Alabama leaders call for increased U.S. defense spending
Rep. Mike Rogers, Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committee, released a statement opposing the House Democrats’ discretionary topline number the House will vote on today. According to the press release, the 2022 budget number cuts $16 billion from President Biden’s budget but does not detail where that cut comes from. According to Defensenews.com, the resolution’s top line is a close match to President Joe Biden’s budget request. His request proposes $769 billion in nondefense spending, a 16 percent increase from enacted levels last year, and $753 billion for national security, which is a 1.7 percent increase. Republicans are arguing that the amount is too low, while Democrats argue it’s too high. Rogers stated, “The House Democrats’ budget number cuts $16 billion from President Biden’s budget. President Biden’s woefully inadequate defense budget already constitutes a cut of over $4 billion in real dollars. As the House authorization and appropriations process moves forward, not one cent of that $16 billion cut can come from national defense accounts.” In related defense spending news, Rep. Rogers posted on Twitter, “Great talking with VADM Hill about adequately funding U.S. missile defenses. I conveyed that we need to get NGI online and replenish Iron Dome. The Biden budget cuts missile defense and short-changes defense of Guam and Hawaii. Our warfighters deserve better.” Rogers joins Rep. Jerry Carl and Mo Brooks in a call for more missile defense spending for the 2022 budget. According to Yellowhammer News, Brooks and Carl submitted a request for increased funding for several of the nation’s missile defense programs, many of which have Alabama connections. Brooks stated, “My House Armed Services Committee colleagues and I were extremely disappointed to see President Joe Biden’s $8.9 billion budget request for Fiscal Year 2022 fall short of the $10.5 billion enacted in Fiscal Year 2021. If we don’t robustly support missile defense programs, America will be less prepared to defend itself against attack and rogue nations might attempt to exploit missile defense weaknesses. America must never allow our adversaries to mistakenly believe they can defeat us. We must adequately fund our nation’s most effective and vital deterrents.”
Rebuild Alabama Act awards $3.11 million for road and bridge projects
Gov. Kay Ivey announced yesterday that $3.11 million in state funding is going to cities and counties for road and bridge projects under a program created under the Rebuild Alabama Act. Passed in 2019, the Act requires the Alabama Department of Transportation to establish a yearly program to set aside $10 million of the top of the state’s share of the gas tax revenue for local projects. $4.93 million was awarded for 21 local projects in 17 cities and counties earlier this year. The Grant Program awarded $10.2 million for local projects in 2020. Ivey stated on Twitter, “As part of #RebuildAL’s annual grant program, I’m proud to announce $3.11 million is being awarded to cities & counties across Alabama for various road and bridge projects.” As part of #RebuildAL’s annual grant program, I’m proud to announce $3.11 million is being awarded to cities & counties across Alabama for various road and bridge projects. Check out the list. ⬇️ #alpolitics https://t.co/4cgj19Y1zk — Governor Kay Ivey (@GovernorKayIvey) June 14, 2021 Gov. Ivey stated, “Improving Alabama’s infrastructure remains a top priority of the Ivey Administration, and thanks to Rebuild Alabama, we are continually able to put these funds to good use. More and more communities and cities across our state are seeing new road and bridge projects in their areas, and I look forward to that continuing. When we invest in our roads and bridges, we are investing in our people and our future.” 13 projects were selected and an additional round of local projects is expected later this year. All projects are required to move forward within one year of the awarding of funds. For more information about the Annual Grant Program, visit the program’s webpage.
George Wallace Jr: A tribute to John Patterson and a life well lived
Since his passing last week at age 99, former Alabama Governor John Patterson, his character, and the deep and decades-long relationship he shared with my family have frequently been in my thoughts. I met John Patterson in 1958 when he was Alabama’s nationally-famous state attorney general and a candidate for governor against my late father, a former state representative and sitting circuit judge for Barbour and Bullock counties in the Third Judicial Circuit. As a six-year-old, I would stand on a chair and make political speeches on behalf of my father’s candidacy at political forums across Alabama. The crowds seemed to like the novelty of such a young boy campaigning for his parent, and it proved to be a valuable introduction to Alabama politics that served me well during my own campaigns years later. Gov. Patterson and I first shook hands at one of those forums, and he remained a welcome presence in my life for more than 60 years to follow. He and my father were friends before that campaign, and they maintained their friendship even after Patterson became the only man to defeat him in a gubernatorial campaign and later ran for governor against my mother, Lurleen, in 1966. In fact, their friendship grew and deepened as the years went by, and more and more of their colleagues, contemporaries, and political allies passed away. A World War II veteran who served on General Dwight Eisenhower’s staff, Gov. Patterson also saw action in the Korean Conflict before returning to Phenix City and opening a law practice with his father, Albert. Phenix City was known at the time as the “Wickedest City in America” because of the gambling, prostitution, and other vices that operated openly thanks to a complicit, wink-and-nod agreement with members of local law enforcement. Because so many of his soldiers were returning to base broke, beaten, and robbed after payday, General George Patton, while stationed at Fort Benning, once threatened to cross the Chattahoochee River and flatten Phenix City with his tanks. John’s father, Albert Patterson, a former member of the Alabama Senate who wished to restore law and order to the city, sought help from state officials in Montgomery, but he found that many of them, as well, had been co-opted by the Dixie Mafia when they refused his requests. Taking matters into his own hand, he ran a statewide campaign for attorney general on a platform of cleaning up Phenix City. Despite widespread vote fraud intended to rob him of victory, Albert Patterson won the Democratic primary, which was then tantamount to election, but he was assassinated outside his law office by the same criminal network he was working to destroy. John Patterson ran for attorney general in his father’s place, and he vindicated his murder with zeal. Working with the National Guard that Gov. Gordon Persons had called in after declaring martial law, Patterson secured almost 750 indictments against the local law enforcement officers, elected officials, and organized crime elements that operated the vices. He also successfully prosecuted the chief deputy sheriff for killing his father. Patterson became a national celebrity, and Hollywood even made a movie about the events titled “The Phenix City Story.” As a result, he was propelled into the governor’s office following the 1958 campaign. His term as governor was notable for a $100 million public school building program, increased services for the aged and infirmed, and opposition to loan-sharking operations that preyed on the poor, but most historians remember it for the early events that occurred during the struggle for Civil Rights. Yes, Gov. Patterson was controversial, as was my father early in his career, relative to the issue of segregation, but they were products of their era. As time passed, they saw the light, walked toward it, and embraced it while becoming advocates for brotherhood and understanding. In the end, they both got it right. One of the finest appointments my father ever made was placing John Patterson in an open seat on the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals, a post he held until retiring in 1997. His work and influence are felt on that court even to this day, and it is notable that he always preferred to be addressed as ‘Judge Patterson” rather than “Governor Patterson” after stepping down from public life. I had the pleasure of serving with Judge Patterson for more than 20 years on the board of Lyman Ward Military Academy, and the keen insight and wisdom he brought to our proceedings were always impressive. Following our board meetings, we would always have lunch in the mess hall with the cadets. Judge Patterson and I would sit across from each other as we reminisced and told behind-the-scenes stories about the political events and larger-than-life personalities of a by-gone era. We were always amused that the other trustees would quietly ease their chairs closer to ours in order to eavesdrop on our conversations and get an insiders’ look at Alabama politics. When our father passed away in 1998 at age 79, my family immediately asked Judge Patterson to deliver his eulogy at the state funeral service held in the Alabama Capitol Building, and it remains a touching memory to this day. After sharing remarks that were all at once reflective, humorous, candid, and emotional, Judge Patterson ended his eulogy about my father by saying: “His passing marks the end of an era in our history. Alabama has lost its greatest son, and I have lost a dear friend.” Those words he spoke in tribute to my father express exactly how I feel about the loss of Judge John Patterson, a kind, decent, and honorable man who loved Alabama fiercely and leaves behind a life well lived. He will be missed. George Wallace Jr. is the son of Alabama Govs. George and Lurleen Wallace. He previously served two terms as Alabama State Treasurer and two terms as a member of the Alabama Public Service Commission.
Upon Alabama Senate race, Mo Brooks says opponents ‘will go negative’
Last Thursday, Congressman and candidate for the Alabama senate, Mo Brooks, took to the stand and said his opponents ‘will go negative’, referring to his strong lead ahead of the 2022 GOP race for Senate. Brooks spoke on the April 2021 poll by the conservative Club for Growth. This comes shortly after Katie Boyd Britt announced her run for Alabama Senate on Tuesday. After Brooks made this statement, voices of the political arena stated they believe it is too early to make such a claim. Brooks, during a visit to South Alabama on Thursday, said his Republican challengers – Katie Boyd Britt, the former president and CEO for the Business Council of Alabama; and Lynda Blanchard, a former ambassador to Slovenia under President Donald Trump – will have to go on the attack ahead of the May 24 Republican primary race to replace retiring U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby. The poll showed Brooks with a whopping 46-point lead, with 19 percent of voters undecided. “When you have one person with 59 percent of the vote, and Candidates 2 and 3 at 13 and 9, they are pretty much boxed in to attack position,” said Brooks, referring to the Club for Growth poll that occurred on April 26-27, long before Britt announced her candidacy. “The only question is whether they will attack as Lynda Blanchard has or if they are going to attack indirectly through third-party groups so they can have some degree of plausible deniability.” Brooks said his current standing among Alabama Republican voters is “scary good,” citing the Club for Growth polling, which said that 77 percent of respondents were not aware that Trump had endorsed the Huntsville Republican’s candidacy. The former president endorsed Brooks in early April. Like Angi Horn Stalnaker of Montgomery, some GOP strategists noted that Club for Growth has a record of negative campaigning itself and that if it’s aligned with Brooks, it will be pushing out its own advertisements against Britt and Blanchard in the months ahead. Joe Kildea, a spokesman with Club for Growth, said the organization had not made an endorsement in the 2022 race. With the 2022 Senate Election a year away, the polls have yet to accurately predict the outcome.
Donald Trump allies cite Lynda Blanchard as type of misleading candidate ‘full of sh*t’ implying his support
During the 2020 election cycle, Lynda Blanchard donated nearly $1 million to pro-Donald Trump political committees and served as his ambassador to Slovenia, a fact that she frequently touts on social media. However, when she launched her Alabama Senate campaign with a video spotlighting her Trump bumper sticker, the former president became annoyed, reported Politico. Trump even went so far as to announce his endorsement of Mo Brooks early because of it. Brooks, a longtime ally of Trump, posted on Twitter, “PRESIDENT TRUMP ENDORSED MY CAMPAIGN – I am honored and humbled by President Trump’s strong endorsement. I ask all Americans who share our America First vision to heed and honor President Trump’s request by joining our campaign.” https://twitter.com/MoBrooks/status/1379813906768625672 Many candidates are portraying themselves as Trump loyalists and are falsely claiming that they are being endorsed by Trump which is making his team act more aggressively with those who do. Because Trump isn’t in office, it is harder to keep track of campaigns, and his political team has to work harder to stop fake endorsements. According to the Politico report, the Trump campaign sent cease-and-desist letters to the likes of Alabama Senate candidate Jeff Sessions and even contenders for local office. Sessions fought back during his 2020 campaign but eventually lost to Tommy Tuberville after Trump endorsed him over Sessions. “Lots of candidates pretend to have the support of President Trump. Most are full of shit. You will know when President Trump endorses someone,” said former Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski. In March, Blanchard posted on Twitter, “Honored to have received a surprise visit from President Trump at my event this weekend! I can’t wait to build on the MAGA Agenda and deliver results.” https://twitter.com/Blanchard4Sen/status/1371444444587757575 Later, Blanchard retweeted a Yellowhammer News post. https://twitter.com/yhn/status/1371585778309083144 As the 2022 election cycle draws nearer, Trump will continue to weigh in on candidates. If a candidate fakes an endorsement, it could derail their campaign. “Until a candidate gets an official statement from President Trump, whether in writing, video or audio, they do not have the official endorsement,” stated John McLaughlin, who was a pollster on Trump’s campaigns. “It’s dishonest. If proven, it could totally backfire.” Former Pennsylvania GOP chairman Rob Gleason said, “I would warn people against claiming endorsements from anyone without authorization. When and if President Trump endorses anyone, it will be very unmistakable.”
Well wishes for Donald Trump’s birthday pour in on social media
June 14 is Flag day, and it also happens to be former president Donald Trump’s 75th birthday. Although not an official federal holiday, Flag Day commemorates the adoption of the Stars and Stripes as the official flag of the United States. Even though Trump no longer uses Twitter since he was banned from the social media website after the January 6th attack on the Capitol, well wishes have been pouring in on the site. U.S. Rep. and U.S. Senate candidate Mo Brooks posted on his Twitter election page stating, “Happy Birthday to the GREATEST!” Happy Birthday to the GREATEST! 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/XyrLoCjria — Mo Brooks (@MoBrooks) June 14, 2021 Rep. Barry Moore sent birthday wishes to Trump on Twitter, stating, “Happy birthday, President Donald J. Trump! Thank you for always putting Americans first.” Happy birthday, President Donald J. Trump! Thank you for always putting Americans first. 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/IxryPm6D1F — Rep. Barry Moore (@RepBarryMoore) June 14, 2021 Senate candidate Lynda Blanchard posted on Twitter, “#HappyBirthday to the best President and my friend, Donald J. Trump! It was such an honor to work in his Administration as the U.S. Ambassador to Slovenia. I hope you have many more Mr. President!” #HappyBirthday to the best President and my friend, Donald J. Trump! It was such an honor to work in his Administration as the U.S. Ambassador to Slovenia. I hope you have many more Mr. President! #45 #Trump #DonaldTrump #USSenate #alpolitics @DonaldJTrumpJr @MELANIATRUMP pic.twitter.com/u8njmb9W1T — Lindy Blanchard for Governor of Alabama (@Blanchard4Gov) June 14, 2021 Alabama Senate president Will Ainsworth posted, “Happy Birthday to a great friend to Alabama, thanks for all you do President Trump.” Happy Birthday to a great friend to Alabama, thanks for all you do President Trump. pic.twitter.com/nOCehQ4QjH — Will Ainsworth (@willainsworthAL) June 14, 2021
Will Sellers: Magna Carta’s peer review
If the 4th of July has a pre-game, it is June 15th. On that date in 1215, the Magna Carta was signed, beginning a gradual process of defined individual rights and limiting the power and authority of the British crown. The Declaration of Independence, which outlined the colonists’ desire for freedom from the edicts of King George, is a direct descendant of the Magna Carta. It would be foolish to argue that the Magna Carta anticipated all the rights and freedoms we enjoy today, but it certainly planted those seeds 806 years ago. Those seeds sprouted in the form of the development of common law and fully germinated in the U.S. Constitution. Perhaps one of the most unusual rights secured by the Magna Carta is the right to a jury trial; such an integral part of the court system, but those who live in common law countries fail to recognize its uniqueness. Modern countries have limited the use of juries as most governments prefer having only a judge make decisions. Juries can be unpredictable and messy with uncertain results at times contrary to desires of the powerful; regardless, English-speaking countries recognize the importance of having individual citizens decide factual disputes and mete out punishment. Judges were typically appointed by the King and, while learned in the law, were often unfamiliar with the standards of the community they judged. Juries were developed to provide a commonsense approach to the law, to provide a check on the crown’s power expressed through judges and to achieve a sense of factual fairness. The international community discusses the rule of law and debates fundamental human rights, yet most countries restrict the jury system. Inasmuch as individual rights are touted and basic freedoms extolled, juries are given short shrift. Fair trials are demanded in a host of international legal agreements, but in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the European Convention of Human Rights, there is no right to a trial by jury. The Magna Carta set in motion a concept that in order for the law to be fair, community leaders needed to be a part of the process. Demanding fairness is easy to mandate but assuring fairness and acceptability of decisions requires a jury. The signatories to Magna Carta understood what moderns seem to forget. The populism reflected in the jury system is simply not something the legal process of other countries tolerate; most are afraid of the common sense of their average citizens. The language in the Magna Carta provided that punishments, proceedings, and prosecutions required “… the lawful judgment of peers and by the law of the land.” This idea was cultivated by the English legal system until it expanded to include not only criminal cases but civil cases, as well. And the decision of a jury was respected to the point that any factual finding by a jury could not be altered by a judge. This served to limit judicial power and balance the interest of the crown with the community. Before the American Revolution, various taxes imposed on the colonists were enforced in courts with appointed judges but no juries. Omitting juries outraged colonial lawyers, who realized the crown’s end run was the denial of fundamental rights they previously enjoyed. These rights were further limited when royal governors attempted to override jury verdicts when the results were unfavorable to the crown. Just like dictators today, autocrats throughout history were afraid of a commonsense citizenry integrally involved with the legal system. One argument against allowing any review of a jury’s decision was that to do so substituted the royal governor for a “jury of peers.” When the King limited the use of juries, the colonists were so antagonized that many leading citizens begin to contemplate a separation from England. But, in any separation, the system of common law and the right to a trial by jury would remain, albeit unrestrained by a monarch. In a sense, diminishing jury trials started the move toward independence. When the U.S. Constitution was drafted following the hard-fought revolution, there was no guarantee to a trial by jury. To remedy this omission, and not wanting to rely on custom alone, an enumerated bill of rights was proposed to guarantee a right to a trial by jury in criminal matters in the Sixth Amendment. But the Bill of Rights went one step further; and, with the Seventh Amendment, provided that the right to a trial by jury would also apply in civil cases: “In suits at common law . . . the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury shall be otherwise re-examined in any court of the United States, according to the rules of common law.” Under the English legal system, juries were used in civil cases, but in an abundance of caution, the founders wanted to make certain this fundamental right could not be eliminated by a later government; a written bill of rights guaranteed this. Thus, a legal system impaneling a jury is so accepted that we find it odd when other countries have only a judge. Former U. S. Supreme Court Chief Justice William Rehnquist acknowledged, “The right to trial by jury in civil cases at common law is fundamental to our history and jurisprudence.” The jury system we rely on to resolve disputes assigns average citizens an important role in our legal system. Beginning with the Magna Carta, the right to a trial by jury, though limited, was initiated as part of the common law that grew into the system we accept wholeheartedly today. Some 806 years ago, the concept began as a test of strength between the monarchy and nobles, spawning a fundamental right unique in the world. Our Declaration of Independence and Constitution owe much to their ancestor, the Magna Carta. ____________Will Sellers was appointed as an Associate Justice on the
