Chuck Sykes takes over as President of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies
On Friday, the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) announced that Alabama’s Chuck Sykes also serves as the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (AFWA) President. Sykes is the Director of ADCNR’s Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division (WFF). Ron Regan is the Executive Director of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (AFWA). Regan announced that Sykes will spend the next year leading the AFWA. “AFWA basically exists to make sure the rights and privileges and jurisdictional responsibilities of state fish and wildlife agencies are upheld, and no harm is done through federal legislation, rulemaking or policy,” Regan said. “When possible, we advocate for funding and other authority to help states do their work better. It’s interesting to note that the provinces and territories of Canada are also members of the association. That’s why we had our annual meeting in Calgary, Canada, just a couple of months ago when Chuck became president. Sykes has been in office since September and will serve a year. State fish and wildlife managers are responsible for protecting both game species and non-game species. “It’s a big deal,” Sykes said. “There’s a lot going on from one end of our country to the other and the territories and Canadian provinces. AFWA looks out for all of it. One of our top priorities right now is trying to find alternative sources of funding to work on nongame species and help states fulfill their obligations for their state wildlife action plans. We can’t use Pittman-Robertson or Dingell-Johnson (legislation) dollars that hunters, fishermen, and sports shooters are paying for on nongame species. One of the biggest deficits states have is money to spend on nongame species.” The AFWA was formed in 1902 to represent fish and wildlife agencies in all U.S. states and territories and Canadian provinces. “Our mission is basically to look out for the states,” Regan said. “We’re all about making sure the states have the resources to do their jobs and they don’t get compromised by some new federal program that takes away Chuck’s authority to manage species within the borders of Alabama.” Chris Blankenship is the Commissioner of ADCNR. “I’m happy for Chuck and his potential impacts around the country,” said Commissioner Blankenship. “He has brought a good common-sense approach to managing wildlife in Alabama and has done some progressive things here. I’m excited he has the opportunity to take that to other parts of the country and help them make the same strides we’ve made here in Alabama.” AFWA operates with just 26 employees and a $5 million budget. “We rely on our leaders, like our president, to make decisions, guide directions, and set tone,” Regan said. “There is virtually nothing that is major or substantive when it comes to a national issue like chronic wasting disease (CWD) or avian influenza or endangered species that we don’t run through our president. So, he has a very significant role to play in shaping the tone, tenor, and content on what we say on any national issue. Of course, he helps establish priorities.” Sykes said that six years ago a blue-ribbon panel of state agency directors and NGO leaders convened and determined that executing the state wildlife action plans to ensure species diversity would take more than a billion dollars a year. States came very close to gaining some relief on that funding when the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act (RAWA) was advanced in Congress. “In the original bill that almost passed last year, Alabama would have received a bigger apportionment than funds from Pittman-Robertson and Dingell-Johnson combined,” Sykes said. “It was like $25 million that would have come to Alabama. It got kicked out of the Omnibus package at the 11th hour last year. It may be reintroduced right after the first of the year.” Sykes recently addressed AFWA’s western state members in Henderson, Nevada. Working to pass that legislation is one priority that he is working on. “When the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is looking at rules that impact everybody, including Alabama, I’m there at the table,” Sykes said. “With the RAWA bill, I am behind the scenes, meeting with congressional staff who are drawing this up to make sure Alabama’s concerns are at the forefront. It’s a lot of work, a lot of travel, and a lot of conference calls. Most people in Alabama don’t know and may not care, but what I’m doing for them through this could be monumental.” The state wildlife management agencies’ mission heavily depends on citizens purchasing hunting and fishing licenses. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Missile Defense Agency announces a successful test kill of a ballistic missile in space
On Monday, Boeing announced that the Huntsville-based U.S. Missile Defense Agency, U.S. Northern Command, the U.S. Space Force, Space Command, and a Boeing-led industry team successfully intercepted an intermediate-range ballistic missile target in space during the latest test of the Ground-based Midcourse Defense System (GMD). Boeing said the test validated a configuration that gives the Missile Defense Operators more time, space, and flexibility to intercept ballistic missile threats to the U.S. homeland. During the test, a GMD interceptor released a kinetic-force Exoatmospheric Kill Vehicle, or EKV, during the rocket booster’s second stage of its normally three-stage flight sequence. The target, which is representative of a threat, was air-launched from the Broad Ocean Area, and the interceptor was deployed from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. Debbie Barnett is the vice president of Strategic Missile & Defense Systems at Boeing. “This successful test is important because it opens up the window of opportunity to intercept threats to our homeland,” said VP Barnett. “We’re committed to continuously enhancing the GMD system’s capability to meet rapidly evolving missile defense needs for the nation.” Boeing has supported the GMD program out of Huntsville as the led system integrator since the inception of the program in 1998 through development, testing, operations, and sustainment with engineers and experts who work in Alabama. The system has been on alert for nearly two decades and is an integral part of America’s layered ballistic missile defense architecture. The test demonstrated the ability of the Ground-Based Midcourse Defense (GMD) capability to engage threats faster. The test employed an upgraded GBI with a Capability Enhanced-II Block 1 Exo-Atmospheric Kill Vehicle. This test was also the first test of a three-stage GBI operating in two-stage mode, which means the third stage was commanded not to ignite and allowed earlier release of the kill vehicle, providing closer range engagements. The test’s primary objective was to demonstrate the ability of GMD to engage a target in the expanded engagement space made possible by the GBI in two-stage mode. This test was also the first integrated GMD flight test using sensor data from the Army Navy/ Transportable Radar Surveillance Model-2 Forward Based Mode with and Sea-Based X-Band radar with upgrades. This new capability is known as a 2-/3-Stage selectable GBI and will be deployed in the next version of the GMD capability delivery. MDA says that this new capability will give the Warfighter greater flexibility in executing the defense of the homeland while significantly expanding the battlespace for successful threat engagement. “This successful intercept utilizing the 2-/3-Stage selectable Ground Based Interceptor capability in 2-stage mode provides the Warfighter with increased battlespace that supports additional shot opportunities to negate an incoming threat missile,” said MDA Director Lieutenant General Heath Collins. “The Ground-Based Midcourse Defense system is vitally important to the defense of our homeland, and this test demonstrates that we continue to provide enhanced capabilities for our existing Ground Based Interceptor fleet while we rapidly design and deliver the leap-ahead technology of the Next Generation Interceptor.” “Today’s test highlights U.S. Northern Command’s close coordination and collaboration with the Missile Defense Agency and demonstrates our continued commitment to countering ballistic missile threats to the homeland,” said Gen. Glen VanHerck, commander of the North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command. “The Ground-Based Interceptor is an important effector in a globally integrated system that connects sensors to decision-makers to provide the nation’s senior leaders with options and time. Today’s test bolsters strategic stability in a dynamic security environment.” The GMD element of the Missile Defense System defends the U.S. homeland against ballistic missile threats from rogue Nations such as North Korea and Iran. It provides the Commander, USNORTHCOM, the capability to engage and destroy intermediate- and long-range ballistic missile threats to the U.S. homeland. Even though the test was successful, GMD is inadequate to defend against the full weight of a missile attack by Russia or China, much less both of them working together. MDA said in a statement that although the United States maintains the right to defend itself against attacks from any source, GMD is neither intended for, nor capable of, defeating large and sophisticated ICBM, air-, or sea-launched ballistic missile threats from Russia and the People’s Republic of China. The United States relies on strategic deterrence to address those threats. The mission of the Missile Defense Agency is to develop and deploy a layered Missile Defense System to defend the United States, its deployed forces, allies, and friends from limited ballistic missile attacks of all ranges in all phases of flight. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Katie Britt claims ‘Senate Democrats and Joe Biden are the putting American people last’ with border policies
Last week, U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Alabama) joined a group of Republican colleagues to reiterate the need for strong policy changes at the U.S. southern border. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) organized the press conference. “Senator Graham, thank you for hosting this, thank you for continuing to bring attention to this,” Sen. Britt said, “And thank you for all of the gentlemen behind me who continue to work diligently to actually secure our border. That’s what the American people deserve, but unfortunately, Joe Biden refuses to give that to them. You know, when we look at this emergency supplemental, when we look at this national security supplemental, when we look at what Joe Biden sent us, he put money for the border in there. But do you know what that was? It was stuff that continues to facilitate the mass migration that we see across our border. It was yet more of a magnet to draw more and more people here.” Britt accused the mainstream media of not covering the story about human rights abuses taking place on the border. “We have both a national security and a humanitarian crisis on our border,” Sen. Britt continued. “The liberal media has decided to turn a blind eye to the fact that women are being raped on our border. That children are being recycled on our border. That we have laws that allow that to happen, and actually, that’s what some of these children are going through.” Britt said that Senate Democrats are doing nothing to address Biden’s border crisis. “Guys, when are you going to actually call it like it is and not like the liberal left wants you to? The reality is these policies are inhumane,” Britt asked. “You look at the national security threat of this. Y’all, we’ve gone through a week where we’ve had 10,000 come over the border, 10,000 come over the border, 12,000 – an all-time high – and to what Senator Thune said, Secretary Jeh Johnson under President Obama said 1,000 a day would be a crisis. We’re hitting 12 (12,000).” Britt urged Congress to address this situation finally. “We must secure our border for the safety and security of the American people,” Britt said. “I don’t want to sit across from another momma who lost their child to fentanyl poisoning. I don’t want to look out and see the travesty that occurs as a result of this. And at the end of the day, when we’re putting policies in place to ensure that we have national security, the first among all of these must be the border.” Conditions have worsened at the border, and now criminals and terrorists can slip in, disguised in the flood of people crossing the border. Britt continued, “Senator Graham asked the questions yesterday. He asked Director (Chris) Wray about this. This is the response. He said, ‘I’ve never seen a time where all the threats or so many of the threats are all elevated all at exactly the same time.’ He followed up with, ‘I see blinking lights everywhere I turn.’ He said a heightened threat environment from foreign terrorist organizations for a whole host of reasons and obviously their ability to exploit any port of entry, including our southwest border.” “Senate Democrats and Joe Biden are putting the American people last,” Britt concluded. “We need to make sure we create deterrents. We need to make sure we create safety, and we must do more for the people here at home. They deserve it, and that is exactly what we are going to continue to fight for.” The press conference was led by Senator Graham and included Senators Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), John Thune (R-North Dakota), Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas), John Cornyn (R-Texas), and Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina). Katie Britt has made the southern border a point of emphasis since she joined the Senate eleven months ago. Since President Biden took office, there have been more than 8 million illegal crossings at the southern border, including more than 1.7 million known “gotaways.” Known border crossings totaled more than 242,000 last month, another record-setting high for November. Britt is the Ranking Member of the Homeland Security Subcommittee for the Senate Committee on Appropriations. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Alabama Always sues state again over cannabis program
Alabama Always LLC is one of thirty-six applicants for an integrator license from the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission (AMCC). Twice, the Commission has voted to give the coveted integrator licenses to five other business entities, and both times, Alabama Always has sued to block the issuing of the licenses. The AMCC is set to meet on Tuesday to make new license awards after the Commission rescinded all awards in June and August to settle earlier lawsuits. This time, Alabama Always is not waiting to lose a third round of cannabis awards. They have filed a lawsuit in anticipation of not being given one of the licenses limited to a maximum of five by the authorizing statute. The lawsuit filed in the Circuit Court of Montgomery County alleges that the AMCC staff and some members of the Commission are biased against Alabama Always. The twelve Commissioners are being asked to rank the thirty-six applicants from 1 to 36, with 1 being the best and 36 being the least qualified. The scores will then be totaled and averaged, with the number closest to 1 being the best. Those top five applicants will then get the licenses. Alabama Always claims that this rule violates state administrative code and allows a minority of commissioners to so devalue their application that Alabama Always cannot win. At least one application must go to a minority-owned group, even if they are not in the top five. “The Rule threatens Alabama Always with irreparable harm,” Alabama Always claimed in their latest lawsuit. “The entry of a temporary restraining order, preliminary injunction, and permanent injunction would preserve the status quo and would not inconvenience the Commission, particularly since no party before the Commission has the right to have its application ranked and voted on in a manner that violates Alabama law. The balance of the equities therefore favors the issuance of a temporary restraining order and an injunction.” Previously, the AMCC contracted with the University of South Alabama (USA), which hired independent marijuana application evaluators to evaluate and score all the applications. Alabama Always did not have a top score in those independent USA scores, so the Commission did not award them a license in either the June or the August awards meeting. They sued, and during court-ordered mediation, the Commission agreed to rescind the earlier awards and not consider the independent evaluators’ scoring. Now, Alabama Always is filing a new suit objecting to the ranking system. The Commission is scheduled to meet tomorrow to make the awards. That timeline could now be in jeopardy if the court agrees to put an injunction or temporary restraining order on the awards in order to have a hearing on Alabama Always’ latest complaint. The Commission has already awarded the cannabis cultivator, processor, secure transporter, dispensary, and state test laboratory licenses. An integrator license allows a business entity to cultivate, process, transport, and dispense its medical cannabis products. One of the failed processor applicants has already filed a separate lawsuit. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Mike Rounds, Joe Manchin seek back pay for military officers affected by Tommy Tuberville holds
by South Dakota Searchlight staff, Alabama Reflector This story was originally published on South Dakota Searchlight. Senators from South Dakota and West Virginia want hundreds of military officers to receive back pay after an Alabama senator held up their promotions for most of the year. Mike Rounds, a South Dakota Republican, and Joe Manchin, a West Virginia Democrat, announced Friday the introduction of the Military Personnel Confirmation Restoration Act of 2023. The bill comes after Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Alabama, ended holds he had placed on hundreds of military promotions in protest of a Pentagon abortion policy. The policy allows armed services members time off and travel reimbursement if they seek an abortion in a state where it remains legal. On Tuesday, Tuberville said he would lift all of his holds except for a handful of four-star general nominees. The men and women who wear the uniform of the United States of America should not be negatively impacted by political squabbles. – Sen. Mike Rounds, R-South Dakota Rounds said Friday in a news release that he, like Tuberville, disagrees with the Pentagon policy and supports “a member of the Senate’s right to hold any nomination.” But, Rounds added, “the men and women who wear the uniform of the United States of America should not be negatively impacted by political squabbles.” “I am pleased to introduce this bipartisan legislation with Senator Manchin to do the right thing and provide military officers and their families with the benefits they have earned for their decades of service and sacrifice,” Rounds said. The press release from Rounds included comments from Manchin, who focused on the affected service members and did not address the abortion policy or the right of senators to hold up nominations. “These men and women are true American heroes and the least we can do in Congress is restore the benefits they have earned and deserve,” Manchin said. The bill co-sponsors include Tuberville. Other co-sponsors are Angus King, I-Maine; Joni Ernst, R-Iowa; Kirsten Gillibrand, D-New York; Richard Blumenthal, D-Connecticut; and Tim Kaine, D-Virginia. South Dakota Searchlight is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. South Dakota Searchlight maintains editorial independence. Follow South Dakota Searchlight on Facebook and Twitter. Alabama Reflector is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Alabama Reflector maintains editorial independence. Follow Alabama Reflector on Facebook and Twitter.
Bill in Alabama Legislature would prohibit mask mandates
Alander Rocha, Alabama Reflector An Alabama representative filed a bill last week that would prevent the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) and certain state government entities from enacting mask mandates. The bill, HB 9, sponsored by Rep. Brock Colvin, R-Albertville, would “prohibit governmental entities and the State Health Officer from imposing a face mask mandate to prevent the spread of COVID-19 or any other communicable disease.” “I don’t believe [the government] should have that authority,” Colvin said. “I think that people are smart enough to make those decisions for themselves. I just have that philosophical view that the government should have a very, very limited authority.” State, counties, municipalities, or any instrument of those entities, as well as public K-12 schools or public charter schools, would be prohibited from enacting mask mandates. The bill would provide exceptions to any medical facility licensed by the ADPH and state and local detention centers. There are no sanctions or punishments for failure to comply in the pre-filed bill. Several states, mostly Republican-leaning, have passed anti-masking regulations since the COVID-19 pandemic, including Arizona, Florida, and Texas. Arkansas imposed a similar restriction that was overturned by a state judge in December 2021. Other states, such as Tennessee and Georgia have laws giving parents the right to opt their children out of masking. The COVID-19 virus has killed over 22,500 people in the state since the first Alabama case was confirmed on March 13, 2020. At its peak in the state in the fall of 2021, up to 3,000 people were hospitalized each day for COVID. In an email statement, State Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris said during COVID-19, the federal government provided ADPH guidance in implementing certain mandates to protect public health, in response to the “once-in-a-lifetime circumstances.” But Harris said that the bill should stick with COVID-19 and not include all existing or potential communicable diseases. “There could be existing or evolving respiratory diseases where preventative health measures could effectively mitigate widespread outbreaks,” Harris said in the statement. Colvin’s bill goes further than a bill introduced in the 2023 legislative session that would allow parents to opt out of masking in K-12 public schools. The bill passed the House Health Committee but did not advance to the House floor. Rep. Chip Brown, R-Hollinger’s Island, at the time said the bill was not an “anti-school bill” or an “anti-masking bill,” but a “parental rights bill.” Colvin said that this bill is about personal freedom, and that he’s not trying to address the science behind masking in the bill. “I’m not even arguing the science on whether they work or not,” he said. “I’m just saying I don’t think the government has the authority to tell individuals what to do in terms of this.” Harris stated that it’s not ADPH’s goal to restrict personal freedoms and rights, but that it’s imperative to keep Alabamians safe at all costs. “ADPH has an obligation and a duty to the citizens of Alabama to promote, protect, and improve Alabama’s health,” the statement read. Colvin, a first-term representative and financial planner, is running for Alabama Senate District 9, which includes Blount, Madison, and Marshall counties. The seat was previously held by Clay Scofield, R-Arab, who stepped down to take a job with the Business Council of Alabama. Alabama Reflector is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Alabama Reflector maintains editorial independence. Follow Alabama Reflector on Facebook and Twitter.
Hunter Biden tax charges fans flame of impeachment inquiry
Hunter Biden’s latest tax indictment has fanned the fire of criticism against the president, who faces an impeachment inquiry by House Republicans and growing evidence that he personally benefited from his son’s overseas business deals. The latest indictment, which features nine more charges related to allegedly failing to file or pay taxes and filing falsely, backs up critics of the Biden family who say the impeachment inquiry is not without merit. “This indictment describes extremely serious felony violations of federal law for not only failing to pay taxes, but for engaging in a deliberate, intentional scheme to evade paying those taxes, including by claiming false and fraudulent business deductions. The standard sentence for that is many years in prison,” Hans von Spakovsky, a legal expert at the right-leaning Heritage Foundation, told The Center Square. “This also proves that the claims that there is nothing for the House committee to investigate is nonsense and it shows that the president himself was potentially involved in a shady, crooked business enterprise that sold government access for millions of dollars and did everything to hide its income from disclosure,” he added. House Oversight Committee Chair Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., also raised concerns about reports from IRS whistleblowers that the Department of Justice interfered in the IRS investigation into Hunter Biden. “The Department of Justice got caught in its attempt to give Hunter Biden an unprecedented sweetheart plea deal, and today’s charges filed against Hunter Biden are the result of Mr. Shapley and Mr. Ziegler’s efforts to ensure all Americans are treated equally under the law. Every American should applaud these men for their courage to expose the truth,” Comer said. “IRS whistleblowers also revealed investigators were prevented from following evidence that could have led to Joe Biden.” The Biden family and associates received more than $20 million from several overseas entities, including China and Russia, with Comer saying some of those funds were funneled to the president himself. The ongoing Congressional investigation into that matter is separate but linked to the latest tax charges indictment, which laid out how Hunter Biden spent lavishly on prostitutes, drugs, and more while not paying taxes. “Between 2016 and October 15, 2020, the Defendant spent this money on drugs, escorts and girlfriends, luxury hotels and rental properties, exotic cars, clothing, and other items of a personal nature, in short, everything but his taxes,” the indictment said. Comer threatened Hunter Biden with a contempt of Congress charge if he skips his scheduled deposition next week. Supervisory Special Agent Gary Shapley and Criminal Investigator Joseph Ziegler, both IRS employees with nearly 30 years of combined experience at the agency, testified earlier this year that Hunter Biden received preferential treatment. The whistleblowers testified that Assistant U.S. Attorney Lesley Wolf helped block investigators’ plan for an interview of the president and a search warrant of the Biden residence in Delaware. Biden’s DOJ also took fire for what was considered a lenient plea deal that was offered to Hunter Biden but later fell through. “But it also shows that he was almost right – he would have gotten away with this through a sweetheart plea deal with no jail time except for a federal judge questioning the unprecedented leniency of government prosecutors,” said Hans von Spakovsky. “And even though these are very serious charges – finally – they also show the incompetence of DOJ prosecutors or their deliberate malfeasance since he is only being charged with four years of tax violations when we know that these prosecutors allowed the statute of limitations to expire on prior years of similar tax violations.” Republished with the permission of The Center Square.
Texas erects more wire barriers along Rio Grande River as lawsuit continues
As Texas’ lawsuit continues against the federal government over its right to defend its border, Texas National Guard soldiers continue to erect concertina wire barriers along the Rio Grande River. The Fifth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals recently handed Texas a temporary win in the lawsuit, staying its own court panel’s previous ruling, and blocking the federal government from taking down or destroying Texas’ barrier. In October, Texas sued the Biden administration after Border Patrol agents began bulldozing concertina wire barriers on Texas soil to allow foreign nationals to illegally enter Texas between ports of entry. A district judge initially issued a temporary restraining order, blocking the federal government from destroying Texas’ concertina barriers, then reversed her ruling allowing them to do so. Texas appealed and a Fifth Circuit panel of judges initially stayed the district court ruling until they heard the case. They then reversed course, siding with the district judge. Texas then appealed to the full Fifth Circuit, which recently issued a stay until the entire court could hear the case. Gov. Greg Abbott has argued that Texas has a right to defend its sovereign border and is prepared to go all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. In the meantime, Abbott says, “Texas National Guard soldiers continue to install and reinforce razor wire barriers along the Texas-Mexico border. While [President Joe] Biden’s dereliction of duty at the border continues, Texas holds the line.” This week in Brownsville, Texas National Guard Engineer Special Response Teams repaired existing concertina wire barriers damaged by illegal crossers and installed a new anti-climb barrier (ACB), which is a fence erected behind the concertina barrier. The concertina barrier is in place along the riverbank close to the water to prevent illegal entry after someone swims or walks across the river, depending on the location. Some have thrown blankets, clothes, or towels to climb over the concertina barrier. Others use wire clippers to cut pieces to tear down or to cut holes to climb through. The ACB is comprised of connected 8-foot by 12-foot gates, reinforced by concertina wire, “to make it even more anti-climb,” Capt. Chris Daniel, SRT-1 officer in charge explained in a video published by the Texas Military Department. “There’s a heavy amount of cutting” in the Brownsville area, he said. “We have bad actors that are coming, opening up the wire allowing traffic to move through as we lay more wire in. The ACB reinforcement with the c-wire will slow that down a little bit. They’re going to have to do a lot more cutting to get through the ACB. They absolutely can’t manipulate it or push it down by putting clothes on it. Climbing will be a very hard task for them to complete. We’re trying to create a barrier that’s going to allow” Operation Lone Star officers to intercept “bad actors, stop them from being able to manipulate these barriers,” he said. OLS efforts continue after the Texas Legislature allocated over $11.5 billion towards border security efforts, including $1.5 billion recently allocated to continue building Texas’ first border wall. They also continue after Texas has borne the brunt of illegal border crossings, with at least over 1.9 million people illegally entering Texas since President Joe Biden’s been in office, according to data first reported by The Center Square.
