FarmPAC announces 2022 political endorsements
FarmPAC, the political arm of the Alabama Farmers Federation’s (ALFA), has announced its endorsements for the upcoming primary elections for 2022. ALFA president and CEO Jimmy Parnell explained that the endorsements came after months of study and consideration of all candidates who went before the federation. Parnell stated, “These candidates have invested time in getting to know our county leaders. They’ve spent time on our farms and attended meetings where they heard about the issues and concerns important to Federation members. At the same time, our county leaders have studied the candidates and decided these individuals have the knowledge, experience, and determination to help lead our state and nation in the right direction.” The following candidates have earned the official endorsement of FarmPAC: • Katie Britt — U.S. Senate• Jerry Carl — U.S. House of Representatives, District 1• Barry Moore — U.S. House of Representatives, District 2• Mike Rogers — U.S. House of Representatives, District 3• Robert Aderholt — U.S. House of Representatives, District 4• Dale Strong — U.S. House of Representatives, District 5• Gary Palmer — U.S. House of Representatives, District 6• Terri Sewell — U.S. House of Representatives, District 7• Kay Ivey — Governor• Will Ainsworth — Lieutenant Governor• Steve Marshall — Attorney General• Wes Allen — Secretary of State• Young Boozer — Treasurer• Rusty Glover — Auditor• Rick Pate — Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries• Greg Cook — Alabama Supreme Court, Place 5• Kelli Wise — Alabama Supreme Court, Place 6• Jeremy Oden — Public Service Commission, Place 1• Chip Beeker — Public Service Commission, Place 2• Tracie West — Alabama State Board of Education, District 2• Yvette Richardson — Alabama State Board of Education, District 4• Cynthia McCarty — Alabama State Board of Education, District 6• Wayne Reynolds — Alabama State Board of Education, District 8 Endorsements approved at Tuesday’s meeting will carry through to the general election. Additionally, the federation stated they would announce their endorsements for state legislature at a later date. FarmPAC Chairman Steve Dunn of Conecuh County said the Federation encourages voters to study the issues and candidates prior to the election. Dunn stated, “It’s important for Alabama voters to be engaged in the electoral process,” said Dunn. “We encourage members to exercise their right to vote, regardless of their political preference, and to consider these FarmPAC endorsements when they go to the polls.”
Terri Sewell opposes Kay Ivey’s prison plan to use American Rescue Plan funds
U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell released a statement regarding the plan by Alabama officials to build new prisons using $400 million of federal COVID-19 relief funds from the American Rescue Plan. Gov. Kay Ivey called lawmakers back to Montgomery on Monday to vote on a $1.3 billion prison construction plan that will use $400 million from the state’s virus relief funds to build three new prisons and renovate others. The bill also calls for two policy changes pertaining to sentencing standards and mandatory supervision of inmates. Sewell stated, “In March, I proudly joined my Democratic colleagues in voting to pass the American Rescue Plan, transformational legislation designed to protect our people and rescue our economy from the COVID-19 pandemic. The package included critically important relief for Alabama workers, families and businesses, and over $2 billion for the State of Alabama to aid in its COVID-19 response.” “I am deeply disturbed to learn that the State of Alabama is considering a plan to use $400 million of COVID-19 aid from the American Rescue Plan to build prisons, especially as COVID-19 rages on in our state! Alabama currently has the highest COVID-19 death rate in the country. To be clear, the current state of the Alabama prison system is abhorrent, but the use of COVID-19 relief funds to pay for decades of our state’s neglect is simply unacceptable,” she continued. “COVID-19 relief money should be used for COVID-19 relief. Period.” The Alabama Legislature met on Monday during a special session to consider the plan. Committee meetings began this morning.
Steve Flowers: We now have a very youthful federal judiciary in Alabama
Our senior senator, Richard Shelby, has left an indelible legacy and imprint on our state. Every corner of the state has been the recipient of his prowess at bringing home the bacon to the Heart of Dixie. Every university has enjoyed a largesse of federal dollars. He has made the Huntsville Redstone Arsenal one of the most renowned high technology regions in the nation, not to mention placing the FBI’s second home in Huntsville. Shelby’s accomplishments for Alabama would take a book to enumerate. However, what is not universally known is that Senator Richard Shelby has transformed the federal judiciary in Alabama for years to come. During the entire eight-year presidency of Barack Obama, by nature, we had some attrition in our federal judiciary in all three regions, Northern, Middle, and Southern Districts. Even though President Obama sought to appoint Democratic judges throughout the state, Senator Shelby and Senator Jeff Sessions thwarted all Democratic appointees and held these cherished and powerful judgeships vacant. Shelby and Sessions were hopeful that one day there would be a Republican president coupled with a Republican Senate majority, and they would be able to appoint Republican jurists to the federal bench in Alabama. That happened when Donald Trump became president. Senator Sessions had parted with his senate seat to become attorney general, so that left Senator Shelby to select and get confirmed a host of new, young federal judges in Alabama. Shelby assigned his loyal and brilliant Chief of Staff, Katie Boyd Britt, the job of vetting potential federal judgeships. She and Shelby chose an outstanding cadre of young, well-educated, extremely qualified, moderately conservative men and women to sit on the federal bench in Alabama. This group is stellar and will be the majority of federal judges for the next 25 to 30 years. This coup of appointing young, conservative, extremely capable judges to the federal bench in Alabama may be one of Senator Richard Shelby’s greatest legacies. Shelby had Andrew Brasher first appointed to the Middle District of Alabama. However, soon thereafter, an opening occurred on the Eleventh Circuit, and so Shelby had President Trump appoint Brasher to the higher appeals court. Prior to Brasher’s appointment to the Middle District, he practiced law with Bradley Arant in Birmingham. He was solicitor general and a law clerk for Judge Bill Pryor. Judge Brasher is a graduate of Samford University and Harvard Law School. Senator Shelby had President Trump appoint Anna Manasco as a federal judge in the Northern District of Alabama. Judge Manasco, like Judge Brasher, practiced law in Birmingham with Bradley Arant prior to her federal appointment. She graduated with honors from Emory University before earning her law degree from Yale Law School. Shelby aligned with President Trump to appoint Corey Maze for a seat on the federal bench in the Northern District. Judge Maze was a prosecutor for the State of Alabama Attorney General’s office. He is a summa cum laude graduate of Auburn University and a graduate of Georgetown Law. Senator Shelby had President Trump appoint Liles Burke to a federal judgeship in the Northern District. Burke was an Associate Judge of the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals before his federal appointment. He obtained his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Alabama. Annemarie Axon is another Trump and Shelby anointed appointee for the Northern District of Alabama. Judge Axon practiced law in Birmingham before her appointment. She, like all of the other Northern District appointees, is extremely well qualified. Axon also obtained her undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Alabama. Austin Huffaker, Jr. of Montgomery, was chosen by Shelby and Trump for a federal judgeship in the Middle District. He practiced law in Montgomery prior to his appointment. He has an engineering degree from Vanderbilt and earned his law degree from the University of Alabama School of Law. Also appointed by Shelby and Trump to the Middle District is Emily Marks of Montgomery. Judge Marks practiced law in Montgomery prior to her appointment. She is a graduate of Spring Hill College in Mobile and the University of Alabama School of Law. Jeffrey Beaverstock was appointed to a federal judgeship in the Southern District. He practiced law in Mobile and is a graduate of the Citadel and the University of Alabama School of Law. Terry Moorer was appointed by President Trump and confirmed by the senate for the Southern District. He was previously an assistant U.S. Attorney and is a graduate of Huntington College and the University of Alabama School of Law. This host of federal jurists in Alabama will be one of Senator Richard Shelby’s lasting legacies. See you next week. Steve Flowers is Alabama’s leading political columnist. His weekly column appears in over 60 Alabama newspapers. He served 16 years in the state legislature. Steve may be reached at www.steveflowers.us.
Richard Shelby urges Democrats to pass bipartisan bill, avoid government shut down
Sen. Richard Shelby spoke Monday on the Senate floor, urging Democrats to adopt a bipartisan continuing resolution to fund the federal government through December 3. The “Extending Government Funding and Delivering Emergency Assistance Act,” was co-authored by Republican Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and gives federal aid to areas affected by severe storms, delivers funds to assist Afghan allies, and also includes funding for Israel’s Iron Dome air defense system. The funding does not include language to increase the debt limit. Shelby said on the Senate Floor, “The Republican leader has been very clear. We will not support any effort to increase the debt limit. This is not complicated. There is a simple solution. Take up and pass a bill that was negotiated on a bipartisan, bicameral basis which has support on both sides of the aisle. A bill that keeps the government open, provides much-needed disaster assistance to storm-ravaged areas of our country, and delivers the aid necessary to address the Afghanistan withdrawal crisis.” Shelby continued, “And why are they threatening to shut the government down when we have an alternative that would avoid that outcome? Mr. President, this does not have to happen.“Instead of accepting victory, my Democrat colleagues are embracing defeat and creating a new crisis. It is a perilous path they are putting the country on. But it is not too late. The majority can reverse course and put us back on track by immediately passing the Shelby-McConnell bill. It will keep the government open and provide much-needed emergency funding.” On Monday, Senate Republicans blocked a funding bill that passed the House the previous week. If a bill is not passed, the government will shut down on September 30. If the debt ceiling doesn’t rise, the U.S. could default on its debts for the first time in history.
Alabama deputy considering run for sheriff placed on leave
A longtime Alabama sheriff’s deputy who plans to run for sheriff has opted to take administrative leave without pay after the incumbent told him it was either that or resign, the TimesDaily reported. Lauderdale County Deputy John Randall McCrary said he received a letter from Lauderdale Sheriff Rick Singleton on Thursday informing him of his choices, even though he hasn’t officially qualified to oppose Singleton. “I’m devastated that I’m without a job,” said McCrary, who also served as part-time police chief of Anderson. “It hurts that someone would do that for all I’ve done for the county.” Singleton said a state attorney general’s opinion from 1998 gave him the right to take action. McCrary’s announcement of his plan to run for sheriff has “already caused a disruption within the department.” “Having an employee running against you creates a lot of stress and awkwardness for other deputies and employees,” Singleton said. “I have absolutely no problem with Randall running for sheriff. To be honest with you, I wish he had not chosen to run against me, but that is his right. My decision to have him resign or go on leave was to minimize the negative impact such a race can have on the office.” McCrary unsuccessfully sought the office as a Democrat in 2014. He said he plans to qualify as a Republican this time. Singleton, a former Florence police chief, is a Republican first elected in 2014. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
Money for station upgrades awarded for Gulf Coast train plan
Three Mississippi cities and Birmingham, Alabama have been awarded grants to improve their train stations ahead of the planned return of Amtrak service to the Gulf Coast. Bay St. Louis, Gulfport, and Pascagoula received a little more than $700,000 total, and another $250,000 went to Birmingham, the Biloxi Sun Herald reported. The newspaper said the grants were announced on Monday by the Southern Rail Commission. The money will fund improvements to amenities such as lighting, sidewalks, and parking areas. The grants require an equivalent matching contribution from local officials. Amtrak hopes to resume operating between New Orleans and Mobile, Alabama in January. The region has been without passenger service since Hurricane Katrina badly damaged tracks and equipment in 2005. Before that, passenger trains ran between the two cities three times a week. The start of service is still pending a decision by the federal Surface Transportation Board on Amtrak’s right of access to freight lines. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
