Birmingham Rep. John Rogers arrested for violating witness contact order
Alander Rocha, Alabama Reflector Rep. John Rogers, D-Birmingham, was taken into custody Monday for contacting another person connected to his indictment on obstruction of justice charges. Magistrate Judge Staci G. Cornelius told Rogers, that she “very plainly” and “very clearly” told Rogers that he could not contact anyone associated with the case. She said that when she asked Rogers if he understood her, he “without hesitation,” said yes. Rogers remained quiet throughout the hearing. Rogers pleaded not guilty to two counts of obstruction of justice on allegations that he diverted public money from a youth baseball league to an assistant. Rogers, the longest-serving member of the Alabama House, was released on a $5,000 bond. One of the conditions for being released was that Rogers were not to contact or attempt to contact anyone involved in the case. Carlos Chaverst, a spokesperson Rogers retained during the legal proceedings, said after the hearing that Rogers’ call to Individual #1 was “an honest mistake.” Chaverst identified Individual #1 as George Stewart and said Rogers meant to call his accountant when he asked his phone to call, whose last name is also Stewart. “He called his phone and said, ‘Hey, Facetime Stewart, or call Steward, and the first Stewart that popped up was, unfortunately, one of the witnesses in the case,” Chaverst said. He also said there are four Stewarts in Rogers’ phone but declined to identify the accountant by first name. According to U.S. Assistant Attorney George Martin, Rogers made two Facetime calls that Individual #1, or George Stewart, did not pick up. Individual #1 then notified the FBI that Rogers attempted to contact them. “He’s 82 years old, and we can’t expect an 82-year-old — or I don’t expect an 82-year-old man or woman or anyone to be able to use their cell phone at ease or without issues all the time,” he said. It is not immediately clear where Rogers would be held. Chaverst said there are two places where federal inmates are held in Jefferson County, either the Jefferson County Jail or the Birmingham City Jail. The indictment accuses Rogers, who has served in the Alabama House for over 40 years, of directing hundreds of thousands of dollars for public projects in Jefferson County to a youth baseball league, with a portion of the money being kicked back to Varrie Johnson Kindall, an administrative assistant the indictment accuses Rogers of having a romantic relationship with. Prosecutors also accused Rogers of attempting to convince a person identified as “Individual #1” to give false information to criminal investigators with the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) looking into the transactions. Rogers’ indictment came months after former Rep. Fred Plump, D-Fairfield, the director of the Piper Davis Youth Baseball League, pleaded guilty to similar charges over the use of public money. In late May, the Department of Justice (DOJ) accused Plump, a freshman representative, of taking money from the Jefferson County fund under the direction of another Jefferson County legislator identified as “Legislator #1” and kicking back a portion of it to a legislator’s assistant. Rogers said at the time he was “probably” the unnamed “Legislator #1,” but maintained his innocence. According to the indictment, between fiscal year 2018 and fiscal year 2022, Rogers received $500,000 from the Jefferson County Community Service Fund for Jefferson County programs. Prosecutors accuse Rogers of moving approximately $400,000 of that discretionary funds to the Piper Davis Youth Baseball League. In turn, Plump gave approximately $200,000 to Kindall. Kindall was previously identified as “Individual #1” in Plump’s DOJ charges. Rogers also moved money from the fund to “Organization #1.” The organization founder, “Individual #1,” then gave a portion of that money to Kindall. Rogers has served in the Alabama House since 1982. He ran unopposed in the previous two elections. In 2014, he was challenged by Republican Phillip Bahakel but won with almost 77% of the vote. Rogers is the third representative to face criminal charges this year. Rep. David Cole, R-Huntsville, pleaded guilty to a voting fraud charge and resigned in August after acknowledging he did not live in House district at the time he was elected. The hearing will continue Thursday at 1:30 p.m. 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.
Rep. John Rogers pleads not guilty to federal obstruction of justice charges
By Alander Rocha, Alabama Reflector Rep. John Rogers, D-Birmingham, pleaded not guilty Thursday to two counts of obstruction of justice on Thursday at the Hugo L. Black Federal Courthouse in Birmingham. Rogers was released after being processed by the U.S. Marshals on a $5,000 bond. Prosecutors allege that Rogers diverted public money from a youth baseball league to an assistant. The state representative will need to surrender his passport, but he told Magistrate Judge Staci G. Cornelius Thursday that he had not left the country in 10 years and may not have one. If he is able to find the passport, he is to turn in it to his probation officer. Rogers will be allowed to travel within the state of Alabama because he is still serving as a state representative. Under Alabama law, a conviction or plea to either of the charges would automatically remove Rogers from office. Rogers also may not open any new line of credit as part of the conditions, and he must turn in a gun he previously indicated was lost. “I don’t own a firearm,” he said, interrupting Cornelius as she was reading the terms of the bond, in which it said that he previously owned a firearm but may not know where it is. The indictment accuses Rogers, who has served in the Alabama House for over 40 years, of directing hundreds of thousands of dollars for public projects in Jefferson County to a youth baseball league, with a portion of the money being kicked back to Varrie Johnson Kindall, an administrative assistant the indictment accuses Rogers of having a romantic relationship with. Prosecutors also accused Rogers of attempting to convince a person identified as “Individual #1” to give false information to criminal investigators, with the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) looking into the transactions. Rogers has served in the Alabama House for over 40 years. His indictment comes months after former Rep. Fred Plump, D-Fairfield, the director of the Piper Davis Youth Baseball League, pleaded guilty to similar charges over the use of public money. In late May, the Department of Justice (DOJ) accused Plump, a freshman representative, of taking money from the Jefferson County fund under the direction of another Jefferson County legislator identified as “Legislator #1” and kicking back a portion of it to a legislator’s assistant. Rogers said at the time he was “probably” the unnamed “Legislator #1,” but maintained his innocence. According to the indictment, between fiscal year 2018 and fiscal year 2022, Rogers was allocated approximately $500,000 by the Jefferson County Community Service Fund for Jefferson County programs. Prosecutors accuse Rogers of moving approximately $400,000 of those discretionary funds to the Piper Davis Youth Baseball League. In turn, Plump gave approximately $200,000 to Kindall. Kindall was previously identified as “Individual #1” in Plump’s DOJ charges. Rogers also moved money from the fund to “Organization #1.” The organization founder, “Individual #1,” then gave a portion of that money to Kindall. Rogers has served House District 52, which includes portions of Birmingham, since 1982. He ran unopposed in the previous two elections. In 2014, he was challenged by Republican Phillip Bahakel but won with almost 77% of the vote. Rogers is the third representative to face criminal charges this year. Rep. David Cole, R-Huntsville, pleaded guilty to a voting fraud charge and resigned in August after acknowledging he did not live in the House district at the time he was elected. 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. Follow Alabama Reflector on Facebook and Twitter.
AG Steve Marshall announces conviction of former state legislator David Cole
On Tuesday, Attorney General Steve Marshall announced the conviction of former Alabama State Representative David Cole, who was ordered to pay $52,885.79 in restitution to the State General Fund and serve 60 days in the Madison County Jail. Cole also resigned his legislative seat, which was vacated upon his arrest in August. Cole must turn himself in by October 17, 2023, at 5:00 p.m. Cole resigned from office in August and signed a plea deal admitting guilt. Cole was arrested for voter fraud, having voted at an unauthorized location or location. Cole, 52, of Madison, served as the representative for House District 10 from November 2022 until August 2023. Today, Cole pleaded guilty as a part of a plea agreement, and Madison County Circuit Court Judge Mann adopted the terms of the agreement. Cole, a Madison County resident, decided in the summer of 2021 to seek election to the Alabama House of Representatives. Due to redistricting, he anticipated that his Cedar Springs residence would be drawn into another district outside of House District 10. In mid-October 2021, Cole asked a third party for a leased location “to sleep in” in case he could not find another home or apartment within the newly redrawn house district. In November 2021, Cole signed a lease requiring him to pay $5 per month for a “5×5 area.” He then certified his “new residence” via an online voter registration update with the Alabama Secretary of State. The evidence in this case reflects that Cole never made any attempt to move into the home, nor did he ever eat or sleep in the leased space. In the May 2022 primary election in which Cole was a candidate, Cole voted absentee using the leased address and later voted in-person for the June run-off election, where he was not authorized to vote. In the weeks before the primary election, and in response to media questions about his residency, Cole provided an altered copy of his lease which specified that Cole was renting the “house” rather than a “5 x 5 area.” Cole also provided another lease for an apartment he obtained on or about September 1, 2022. Cole completed another online voter registration update on October 17, 2022, in which he certified that he resided at that apartment, and then voted in the general election in November 2022 at a polling place in which he was not authorized to vote. Only weeks later, Cole completed a property-tax exemption document in which he certified that as of October 1, 2022, he resided in the Cedar Springs house. A special election for this seat will be held on December 12, 2023.
Republican party announces qualifying dates for House District 10 special election
On Friday, the Alabama Republican Party announced that qualifying dates for the District 10 Special Election will open on Monday. All Republican candidates interested in running for this office must file with the party before qualifying closes. Candidate qualifying will open at 8:30 a.m. on Monday and close at 5:00 p.m. on October 10. The seat in House District 10 became vacant following the resignation of former State Rep. David Cole, who pleaded guilty to voting at the wrong polling place. Cole ran for and won the open District 10 seat in 2022, even though he did not live there. To qualify for the Republican ballot, go online or visit Alabama Republican Party headquarters at 3505 Lorna Road in Hoover during the qualifying period. The special primary election will be held on December 12. A primary run-off election will be held on January 9, 2024, if necessary. The Special General Election is set for March 26, 2024. Republican qualifying for 2024 races, including President, begins on October 16 and closes on November 10. For more information, visit the website or phone Alabama Republican headquarters at 205-212-5900. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
State Rep. John Rogers indicted on obstruction of justice charges
We are still just in the first year of this four-year term, but three of the 105 Alabama House of Representatives members have already been indicted. The latest is State Representative John Rogers (D-Birmingham). The U.S. Attorney’s office in Birmingham announced that Rogers has been indicted on two federal charges of obstruction of justice. Rep. David Cole (R-Madison) pleaded guilty and resigned to voting in the wrong precinct when it was discovered that he ran in 2022 for a seat in a district different from the one where he lives. Rep. Fred Plump (D-Fairfield) has already been indicted, pleaded guilty, and resigned his House District 55 seat in this same federal corruption case. Plump admits to receiving $400,000 from Rogers in Jefferson County Community Service funds ostensibly to benefit a rec league Coach Plump ran. Instead of using all the money for the children, Plump admits to giving $200,00 to Varrie Johnson Kindall, Rogers’ longtime legislative assistant, who lives in Chelsea. Plump was indicted for both corruption and for obstruction of justice for notifying Kindall of the federal investigation after authorities told him not to. Kindall has been indicted 21 times by federal authorities for her role in this scheme and the effort to cover it up. The federal government alleges that Rogers and Kindall attempted to obstruct justice by offering an unidentified witness additional grant money as a bribe and otherwise trying to corruptly persuade the witness to give false information to federal agents.” Rogers could face as much as 25 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine if convicted. Rogers has denied any wrongdoing. None of Wednesday’s news was unexpected. The Jefferson County Republican Party is already actively recruiting candidates to run for Rogers’ seat, assuming that it will become vacant when he agrees to a guilty plea or is found guilty by a jury of his peers. Jefferson County Republican Party Chairman Chris Brown said on Tuesday night that he and Alabama Republican Minority GOP Chairman Phillip Brown are actively looking for a candidate in neighboring House District 52, where Rogers is “tied up in the same corruption scandal as Plump.” If Rogers surrenders his seat or is removed upon conviction, Governor Kay Ivey will call a special election to fill the vacancy. The special Democratic primary for Plump’s HD55 seat was held just Tuesday. “We don’t know that there is going to be an opening (in HD52), but we want to be ready if there is,” Chris Brown said. Rogers has, to this point, denied any wrongdoing. He is 83 years old and served in the Alabama House of Representatives for the last 42 years. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Special election for House District 10 begins drawing candidates
BY: ALANDER ROCHA With a special election set for House District 10 after the resignation of former Rep. David Cole, R-Madison, candidates – new and familiar – are weighing their options. Cole resigned from his House seat on August 30 and pleaded guilty to a charge of knowingly voting at a polling place where he was not authorized to vote. The district is one of a handful of competitive seats in the Alabama Legislature. Cole got 52% of the vote in 2022 to Democratic nominee Marilyn Lands 45%. Libertarian Elijah Boyd got 3%. Lands, who announced her candidacy on Tuesday in a live video streamed on her campaign Facebook page, said in a phone interview Wednesday that she is running a second time because of the momentum her campaign built the first time around. “We worked really hard the first time around, and we knocked on lots of doors and we had a message that resonated with people, and I think we can turn our people back out again, she said. She also thinks she can make a difference. As a mental health professional, she said that the “state of our kids and the crisis we’re having in healthcare” compelled her to run again. “There’s been a lot of things that have been on my mind that we could do something about at the state level,” she said. House Minority Leader Anthony Daniels, D-Huntsville, backed her candidacy Wednesday, adding that he is confident in her ability to perform in a potentially competitive race. “The Marilyn story speaks for itself. She’s a mental health counselor. She worked for Boeing. She worked for the airport. She has been engaged in a lot of civic organizations within the community. She is of the community that she’s running in. Now, people get an opportunity to see Marilyn and understand her story,” Daniels said. Anson Knowles, who intended to run against Cole in the 2022 Republican primary, said that he’s still undecided. The Alabama Republican Party kicked Knowles off the ballot for previous work with the Libertarian Party. Knowles, who had raised questions about Cole’s residency, said in a recent interview that the last election took a toll on his family and with three kids, he said it’s a difficult decision to make. “I can’t run as a Republican. The GOP made it pretty clear they don’t want me,” Knowles said. “I considered running as a Democrat for a minute just because I thought that’d be the best way to make sure the Republicans didn’t win because I’m so mad at them for what they did to me the last time.” Knowles said that he rejoined the Libertarian Party in February and was appointed to the party executive board in March. He said that he is currently focused on recruiting Libertarian candidates for local Madison County races and has his hands full with candidate training. He said that ideologically, he doesn’t fit in with Republicans, Democrats, or Libertarians, but he is currently focused on building up the Libertarian Party’s infrastructure. “I’m an independent kind of thinker, and so I guess it didn’t sit well – like when I was in the GOP, that was part of the reason what why I had so many enemies in there, because I’d call up their establishment for their crap, and the Libertarians, I’d call out their people for their crap. It’s difficult to tell the truth to people sometimes,” Knowles said. Elijah Boyd, the Libertarian candidate for the seat in 2022, said he plans on running again, but that has to be decided by the Libertarian Party. He said he’s not ready to make any final decisions just yet. “I’ve been the representative for the party twice now, and I think I’m the best to represent, but I’ll let the party decide that,” Boyd said. Other people who have mentioned they may run for the seat are Republican D.J. Klein, a broadband business owner and former Madison City Council member who expressed interest in the seat previously. Klein wrote in an email that since redistricting, he no longer lives in the district. “And I hear that’s frowned on these days,” he wrote jokingly. Headmaster Jerry Reeder of the Whitesburg Christian Academy in Huntsville was mentioned by Knowles as a possible Republican candidate for the seat, but he said that was just a rumor. “We are, in fact, enjoying the humor of this situation and the fact there are, indeed, many rumors flying about,” Reeder said in an email. There may have been some confusion, he said in the email, because the principal for the upper-school, Robby Parker, was approached about running for the seat but declined. Parker said in an email that he was honored to be asked, but “firmly believe [he is] where The Lord wants [him].” According to a plea agreement, Cole decided to run for the House District 10 seat in the summer of 2021. The seat was held by retiring Rep. Mike Ball, R-Madison. But redistricting that year moved Cole’s home into House District 4, represented by Rep. Parker Moore, R-Hartselle, an incumbent who was seeking his second term in the House. The agreement said Cole contacted a friend, referred to as “H.S.,” and negotiated a $5-a-month lease at H.S.’s home in District 10. Cole later changed his voter registration to the address but only had mail sent there. The deadline for qualifying with major political parties will be Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2023. The deadline for independent candidates and minor parties is Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2023. Republished with the permission of the Alabama Reflector.
Governor announces special election dates in House District 10
Governor Kay Ivey signed a proclamation on Monday setting special election dates for Alabama House District 10. This seat was vacated by Republican David Cole, who resigned on August 30 after signing a plea agreement admitting that he knowingly voted at a polling place where he was not authorized to vote. Governor Ivey set the special primary election for Tuesday, December 12, 2023. The special primary runoff, if necessary, will be held on Tuesday, January 9, 2024. The special general election has been set for Tuesday, March 26, 2024. “The people in House District 10 deserve to be fully represented in the legislative process, and by calling this special election, we will ensure that to be the case. Those in public office must be held accountable and to the highest standard,” said Governor Ivey. “I encourage everyone in this district to get out and vote during this special election to ensure you have a strong voice advocating for you in the Alabama Legislature.” The deadline for qualifying with the two major political parties will be Tuesday, October 10, 2023, at 5:00 p.m. Independent and minor party candidates have until Tuesday, December 12, 2023, at 5:00 p.m. to turn in all of their paperwork with the Alabama Secretary of State’s office, including ballot access petition signatures. During the legislative session, the Alabama House of Representatives was divided 77 to 28, with Republicans having a commanding supermajority. There are vacancies, so the current split is 75 to 27, pending the results of the three special elections. House District 10 represents a portion of fast-growing Madison County. House District 10 was targeted by Democrats in 2022 as a possible swing district that they thought they could win. Cole is the second member of the Alabama House of Representatives to plead guilty to criminal misdeeds and resign from the Legislature this year. Fred “Coach” Plump (D-Fairfield) was the other. Plump was indicted in a federal corruption probe. It was widely known that Cole, a successful doctor, did not live in District 10 but ran (and was elected) for the seat anyway. In Alabama, every voter is assigned a polling place based on their home address. Cole admits to having broken that law by voting at a different polling place. Both Cole and Plumb were freshmen legislators. Contact the Alabama Republican Party or the Alabama Democratic Party for more information about running for the vacant HD10 seat. The eventual winner will serve for the remainder of Cole’s term and then have to face voters again, along with the rest of the Alabama Legislature, in the 2026 election. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Alabama lawmaker David Cole agrees to plead guilty to voter fraud
An Alabama legislator has agreed to plead guilty to a felony voter fraud charge that he used a fraudulent address to run for office in a district where he did not live, according to an agreement filed Thursday. Republican Rep. David Cole of Huntsville will plead guilty to a charge of voting in an unauthorized location, according to a plea agreement filed in state court. He will resign from office on the day he enters his guilty plea. Cole, a doctor and Army veteran, was elected to the House of Representatives last year. According to a plea agreement, Cole signed a lease in 2021 to pay $5 per month for a “5X5 space” in a home in order to run for office in House District 10. Cole had some mail sent there, but never lived there and never “stepped past the entry foyer” on the two times he visited the location, according to the plea agreement. Alabama law requires candidates to live in a legislative district for one year before they run for office. Cole signed the lease for the space two days after a redistricting plan was enacted that placed the home, where Cole had lived since 2014, in another House district. Cole, in 2022, signed a lease for an apartment in District 10, but he continued to claim a property tax break from the county by saying he resided at his house. “Dr. Cole admits and takes full responsibility for the mistakes he made in the political process. He entered the process to serve his community. he has lived a life of service, including serving for 22 years in the Army with tours in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Egypt,” Bill Espy, a lawyer representing Cole, said in a statement on Cole’s behalf. According to the plea agreement, Cole will serve 60 days in the Madison County Jail and the remainder of a three-year sentence on unsupervised probation. Cole’s arrest on Tuesday comes after accusations surfaced that he did not live in the district in which he was elected. Elijah Boyd, the Libertarian candidate in the district, had filed an election challenge in civil court, arguing that Cole did not live in District 10 and was not eligible to represent the district. Republished with the permission of The Associated Press.
State Rep. David Cole arrested for voter fraud
On Tuesday, State Representative David Cole (R-Huntsville) was arrested on charges of voting at an unauthorized voting location. Tuesday’s arrest is part of a lengthy investigation of Cole’s residency. Investigators are conducting a probe into whether or not Cole actually lives in the district that he represents – District 10. Under Alabama law, you must vote at the polling place you are assigned based on residency. Speaker of the House Nathaniel Ledbetter (R-Rainsville) issued a statement on Tuesday following the arrest. “This afternoon, the Speaker’s Office became aware of David Cole’s arrest on the charge of fraud—voting at an unauthorized location,” Speaker Ledbetter said. “As this is an ongoing investigation, we are still waiting to learn more details as they become available.” “In recent years, the Alabama House has prioritized legislation that promotes election integrity, and we believe that any allegation of fraud must be addressed regardless of the party, public official, or candidate involved,” Ledbetter continued. “Alabamians may remain confident that their elections are conducted honestly, their votes are cast and counted fairly, and their ballot boxes are secure. Now, it is up to a court of law to determine the validity of the allegations Cole is facing, and I anticipate Alabama’s election laws will withstand their true intent.” His election opponents brought the matter up before the November election, but Cole, the Republican nominee, won anyway. Libertarian Elijah Boyd has brought a pending legal action against Cole, and there are media reports that authorities do believe that there may be merit to the accusations. Cole, a doctor, owns a big house outside of the district. He claims to rent another house in the district, but he apparently never sold the home that he owns, and his critics maintain that he and his wife do not live at the address he wrote on his qualifying papers. Cole’s tenure in the Legislature has been overshadowed by the looming residency litigation. Cole was reportedly booked into the Madison County Jail, where he is being held on a $2,500 bond. Cole serves as Medical Director of Occupational Health Group. He and his wife, Melanie, have three children. They are members of First Baptist Church of Huntsville and St. John the Baptist Church in Madison. David is a graduate of Arkansas State University and received his Doctorate Degree in Medical Services from the University of Arkansas. If convicted, Cole would be the second member of the Alabama House of Representatives convicted of crimes this year. The other being former State Rep. Fred Plump (D-Birmingham). Cole, like Plump, was elected for the first time in 2022. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Alabama legislators urge Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall to support congressional investigation into Space Command decision
On Tuesday, a bipartisan group of legislators in the Alabama House of Representatives sent a letter to U.S. Airforce Secretary Frank Kendall supporting the congressional investigation led by U.S. House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers and Congressman Dale Strong. The letter was signed by Speaker of the House Nathaniel Ledbetter, House Minority Leader Anthony Daniels, House Majority Leader Scott Stadthagan, and Speaker Pro Tem. Chris Pringle, as well as Reps. Joe Lovvorn, Danny Garrett, Wes Kitchens, Laura Hall, Parker Moore, David Cole, Rex Reynolds, Andy Whitt, James Lomax, Ritchie Whorton, and Phillip Rigsby. An NBC news report released on May 15 claimed that President Joe Biden will intervene to keep the Pentagon from moving Space Command from Colorado to Huntsville. The President’s objections to the state of Alabama are reportedly due to the state’s ban on abortion. Many speculate that the real reason could be political in that Colorado voted for Biden in 2020, while Alabama did not. Below is the text included in the attached letter: “Dear Secretary Kendall, “As members of the Huntsville and Madison delegations of the Alabama House of Representatives, and as House leadership, we are writing to you in support of the House Committee on Armed Services’ investigation into the delay in implementing the recommendation to place U.S. Space Command (SPACECOM) Headquarters at Redstone Arsenal, which is being led by U.S. House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers and Congressman Dale Strong.” “As you are aware, it has been made clear through multiple U.S. Air Force recommendations that the most strategic location for the U.S. Space Command headquarters is Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama. The Government Accountability Office and Department of Defense Inspector General have both confirmed this recommendation was made through a sound process. Huntsville has the infrastructure, the workforce, the education system, engineering base, existing military and defense apparatus, and quality of life to be the ideal location for U.S. Space Command. This is why this site has received the unanimous number one recommendation from the U.S. Air Force.” “As representatives of the communities surrounding Redstone Arsenal in the Alabama House of Representatives, we felt the need to respectfully encourage you to support and comply with the congressional investigation into the delay of this critical national security decision. We are also concerned to learn the U.S. Department of Defense was not aware, and not involved, in this change. The people of Alabama and the United States of America need and deserve transparency on the apparently revised mission requirements of SPACECOM as it relates to its decision to locate its headquarters.” “A lengthy delay in making a decision this important to national security deserves Congressional oversight, and we are thankful that Congressmen Rogers and Strong recognized this need and are taking action by launching this investigation. We greatly appreciate your service to our nation and the role that the U.S. Air Force has in keeping our country, and the world, safe from threats, and we believe that you also appreciate the need for transparency and Congressional oversight.” On Friday, Fox News published a story detailing an announcement from Rogers that he is opening an investigation into the continued delays in the selection of a permanent base for the U.S. Space Command (SPACECOM) Headquarters. “Today, I launched an investigation into the continued delays in the SPACECOM Headquarters basing decision,” said Chairman Rogers. “The fact is, the Air Force already made the correct decision well over two years ago. That decision was affirmed by the GAO and the DoD Inspector General over a year ago. This decision was based on multiple factors, and Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama, was the clear winner in the Evaluation and Selection phase. I am deeply concerned that the continued delays in making this move final are politically motivated and damaging to our national security.” “I have requested that House Armed Services Committee Chairman, Mike Rogers, open a formal investigation into the Biden Administration’s failure to announce a permanent location for U.S. Space Command (SPACECOM) Headquarters,” said Rep. Strong.“The Administration’s delay risks politicizing a process which must remain fact-based. Injecting politics into America’s basing decisions serves to do unprecedented harm to our national security. American men and women in uniform must be given the very best, not the third or fourth choice. Redstone Arsenal was chosen as the preferred location after a years-long process. The decision was later confirmed not just once, but twice with the results of the Government Accountability Office and Department of Defense Inspector General investigations. It is plain and simple: Redstone Arsenal is the best possible location to host U.S. Space Command headquarters. The Air Force’s basing process established this, and it was confirmed. I thank Chairman Rogers for agreeing to this investigation. The members of the House Armed Services Committee, and our service members awaiting a final basing decision, deserve answers and swift action from the Air Force.” The letter by the State Representatives followed the announcement of the investigation by Rogers. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Personnel update: Molly Cagle leaving BCA for new challenges at Shipt
Molly Cagle is moving on from the Business Council of Alabama (BCA) and joining Shipt’s corporate team as the Senior Director of Government and Public Affairs. Cagle was BCA’s Vice-President of Government affairs. Katie Boyd Britt, BCA President and CEO, hired Cagle for the position in Feb. 2019. Before working for BCA, the Troy University graduate worked as Director of External Affairs at Manufacture Alabama (MA). Molly stated on her Facebook page, “I’m truly thrilled to be joining Shipt’s corporate team as the Senior Director of Government and Public Affairs. I look forward to continuing to work in Alabama, while adding just a few more states to the list.” https:// Britt commented on Katie’s post, “Congratulations again! We are so proud of you (and for Shipt)! You are going to do an incredible job! We miss you already!” Britt hired Cagle for the position in 2019. David Cole, Senior Vice-President of Government Affairs at BCA also commented, “So proud of you!!! Well deserved and you’re going to do wonderful things for Shipt!” In 2020 Cagle was named a Woman of Impact for Yellowhammer News. Shipt headquarters is located in Birmingham and employs hundreds of people in the area. In 2018, the Birmingham City Council unanimously approved a new incentives package which helped encourage the company to stay in Alabama and to add more jobs.
Donald Trump won’t commit to peaceful transfer of power if he loses
It is highly unusual that a sitting president would express less than complete confidence in the American democracy’s electoral process.
