Republicans seek appointments in Jefferson County
The Mid-Alabama Republican Club (MARC) met on Saturday for their regular meeting and a legal briefing on the Congressional redistricting case in federal court by attorney Albert “Bert” Jordan. Hoover City Council President John Lyda is the President of MARC. Former State Representative Johnny Curry asked the MARC members to write Governor Kay Ivey on his behalf. “My name is Johnny Curry – I seek appointment by the Governor to tax assessor for the Bessemer Cutoff,” Curry said. “Currently, there are no Republicans in the Bessemer Courthouse. I served four terms in the Alabama Legislature representing Hueytown.” “I am not the only Republican seeking the office,” Curry said. “I can win reelection.” Appointments are up to Gov. Ivey. Ivey is a Republican, but some Republicans have criticized her in the past for appointing Democrats in Democrat-controlled areas of the state – areas like Jefferson County. The Jefferson County Tax Collector’s Office in the Bessemer Division became open following the sudden death of Assistant Tax Collector Eric Burks in July. Former Judge Brian Huff was also at the MARC event. He is also seeking an appointment from Gov. Ivey. Huff said that he previously was a Jefferson County judge appointed by Gov. Fob James and then elected in 1998. “I lost in 2012 along with all the other Republicans,” Huff said. “Now a vacancy has opened in divorce court in Place 1 in Jefferson County.” “My name went down to Governor Ivey on Wednesday with three other peoples,” Huff said. “I think the bench is important in Jefferson County.” “I would appreciate any support that you can give me,” Huff said. Huff is currently in private practice. He is a former Circuit Judge at Jefferson County Family Court. He is a graduate of Gardendale High School and West Birmingham Christian School. He has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Alabama and a law degree from the Birmingham School of Law. Greg Fanin is running in a special election for Alabama House District 16, which was vacated by Rep. Kyle South when South accepted a position as head of the West Alabama Chamber of Commerce. Fanin said that he became a Republican in the 1980s. “I was a Reagan Republican,” Fanin explained. “I served in the Army.” “I am asking for your vote,” Fanin said. “September 26 is the date.” HD16 includes parts of Jefferson, Tuscaloosa, and Fayette Counties. “I have a super strong connection to Jefferson County,” Fanin said, citing attending school in the county growing up. “I am asking for your support.” Fanin is a veteran of both the Army and the Air Force. He currently serves as the Commissioner of Coal Mines (ASMC) appointed by Gov. Ivey. He is a real estate appraiser and President of Gemini GEM Inc. He is the father to two daughters, Erin and Meg. He attends the Church of the Highlands. Allison Hepola is the head of the Republican Women of Shelby County. She asked for members of the MARC to support the club in its ongoing efforts to elect Republicans. Hepola was also soliciting signatures so Florida Governor Ron DeSantis could have ballot access in Alabama’s upcoming Presidential primary on March 5. Jefferson County Commissioner Joe Knight thanked the members of the MARC for their help electing former Alabama Supreme Court Justice Mike Bolin in a special election last month to fill an open position on the county commission. The GOP victory means that the Republicans maintain their narrow 3 to 2 control over the County Commission. Chris Brown is the Chairman of the Jefferson County Republican Party. Brown similarly thanked the group for their efforts in electing Bolin to the Commission. “I am very proud f the cooperation we got from the Alabama Republican Party,” Brown said. “The Jefferson County GOP knocked on over 2,000 doors in three weeks.” Brown also thanked U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville for recording a robo-call to remind voters to get out and vote for Judge Bolin. The Republican Party lost its last countywide elected official in Jefferson County in 2018 when Sheriff Mike Hale (R) was unseated by Mark Pettway. Gov. Ivey defeated Democratic nominee Yolanda Flowers 67.38% to 29.36% in 2022, but Ivey lost Jefferson County to Flowers. Brown was unmoved by the last decade of history, saying that if you look at where the growth is in Jefferson County, Gardendale, Trussville, Vestavia, and Hoover, are Republican areas. “I think we are at a point where we can flip the county back to the Republicans,” Brown declared. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Legislature passes changes to sheriff succession
On Thursday, the Alabama Senate voted in favor of legislation that would mandate that in the event of a vacancy in the office of sheriff that the next highest-ranking member of that department would assume the sheriff’s responsibilities until the governor can appoint a replacement. House Bill 276 (HB276) is sponsored by State Representative Ron Bolton. The legislation was carried in the Senate by Sen. Steve Livingston. “This changes an 1874 rule that the coroner would assume those duties,” Livingston told the Senate. Bolton explained that in the event of a vacancy in the sheriff’s office, the highest-ranking member of that department would take control of the department. This could be because of the death of the sheriff, the sheriff has been charged with a crime, or the sheriff has resigned or retired. Bolton said, “They will automatically take control of that office until the governor makes the appointment.” Bolton said that he has spoken with the sheriffs and that the Alabama Sheriffs Association helped to draft the bill. Rep. John Rogers asked, “What if the highest-ranking deputy has some charges pending against him?” Bolton said, “He would be removed himself. It would go to the next-ranking deputy.” Rep. Juandalynn Givan asked, “Did you talk to the sheriffs about this, and specifically, did you talk with Jefferson County Sheriff Mark Pettway about this?” Bolton said, “I did. I taught Sheriff Pettway in the academy 27 years ago. The Sheriffs Association helped draft the bill, and I spoke with Sheriff Pettway about this when he is in town. Bolton said that the law establishing that the coroner assumes the powers of a sheriff in the event of a vacancy dates back to 1852. “It has been amended a number of times, but it has never been changed in terms of succession,” Bolton said. According to the synopsis, “Under existing law, when the office of the sheriff of a county is vacant or in certain other circumstances when existing law has provided that it is not appropriate for the sheriff to serve, the county coroner discharges the duties of the sheriff. This bill would provide that when the office of sheriff is vacant or when certain other circumstances exist, the highest ranking deputy sheriff in the county would serve as acting sheriff.” HB276 passed the Senate 33 to 0. It passed the House of Representatives 104 to 0 last week. It now goes to Gov. Kay Ivey for her consideration. Wednesday was day 17 of the 2023 Alabama Regular Legislative Session. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Jefferson County Republicans urge voters to elect Jared Hudson as Sheriff
The Jefferson County Republican Party held a rally on Sunday in Gardendale to urge voters to come out and vote for Republican nominee Jared Hudson for Sheriff of Jefferson County. Hudson is challenging Democratic incumbent Mark Pettway in Tuesday’s general election. Jefferson County Republican Party Chairman former State Rep. Paul DeMarco of Homewood praised Hudson. “He is going to put public safety first,” DeMarco said. “He is going to put victims first. He is not going to put politics first.” Hudson said that Jefferson County is experiencing higher than the national average violent crime as well as higher than the national average rates of property crime. “We have two choices: one, leave Jefferson County, or two, we stand up, lock down, and fight for Jefferson County,” Hudson said. Hudson is a veteran who served as a U.S. Navy SEAL Operator who was deployed multiple times to a variety of combat zones in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Foal Eagle, and other critical missions. He has received multiple Navy, Marine Corps, and Army commendation medals for valor and multiple Navy, Marine Corps, and Army achievement medals. Since 2013, Hudson served as a law enforcement officer, acting as a deputy for the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, serving as a Reserve Deputy for the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, supporting special operations units, and working as an Investigator for the Johnson County Prosecutor’s Office. Hudson is an Alabama Peace Officer Standard Training Commission (APOSTC) certified Law Enforcement Agent and a certified National Wildlife Control Operator Administration Level 1, 2, and 3 Sharpshooter, in addition to holding other advanced law enforcement certifications. Hudson is the CEO of The Shooting Institute, which he owns and founded. Through The Shooting Institute, Hudson has personally trained local law enforcement, military personnel, and civilians in self-defense. Hudson has a Master of Business Administration degree from Liberty University. Hudson said, “Frederick Douglas said that there are three and only three ways, to reform our government: the voting box, the jury box, and the cartridge/ammo box.” “We are brothers and sisters in Christ,” Hudson continued. “I ask that you accept Jesus Christ as your savior. That is what we need in this county, in this state, and this nation.” “I feel called by God to do this,” Hudson said. “I have a wife and three daughters, and this is our home. If you don’t get out and vote, your kids will be left with the cartridge box, and I have fought wars all over the globe, and you don’t want that for your kids. I don’t want that for my kids. We will change this county for the better and make it a far better county, not just for my family but your family as well,” Hudson said. “We are going to take back the Sheriff’s office,” DeMarco said. “You are the backbone of the party because you are here and you care,” said Alabama Republican Party Chairman John Wahl. “Bad policies have real-world prices. Look at gas prices. Look at the rising cost of living.” State Rep. Allen Treadaway said, “Democrats’ policies have been to defund the police and so demonize law enforcement, making it impossible to recruit and retain officers.” Treadaway said that the Jefferson County Sheriff’s office is down 300 officers from four years earlier. “We have got to win this election on Tuesday,” DeMarco said. Pettway has served as a law enforcement officer for over 27 years. In 2018, he became the first African-American elected as Sheriff of Jefferson County. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Faulkner University. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Bill advances to allow concealed handguns without permit
Alabama lawmakers on Wednesday advanced legislation that would do away with the requirement for a person to get a permit to carry a concealed handgun in public. A divided House Public Safety Committee on Wednesday approved a bill that would do away with the current permit requirement for a person who carries a handgun under their clothes or in a purse or bag when they go in public. It would also do away with the current requirement for people without concealed carry permits to keep handguns unloaded and secured when driving. The proposal now moves to the full Alabama House. Similar legislation is pending in the Senate. State sheriffs and other law enforcement officials have opposed the legislation, arguing that the permits provide a crucial tool to combat crime and enhance public safety. The bill has been championed by gun-rights groups who argue that people shouldn’t have to get a permit, which requires paying a fee, to carry a handgun they legally own. “This bill gives law-abiding citizens, that are able to own a firearm, the ability to carry that firearm concealed, or in their car, for their protection. It’s not very complicated. It doesn’t change who can or cannot carry, and it does not change where you can or cannot carry. It only addresses the permit itself,” Republican Rep. Shane Stringer of Citronelle said of his legislation. There are 21 states that allow concealed weapons in public without a permit, according to Stateline, an initiative of the Pew Charitable Trusts. Several sheriffs and other law enforcement officials attended the committee meeting at the Alabama Statehouse to oppose the bill. “We are opposed to the bill because we know how unsafe it makes the community,” Jefferson County Sheriff Mark Pettway told reporters after the vote. “It’s going to allow more guns to be on the street. We do not need more guns on the street,” Pettway said. Lee County Sheriff Jay Jones, the incoming president of the Alabama Sheriffs Association, said the permits are a tool that officers use daily to remove “weapons from the hands of individuals who should not have them in the first place.” “We’re able in using the permit requirement — using that as a tool — to remove that weapon from that individual’s hands and take that individual into custody. And a lot of times that we’ll uncover evidence of other crimes as well, burglaries, thefts, and even homicides and assaults,” Jones said. Republican Rep. Allen Farley, a retired assistant sheriff from McCalla, said the fees from the permits help sheriffs buy bulletproof vests, put resource officers in schools and carry out other law enforcement functions. “Let’s be serious. What we are doing here is defunding the police,” Farley said. Similar bills have been introduced unsuccessfully in Montgomery for at least the last five years. However, the House Republican Caucus this year has backed the legislation as an agenda item. Proponents said the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency is developing a database, authorized by a state law creating a lifetime concealed carry permit option, that officers can use to flag people not legally entitled to carry a handgun. Jones said the intent is good but said he didn’t think that would be effective because of the inherent gaps in collecting data. Stringer, a former captain with the Mobile County sheriff’s office, has disputed the value of the permits in stopping crime. “A $20 piece of plastic is not going to stop an evil-hearted person,” Stringer said. Jones said after the meeting that he agrees that criminals won’t obey the law but said the current permit requirement “helps us” bring those criminals to justice. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
Jefferson County Commission to preserve jail remnant where MLK was held
A Commissioner said it was important to preserve what’s left of the jail.
New black sheriff, court officer in Birmingham rethinking policing
Veteran Alabama law enforcement officer Mark Pettway grew up in a black neighborhood called “Dynamite Hill” because the Ku Klux Klan bombed so many houses there in the 1950s and ’60s. Now, after becoming the first black person elected sheriff in Birmingham – on the same day voters elected the community’s first black district attorney – Pettway sees himself as part of a new wave of officers and court officials tasked with enforcing laws and rebuilding community trust fractured by police shootings, mass incarceration, and uneven enforcement that critics call racist. In a state where conservative politicians typically preach about getting tough on crime, Jefferson County’s new sheriff ran and won on an alternative message. He favors decriminalizing marijuana, opposes arming school employees, supports additional jailhouse education programs to reduce recidivism and plans for deputies to go out and talk to people more often, rather than just patrolling. “Going forward we need to think about being smarter and not being harder,” said the Democrat Pettway, 54. While the nation’s law enforcement officers are still mostly white men, and groups including the American Civil Liberties Union and Black Lives Matter call for sweeping changes in the criminal justice system, minorities appear to be making gains nationwide. In Pettway’s case, strong turnout by African-American voters, combined with national concern over police shootings of unarmed people of color, helped him defeat longtime Sheriff Mike Hale, a white Republican, said professor Angela K. Lewis, interim chair of political science at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Winners in other cities attributed their success to similar factors. Houston voters elected 17 black women as judges in the midterms. Even before the election, nearly the entire criminal justice system in the Georgia city of South Fulton, near Atlanta was run by black women, including the chief judge, prosecutor, chief clerk and public defender. They’re offering more chances for criminal defendants to avoid convictions through pre-trial programs and increased use of taxpayer-funded lawyers to protect the rights of the accused. Chief Judge Tiffany C. Sellers of South Fulton’s municipal court said officials also explain court procedures in detail to defendants, many of whom haven’t been in court before and are scared. “Black and brown people often feel disenfranchised from the system, and I want them to understand what is going on,” Sellers said. “At the end of the day they may not like what I did with their case, but at least they know I explained things to them.” Midterms voters in five North Carolina counties elected black Democratic sheriffs for the first time, including Gerald Baker in Wake County. He defeated a longtime Republican incumbent by campaigning on ending the county’s participation in a Trump administration program to detain people suspected of being in the country illegally and advocating for greater police accountability. The message resonated in a county where a deputy and two highway troopers were charged in the beating of a black man earlier this year. Kyron Hinton suffered injuries including a broken nose, multiple dog bites and a fractured eye socket. “If we make a mistake out here in the actions that we take then we should take responsibility for those things,” Baker said in an interview after the election. Yet despite gains by people of color, officials like Baker still represent a minority in U.S. law enforcement. A Justice Department report released in 2013 showed that law enforcement agencies had become more racially and ethnically diverse over a 26-year period, yet the nation’s overall law enforcement community remained overwhelmingly white and male. Local police departments, which typically patrol inside city police jurisdictions, were about 73 percent white, the report said. Sheriff’s offices, which usually patrol in less urban areas and often operate county jails, were even whiter, at about 78 percent white. The report said research found that African-American, Latino and Asian-American communities were all underrepresented within police agencies relative to the populations they served. The disparity was greatest among blacks in areas where black population is proportionately largest, said the report. In Birmingham, Sheriff-elect Pettway of Jefferson County said he wants to increase hiring among minorities and women after he takes office in January. The department’s roughly 680-person staff should better reflect the county’s population, which is almost evenly split between blacks and whites, he said. Some of Pettway’s positions track those of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives, with about 3,000 members in all levels of police work. The group opposes arming teachers and held a conference last year aimed at broadening communication between police and community members. Pettway said he plans to increase the use of police body cameras, which he said was a big selling point during his campaign. “People loved that. With all the things that have been happening in law enforcement, people wanted accountability,” he said. Republished with permission from the Associated Press.
JeffCo voters elect first African-American sheriff, DA
African-Americans have been elected for the first time to two of the top law enforcement positions in Alabama’s most populous county. Jefferson County voters around Birmingham elected black Democrat Mark Pettway as sheriff, turning back a re-election bid from longtime Republican incumbent Mike Hale, who is white. Voters also elected black Democrat Danny Carr as district attorney. He defeated white Republican Mike Anderton, who was appointed to the position last year. The county has about 660,000 residents and is almost evenly split racially. Pettway has spent more than 25 years in law enforcement and has worked for the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office for nearly two decades. Carr is a longtime prosecutor who was working as chief assistant district attorney. He previously served as district attorney on an interim basis. Republished with permission from the Associated Press.
Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin endorses local candidates
Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin has been busy the past few days making endorsements in local races ahead of Tuesday’s election. Woodfin first took to social media on Saturday where he endorsed Danny Carr for Jefferson County District Attorney. On Sunday he endorsed Felicia Stewart for State House District 46 as well as Mark Pettway for Jefferson County Sheriff. He continued his endorsements Monday morning adding Alli Summerford for State House District 48 to his endorsements list. All of the candidates Woodfin has endorsed are Democrats. Woodfin’s local endorsements thus far: Alli Summerford “Alli’s vision for Alabama is one that so many of us share: well-paying jobs, a 21st century education system, affordable healthcare, and an economy and state government that works for all of us, not just some of us. I am proud to endorse Alli for Alabama!,” Woodfin posted on Facebook. Mark Pettway “Mark Pettway’s focus on community policing and criminal justice reform will help to bring fresh ideas, transparency, and accountability to the Jefferson County Sheriff Office. I am proud to support Mark Pettway For Sheriff!” said Woodfin on Facebook Felicia Stewart “Felicia Stewart is a true public servant who expects more for our state and will work to solve real problems in public education, healthcare, clean water and other critical issues facing every day Alabamians. VOTE Felicia Stewart this Tuesday! #ExpectMore,” Woodfin posted on Facebook. Danny Carr Woodfin posted on Facebook, “I’ve had the pleasure of knowing Danny Carr for many years. You will be hard pressed to find a man that works as hard and cares about the people of our community as much as Danny Carr. His unwavering commitment to the people of Jefferson County over his 17 years of service has been highlighted through his work in the courtroom and his civic participation throughout our community. I am proud to endorse Danny Carr for Jefferson County DA.”
JeffCo Sheriff, DA candidates face-off in debate
Jefferson County voters have more information about the candidates running for Jefferson County Sheriff and District Attorney (DA) thanks to a public debate hosted Sunday evening. DA candidates, Republican incumbent Mike Anderton and Democrat challenger Danny Carr faced-off first, before the Sheriff candidates, incumbent Republican Mike Hale and Democrat challenger Mark Pettway took the stage at the UAB campus. The debate was hosted by the Birmingham Association of Black Journalists and the Phi Iota Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. the debate also featured a voter education session, which answered questions such as: What issues will be on the ballot? How do you navigate the Alabama Voter website to find your polling place? How to register to vote. And how to absentee vote. DA debate Crime and recidivism Anderton: “My primary goal is to work with those who have gotten in trouble before, try to figure out why they have gotten in trouble,” Anderton said according to the Birmingham Times. “Is it poverty? Is it lack of education? Is it lack of a job?. . . Let’s work with those who have recently gotten out of prison or jail. So that we can work with them to take care of whatever their needs are. Theirs are just as important. They’re coming out and needing our help. “What we’ve got to do is make sure they have some hope, make sure they’ve got something in their future that they can walk to with pride and know that when they get there they’ve accomplished something.” Carr: “Make sure that we do things that benefit those individuals while they’re paying for the crime that they committed,” Carr said according to the Birmingham Times. “The worst thing that could happen is that they go in and come out worse . . . because then they come in our community [and cause even more problems]. We have to . . . make sure that you are placing people in the best position they can be in when they get out so that they won’t return to a life of crime.” Watch the DA debate below: Sheriff debate Body cameras Both candidates agreed that body cameras protect sheriff deputies and citizens. “This day and age there is no reason why we should not have body cameras,” explained Pettway. Watch the Sheriff debate below:
