Black woman replacing Alabama editor who endorsed KKK
A white Alabama newspaper editor who advocated for the revival of the Ku Klux Klan is turning over control of the small weekly to a black woman. The Democrat-Reporter of Linden, Alabama, announced Friday that Elecia R. Dexter will take over as publisher and editor from Goodloe Sutton, who has run the 140-year-old paper since the 1960s. Dexter, 46, told The Associated Press that Sutton will retain ownership of the newspaper, which has a circulation of about 3,000, “but I will handle everything else.” Sutton had a history of publishing racially and ethnically insensitive editorials, and Dexter said she hoped her appointment would let the community know “this is everybody’s paper.” “I think it can be helpful,” she said. The change came the week after Sutton wrote and published an editorial that began: “Time for the Ku Klux Klan to night ride again.” The editorial said Democrats and “Democrats in the Republican Party” are plotting to raise taxes, so the Klan should raid their communities. Sutton, in a subsequent interview with the Montgomery Advertiser, suggested lynchings as a way to clean up Washington. Sutton also questioned whether the KKK was violent, claiming America’s most feared white supremacist terrorist organization “didn’t kill but a few people.” Auburn University and the University of Southern Mississippi quickly rescinded previous honors for Sutton, who won praise two decades ago for stories exposing corruption in the sheriff’s office. The Alabama Press Association censured Sutton and suspended the Democrat-Reporter’s membership. Dexter, whose family is from rural Marengo County, where Linden is located near the Mississippi line, said she began working at the paper earlier this year and has a good working relationship with Goodloe. She added: “I told him there were some different ways you could have made your point.” The paper has received emails from those who supported what Sutton wrote and others who were “disgusted” by his statements, she said. The paper dates to 1879 and its editorials are consistently conservative and often critical of Democrats. The use of “Democrat” in its name reflects back to the period when nearly all white conservatives in the South were Democrats. Republished with permission from the Associated Press.
Martha Roby: Productive discussions in the Second District
During the recent week-long February district work period, I had the opportunity to travel around Alabama’s Second District to spend time on the ground meeting with constituents and local leaders, visiting schools and businesses, and ultimately listening to the views and concerns of the people I represent. Having this time to hear firsthand from the people who live and work in Alabama’s Second District is vitally important, and my goal is always that these interactions enable me to be a better representative of our priorities in Washington. In our state’s capital city, I had the opportunity to speak to the Montgomery Kiwanis Club during their weekly lunch meeting. I was glad to share with the group updates about the 116th Congress, including my new responsibilities on the Appropriations and Judiciary Committees. Of course, Democrats recently took control of the House, so this year will bring new challenges, but as I told the Kiwanis Club, I remain committed to fighting for our shared conservative priorities, including properly funding our military, caring for our veterans, securing the border, supporting the agriculture community, and defending the unborn. Now, more than ever, it is important that conservative leaders speak out for these important causes. In Montgomery, I also participated in a roundtable meeting with members of the Alabama Restaurant and Hospitality Association. This was a valuable opportunity for me to hear firsthand what they are experiencing in the industry, and I appreciate everyone who took the time to be there and join the discussion. Our historic tax reform overhaul has resulted in hardworking Americans keeping more of their own money. It’s no secret that when families have more money in the budget, they are able to more easily dine out at restaurants and take trips. I believe that our state’s hospitality network is feeling the benefits of tax reform, and I’m eager to see the momentum continue. Last, but not least, while in Montgomery, I stopped by Four Star Freightliner to meet with management and employees. I was given a fantastic site tour and really enjoyed learning more about their business. The company has several locations in Alabama and Georgia, and we are very fortunate to have them here in the Second District. In Geneva, I spent time on campus at Geneva High School where I participated in a proclamation signing recognizing February as Career and Technical Education Month. Our state is fortunate to have a strong network of two-year colleges and high schools that offer CTE programs to thousands of students, ensuring that today’s young people are well-equipped for tomorrow’s job opportunities. While in Geneva, I also had the opportunity to catch up with my friend, state Senator Donnie Chesteen. While the news has left the headlines, several areas in the Wiregrass are still trying to recover after Hurricane Michael devastated lands and crops during harvest last October. I assured Senator Chesteen that I firmly believe Congress should make agriculture disaster recovery funds available for the people who were hit hardest. I’m hopeful that we will get this done soon, and in the meantime, I encourage anyone who needs assistance to contact my offices. In Hartford, I paid my first visit to Air Performance. I was glad to meet the company’s leadership, tour the impressive facility, and speak to their hardworking employees about the work I’m honored to do on their behalf in Congress. I finished my week on the road in New Brockton where I toured their Town Hall building. I also visited with Mayor Kathryn Holley and Town Clerk Debra Andrews. I was excited to see New Brockton’s Town Hall for myself – this facility is truly something residents of the town should be proud of. My week traveling the district was very productive, and I really appreciate the many individuals who took time out of their busy schedules to talk with me. My priority is always to be the very strongest representative of our shared beliefs that I possibly can, and hearing directly from my constituents is the best way for me to accomplish that goal. I’m grateful for the conversations we shared and am looking forward to many more opportunities to learn from the people I represent. ••• Martha Roby represents Alabama’s Second Congressional District. She lives in Montgomery, Alabama, with her husband Riley and their two children.
House Dems introduce measure to revoke Donald Trump border edict
House Democrats on Friday introduced a resolution to block the national emergency declaration that President Donald Trump issued to fund his long-sought wall along the U.S-Mexico border. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., immediately announced that a vote would come on Tuesday. The move sets up a fight that could result in Trump’s first veto. It starts the clock on a constitutional clash between Trump and Democrats and sets up a vote by the full House as soon as next week. The Democratic-controlled House is sure to pass the measure, and the GOP-run Senate may adopt it as well despite Trump’s opposition. Any Trump veto would likely be sustained, but the upcoming battle will test Republican support for Trump’s move, which even some of his allies view as a stretch — and a slap at lawmakers’ control over the power of the federal purse. A staff aide introduced the measure during a short pro forma session of the House in which Rep. Don Beyer, D-Va., presided over an almost empty chamber. “What the president is attempting is an unconstitutional power grab,” said Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, the sponsor of the resolution, on a call with reporters. “There is no emergency at the border.” Pelosi added that the measure would “reassert our system of checks and balances.” Should the House and the Senate initially approve the measure, Congress seems unlikely to muster the two-thirds majorities in each chamber that would be needed later to override a certain Trump veto. The measure to block Trump’s edict will be closely watched in the Senate, where moderates such as Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., have signaled they would back it. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., is only a reluctant supporter of Trump on the topic. The battle is over an emergency declaration Trump issued to access billions of dollars beyond what Congress has authorized to start erecting border barriers. Building his proposed wall was the most visible trademark of Trump’s presidential campaign. Congress last week approved a vast spending bill providing nearly $1.4 billion to build 55 miles (89 kilometers) of border barriers in Texas’ Rio Grande Valley while preventing a renewed government shutdown. That measure represented a rejection of Trump’s demand for $5.7 billion to construct more than 200 miles (322 kilometers). Besides signing the bill, Trump also declared a national emergency and used other authorities that he says give him access to an additional $6.6 billion for wall building. That money would be transferred from a federal asset forfeiture fund, Defense Department anti-drug efforts and a military construction fund. Federal officials have yet to identify which projects would be affected. Castro said he has already garnered support from a majority of the Democratic-controlled House as co-sponsors and that he has at least one GOP sponsor, Rep. Justin Amash of Michigan. Castro’s measure says Trump’s emergency declaration “is hereby terminated.” Castro chairs the 38-member Congressional Hispanic Caucus. Pelosi wrote that the Republican president’s “decision to go outside the bounds of the law to try to get what he failed to achieve in the constitutional legislative process violates the Constitution and must be terminated.” Republished with permission from the Associated Press.
J. Pepper Bryars: Gas tax increase should be ‘Even Steven’ – raise one tax, lower another
Can Alabamians support raising our gas tax for better roads while remaining true to our belief in limited government and protecting a beneficial, low-tax environment for our businesses, our families, and our future? Yes … if taxes are lowered elsewhere so that the overall amount of money taken from the people doesn’t increase. The concept is called “revenue neutral tax reform.” It essentially means that if Alabama raises one tax by $100 million next year, then it should have a comparable decrease in something else. So, if you’re going to pay an extra $400 at the gas station, you should save an extra $400 at the grocery store. Even Steven. A solid majority of Alabamians support the revenue neutral approach, as well. Nearly 62 percent of respondents said they’d support raising gas taxes if grocery taxes were decreased by the same amount, according to a statewide poll commissioned earlier this month by the Alabama Forestry Association. But why shuffle taxes around if it doesn’t ultimately change the government’s total haul? Because taxes change behavior, encouraging some actions while discouraging others, and they also impact people differently. Everyone who pays taxes on a gallon of gas uses roads and bridges. Fair enough. But the rich man and the poor widow pay the same tax on a gallon of milk. That may not be entirely fair, or at least not kind, especially if that tax is relatively high. Shuffling things around can also simplify things, making taxes predictable and sustainable for both the citizen and the state. And lowering those that discourage economic growth may actually produce more revenue in the long term. In our nation’s great laboratory of democracy, Alabamians can look near and far to find examples of how raising the gas tax has worked well in other states. In 2017, Tennessee raised its gas tax by 6 cents, its natural and liquefied gas tax by 8 cents, and its diesel fuel tax by 10 cents. To balance the scale, it cut the sales tax on food from 5 to 4 percent, decreased certain taxes on its state’s manufacturers, and eliminated taxes on some income from bonds, notes, and stocks. In one swoop, Tennessee improved its roads, lowered the cost of food, and removed obstacles to job growth and investment. And in the end, they were Even Steven. Americans for Tax Reform, the watchdog group known for its fierce opposition to tax increases, didn’t oppose Tennessee’s plan. Its president, Grover Norquist, found it didn’t violate their popular Taxpayer Protection Pledge that many candidates sign during election season. Tennessee’s voters were pleased with the result and reelected the Republican majority to the legislature the following year. Americans for Tax Reform also supported former Gov. Chris Christie’s efforts to raise the gas tax in New Jersey in 2016. His plan raised gas taxes there from 14.5 cents to 23 cents per gallon, but eliminated the state’s death tax, lowered its sales tax from 7 percent to 6.6 percent, and increased the earned income tax credit. Even Steven. Same goes for South Carolina. Americans for Tax Reform supported then Gov. Nikki Haley’s plan to combine an increase in gas taxes with a significant decrease in the state’s income taxes on individuals, families, and small businesses. Again, Even Steven. Unfortunately, there are other examples of how gas taxes were raised without the benefit of lowering anything else. They either failed to pass or, ultimately, harmed the communities they sought to help. We must remember that high taxes are one of the chief reasons why people and businesses are fleeing places like New York for places like Alabama. And there are also other reform measures that Alabamians should consider during this debate that were raised in a recent report issued by the Alabama Policy Institute. Meanwhile, our lawmakers should remember another lesson from Tennessee’s experience raising their gas tax – the need for open debate about the details. The chairman of the transportation committee in the Tennessee House of Representatives, State Rep. Barry “Boss” Doss, was accused by some of breaking the chamber’s rules so he could “ram” through the gas tax increase. He ended up drawing a challenger in the Republican Primary and ultimately lost his seat, and some say his parliamentary maneuvers were partly to blame. They say history doesn’t repeat, but it does rhyme. If that’s the case, let’s hope Alabama’s lawmakers will be less like Boss Doss by being transparent in the process and more like Even Steven by balancing any increase in the gas tax with decreases elsewhere. J. Pepper Bryars is a senior fellow at the Alabama Policy Institute. Follow him on Twitter at @jpepperbryars.
Former Alabama legislative leader Zeb Little arrested
A former Alabama Senate leader has been charged with felony theft. The Cullman Times reports that 50-year-old Zeb Little was arrested Thursday on three theft charges. He was booked into the county jail and released on bond. Court records aren’t yet available to show what Little is accused of stealing or whether he has a lawyer to speak on his behalf. Little is a lawyer, and records show a one-time client sued him in September for failing to turn over money from a settlement. The case is still in court, and Little is no longer practicing. Little represented the Cullman area for 12 years as a Democrat in the state Senate. He was the majority leader for eight years ending in 2010, when he was defeated by a Republican challenger. Republished with permission from the Associated Press.
$215M U.S. Steel project provides spark for Alabama steel industry
United States Steel Corp.’s plans to invest $215 million to install a technologically advanced electric arc furnace at Fairfield Works is expected to provide a boost to Alabama’s steelmaking industry in its historic home. U.S. Steel had initiated construction of the EAF at its Tubular Operations in Fairfield in March 2015 but suspended construction in December 2015 because of unfavorable market conditions. The project’s revival means the addition of 150 jobs at the Jefferson County facility. The company said the EAF will have an annual capacity of 1.6 million tons. “This puts Birmingham back on the map in the steel industry, which is a backbone of our region,” said Mark Brown, vice president of Business Retention and Expansion at the Birmingham Business Alliance. “The sustainable technology that will be used in the EAF will solidify Birmingham’s future in the industry for years to come. “U.S. Steel’s investment will have a monumental impact and will drive future growth for our region,” he added. U.S. Steel CEO David Burritt cited improved market conditions, President Donald Trump’s strong trade actions, support from the United Steelworkers and incentives from the State of Alabama and the Jefferson County Commission as reasons for the project’s revival. “This investment is an important step to improve our cost structure and positions our tubular business to win over the long term,” Burritt said. “We are committed to investing in the sustainable steel technology required to be a value-added tubular solutions provider for our customers.” AIDT support AIDT, the state’s primary workforce development agency, agreed to provide recruitment, pre-employment training and certain post-employment training support for the expected 150 new employees at U.S. Steel’s Fairfield Works. The AIDT commitment is estimated at nearly $1.4 million, according to data from the Alabama Department of Commerce. The BBA said U.S. Steel employs 750 in Fairfield and expects to add the 150 new jobs by 2020, bringing the total employee count to 900. The project will provide a lift to employment in Alabama’s steelmaking industry. Primary metals manufacturing jobs in Alabama stood at around 23,000 in October 1997. Today, the figure is just over 17,000, after adding 3,000 jobs since mid-2009. In Birmingham, primary manufacturing employment is around 5,500, up slightly since late 2016 but down over the long term, according to data from the St. Louis Federal Reserve. U.S. Steel has been making steel in Birmingham for more than 100 years. Construction on the EAF is expected to begin immediately, the company said, and the furnace is expected to produce steel rounds by late 2020, according to the BBA. This story originally appeared on the Alabama Department of Commerce’s Made in Alabama website. Republished with permission from the Alabama NewsCenter.
