Gary Palmer & GOP Congressmen question Eagle Forum subpoena
Alabama’s Republican congressmen are looking for answers to a recent subpoena of The Eagle Forum of Alabama, Yellowhammer News reported. The Department of Justice is seeking information related to their promotion of the Alabama Vulnerable Child Compassion And Protection Act. The bill bans gender-altering surgeries from being performed on minors. The bill was signed into law by Gov. Kay Ivey in April, and a lawsuit was filed in federal court three days later. A federal judge blocked part of the law that made it a felony to prescribe gender-affirming puberty blockers and hormones to transgender minors. The judge left in place a part of the law that banned gender-affirming surgeries for transgender minors. He also left a provision that requires counselors and other school officials to tell parents if a minor discloses that they think they are transgender. The Eagle Forum has filed a motion to quash the subpoena. Their report states, “The DOJ subpoena is broad, intrusive, and meant to harass. It seeks 5 ½ years of information, including: all private communications with legislators or anyone else regarding VCAP; every note, meeting-minutes, letter, policy goals and strategy effort, speech, presentation materials, research, polling; drafts of the bill or its amendments (which can be found on the legislative website); and documents pertaining to publicly-posted social media and webpages, etc.” Leaders are questioning the DOJ’s motivation for the subpoena because the Eagle Forum is not named in the lawsuit. U.S. Rep. Gary Palmer sent a letter to the DOJ and Attorney General Merrick Garland. Reps. Jerry Carl, Barry Moore, Robert Aderholt, Mo Brooks, and Mike Rogers all signed the letter. Palmer issued a press release, stating, “Eagle Forum of Alabama is an outstanding organization that represents the values of thousands of Alabamians. To have their first amendment rights infringed upon by the Department of Justice is disrespectful to our Constitution. Constitutional protections should not be dictated by the political views of individuals in the White House or their appointees. “Attorney General Merrick Garland owes an explanation for the motives behind this aggressive action against an organization simply petitioning the government on an issue important to them.” Palmer stated on Facebook, “The DOJ is out of control and must answer for their unconstitutional actions. My Alabama Republican colleagues and I are supporting Eagle Forum and their right to petition the government.” Rep. Carl called the move an ‘attack.’ “The Department of Justice’s decision to target the Eagle Forum of Alabama is nothing more than a partisan attack against a conservative organization simply because of their political views,” stated Carl. “I’m proud to join my colleagues in this effort demanding answers from Attorney General Merrick Garland as to why the DOJ is attacking private citizens for exercising their First Amendment rights.” Rep. Aderholt called the subpoena an attempt to intimidate Americans. “As Americans, we are protected by the First Amendment with the right to petition the government,” Aderholt stated. “This action by the U.S. government is a blatant attempt to intimidate citizens from participating in the legislative process. It is vitally important that we hear from the Department of Justice about why they took this action and get an explanation for this violation.” The letter states, “Constitutional protections cannot be eroded based on who occupies the White House or the political views of their appointees.”
Kay Ivey announces free admission to state parks on National Public Lands Day
On Monday, Gov. Kay Ivey announced that Alabama State Parks will waive all entrance and parking fees on National Public Lands Day, which takes place Saturday, September 24, 2022. “The past few years have shown us just how important outdoor recreation is to our health and wellbeing,” Ivey stated. “Spending time outdoors can reset our minds and refresh our spirits. Because of that, I encourage you to visit any of our Alabama State Parks on National Public Lands Day and experience some of the best our state has to offer.” .@ALStateParks will waive all entrance & parking fees on National Public Lands Day on Sat., Sept. 24, 2022! I encourage you to visit any of our parks on this special day & experience some of the best our state has to offer. @OutdoorAlabama #alpolitics https://t.co/EXUePc6vDW — Governor Kay Ivey (@GovernorKayIvey) September 19, 2022 Established in 1994, National Public Lands Day celebrates the importance of public lands like Alabama State Parks, wildlife management areas, and Forever Wild Land Trust tracts. The day also promotes the important role volunteers play in supporting access to outdoor recreation for everyone. “Having quality access to outdoor recreation is a vital aspect of improving the quality of life for all Alabamians,” said Chris Blankenship, commissioner of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR). “I am honored that Governor Ivey has made outdoor recreation a priority of her Administration. We look forward to continuing our efforts to increase access to public lands and outdoor recreation throughout the state.” Alabama State Parks is a division of ADCNR and maintains 21 state parks encompassing approximately 48,000 acres of public land and water in the state. In recent years the State Parks Division has been implementing an extensive renovation and improvement project statewide. State Parks Director Greg Lein expressed excitement over showing off improvements that have been made to the parks. “In addition to much-needed infrastructure repairs and improvements, we have updated many day use areas and modernized campgrounds throughout the parks system,” stated Lein. “We look forward to sharing these improvements with our guests on National Public Lands Day.” Each year, several million people participate in outdoors-related activities in Alabama, generating an economic impact of almost $15 billion. This translates into more than 135,000 jobs for Alabamians. Alabama’s state parks system offers a wide variety of outdoor recreation options from the mountains of North Alabama to the state’s Gulf Coast. Although entry and parking fees will be waived on September 24, fees for park amenities such as canoe rentals and cave tours will still apply. There will be no cost for activities like hiking and mountain biking and enjoying day-use areas throughout our state parks system.
Terri Sewell to host first Virtual Grants Workshop for scholarships and higher education
Tuesday night Congresswoman Terri Sewell will host her first-ever virtual grants Workshop for Scholarships and Higher Education at 6:30 p.m. Each year, Rep. Sewell hosts a series of grants workshops to assist local officials and organizations in accessing funding available to them. On Tuesday night, Sewell will bring together officials from local colleges and universities and the U.S. Department of Education with the goal of helping students and families better understand the financial resources available to pursue higher education. “My Virtual Grants Workshop for Scholarships and Higher Education goes LIVE tomorrow, Sept. 20, at 6:30 pm CT!” Rep. Sewell said on Facebook Monday. “If you and your family would like to learn about the financial assistance available to pursue a higher education, I encourage you to tune in right here on my Facebook page.” The workshop will feature guests from institutions of higher education in Alabama’s Seventh Congressional District as well as the U.S. Department of Education. Sewell will be joined by: · Dr. Jarralynne Agee, Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs at Miles College · Dr. Glenn King, Jr., Director of Community Relations at Wallace Community College Selma · B. Marie Jones, Director of Minority Outreach at Wallace Community College Selma · Lauren Tancock, Associate Director for Undergraduate Scholarships at the University of Alabama at Birmingham · Isaiah Ellis, Outreach Specialist for the U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid Division The workshop will be streamed live on Sewell’s official Facebook and YouTube pages. Since her election in 2010, Sewell has worked to secure hundreds of millions of dollars in funding for Alabama’s colleges and universities to help students afford higher education and keep them on track to graduate. Sewell helped secure nearly $800 million for Alabama’s colleges and universities in the controversial American Rescue Plan. Half of that money is being used to provide direct financial relief to students. Sewell said that she is committed to making sure that every student has the resources to achieve their God-given potential. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Bradley’s Carly Miller selected to ‘Top 40 Under 40’ in construction list by Alabama AGC
Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP announced that Carly Miller, a partner in the firm’s Birmingham office, has been named to the Alabama Associated General Contractors (AGC) 2022 “Top 40 Under 40” in the Commercial Construction list. The list, published by Alabama AGC and Business Alabama Magazine, recognizes outstanding up-and-coming individuals in commercial construction throughout the state of Alabama. The honorees demonstrate a high level of leadership, professional excellence, and commitment to the construction industry. “Carly is an exceptional attorney with a deep understanding of the construction industry, and she provides the highest level of service to her clients and colleagues. We congratulate her on this well-deserved recognition,” said Bradley Birmingham Office Managing Partner Dawn Helms Sharff. Miller is a litigator representing clients in a variety of industries, with a focus on construction and energy. She regularly works with owners, EPC contractors, general contractors, and subcontractors on a variety of projects and helps her clients identify, mitigate and resolve the many risks faced on their construction projects and regularly advises them on general project administration, change order negotiation, claim preparation and defense, and the drafting of project correspondence. Since 2021, Ms. Miller has been recognized in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America in the area of Construction Law and Litigation – Construction. She has also been listed in Mid-South Super Lawyers since 2019. She is an Associate Fellow of the Construction Lawyers Society of America and is a member of the American Bar Association’s Construction Forum. Bradley’s award-winning Construction Practice Group has been recognized as the nation’s “Law Firm of the Year” for Construction Law by U.S. News – Best Lawyers “Best Law Firms” in 2018, 2020, and 2022, a designation only given to one law firm in the country per legal practice area each year.
Gadsden Mayoral runoff election is today
Voters in Gadsden go to the polls today to elect their new mayor. Former State Representative Craig Ford is running for mayor against former Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Heather Brothers New. Current Mayor Sherman Guyton is retiring after 16 years in the position. The two are in a winner take all election runoff after they received the most votes in the election last month. They faced off in a debate on Thursday. Ford said on his website, “One of my first orders of business is to hire a city planner and work with the city council to set up community-wide meetings to gain community input for the development of a city-wide master plan. I will also collaborate with other Etowah County mayors to ensure we are moving in the same direction. This plan is a plan for tomorrow and will not be easily created nor implemented. It is a plan of big ideas that will take money. It is an item that will have to be in the city budget for implementation to begin.” Among the many items on the list Ford is promising: · Updating and/or creating new policies and procedures to improve efficiency. · Sale city property that is not in use or planned to be used. · Address public transportation needs · Make sure all areas of the city have a uniform look in signage. · Determine the types of industry that best fit Gadsden based on workforce, land and/or building availability, railroad access, interstate and highway access, and quality of life. · Address the loose animal issue. · Revitalization of economically depressed areas of Gadsden · Improvements to Noccalula Falls and growing businesses in that area. · Alabama City considered as a potential arts district around the historic Ritz Theater. · Will work to further develop East Broad Street with retail and restaurants as well as further developing the ballfields at Gadsden State Community College · Continue to support Tuscaloosa Avenue’s Carver Museum and Carver Community Center by bringing back youth baseball and football and prioritizing new lighting for this area will remain a priority. · Riverfront development · Continue to support Downtown Gadsden Ford represented the area in the Alabama Legislature, rising to House Minority Leader before a spat with Alabama Democratic Conference Chairman Joe Reed led him to become an independent. He ran unsuccessfully as an independent for State Senate in 2018. New was the Alabama Chamber Professional of the Year award in 2019. “As chair of the Gadsden City High School’s Career Technical Advisory Committee over the past six years and with three children that all attended and graduated from Gadsden City, I spent considerable time in our schools learning about teachers’ needs and resources to equip our children for the future,” New stated. “As a result, I created a one-day workforce immersion program that takes 400 teachers annual on “behind-the-scenes” tours of local healthcare and manufacturing facilities, as well as career technical programs at Gadsden State Community College so that they would have a personal point of perspective about the careers and earning opportunities in our community. That work at Etowah Chamber required relationships with business and industry, education, and a wide range of volunteers, as well as fundraising from said business and industry, to accomplish. I also created the Excellence in Education Awards Luncheon to recognize the innovative and creative things teachers and partners were executing annually, as well as exceptional students in leadership assisting education or other students.” New promised on her website to: · Fund the Gadsden City School System to ensure quality facilities, top-notch teachers, and rigorous curriculum. · Support Gadsden City Schools in developing curriculum-based early child care programs before age 5. · Encourage and support improved technology and training at Gadsden State Community College. · Fix the trolley routes so that people can get to school and work and back home. · Support free job development programs to get people successfully employed. · Improve city services for all. · Base Tax Abatement Incentives (TAI) on impact studies to there is a rational and objective basis tied to a targeted return on investment. · Overhaul all contracted recruitment and development services (industrial, commercial, airport). · Install transparency in city government. · Align all organizations working on recruitment, retention, growth and development of business, industry, and tourism so their efforts complement each other versus working in a vacuum. · Develop a comprehensive city master plan. · Cooperate with surrounding counties in regional recruitment of desirable business and industry. · Support small business start-ups and entrepreneurs. · Provide essential services, such as road paving, mowing, litter control, and sidewalk maintenance. · Develop our waterways and trails thoughtfully with protection and conservation always in mind. · Adjust operating hours for recycling to better accommodate citizens’ schedules. · Research the feasibility, funding, and cost barriers of curbside recycling. · Develop “sense-of-place” gateways to the most popular destinations within the city. · Invest in the continued revitalization of Downtown Gadsden, extending to the East Broad campus of Gadsden State Community College. · Further develop city-owned sports complexes to recruit tournaments and events to the fullest, while still serving the local community. · Improve and extend riverfront boardwalks and clean and repair city sidewalks. · Remodel Noccalula Falls campground to maximize camping and eliminate sewage issues. · Study the feasibility of an alpine coaster, rock climbing, ropes, and/or zipline course. · Develop additional splash pad parks at Moragne Park and along boardwalks. · Redevelop the amphitheater into a state-of-the-art performing arts facility. · Recruit an outfitter for boat, jet ski, paddleboard and kayak rentals, and riverfront tours. · Put an end to backroom deals and cronyism. · Align with city, county, surrounding municipalities, and surrounding counties. · Protect the Civil Service Board. · Pay civil servants (fire/rescue and police) a competitive wage with bonus pay · Ensure an open-door policy for fire and police departments · Relocate City Hall, with a focus on creating greater ease of access to high-traffic offices. · Implement a technology overhaul · Host and participate in town halls throughout the year, every year. · Make regular visits to district meetings. · Develop and enact a 10-year strategic plan for departments, leadership, and partners. · Focus on returning default city-owned property back to the tax base through private and corporate ownership utilizing the
Barry Moore joins colleagues in calling on VA to rescind abortion rule
A number of states, including Alabama, have outlawed abortions following the landmark Supreme Court ruling in Dobbs versus Jackson Women’s Health Organization. A defiant Biden administration has announced that they will perform abortions at Veterans Administration facilities in response to the closing of the abortion clinics by state law. On Thursday, U.S. Representative Barry Moore joined a letter led by Reps. Andrew Clyde and Michael Cloud to Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough, demanding he immediately rescind the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) new rule. Moore was one of 43 Republicans to join the letter. “The VA is supposed to be focused on caring for our nation’s veterans, especially in the face of a massive backlog that has thousands of veterans waiting months for critical care, but instead they are prioritizing the extinguishing of innocent lives,” Moore stated in a press release. “Congress needs to hold President [Joe] Biden and Secretary McDonough accountable for violating current law as this flies in the face of numerous state abortion laws and the Hyde Amendment, which bars taxpayer funded abortions for active military members.” “It is incredibly disturbing to us that this rule publication comes out in apparent response to the recent Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization ruling,” the Republican Congressmembers wrote. “The Supreme Court rightfully overturned the misguided Roe v. Wade decision and returned the issue of abortion to the American people to decide through state legislatures. If this SCOTUS ruling is the basis for your alleged “good cause” for issuing the interim final rule, your Department is bypassing regular rulemaking processes as part of a blatant political response to a Supreme Court decision, which is wholly unacceptable and inappropriate.” “Your Department is knowingly violating current law as the Hyde Amendment restricts abortions for active military members, and Section 106 of the Veterans Health Care Act of 1992 explicitly prohibits the VA from providing abortion services – both of which are still the law of the land,” the letter continued. “Make no mistake: your Department’s decision to expand and promote abortion services – “regardless of state restrictions”– is blatantly illegal. You must reverse course immediately, or we will be forced to take further action to hold your Department accountable for this overreach.” “The VA should be focused on providing timely, high-quality care to our nation’s veterans, not murdering precious citizens with taxpayer dollars,” said Clyde. “If Secretary McDonough refuses to rescind this reprehensible and unlawful rule, Congress must swiftly hold the Biden Administration accountable for this unprecedented overreach and abuse of power.” “President Biden is again attempting to twist the law to his will by illegally authorizing the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide abortion services,” Congressman Cloud said. “The VA should remain committed to providing critical care to support the lives of our veterans, not be another last ditch attempt by the Biden administration to provide taxpayer-funded abortions.” Barry Moore is in his first term representing Alabama’s First Congressional District. He previously served two terms in the Alabama House of Representatives from 2010 to 2018. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
GOP’s election-year standing with independents at risk
Sarah Motiff has voted for Sen. Ron Johnson every time his name appeared on the ballot, starting in 2010 when the Wisconsin Republican was first elected as part of the tea party wave. Fond of his tough views on spending, she began the year planning to support his reelection again. She became skeptical this summer as the House committee investigating the January 6, 2021, Capitol insurrection reported his office discussed giving then-Vice President Mike Pence certificates with fake presidential electors for Donald Trump from Wisconsin and Michigan, part of a broader push to overturn Joe Biden’s victory. Johnson has downplayed the effort, and the certificates were never given to Pence, but Motiff, a political independent, wasn’t convinced. “I’m not going to lie when I say I’ve had some concerns about some of the reports that have come out,” the 52-year-old nonpartisan city councilwoman from Columbus, Wisconsin, said. “It just put a bad taste in my mouth.” Nudged further by the June U.S. Supreme Court decision invalidating a woman’s constitutional right to an abortion, Motiff is opposing Johnson and supports his Democratic challenger, Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, in one of the most fiercely-contested Senate races this year. “Which was really a hard decision for me because I do think he’s done good things in the past,” Motiff said of Johnson. “But this is pretty damaging.” Motiff’s evolution represents the challenge for Republicans emerging from a tumultuous summer, defined by the court decision, high-profile hearings on former President Donald Trump’s actions during the insurrection, and intensifying legal scrutiny of his handling of classified information and efforts to overturn the election. Now, a midterm campaign that the GOP hoped would be a referendum on President Joe Biden and the economy is at risk of becoming a comparison of the two parties, putting Republicans in an unexpectedly defensive position. In politically-divided Wisconsin, where recent elections have been decided by a few thousand votes, the outcome could hinge on self-described independent voters like Motiff. “Having former President Trump so prominently in the news in so many ways makes it easier for Democrats to frame the midterm as a choice between two competing futures as opposed to a referendum on the Democrat governance,” said Republican pollster Whit Ayres. “That’s hurting Republicans. It’s distracting from the referendum message and allowing more of a focus on a choice of two different parties.” That tension is playing out in Columbia County, Wisconsin, a constellation of tidy small towns surrounded by rolling dairy farm country, all within commuting distance of Madison. Statewide, top-of-the-ticket candidates have won by barely a percentage point in the past three elections. Trump won Columbia County by a little more than 500 votes out of 33,000 cast in 2020. In interviews with more than a dozen independent voters here over two days last week, many were rethinking their support of the GOP this fall. Steve Gray, a self-described Republican-leaning independent “but never a Trump fan,” opposed the June court decision because he backs abortion rights. But the 61-year-old school maintenance manager also resented what he saw as an unwelcome political power play by out-of-power Republicans. “Trump stacked the Supreme Court. We all knew he wanted to overturn Roe,” said Gray, of small-town Rio, where Trump won by two votes in 2020. “That decision was a partisan hand grenade Trump threw into this election.” The court decision “upended the physics of midterm elections,” said Jesse Stinebring, a pollster advising several Democratic campaigns. It gave voters the rare opportunity to judge a policy advance backed by the minority party, distracting them from a pure up-or-down vote on majority Democrats, he said. “The backlash from a political perspective isn’t directed at the traditional party in power, but is actually reframed in terms of this Republican control of the Supreme Court,” Stinebring said. The decision made Dilaine Noel’s vote automatic. The 29-year-old data analytics director for a Madison-area business said she had never affiliated with either party. Despite her grievances about Democrats’ warring moderate and liberal wings, her support for abortion rights gave her no choice than to vote for the party’s candidates this fall. “By default, I have to move in that direction,” said Noel, from small-town Poynette in the Wisconsin River valley. “I’m being forced to.” Mary Percifield is a lifelong independent voter who says the abortion decision motivated her to vote Democratic because she worries the court might overturn other rights. “A right has been taken away from us,” the 68-year-old customer service representative from Pardeeville, said. “I question if a woman’s right to vote will be taken away. A woman’s right for birth control.” Independent voters who lean neither Democrat nor Republican nationally preferred Biden over Trump, 52% to 37% in 2020, and preferred Democrats over Republicans in U.S. House races by a similar margin in the 2018 midterms, according to AP VoteCast. Independents who lean neither Democrat nor Republican made up 5% of the 2020 electorate and 12% in 2018. Independents had moved toward Republicans by early this year, seeking answers on the economy, said Republican pollster David Winston, a senior adviser to House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy. But they have drifted back toward Democrats as efforts by GOP leaders to focus on the economy have clashed with Republican attacks on the Justice Department and Trump’s continuing complaints about the 2020 election. “Everything is suddenly back in the context of Trump,” Winston said in light of Trump’s prominent endorsement of Senate candidates and protests of the federal investigation into classified documents recovered from his Florida home. “It’s not that Democrats are gaining. It’s that Republicans over the summer were off talking about a variety of things. And independents are thinking, ‘If you’re not talking specifically about the problems that I’m concerned about, why am I listening?’” Republicans remain optimistic about their chances in November, particularly about netting the handful of seats they need to regain the U.S. House majority. Inflation remains high and, despite a recent uptick, approval of Biden is still low for a party hoping to maintain its hold on power. The
Queen Elizabeth II mourned by Britain and world at funeral
The United Kingdom and the world bade farewell to Queen Elizabeth II on Monday with a state funeral that drew presidents and kings, princes and prime ministers — and crowds in the streets of London and at Windsor Castle — to honor a monarch whose 70-year reign defined an age. In a country known for pomp and pageantry, the first state funeral since Winston Churchill’s was filled with spectacle: Before the service, a bell tolled 96 times — once a minute for each year of Elizabeth’s life. Then, 142 Royal Navy sailors used ropes to draw the gun carriage carrying her flag-draped coffin to Westminster Abbey, where pallbearers carried it inside, and about 2,000 people ranging from world leaders to health care workers gathered to mourn. The trappings of state and monarchy abounded: The coffin was draped with the Royal Standard, and atop it was the Imperial State Crown, sparkling with almost 3,000 diamonds and the sovereign’s orb and scepter. But the personal was also present: The coffin was followed into the church by generations of Elizabeth’s descendants, including King Charles III, heir to the throne, Prince William, and 9-year-old George, who is second in line. On a wreath atop the coffin, a handwritten note read, “In loving and devoted memory,” and was signed Charles R — for Rex, or king. “Here, where Queen Elizabeth was married and crowned, we gather from across the nation, from the Commonwealth, and from the nations of the world, to mourn our loss, to remember her long life of selfless service, and in sure confidence to commit her to the mercy of God our maker and redeemer,” the dean of the medieval abbey, David Hoyle, told the mourners. The service ended with two minutes of silence observed across the United Kingdom, after which the attendees sang the national anthem, now titled “God Save the King.” The day began early when the doors of Parliament’s 900-year-old Westminster Hall were closed to mourners after hundreds of thousands had filed in front of her coffin. Monday was declared a public holiday in honor of Elizabeth, who died September 8 — and hundreds of thousands of people descended on central London to witness history. They jammed sidewalks to watch the coffin wend its way through the streets of the capital after the service. As the procession passed Buckingham Palace, the queen’s official residence in the city, staff stood outside, some bowing and curtseying. Mark Elliott, 53, who traveled from the Lake District in northern England with his wife and two children to watch the procession, got up at 1:30 a.m. to stake out a good viewing location near the palace. “I know we don’t know the queen, but she’s been our head of state for 70 years. You feel as though you know her; you feel as though she’s part of the family. It is kind of moving,” he said. Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby said in his sermon at Westminster Abbey that “few leaders receive the outpouring of love we have seen” for the queen. More people lined the route the hearse took from the capital to Windsor Castle, and many tossed flowers at the cortege as it passed. Millions more tuned into the funeral live, and crowds flocked to parks and public spaces across the U.K. to watch it on screens. Even the Google doodle turned a respectful black for the day. As the coffin arrived at the castle, there were poignant reminders of her love of animals: A groom stood at the roadside with one of her ponies, Emma, and another member of staff held the leashes of two of her beloved corgis, Sandy and Muick. During the committal ceremony in St. George’s Chapel on the castle grounds, Dean of Windsor David Conner praised Elizabeth for her “life of unstinting service” to the nation but also her “kindness, concern and reassuring care for her family and friends and neighbors.” Then the crown and the orb and scepter were removed from atop the coffin and placed on the altar — separating them from the queen for the last time. Her coffin was lowered into the royal vault through an opening in the chapel’s floor. Charles looked weary and emotional as mourners sang the national anthem. At a private family service, the queen was later laid to rest with her husband, Prince Philip. The mourners at Westminster Abbey included U.S. President Joe Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron, all of the living former British prime ministers, and European royalty. In Japan, whose Emperor Naruhito also attended, several people sipped beer and watched the service at The Aldgate British pub in Tokyo’s fashionable Shibuya district. “The queen had an especially long history in a country that boasts a long history, and so she deserves deep respect,” said one of them, Tomotaka Hosokawa. The global outpouring of sympathy touched the king, who, on the eve of the funeral, issued a message of thanks to people in the U.K. and around the world, saying he and his wife, Camilla, the queen consort, have been “moved beyond measure” by the large numbers of people who have turned out to pay their respects. Jilly Fitzgerald, who was in Windsor, said there was a sense of community among the mourners as they prepared to wait hours to see the procession carrying the queen’s coffin. “It’s good to be with all the people who are all feeling the same. It’s like a big family because everyone feels that … the queen was part of their family,” she said. Republished with the permission of The Associated Press.
Judge blocks upcoming lethal injection of Alan Miller in Alabama
A federal judge on Monday blocked Alabama from executing an inmate who says the state lost his paperwork requesting an alternative to lethal injection. U.S. District Judge R. Austin Huffaker, Jr. issued a preliminary injunction to block the state from executing Alan Miller on Thursday by any method other than nitrogen hypoxia, an untested method Miller says he requested but Alabama is not ready to use. Miller was sentenced to die after being convicted of killing three people in a 1999 workplace shooting. “Miller will likely suffer irreparable injury if an injunction does not issue because he will be deprived of the ability to die by the method he chose and instead will be forced to die by a method he sought to avoid and which he asserts will be painful,” Huffaker wrote. The injury will be, “the loss of his ‘final dignity’—to choose how he will die,” the judge added. The ruling blocks Alabama from carrying out the lethal injection that had been set for Thursday. However, the state might appeal the decision. The Alabama attorney general’s office did not immediately return an email seeking comment. Nitrogen hypoxia is a proposed execution method in which death would be caused by forcing the inmate to breathe only nitrogen, thereby depriving him or her of the oxygen needed to maintain bodily functions. Nitrogen hypoxia has been authorized by Alabama and two other states for executions but has never used by a state to try to put an inmate to death. When Alabama approved nitrogen hypoxia as an alternative execution method in 2018, state law gave inmates a brief window to designate it as their execution method. Miller testified last week that he returned a state form selecting nitrogen on the same day it was distributed to inmates by a prison worker. He said he left it in the slot of his cell door for a prison worker to collect, but did not see who picked it up. Alabama prison officials say they have no record of Miller returning the form, and argued that Miller is just trying to delay his execution. Huffaker wrote that he can’t rule out the possibility that Miller is lying about selecting nitrogen in order to delay his looming execution, but said his testimony was credible. “It is substantially likely that Miller timely elected nitrogen hypoxia,” the judge wrote. The judge noted the possibility that Alabama might soon be able to use nitrogen. “From all that appears, the State intends to announce its readiness to conduct executions by nitrogen hypoxia in the upcoming weeks,” the judge wrote. The Alabama Department of Corrections told the judge last week that Alabama “has completed many of the preparations necessary for conducting executions by nitrogen hypoxia” but is not ready to implement it Miller, a delivery truck driver, was convicted in the 1999 workplace shootings that killed Lee Holdbrooks, Scott Yancy, and Terry Jarvis in suburban Birmingham. Miller shot Holdbrooks and Yancy at one business and then drove to another location to shoot Jarvis, evidence showed. A defense psychiatrist said Miller was delusional and suffered from severe mental illness but his condition wasn’t bad enough to use as a basis for an insanity defense under state law. Republished with the permission of The Associated Press.
