Jim Zeigler leads Secretary of State race but says “way too close”
State Auditor Jim Zeigler currently leads the Republican primary for Secretary of State, but he says the margin is “way too close.” Zeigler has 34.4% and Rep. Wes Allen has 28.2% in the McLaughlin & Associates poll paid for by the Alabama Forestry Association. According to the poll, a whopping 37% of voters remain undecided. 500 likely Republican voters were polled June 6-9. The Forestry Association has endorsed Allen. Zeigler says the race has boiled down to “Zeigler and the taxpayers vs. the Montgomery special interest groups. “My six-point lead could be wiped out by hundreds of thousands in special interest money against me on TV and social media,” Zeigler said. In the May 24th first primary, Zeigler led with 43% to Allen’s 39%. The two will meet in a faceoff hosted by Eagle Forum of Alabama Monday at the Gardendale Civic Center at 6:30 p.m. It is open to the public and is free. It also features the two runoff candidates for State Auditor, Stan Cooke and Andrew Sorrell. The runoff is June 21, 2022.
Personnel update: Alabama House Democratic Caucus names Akiesha Anderson as new Chief of Staff
The Alabama House Democratic Caucus announced today that Akiesha Anderson has been named as the new Chief of Staff for the Minority Caucus. Anderson is an attorney that grew up in Montgomery, Alabama. She received a bachelor’sdegree in Sociology, with a minor in Business Management, from Alabama State University, a Master’s in Public Administration from Auburn University-Montgomery, and a law degree from The University of Alabama. In her most recent role as Policy Director for Alabama Appleseed Center for Law and Justice, where she served as a criminal justice reform lobbyist, she focused on policy development, legislative advocacy, coalition building, and engaging with public officials. In this capacity, she wrote or helped advocate for several key pieces of legislation that have since been enacted into law, including HB95 – Rep. Jeremy Gray’s 2022 “Grace Period Bill” which gives peopleleaving prison time to get on their feet before having to pay back certain court-imposed fines and fees. According to House Minority Leader Anthony Daniels, “We are truly excited to have Mrs. Anderson joining our team because of her extensive expertise, leadership, and character. She has continually demonstrated a passion for improving the lives of the underrepresented and underserved throughout our state. I am confident that she will be a tremendous asset to the Caucus and she has already hit the ground running.”
Capitol riot panel blames Donald Trump for 1/6 ‘attempted coup’
The House panel investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol laid the blame firmly on Donald Trump Thursday night, saying the assault was hardly spontaneous but an “attempted coup” and a direct result of the defeated president’s effort to overturn the 2020 election. With a never-before-seen 12-minute video of extremist groups leading the deadly siege and startling testimony from Trump’s most inner circle, the 1/6 committee provided gripping detail in contending that Trump’s repeated lies about election fraud and his public effort to stop Joe Biden’s victory led to the attack and imperiled American democracy. “Democracy remains in danger,” said Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., chairman of the panel, during the hearing, timed for prime time to reach as many Americans as possible. “Jan. 6 was the culmination of an attempted coup, a brazen attempt, as one rioter put it shortly after Jan. 6, to overthrow the government,” Thompson said. “The violence was no accident.” The hearings may not change Americans’ views on the Capitol attack, but the panel’s investigation is intended to stand as its public record. Ahead of this fall’s midterm elections, and with Trump considering another White House run, the committee’s final report aims to account for the most violent attack on the Capitol since 1814 and to ensure such an attack never happens again. Testimony showed Thursday how Trump desperately clung to his own false claims of election fraud, beckoning supporters to the Capitol on Jan. 6 when Congress would certify the results, despite those around him insisting Biden had won the election. In a previously unseen video clip, the panel played a quip from former Attorney General Bill Barr, who testified that he told Trump the claims of a rigged election were “bull——.” In another, the former president’s daughter, Ivanka Trump, testified to the committee that she respected Barr’s view that there was no election fraud. “I accepted what he said.” Others showed leaders of the extremist Oath Keepers and Proud Boys preparing to storm the Capitol to stand up for Trump. One rioter after another told the committee they came to the Capitol because Trump asked them to. “President Trump summoned a violent mob,” said Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., the panel’s vice chair who took the lead for much of the hearing. “When a president fails to take the steps necessary to preserve our union — or worse, causes a constitutional crisis — we’re in a moment of maximum danger for our republic.” There was an audible gasp in the hearing room when Cheney read an account that said when Trump was told the Capitol mob was chanting for Vice President Mike Pence to be hanged for refusing to block the election results. Trump responded that maybe they were right, that he “deserves it.” At another point, it was disclosed that Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa., a leader of efforts to object to the election results, had sought a pardon from Trump, which would protect him from prosecution. When asked about the White House lawyers threatening to resign over what was happening in the administration, Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner scoffed they were “whining.” Police officers who had fought off the mob consoled one another as they sat in the committee room, reliving the violence they faced on Jan. 6. Officer Harry Dunn teared up as bodycam footage showed rioters bludgeoning his colleagues with flagpoles and baseball bats. In wrenching testimony, U.S. Capitol Police officer Caroline Edwards told the panel that she slipped in other people’s blood as rioters pushed past her into the Capitol. She suffered brain injuries in the melee. “It was carnage. It was chaos,” she said. The riot left more than 100 police officers injured, many beaten and bloodied, as the crowd of pro-Trump rioters, some armed with pipes, bats, and bear spray, charged into the Capitol. At least nine people who were there died during and after the rioting, including a woman who was shot and killed by police. Biden, in Los Angeles for the Summit of the Americas, said many viewers were “going to be seeing for the first time a lot of the detail that occurred.” Trump, unapologetic, dismissed the investigation anew — and even declared on social media that Jan. 6 “represented the greatest movement in the history of our country.” Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee tweeted: “All. Old. News.” Emotions are still raw at the Capitol, and security was tight. Law enforcement officials are reporting a spike in violent threats against members of Congress. Against this backdrop, the committee was speaking to a divided America. Most TV networks carried the hearing live, but Fox News Channel did not. The committee chairman, civil rights leader Thompson, opened the hearing with the sweep of American history. saying he heard in those denying the stark reality of Jan. 6 his own experience growing up in a time and place “where people justified the action of slavery, the Ku Klux Klan and lynching.” Republican Rep. Cheney, the daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney, outlined what the committee has learned about the events leading up to that brisk January day when Trump sent his supporters to Congress to “fight like hell” for his presidency. Among those testifying was documentary maker Nick Quested, who filmed the Proud Boys storming the Capitol — along with a pivotal meeting between the group’s then-chairman Henry “Enrique” Tarrio and another extremist group, the Oath Keepers, the night before in a nearby parking garage. Quested said the Proud Boys later went to get tacos. Court documents show that members of the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers were discussing as early as November a need to fight to keep Trump in office. Leaders of both groups and some members have since been indicted on rare sedition charges over the military-style attack. In the weeks ahead, the panel is expected to detail Trump’s public campaign to “Stop the Steal” and the private pressure he put on the Justice Department to reverse his election loss — despite dozens of failed court cases attesting there was no fraud on a scale that could have tipped the results in his favor. The panel faced obstacles from its start. Republicans blocked
Beasley Allen Law Firm launches federal lawsuits against Facebook over youth mental health crisis
Beasley Allen lawyers have filed lawsuits on behalf of eight plaintiffs across the country against Meta Platforms Inc., the parent company of Facebook and Instagram. They are suing for exploiting young people for profit, employing addictive psychological tactics to increase the use of their product, and failing to protect young, vulnerable, and at-risk users. Beasley Allen lawyers representing the plaintiffs are Andy Birchfield, Joseph VanZandt, Clinton Richardson, Jennifer Emmel, and Seth Harding. “The defendants knew that their products and related services were dangerous to young and impressionable children and teens, yet they completely disregarded their own information,” said Birchfield. “They implemented sophisticated algorithms designed to encourage frequent access to the platforms and prolonged exposure to harmful content.” According to the lawsuits, prolonged exposure to the platforms has led to actual or attempted suicides, self-harm, eating disorders, severe anxiety, depression, and a reduced inclination or ability to sleep, along with other reported injuries. The lawsuits are filed in Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Missouri, Tennessee, and Texas. They claim that Facebook and Instagram deliberately designed their products to be manipulative and addictive, regardless of their extensive insider knowledge of the damaging psychological effects of prolonged exposure to these applications. These cases address the harms detailed during the hearing on Oct. 5, 2021, before the U.S. Senate, entitled “Protecting Kids Online: Testimony from a Facebook Whistleblower.” The hearing occurred on the heels of thousands of leaked research documents from inside Facebook. The documents revealed the company knew for years that its platforms cause adverse psychological effects and physical health problems in young people, especially young girls. “Social media use among young people should be viewed as a major contributor to the mental health crisis we face in the country,” Birchfield commented. “These applications could have been designed to minimize any potential harm, but instead, a decision was made to aggressively addict adolescents in the name of corporate profits. It’s time for this company to acknowledge the growing concerns around the impact of social media on the mental health and well-being of this most vulnerable portion of our society and alter the algorithms and business objectives that have caused so much damage.” Claims from the lawsuits include defective design, negligence, and failure to warn, among other claims. Beasley Allen lawyers representing the plaintiffs are Birchfield, Joseph VanZandt, Clinton Richardson, Jennifer Emmel, and Seth Harding.
House approves ‘red flag’ gun bill unlikely to pass Senate
The House approved a “red flag” bill Thursday that would allow families, police, and others to ask federal courts to order the removal of firearms from people at extreme risk of harming themselves or others. It’s the Democratic-controlled chamber’s latest response to U.S. mass shootings and likely stands little chance in the Senate. Nineteen states and the District of Columbia currently have such “red flag” laws. Under the House bill, a judge could issue an order to temporarily remove and store the firearms until a hearing can be held, up to two weeks later, to determine whether the firearms should be returned or kept for a specific period. The bill passed on a mostly party-line vote of 224-202. “We are painfully aware that we cannot do enough to save every life, and there is no one answer that will solve this problem,” said Rep. Jerrold Nadler, the Democratic chairman of the House Judiciary Committee. “But we do know that taking guns out of the hands of people who pose a danger to themselves, or others, would save countless lives.” The vote came after an emotional week that saw congressional testimony from victims of recent mass shootings in Uvalde, Texas, and Buffalo, New York, and came ahead of a planned march Saturday in Washington by groups advocating stronger gun controls. On Wednesday, the House passed a wide-ranging gun control bill that would raise the age limit for purchasing a semi-automatic rifle and prohibit the sale of ammunition magazines with a capacity of more than 15 rounds. It, too has virtually no chance in the Senate. House Republicans criticized the “red flag” bill as giving the federal government the ability to take a law-abiding person’s guns without them having the ability to contest it beforehand. “It would allow the courts to take guns away from people without notice and without even the right to appear in the hearing to defend themselves in court,” said Rep. Mike Johnson, R-La. The Congressional Budget Office projects that the bill would lead to roughly 10,000 emergency petitions being filed annually with the courts. The bill would also create a grant program at the U.S. Department of Justice to encourage states to adopt “red flag” laws and support the 19 states that have already implemented them. Five Republican lawmakers voted for the bill: Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, Anthony Gonzalez of Ohio, Chris Jacobs of New York, Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, and Fred Upton of Michigan. Only Fitzpatrick is seeking reelection. Rep. Jared Golden of Maine was the only Democratic member to vote no. The lead sponsors of the bill were Democratic Reps. Salud Carbajal of California and Lucy McBath of Georgia, whose son, Jordan Davis, was slain at a Jacksonville, Florida gas station in 2012 by a white man angry over the loud music the Black teenager and his friends had been playing in their car. President Joe Biden strongly supports the bill. The White House said it would “make significant progress toward keeping guns out of dangerous hands.” However, the legislation is unlikely to advance in the Senate, where at least 10 Republican senators would be needed. Instead, senators are focusing on incremental policy changes through a system that would send funds and other incentives to states to bolster security at school campuses, provide more mental health services to young people, and possibly encourage states to pursue red-flag laws of their own. Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, who is leading negotiations on the Republican side, said one focus is on enhancing the background check system known as NICS to include young buyers’ criminal records before they turn 18. “Adding juvenile records to the NICS system is a common-sense way to ensure we have a complete picture of the buyer’s history,” Cornyn said. He voiced optimism that senators will be able to reach an agreement. “Around here, if there’s a will, there is a way, and I believe we do have the will, and we will find the way,” Cornyn said. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said the House stands ready to consider a gun bill from the Senate “if it’s life-saving and can make a difference.” But she cautioned: “We cannot have subterfuge. We can’t have them say well, it’s about this, and it’s about that. No, it’s about guns.” Republished with the permission of The Associated Press.
Police fatally shoot ‘potential intruder’ at Alabama school
A man who tried to enter an Alabama elementary school where a summer program was being held was shot to death by police Thursday morning, authorities said. Gadsden City Schools Superintendent Tony Reddick told reporters that a “potential intruder” went to several doors trying to get into Walnut Park Elementary School, where a summer literacy program was being conducted for 34 children. All the exterior doors were locked, and the principal contacted the school resource officer when she realized what was happening, Reddick said. The resource officer confronted a person who attempted to break into a marked Rainbow City police car near the school, according to a statement from the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. More officers from the Gadsden Police Department showed up to assist, the statement said. The person was shot to death after resisting and trying to take the resource officer’s gun, the agency said. The statement, which didn’t mention any attempt to enter the school, didn’t say how many shots were fired or by whom. The state identified the dead man as Robert Tyler White, 32, of Bunnlevel, North Carolina. Officials don’t know whether the man was a “passerby” or something else, Reddick said. Authorities didn’t immediately release details, including whether White was armed or why he might have been trying to get into the school or patrol car. While the resource officer suffered minor injuries, no students were hurt, and most didn’t realize anything unusual had happened, Reddick said. “Our primary concern was just making sure that someone who wasn’t authorized to be in our building does not enter and our kids are safe,” he said. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey sent a tweet saying school police “immediately took action, faculty inside the building followed safety protocols, and all children present were kept out of harm’s way.” “I commend all involved for acting quickly to protect these children,” it said. Gadsden is about 60 miles (100 kilometers) northeast of Birmingham. Republished with the permission of The Associated Press.
10,000-person caravan heading to U.S. from Mexico, saying Joe Biden will give them asylum
A caravan of thousands of people heading to the U.S. has reportedly left from Tapachula, Mexico, a city located less than 10 miles from the Mexico-Guatemala border. The timing of their departure was planned to coincide with the Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles, which began Monday. President Joe Biden, who’s still not been to the U.S. southern border, spoke at the summit Wednesday. Many of those in the caravan are from Central America, Venezuela, and Cuba, according to several news reports. “We consider we are around 9,500, it measures 5 1/2 km from the start to the end, people keep on joining, in the first police check there were approximately 100-150 national guard, INM, state police and let us through freely,” Luis Villagran, the caravan’s organizer, told Fox News. President Joe Biden “promised the Haitian community he will help them,” several Haitians told Fox News last week. “He will recall Title 42. He will help us have real asylum,” they said. Reuters reported that at least 6,000 people had already left from Tapachula. Villagran also said that Mexico began issuing 1,000 temporary work visas a day to people who were in Mexico illegally starting Wednesday, enabling them to travel throughout Mexico and to the U.S. border. Visas enable non-Mexican citizens to travel freely throughout Mexico and to be transported by Mexican citizens. Without visas, those traveling in caravans can’t reach the U.S. Upon hearing the news, U.S. Rep. Yvette Herrell, R-NM, wrote on Twitter, “Another thousands-strong caravan of illegal migrants, emboldened by Joe Biden’s complete destruction of our border security. Those who get through will be released into our communities with no background checks.” Texas Republican congressional candidate Irene Aremendariz-Jackson told “Fox & Friends First” that American leaders need to “stand up for Americans” instead of illegal immigrants. “This administration has empowered illegal aliens, has empowered everybody except Americans,” she said. “I want to remind the Biden administration that they were elected … to provide safety and tranquility for the American people. That is in our Constitution.” Armendariz-Jackson, a veteran from El Paso who is married to a Border Patrol agent, and is running against incumbent Democrat Rep. Veronica Escobar, argues the Biden administration has “completely failed” the American people. U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., wrote on Twitter, “What could be the largest caravan ever is heading toward our southern border, claiming Joe Biden promised them asylum. This is a nightmare.” Blackburn said the president “needs to get out in front of this and tell them to turn around immediately.” Of the summit, U.S. Rep. María Elvira Salazar, R-Miami, tweeted, “This administration is not interested in Latin America.” The proof, she said, was “the disorganization and abysmal leadership at the summit.” The summit was also “an example of Biden’s approach to Latin America: weak, disorganized and misguided.” The summit was “a mess,” she said in response to an article published by the Spanish language newspaper from South Florida, Diario Las Américas. The paper reported that the summit began “on quicksand due to boycott threats from countries like Mexico, in the midst of the migration crisis.” Republished with the permission of The Center Square.
