bank would sell off assets or be liquidated in the event of failure so it wouldn’t create chaos in the financial system. Rep. Jeb Hensarling, the Texas Republican who heads the House Financial Services Committee, said Main Street banks “have been suffering for years under the weight” of the Dodd-Frank regulations. “Help is on the way,” Hensarling declared. “Today is an important day in the history of economic opportunity in America.” Republican lawmakers, with Hensarling at the forefront, have been chafing at Dodd-Frank’s restrictions in the eight years since its enactment by President Barack Obama and Democrats in Congress, and finally prevailed with Tuesday’s vote. The win on the banking bill adds to Trump’s marquee business-friendly legislative achievement, the sweeping tax bill enacted late last year that deeply cut taxes for corporations and wealthy individuals and offered more modest reductions for most ordinary Americans. Supporters of the bill say Dodd-Frank was too blunt an instrument in response to the financial crisis, hurting smaller lenders that played no role in the debacle. They provide more than half of small business loans and over 80 percent of agricultural loans. The legislation also exempts certain banks and credit unions from requirements to report some mortgage loan data. The exempted data includes the age of a loan applicant, credit score, total loan costs and interest rate. Critics say that would make it easier for banks to discriminate against minorities seeking home mortgages and go undetected. In response to the Equifax breach that exposed personal information for more than 145 million Americans, the bill requires free credit freezes for all consumers affected by data breaches. Currently most states allow the credit reporting companies to charge consumers a fee for freezing their credit. Backers of the legislation note that the Federal Reserve still will have the authority to apply tougher standards for banks with $100 billion to $250 billion in assets. A sole Republican, Walter Jones of North Carolina, voted against the bill Tuesday. Republished with permission from the Associated Press.
Donald Trump seethes over Russia probe, calls for end to ‘SPYGATE’
President Donald Trump escalated his efforts to discredit the Russia investigation Wednesday, saying the FBI has been caught in a “MAJOR spy scandal” over their use of a secret informant to determine whether some of Trump’s campaign aides were working with Russia ahead of the 2016 election. “SPYGATE could be one of the biggest political scandals in history!” Trump said in an early morning Twitter tirade. Trump and his GOP supporters in Congress are now demanding information on the outside informant, claiming it is proof that the Obama administration was trying to spy on his campaign for political reasons. The White House has negotiated rare access to classified documents for Trump’s congressional allies in a briefing expected Thursday. “Look how things have turned around on the Criminal Deep State,” Trump tweeted Wednesday. “They go after Phony Collusion with Russia, a made up Scam, and end up getting caught in a major SPY scandal the likes of which this country may never have seen before! What goes around, comes around!” The president’s comments came a day after he increased pressure on the Justice Department, declining to say whether he has confidence in Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein. Over the weekend, Trump demanded that the Justice Department investigate the FBI and Justice Department’s handling of the Russia probe. The Justice Department agreed by expanding an open, internal investigation to determine whether there was any politically motivated surveillance. And the White House said that Trump chief of staff John Kelly would organize the meeting with House lawmakers to review the documents, although he and other White House staffers would not be present. FBI Director Christopher Wray, National Intelligence Director Dan Coats and Justice Department official Edward O’Callaghan will meet with House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes and House Oversight and Government Reform Chairman Trey Gowdy. White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said no Democrats were invited because they had not requested the information, despite calls from lawmakers for the briefing to be bipartisan. The top Democrat on the House intelligence panel, California Rep. Adam Schiff, said the briefing should have been done through the bipartisan “Gang of 8,” which includes Republican and Democratic leaders and the top Republicans and Democrats on the House and Senate intelligence panels. That group regularly receives classified briefings. The New York Times was the first to report that the FBI had an informant who met several times with Trump campaign officials who had suspicious contacts linked to Russia. The Justice Department’s internal probe began in March at the request of Attorney General Jeff Sessions and congressional Republicans. Sessions and the lawmakers urged Inspector General Michael Horowitz to review whether FBI and Justice Department officials abused their surveillance powers by using information compiled by Christopher Steele, a former British spy, and paid for by Democrats to justify monitoring Carter Page, a former campaign adviser to Trump. Horowitz said his office will look at those claims as well as communications between Steele and Justice and FBI officials. Republished with permission from the Associated Press.
Steve Flowers: less than two weeks to June 5 primary
As we get down to the lick log in the 2018 June Primary, there are few if any surprises in any of the major state races. Polling indicates that all of the contests are about where they were three or four months ago when the races began. There is a tremendous amount of apathy and indifference as we head into the final days. This lack of enthusiasm has also affected fundraising. Most of the high-profile races have not attracted the amount of dollars as in the past. Kay Ivey is sitting on a sizable lead in the GOP gubernatorial primary. She took a slight dip in the polls when she ducked out of debates. However, it is not as pronounced as it would have been if she had appeared. Her campaign has been managed brilliantly. Coincidentally, at the same time that her staff adroitly kept her out of the debates, her polling picked up that preserving the Confederate monuments was an issue with conservative Republican primary voters. Kay’s media folks responded with an ad that could have come out of the George Wallace playbook. They had her telling folks that northern liberals and scalawags were not going to tell us what we are going to do with our monuments. Her resolve made folks wonder if she was actually there when the monuments were erected. Last week, with only three weeks until the primary, lesbian lawmaker and LGBTQ activist Patricia Todd suggested in social media posts that Kay was gay. Ms. Ivey adamantly denied the tweet. She has adroitly deflected any and all inquiries into her private life. The bottom line is that polls indicated she had a 30-point lead three months ago, and that lead is about the same now with less than two weeks to go to the primary. The question is whether her challengers will push her into a runoff. Speculation is that she could win without a runoff the same way that her mentor, Lurleen Wallace, did in 1966. The surprise in the GOP race could be Birmingham evangelist Scott Dawson. He has run a very energetic campaign. Evangelical, rural, Roy Moore voters may be coalescing around the young minister. His strength might be underestimated by polling data. This white evangelical vote is ironically similar to the African-American vote in the state. It is quiet and beats to a different drummer. The message resonates through word-of-mouth between church pews rather than through the media and social media, although it eventually gravitates to being somewhat in lock-step with a predictably higher than average turnout. Most observers expect Huntsville mayor Tommy Battle to make a late run at Ivey. He has money in the bank. He will also come out of the vote-rich Tennessee Valley with good friends-and-neighbors support. He should get enough votes to run second and force Ivey into a runoff. However, there will still be a 15-to-20 point spread in favor of Ivey when the votes are counted on June 5. Kay will have to put on her campaign bonnet for another six weeks. She will still not debate. The Democratic Primary for governor has two thoroughbreds battling it out for the opportunity to face the GOP candidate, probably Ivey. Polling in this race between former Chief Justice Sue Bell Cobb and Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox is inconclusive. Most of the folks who vote in the Democratic Primary on June 5 will be African-American. Although this vote is not monolithic, the pendulum swings toward one candidate. The African-American leadership in the party is actively supporting Walt Maddox. He has also captured a good number of young white millennials and college students. My guess is that Maddox is the winner in the Democratic Primary. Troy King will probably lead the balloting in the attorney general contest. Alice Martin and Steve Marshall are battling for a place in the runoff with King. Twinkle Cavanaugh is poised to get a good vote in the lieutenant governor’s race. If she has a runoff, it will probably be Will Ainsworth from Sand Mountain, who has had a significant TV buy. State Sen. Gerald Dial has surged in the agriculture commissioner race, primarily due to a brilliant and upbeat television ad. It is the best TV spot of the year. He is also benefiting immensely from grassroots support from rural volunteer firefighters throughout the state. Voter ambivalence favors incumbents and those who have voter name identification. Therefore, my prognostication is that when all of the votes are counted in November, we will have a female Republican governor, Kay Ivey, and a female Republican lieutenant governor, Twinkle Cavanaugh. We will see. See you next week. ••• Steve Flowers is Alabama’s leading political columnist. His weekly column appears in more than 60 Alabama newspapers. He served 16 years in the legislature. Steve may be reached at www.steveflowers.us.
