State Senator Randy Price and wife arrested for cattle running free
Alabama state senator Randy Price and his wife were arrested Monday and charged with violations of cattle running at large, AL.com reported. According to Opelika police, Price and his wife, Lee County Revenue Commissioner Oline Price, turned themselves in to the Lee County sheriff’s department on Monday. The pair had three warrants for “large animals running at large.” The charges against them are misdemeanors. “The charges are from a complaint from a neighbor that were investigated by Opelika Animal Control,” a press release from Opelika police stated. “The complaints were then filed with the Opelika Municipal Court, and probable cause was found for the warrants to be issued.” In a statement from the Opelika-Auburn News, Price said the incident only involved one cow. “Today, my wife, Oline, and I responded to a warrant that had been issued against us,” Price said. “A cow that is in our herd got off our property onto the neighbor’s property, and the neighbor filed a complaint with the Opelika police department for a cow running at large, which is a city ordinance.” Price continued, “Oline and I have been raising cattle and goats for more than forty years. We are proud to have raised our two sons on this same farm that has been in the family for more than 100 years and if there is one thing we can tell you as a parent and farmers is that you can’t always control your animals or your children. We are looking forward to resolving this matter.” Price represents District 13 in 2018 and has no opponent in November’s general election.
Matt O’Brien: How loose borders led to a house of horrors in Alabama
José Paulino Pascual-Reyes allegedly kidnapped a 12-year-old girl in Tallapoosa County, tied her to a bedpost, forced her to consume alcohol, and repeatedly assaulted her. According to police, he committed this abomination in his mobile home, with the decomposing, dismembered bodies of his girlfriend and her son stashed nearby. Now, at least two people are dead allegedly at the hands of this monster, and a pre-teen girl has experienced the type of horrific trauma usually only seen in Hollywood films like “The Silence of the Lambs.” This is a shocking and gruesome tale. However, what is most shocking about Pascual-Reyes’ story is that if our political leaders prioritized immigration enforcement, this whole catastrophe could have been prevented. Pascual-Reyes is an illegal alien – one who was already deported from the U.S. at least once in 2014. Therefore, he could have been in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), awaiting expedited removal from the United States. It is easy to cut the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) a break and argue that thousands of “gotaways” make it over the border every day without being detected. Therefore, it simply isn’t reasonable to expect ICE or Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to know about every criminal deviant like Pascual-Reyes. But that argument lets immigration policymakers avoid responsibility way too easily. Pascual-Reyes appears to have been involved with Sandra Vazquez Ceja, another alien who had been paroled into the United States to pursue an asylum claim. Had agents from DHS been permitted to verify that Ceja was complying with the terms of her parole, they would likely have encountered Pascual-Reyes, detained him, and sought reinstatement of the deportation order entered against him in 2014. Such actions would have removed him from the community, ensured that he remained in ICE custody, and prohibited him from committing crimes. But that would have required the type of pro-active approach to immigration enforcement, which has been sorely lacking under both Republican and Democrat administrations over the last four decades – the notable exception being the four years of the Donald Trump presidency. The reality is, despite the fact that our asylum/refugee system is rife with fraud and has repeatedly been exploited by terrorists, criminals, and human rights abusers, DHS actually engages in minimal investigation, supervision, and oversight of asylum claimants. Where there is blatant evidence of a fraudulent asylum claim, an applicant might be subject to a site visit and interview by USCIS’ Fraud Detection and National Security Directorate (FDNS). But this occurs only in a very small number of cases. Rarer still is an investigation of asylum fraud by ICE. Almost non-existent are site visits by ICE to check up on people who have been paroled into the U.S. to await the adjudication of asylum and other immigration benefits applications. This type of laissez-faire approach to immigration enforcement is entirely untenable and inevitably leads to the macabre scene encountered in Alabama or equally disturbing (and preventable) tragedies like the murder of Kate Steinle and the kidnap, murder, and rape of Mollie Tibbets. Moreover, Pascual-Reyes, if convicted, is only the latest in a long line of illegal alien mass murderers that includes Rafael Resendiz-Ramirez, known as “The Railroad Killer,” Billy Chemirmir, and Ernesto Martinez-Guzman, among others. The only way to prevent cases like these is for DHS to go into migrant communities and seek out opportunities to encounter and apprehend illegal aliens. One of the best ways to do this is to monitor aliens with pending asylum applications, who often have illegal alien relatives and spouses for whom they later plan to seek immigration benefits. The fact is, 99 percent of the asylum claims filed by citizens of Mexico and the countries that make up Central and South America are utterly baseless. The Immigration and Nationality Act provides ample authority for the prompt removal of border jumpers and other alien lawbreakers, if only the government would use it. And most regular Americans understand that we cannot pretend that everyone filing a bogus asylum application in order to access the United States is well-intentioned and means us no harm. If our elected leaders would get out of the way and let them perform their sworn duties, our immigration enforcement officers would be much more likely to find and detain deviant predators like Pascual-Reyes and Resendiz-Ramirez before they prey on innocent people. Instead, our representatives have saddled us with contradictory immigration policies that attract criminals and permit them to remain here with impunity – at the expense of both law-abiding Americans and legal immigrants. Matt O’Brien is director of investigations at the Immigration Reform Law Institute and a former immigration judge. Prior to becoming an immigration judge, he served as a division head in U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service’s Fraud Detection and National Security Directorate. Before working at USCIS, he served as assistant chief counsel with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Jerry Carl cosponsors American Confidence in Elections Act
Last week, Rep. Jerry Carl announced that he cosponsored the American Confidence in Elections (ACE) Act. The bill addresses issues in our nation’s federal elections. Representatives Rodney Davis and Bryan Steil introduced the ACE Act, which has been characterized as the Republican alternative to the For the People Act (H.R. 1) and the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act (H.R. 4). Carl expressed the need to restore election integrity. “There’s no doubt the 2020 elections had issues, which is why the ACE Act is critical to restoring our election integrity by providing states with important tools to help with the delivery of ballots, verification of signatures, using voter ID, giving observers access to the process, updating voter lists, and conducting post-election audits,” Carl stated. The ACE Act prohibits: Non-citizens from voting and allows states to use REAL ID as proof of citizenship Same-day registration and ballot harvesting Federal funds for payments in support of congressional campaigns Contributions and donations by foreign nationals in connection with ballot initiatives Funding for a potential “Disinformation Governance Board” The ACE Act requires: Photo ID to vote in person or request an absentee ballot Annual list maintenance “With the Democrats’ constant attacks on the integrity of our federal elections, I’m proud to join my colleagues on this important effort to strengthen our elections and guarantee their security. Our elections should always be free, fair, and secure, and this legislation will go a long way to ensuring Americans that their vote matters. It’s time to restore confidence in our elections,” Carl concluded. Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill served as one of three Secretaries of State to provide feedback and recommendations for this legislation. “The passage of the ACE Act is vital to our nation’s future, and I am extremely grateful to Representative Rodney Davis for including me in this historic process. I wholeheartedly endorse the ACE Act and ask that the U.S. Congress give this legislation a fair hearing and full consideration,” Merrill stated.
Paul DeMarco: Birmingham crime rate poor reflection on entire Alabama criminal justice system
If you asked most Alabama residents, they favor less government at all levels, from the White House down to City Hall. The one role they ask of their civic leadership is the most important priority, and that is public safety. Unfortunately, with all of the blessings Alabama has, its government is failing at all levels of the criminal justice system. Exhibit A is the rate of violent crime across the state, particularly in our larger cities. Look at Birmingham, which in the first six months of the year has a murder per capita rate of 28 per 100,000 residents. This is a higher rate than in larger cities like Philadelphia, Chicago, and Atlanta. As a matter of fact, at this rate, Birmingham could end up with the highest murder rate in the history of the city. We can look at the crime rate in the city and say it is a local problem. However, it affects everyone in the entire region. If you have prosecutors who allow a revolving door of criminals in and out of the jails or judges who are not willing to sentence felons to the time they deserve for the crimes they commit, it will contribute to the problem. Alabama leaders must step in and look at the issues with the criminal justice system in the state’s largest metro areas. Alabama should not tolerate the lack of public safety in the city of Birmingham or Montgomery or Mobile, for that matter. This is a problem that encompasses all three branches of government. The Governor and Attorney General can take the lead, but the Alabama Legislature must step up to the plate and address the weaknesses in the “good time” and sentencing laws. To allow this to continue is a failure of the most important role of leaders at all levels of regional and state government. Paul DeMarco is a former member of the Alabama House of Representatives and can be found on Twitter at @Paul_DeMarco.
AFA releases its next slate of Alabama Senate endorsements
The Alabama Forestry Association (AFA) announces its endorsement of Lance Bell, Jay Hovey, and Pete Riehm for seats in the Alabama Senate. The AFA represents Alabama’s forestry community with membership that includes forest products manufacturers, landowners, loggers, wood dealers, foresters, consultants, and others involved in forestry. Bell is running to represent Senate District 11, which covers parts of St. Clair, Talladega, and Shelby Counties. He is a lifelong St. Clair County resident and practices law focusing on plaintiff and civil defense matters, as well as providing criminal defense services. He has served as the Chairman of the St. Clair County Republican Party for six years. Bell currently serves as the Chairman of the 3rd Congressional District Alabama Republican Party Executive Committee. He and his wife, Holly, have two boys. Hovey is running for Senate District 27, which covers parts of Tallapoosa, Lee, and Russell Counties. He was born and raised in South Lee County in the Beauregard community. Hovey began his career as a firefighter for the City of Auburn to put himself through college. He now works as a mortgage loan originator for AuburnBank and has served as the Ward 7 Council Member for Auburn City Council for four years. Hovey has served two terms on the Lieutenant Governor’s state Small Business Advisory Commission. He and his wife, Anna, have been married for 20 years. “I am incredibly honored to receive the endorsement of the Alabama Forestry Association,” stated Hovey. “I very much appreciate their active conservative voice across our state. Timber and forest products are very important to District 27. AFA’s support for landowner’s rights and small business interests are paramount to continued success.” Riehm is running to represent District 33, which covers parts of Mobile and Baldwin Counties. He retired from the U.S. Navy after 21 years. Since retiring in 2005, Riehm is active in the Mobile Bay Area Veterans Day Commission. He is now a Commercial Real Estate broker with CRE Mobile and is civically involved in serving as a Land Commissioner for the Mobile County Probate Court. Riehm and his wife, Debra, have four children. “Timberland is one of Alabama’s most precious resources, and forestry products are integral to Alabama’s economy, so it is vitally important that we advance our forestry industries and protect their interests for posterity,” said Riehm. “The AFA is a tremendous advocate for our forestry community, and I appreciate their relentless efforts, so I am humbled and honored to earn their very important endorsement to serve as Senator for District 33.” The General Election is November 8, 2022.
Justin Bogie: The truth behind inflation and the impending recession
Last week, the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis announced that the country’s economic growth rate had dropped by 0.9 percent, falling for the second straight quarter. While the White House and others claim that the country is not experiencing a recession, historically, a recession has been defined as two consecutive quarters of declining real GDP growth. The current economic downturn is being driven by 9.1 percent inflation, a 40-year high. The question now facing the nation, as well as Alabama’s state government, is how did America get into this situation and how to fix it? There are two basic answers: monetary policy and fiscal policy. They work in tandem. Both created the problem, and both are needed to correct it. The International Monetary Fund defines inflation as the rate of increase in prices over a given period. To put it simply, the current period of near record high inflation was caused by too many dollars chasing too few goods. Fiscal and monetary policy both played a role in increasing inflation rates and pushing the country towards a recession. In 2017 Congress passed the Tax Cuts and Job Act, which, according to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), reduced federal taxes by $1.3 trillion over ten years. This meant that individuals and businesses had more purchasing power at their disposal. To be clear, the 2017 tax cuts did not cause the nation’s current economic problems. However, combined with lax monetary policy, the tax cuts did add fuel to the fire. Around the same time they went into effect, the Federal Reserve began a series of interest rate reductions, which remained near 0 percent until March 2022. Because borrowing money was so inexpensive, even more cash flowed into the economy. On the fiscal policy front, the federal government, as well as Alabama’s state government, share blame. Both are on an unsustainable fiscal path, marked by unprecedented expansions of government spending. According to data from CBO, federal spending grew by 53.5 percent from 2019-2021, fueled by pandemic stimulus. Total federal spending was almost $7 trillion in 2021, and the deficit reached $2.8 trillion. The total federal debt held by the public was “only” $9 trillion a decade ago. Alabama’s state government has been just as guilty as Washington. Since 2019 state spending has grown by over 35 percent, not including $4 billion in federal stimulus funding. Alabama’s government spending is set to reach almost $12 billion this year. Taxes increased by over 41 percent in the last five years. Unlike the federal government, Alabama cannot run a deficit or simply print more money when it runs out, meaning that state lawmakers have chosen to take more from you to grow government. That spending has fueled inflation by increasing the supply of money to the state economy. Tax increases restrain business and personal investment. Federal and state governments doubled down on spending during the pandemic, increasing demand by sending more cash into the economy while at the same time mandating business shutdowns that limited supply. How does government slow the flow of money into the economy without dragging the U.S. into a prolonged recession? From the federal government’s standpoint, it needs to use both monetary and fiscal policy to tame inflation and lessen the impacts of a recession. One or the other is not enough. Easing inflation is relatively simple. The Federal Reserve has already taken steps to do so. Since January, interest rates have increased from 0.25 percent to 2.5 percent. If rates had been higher all along, the impacts of inflation would have been less severe. While raising interest rates will certainly lower inflation, that alone will not shorten a recession. That will only happen if done in combination with pro-growth tax and spending policies. Unfortunately, it looks like the federal government is poised to make another fiscal misstep. Last week U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) announced that an agreement on a partisan tax and spending bill had been reached. Reports indicate that the legislation would increase taxes by $327 billion. The combination of more taxes and higher Federal Reserve borrowing rates will reduce the amount of money going into the economy and curb inflation, but it will not lessen the impacts of a recession. Instead of increasing taxes, the federal government should adopt fiscal and regulatory policies that enable businesses to increase the supply of goods and services, incentivize people to work, and encourage investment. The Federal Reserve should rebalance its asset sheet by selling Treasury securities purchased over the last two years. It should not continue to allow the federal government to print more money. Congress and the President should work to reduce federal spending and bring it in line with actual revenues. While Alabama has no control over monetary policy, there are fiscal policy steps that our government can take to slow the flow of money into the economy while incentivizing business to increase the production of goods and services. It’s simple. Take less money from citizens and stop the record expansion of state government. There are a number of ways to provide tax relief, whether it be through corporate and/or individual income tax rate reductions (which many states have already done), eliminating the state’s archaic sales tax on groceries, or providing an extended gas or sales tax holiday to Alabamians. Reducing taxes will provide businesses incentives to expand production and grow Alabama’s economy in the long run. Alabama has increased spending at a faster pace than California or New York over the past three years. Supply could not keep up. We don’t need more government to stop the impacts of inflation that it created and repair the economy. We must demand less. Justin Bogie is the Senior Director of Fiscal Policy for the Alabama Policy Institute.
Feds oppose unsealing affidavit for Mar-a-Lago warrant
The Justice Department on Monday rebuffed efforts to make public the affidavit supporting the search warrant for former President Donald Trump’s estate in Florida, saying the investigation “implicates highly classified material” and the document contains sensitive information about witnesses. The government’s opposition came in response to court filings by several news organizations, including The Associated Press, seeking to unseal the underlying affidavit the Justice Department submitted when it asked for the warrant to search Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate earlier this month. The court filing — from Juan Antonio Gonzalez, the U.S. attorney in Miami, and Jay Bratt, a top Justice Department national security official — argues that making the affidavit public would “cause significant and irreparable damage to this ongoing criminal investigation.” The document, the prosecutors say, details “highly sensitive information about witnesses,” including people who have been interviewed by the government, and contains confidential grand jury information. The government told a federal magistrate judge that prosecutors believe some additional records, including the cover sheet for the warrant and the government’s request to seal the documents, should now be made public. A property receipt unsealed Friday showed the FBI seized 11 sets of classified documents, with some not only marked top secret but also “sensitive compartmented information,” a special category meant to protect the nation’s most important secrets that, if revealed publicly, could cause “exceptionally grave” damage to U.S. interests. The court records did not provide specific details about information the documents might contain. The Justice Department acknowledged Monday that its ongoing criminal investigation “implicates highly classified material.” The search warrant, also unsealed Friday, said federal agents were investigating potential violations of three different federal laws, including one that governs gathering, transmitting or losing defense information under the Espionage Act. The other statutes address the concealment, mutilation or removal of records and the destruction, alteration or falsification of records in federal investigations. The Mar-a-Lago search warrant, carried out last Monday, was part of an ongoing Justice Department investigation into the discovery of classified White House records recovered from Trump’s home earlier this year. The National Archives had asked the department to investigate after saying 15 boxes of records it retrieved from the estate included classified records. It remains unclear whether the Justice Department moved forward with the warrant simply as a means to retrieve the records or as part of a wider criminal investigation, or an attempt to prosecute the former president. Multiple federal laws govern the handling of classified information, with both criminal and civil penalties, as well as presidential records. But the Justice Department, in its filing Monday, argued that its investigation is active and ongoing and that releasing additional information could not only compromise the probe but also subject witnesses to threats or deter others from coming forward to cooperate with prosecutors. “If disclosed, the affidavit would serve as a roadmap to the government’s ongoing investigation, providing specific details about its direction and likely course, in a manner that is highly likely to compromise future investigative steps,” the government wrote in the court filing. Republished with the permission of The Associated Press.
