Stephanie Smith addresses Young Republicans
On Wednesday, Stephanie Smith addressed a joint meeting of the Shelby, Jefferson, and St. Clair County Young Republican Clubs. The three groups of YRs were gathered at Hoover Tactical Firearms to watch Wednesday night’s Republican Party Presidential Debate. Smith is the third president of the Alabama Policy Institute (API). Smith said API was founded in 1989 by Gary Palmer and Tom Parker. Palmer served as President until he ran for Congress in Alabama’s Sixth Congressional District – a position he still holds. Caleb Crosby led the group for about eight years until being replaced by Smith in January. “The Alabama Policy Institute has gone through some transition over the last nine years,” said Smith. “We try to strike a balance between the social conservative side and fiscal conservative side,” Smith said. “We try to set a conservative agenda for the state,” Smith explained. “To hold elected officials accountable for their vote.” “We opine on national issues with our congressional delegation, but we are more focused on state issues,” Smith continued. She went on to explain to the YRs how to watch the debate. “Try to focus on the issues rather than the personality,” Smith said. “With Trump not being here, they are going to try to jockey for that second spot.” She handed out sheets and asked the group to rank the candidates on the issues and how close they came to their views without the bias of how they felt about the candidates before the debate. “It has been interesting to me since I took over API in January,” Smith said. “I have had national officials come up to me and ask, why are you here? Alabama is great. You have a supermajority. You can pass whatever you want.” “Many of the men and women in leadership are more moderate,” Smith explained of state government. “They are not as conservative on the Alabama side.” “There are plenty of things we can do to be more conservative as a state,” Smith said. “We are nonpartisan, but we are conservative-led.” She said that one thing that API does is “push out as much information as we can.” State Representative Susan Dubose (R-Greystone) said, “I cannot tell you how beneficial Stephanie and her group have been to me.” Dubose said that the information that she gets from API is trustworthy. “It is actual fact. It is not something that they made up,” Dubose said. The YRs then watched the over two-hour debate. Former President Donald Trump elected not to participate in the debate. Also at Wednesday night’s event was former State Senator Bryan Taylor, who is running for Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court, and Alabama Court of Civil Appeals Judge Matt Fridy. Before Smith’s presentation, the Shelby County Young Republicans elected their officers. Shane Plyler was elected the group’s chairman. River Morris was elected Vice Chair. St. Clair County Republican Party Chairman Logan Glass announced that the club is raffling off a customized AR-15 built by one of the club’s members. Tickets are $5 each. The Alabama presidential primary is on Tuesday, March 5. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Young Republicans gather in Moody
On Saturday, Young Republicans (YRs) from across the state gathered at Moody Park for an afternoon of barbecue, bluegrass music, and camaraderie as the St. Clair County Young Republicans (YRs) held their summer gathering. St. Clair County Young Republicans Chairman Logan Glass presented plaques to Federation of Alabama State Young Republican President Stephanie Petelos and State Representative Craig Lipscomb (R-Gadsden) – who represents parts of St. Clair and Etowah counties. Glass praised Petelos for her example and her leadership and credited her with restoring the Greater Birmingham Young Republicans (GBYRs) to its role as the largest Young Republican group in the state. That club has grown to the point that a new club has branched off from the GBYRs – the Shelby County Young Republicans. Glass thanked Lipscomb for his work in Montgomery on behalf of the county and for his support of the YRs. The St. Clair Young Republicans presented former St. Clair County Republican Party Chairman Circuit Judge Phil Seay with the inaugural Phil Seay Award. Seay is the President of the Alabama Judges Association. Glass thanked Seay for his years of unwavering support for the YRs. Former State Representative Mike Ball and his bluegrass band performed at the event. Ball served twenty years in the Alabama Legislature representing Madison. He is the author of an autobiographical book about his experiences: Picking, Politicking and Pontificating: How an Ex-Cop Legalized Cannabis While Fighting Corruption. Several state appellate court seats are on the ballot in 2024, so several judicial candidates were present at Saturday’s event. Former State Senator Bryan Taylor (R-Prattville) was present. Taylor is running for Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court. Current Chief Justice Tom Parker is near the age 70s age limit, so he is prevented from running again. Taylor is a practicing attorney who has held many state government positions, including counsel for Governor Kay Ivey. Taylor is a retired Judge Advocate, a former military prosecutor, and an Iraq War veteran. Taylor faces a Republican primary battle with Alabama Supreme Court Justice Sara Stewart. Current Court of Criminal Appeals Judge Chris McCool is running for the position on the Alabama Supreme Court that Stewart is vacating in her run for Chief Justice. McCool is a former district attorney in West Alabama. McCool is also a farmer, a preacher, and a gospel singer. He performed a couple of songs with Ball and his band at Saturday’s event. James Govan is running for the position on the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals that Judge McCool is vacating. Govan is a career prosecutor and a U.S. Air Force Reserve officer currently working for the Alabama Attorney General’s office. Rich Anderson is also an Assistant Alabama Attorney General and a prosecutor running for the Alabama Criminal Court of Appeals. Anderson has represented the state of Alabama before the Criminal Court of Appeals, federal district courts, the Alabama Supreme Court, the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, and the U.S. Supreme Court. Emory Cox was the platinum sponsor of Saturday’s event. Cox is U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville’s aide on finance and economics. While Cox’s duties in Washington D.C. prevented him from attending, Cox’s mother, Annette Cox, the owner of St. Clair County-based Metro Bank, was present. Glass thanked the Cox family for their friendship and history of support for the YRs and Emory for his service in Washington. Bamacarry of St. Clair County was an exhibitor and a sponsor of Saturday’s event. Glass also thanked Shaw’s Barbecue for the food as well as all of the many bronze sponsors of the event. Other notables in attendance were State Supreme Court Justice Greg Cook, State Rep. Jim Hill (R-Odenville), State Senator Lance Bell (R-Pell City), Court of Criminal Appeals Judge Bill Cole (R), Alabama Court of Civil Appeals Judge Matt Fridy, St. Clair County District Attorney Lyle Harmon, St. Clair County Commissioner Tommy Bowers, commission candidate James McGowan, former St. Clair County Republican Party Chairman Joey Stephens, St. Clair County School Board Member Bill Morris, and Colbert County Assistant DA Brent Woodall. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Kenneth Paschal announces run for full term in State House
State Rep. Kenneth Paschal announced on Tuesday that he is seeking to serve a full term in the Alabama House of Representatives for House District 73, Yellowhammer News reported. Paschal is currently serving the remainder of Matt Fridy’s term. Fridy was elected to the Alabama Court of Civil Appeals in 2020. He became the first black Republican elected to the legislature since Reconstruction. Paschal stated, “I want to again thank the voters of Shelby County for the trust they placed in me during the three special elections. I’ve only represented District 73 for the past three months, but I’ve met so many great people, and it has only reinforced my commitment to public service.” “Today, I’m officially announcing that I will be running for a full term in 2022. As I’ve said all along, I’m running for God and country. That hasn’t changed,” he continued. “We need strong conservatives in Montgomery who will stand up for what we believe.” Paschal, a U.S. Army Veteran, has served on the Constitution, Campaigns, and Elections Committee and the Military and Veterans’ Affairs Committee. Alabama Republican Party chairman John Wahl recently appointed him to serve as the state GOP minority outreach coordinator. House District 73 includes portions of Alabaster, Calera, Chelsea, Helena, Montevallo, Pelham, and unincorporated Brantleyville. The primary election is set to take place on May 24, 2022.
Inside the Statehouse: March 3rd primary analysis
Steve Flowers reviews last week’s primary results and the implications on the upcoming runoff.
Inside the Statehouse: Primaries next week
Steve Flowers discusses next week’s primary elections.
Here’s everyone who the BCA has endorsed in the 2018 election cycle
The Business Council of Alabama (BCA), considers itself Alabama’s foremost voice for business. It is a non-partisan, statewide, business association representing the interests and concerns of nearly 1 million working Alabamians. The BCA works with the Alabama Legislature to promote “pro-business” reforms such as: Tax credits for small business Job creation Incentives for economic development Ethics reform Positive changes in our public education system Here are the candidates who the BCA has endorsed, who they believe will bring the best changes and initiatives for Alabama’s businesses: Statewide Races: Governor: Kay Ivey Lieutenant Governor: Twinkle Cavanaugh Attorney General: Steve Marshall Secretary of State: John Merrill State Treasurer: John McMillan Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries: Rick Pate Judicial Races: Chief Justice: Lyn Stuart Associate Justice Place 1: Sarah Stewart and Brad Mendheim Associate Justice Place 2: Tommy Bryan Associate Justice Place 3: Will Sellers Associate Justice Place 4: Jay Mitchell Court Of Civil Appeals Place 1: Christy Edwards Court Of Civil Appeals Place 2: Judge Terri Thomas Court Of Civil Appeals Place 3: Judge Terry Moore Court Of Criminal Appeals Place 1: Richard Minor Court Of Criminal Appeals Place 2: Chris McCool Court Of Criminal Appeals Place 3: Judge Bill Cole State Senate Races Senate District 2: Tom Butler Senate District 3: Arthur Orr Senate District 5: Greg Reed Senate District 7: Mary Scott Hunter Senate District 12: Del Marsh Senate District 13: Randy Price Senate District 14: Cam Ward Senate District 16: Jabo Waggoner Senate District 17: Shay Shelnutt Senate District 18: Rodger Smitherman Senate District 32: Chirs Elliott State House Races House District 3: Humphrey Lee House District 6: Andy Whitt House District 8: Terri Collins House District 9: Scott Stadthagen House District 13: Connie Rowe House District 14: Richard “Bull” Corry House District 27: Wes Kitchens House District 30: Craig Lipscomb House District 36: Randy Wood House District 39: TJ Maloney House District 40: K.L. Brown House District 41: Corley Ellis House District 42: Jimmy Martin House District 43: Arnold Mooney House District 44: Danny Garrett House District 45: Dickie Drake House District 46: David Faulkner House District 47: David Wheeler House District 48: Jim Carns House District 49: April Weaver House District 50: Jim Hill House District 55: Rod Scott House District 73: Matt Fridy House District 87: Jeff Sorrells House District 88: Jeremy Arthur House District 89: Marcus Paramore House District 96: Matt Simpson House District 102: Willie Gray
Cam Ward and Matt Fridy: A positive note in prison debate
The news surrounding the Alabama corrections system seems to be one negative story after another with much of the focus on the need for reform and consolidation in the system as well as higher quality of service and better outcomes. Much of this is true and is a result of inadequate funding, not because of poor leadership or management. In fact, we would argue that ADOC has some of the best leadership under Commissioner Jeff Dunn and his team that we have had in some time. They are tackling the bigger problems and looking for ways to solve them in the face of many challenges. However, not everything at ADOC is bad news, in fact there is one diamond among the rough that Dunn and his team have recognized as an example of how corrections could be run with the appropriate funding and dedication to positive outcomes for those leaving the system and returning to their local communities. The Alabama Therapeutic Education Facility in Columbiana, Ala. will have been open for ten years this coming March and have worked with almost 7,000 ADOC inmates who participated in an innovative six month rehabilitation program at the facility. The program is a partnership between the GEO Group as well as ADOC and the Alabama Department of Post Secondary Education. Here the participants come from DOC facilities all over the state and enter into a six month evidence based program of drug rehabilitation, education and an opportunity for a vocational degree in five different trades and crafts via our community college system. We have toured the ATEF and it is in fact a model of what we as legislators would like to see across the state of Alabama. Why? What are the results from almost ten years at this unique medium security facility? According to the Alabama Department of Corrections this past July, over those ten years, the ATEF has an average recidivism rate of 15%. To put that into context, the state of Alabama’s recidivism rate is 35% (per ADOC) and the national average is 76%. In fact, a U.S. Bureau of Justice study stated that within five years of release, 76% of inmates leaving state facilities are rearrested. The challenge we have in Alabama and will continue to have, is adequate funding for proven programs such as ATEF. However, with a commitment from the Ivey Administration, the ADOC, ALDPSE and the legislature, the teaching and the treatment and the vocational degrees for participants going back to their local communities can continue and will at ATEF. Alabama should be looking for ways to fully utilize ATEF and expand this model with proven results into other areas of our state’s corrections system. Simply put, the results speak for themselves and if we dedicate funding to expanding a program with a 15% recidivism rate, numerous lives will be improved and the state will see the benefits for decades to come. ••• Cam Ward is a Republican member of the Alabama Senate. He has represented District 14 since 2010. Matt Fridy is a Republican member of the Alabama House. He has represented District 73 since 2014.
Lawmakers to vote on declaring Alabama ‘right to life’ state on “Pro-Life Day”
Alabama Republicans have officially deemed Thursday “Pro-Life Day” in the state House — a day they’ll affirm the state’s commitment to pro-life issues, by voting on a variety of anti-abortion, pro-life bills. Throughout day the lawmakers will consider everything from banning physician-assisted suicide in the state to protect doctors who refuse to perform abortion procedures to officially declaring Alabama a “right-to-life” state in the Alabama Constitution. The Constitutional amendment, HB 98, is sponsored by Montevallo-Republican state Rep. Matt Fridy and has already been passed in the state Senate. Passage in the House would sent it to Gov. Robert Bentley and ultimately before voters in 2018. Several representatives took to social media to publicize their support for Pro-Life Day:
