Robert Aderholt and Barry Moore vote against ouster of Speaker McCarthy; Terri Sewell is saddened by the move
On Tuesday, extreme elements within the House majority successfully ousted Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy (R-California) less than 72 hours after McCarthy’s ability to craft a bipartisan compromise saved the government from a crippling shutdown. Both Congressmen Robert Aderholt (R-AL04) and Barry Moore (R-AL02) voted against the motion to vacate the House Speakership. “Today, I voted against the removal of Kevin McCarthy as the current Speaker of the United States House of Representatives,” Aderholt said in a statement. “I am certainly disappointed that Speaker McCarthy has been removed. While no Speaker is perfect, as no member of Congress is perfect, I believe that Speaker McCarthy has done the best he can in bringing conservative bills to the floor. We must remember that Republicans have one of the narrowest margins in the history of the United States House of Representatives.” “Our nation currently has many challenges, and certainly, the debt of this country, and the crisis at the border, are issues that must be dealt with,” Aderholt continued. “Republicans must find a way to work together to do the most we can do until we can grow our majority. We don’t give up because we can’t win everything today. I will never give in and never quit fighting to solve the debt problem and the disaster at the border.” Barry Moore also voted against the motion to vacate the chair and remove McCarthy as Speaker. “Congress has 41 days left to fund the government by getting the remaining appropriations bills passed — let’s not waste them,” said Rep. Moore. “If we keep our eye on the prize, we have the chance to do something that hasn’t been done in 26 years. We can fund the government through regular order with cuts to Biden’s out-of-control spending that is currently imposing a 17% inflation tax on Americans, but not if we waste time on infighting about the motion to vacate.” Moore voted against the 45-day continuing resolution on Saturday that kept the government funded. Even House Judiciary Committee Chairman and Freedom Caucus member Jim Jordan spoke in support of McCarthy. Congresswoman Terri Sewell (D-AL07) released a statement regarding the passage of House Republicans’ motion to vacate the chair, removing McCarthy as House Speaker. “This is a sad and unprecedented day for America,” Rep. Sewell said in a statement. “Government works best when we have two functioning political parties that are willing to put people over politics. What is clear is that House Republicans are divided among themselves and have unleashed chaos, dysfunction, and extremism at every turn.” This is the first time in U.S. history that a sitting speaker has been voted to be removed. There are now essentially three factions in the House of Representatives: Democrats, mainstream Republicans, and a small faction of ultra-conservatives who are not swayed by even the majority of their own caucus. None of the three factions have enough votes to govern by themselves. “My Democratic colleagues and I remain willing to find common ground, but it is up to House Republicans to end this GOP civil war.” The Washington Post is reporting that McCarthy has told House Republicans that he will not be a candidate for Speaker of the House again. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Steve Flowers: It’s Official – Alabama will have new Congressional Districts
It’s official and final. Alabama will elect our seven-member congressional delegation under new lines next year. The federal court has spoken. The special master drawing the lines has acted, and the final omnipotent power, the U.S. Supreme Court, has concurred and confirmed the decision. It is over. The result that the plaintiffs desired has been decreed by the courts. There will be a new second majority Black Congressional district. This accomplishment has been sought for decades. Now the question becomes, can the Democrats succeed in electing a Black Democrat to this new opportunity district? It is not a slam dunk. The new district is 50% Black and 50% White. It favors a Montgomery candidate. The bulk of the population and the geographic center of the new district is Montgomery County. Montgomerians are like the rest of the state. They adhere to the well-known predilection known as “friends and neighbors” politics. That means they prefer to vote for someone from their neck of the woods, especially their county. My early prediction is that Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed will be the Democratic nominee and the favorite to win the new seat. The special master that drew the new lines attached an index to his maps that revealed that if there were a congressional race within this new district that this district would have voted for the Democrat in 15 out of 17 of the last 17 elections. Therefore, the court’s desire to make a second minority Democratic district where a Democrat has a good opportunity to win has been accomplished. The entire basis of this high-profile federal case has been centered around the fact that Alabama has one Black Democratic Congressperson, Terri Sewell, and six White Republicans. One Black Democrat constitutes 14% of the state’s population. The plaintiff’s argument is that the state’s Black population is 27%. Therefore, there should be two Black Democratic congressional seats in the Heart of Dixie. The courts bought that argument and hung their hat on the 1965 Voting Rights Act, and having one seat rather than two violates and dilutes Black voters in Alabama’s voting rights. The question now becomes, what are the down-home political implications and results of these court-mandated new congressional lines? All of you who live in middle and north Alabama, which is most of you, are unaffected. The majority of the people in Alabama who live in Birmingham north are not affected. In fact, everyone north of Montgomery is unaffected. All of the commotion and redrawing has occurred in Montgomery, the Black Belt, the Wiregrass, and Mobile. Our three powerful Republican congressmen are left with basically their same districts. Republicans Robert Aderholt, Mike Rogers, and Gary Palmer, who are our centers of power in the House, have their same, if not enhanced, GOP districts. Huntsville’s freshman congressman, Dale Strong’s district is unchanged. Congresswoman Terri Sewell’s Democratic district has been favored in the drawings. She has a perfectly drawn district that pretty much mirrors her current Birmingham-based seat. She will probably be spared a Republican challenge. However, State Senator Bobby Singleton, who hails from the Black Belt, may challenge her in a Democratic primary out of spite. He wanted a district that favored him but lost to Sewell in the legislative battles over the drawing of the new Black district. The real rubber meets the road within the Republican ranks in the Wiregrass, and Mobile and Baldwin counties. The five Wiregrass counties of Covington, Dale, Geneva, Houston, and Coffee are sent to Baldwin and Mobile. Therefore, new Congressmen Jerry Carl from Mobile and Barry Moore from Enterprise/Coffee are in the same district. Moore is the odd man out in this dilemma. The majority of votes in this new district are in Baldwin and Mobile counties. Carl will be the prohibitive favorite against Moore or any other Republican. It will be a very conservative Republican district. Therefore, six of our seven seats will be in safe reelection journeys for our incumbent congressmen. Jerry Carl in the first, Mike Rogers in the third, Robert Aderholt in the fourth, Dale Strong in the fifth, Gary Palmer in the sixth, and Terri Sewell in the seventh are very safe bets for reelection in 2024. Therefore, all of the turmoil and court intervention only affects one area of the state. All the brouhaha and action will be in the newly drawn second district. It is Montgomery Democratic Mayor Steven Reed’s race to lose. He will be the favorite to win and change Alabama’s delegation in Washington from six Republicans and one Democrat to five Republicans and two Democrats. However, I would handicap that race as a 50/50 toss-up. There will be a lot of Republican dollars from Washington showered upon the Republican nominee. It will be interesting. See you next week. Steve Flowers is Alabama’s leading political columnist. His weekly column appears in over 60 Alabama newspapers. He served 16 years in the state legislature. Steve may be reached at www.steveflowers.us.
Robert Aderholt welcomes Blount County back into Fourth Congressional District
Last week, the court-appointed special master released three congressional redistricting maps for the three-federal judge panel to consider in a hearing on Tuesday. The U.S. Supreme Court rejected Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall’s (R) emergency appeal asking the court to stay the lower court’s effort to impose one of those three maps on the state. One of those maps will be Alabama’s new districts, certainly for the 2024 election and possibly through the 2030 election. Congressman Robert Aderholt (R-AL04) shared his thoughts in a statement after the U.S. Supreme Court rejected the State of Alabama’s appeal and the release of three proposed remedial congressional maps drawn by a court-ordered special master. “As I have said previously, the ruling seemed to be a case where the Court was speaking out of both sides of its mouth,” Aderholt said. “They have said you can’t use race to draw district lines, but then said you must use race to draw district lines. Regardless, this seems to be the reality we are facing.” The redistricting means that Aderholt’s district changes for the next term. These same changes were made by the Alabama Legislature in July. The three-judge panel rejected that map. “While I’m sorry that Etowah and Lawrence counties are not technically in the 4th Congressional District, my door is always open to the people of both counties,” Aderholt said. “I welcome Blount County back into the Fourth District and welcome the western portion of Lauderdale as a new part of the Fourth Congressional District.” Steve Marshall expressed his frustration with the court’s ruling. “There should be nothing more offensive to the people of our great state than to be sidelined in 2023 by a view of Alabama that is stuck in 1963,” AG Marshall said on Twitter. “This racial agenda is pressed by left-wing activists, not just in Alabama, but in any Republican state where it might advantage Democrats. If this brazen and divisive commandeering is permitted without even a whisper of concern from other quarters, America’s congressional elections as we know them will never be the same. We will be grouped together by race alone, with counties and cities split down the middle—the same way that we were so wrongfully segregated once before.” Marshall has vowed to continue to appeal and argue for the validity of the map the legislature prepared in a special session in July. Marshall said his office “will continue our fight to defend the 2023 map, which was enacted by the people’s representatives, and which complies with both the Voting Rights Act and the Constitution’s promise that governments should be colorblind.” “We will comply with the district court’s preliminary injunction order while building our case for the 2023 map, which has yet to receive a full hearing,” he said. “We are confident that the Voting Rights Act does not require, and the Constitution does not allow, ‘separate but equal’ congressional districts.” The 2024 election cycle began on Friday with the start of Democratic Party qualifying. Republican qualifying will begin on October 16. The major party primaries, including the presidential primary, will begin on March 5. Despite the changes to the district, Aderholt is expected to qualify to run for another term. He is the longest-serving member of the Alabama congressional delegation. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Robert Aderholt opposes rescheduling of marijuana
Congressman Robert Aderholt (R-AL04) was one of 14 Republican members of Congress to join in a letter to U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration chief Anne Milgram expressing their opposition to federal rescheduling of marijuana. While the State of Alabama is in the process of issuing licenses to farmers to grow marijuana and for doctors to recommend it to their patients, it remains a Schedule 1 narcotic with no medicinal value, according to the federal government. There is momentum to change that. The Biden Administration’s Department of Health and Human Services has released a letter urging that marijuana be federally rescheduled, a move that Aderholt opposes. Aderholt said that he opposes the move even if it is politically popular. “I am proud to join @PeteSessions and @SenatorLankford in a letter to Administrator Milgram. As Chairman of the Approps Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, I share the concern that our nation’s drug policies should not be set based on popular opinion.” Eight Republican U.S. Senators and six Republican members of the House of Representatives declared the Department of Health and Human Services’ August 29 recommendation to move marijuana from Schedule 1 to Schedule 3 of the Controlled Substances Act part of an “irresponsible” “pro-pot agenda.” They urged that marijuana remain listed among the most dangerous drugs. The letter was sent to Milgram because the decision is now up to her and federal attorneys to consider relevant questions of law and policy in a review of the recommendation by Health and Human Services (HSS). Chey Garrigan is the founder and CEO of the Alabama Cannabis Industry Association. Garrigan said that marijuana does have documented health benefits and maintains that there are Alabamians who would benefit from medical marijuana. “Congressman Robert Aderholt can have an opinion,” Garrigan said. “Where is the data that backs up why he is against it?” “Any effort to reschedule marijuana should be based on proven facts and science – not popular opinion, changes in state laws, or the preferred policy of an administration,” the Republicans, led by Republican Sen. James Lankford (R-Oklahoma) and Representative Pete Sessions (R-Texas) wrote in the September 11 letter to the DEA. “Current research, science, and trends support the case that marijuana should remain a Schedule 1 drug.” Lankford, Aderholt, and Sessions were joined by Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee), Sen. Ted Budd (R-North Carolina), Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas), Sen. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma), Sen. James Risch (R-Idaho), Sen. M. Michael Rounds (R-South Dakota), Rep. Earl “Buddy” Carter (R-Georgia), Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Arizona), Rep. Chuck Edwards (North Carolina), and Rep. Hal Rogers (R-Kentucky). Even though Oklahoma has over 7,000 marijuana farms and businesses, Lankford argued in a recent column that marijuana has not befitted Oklahomans. “Drug cartels—from not just south of the border, but also Asia—are now deeply ingrained across Oklahoma, operating grow facilities that ship marijuana across the country,” Lankford wrote. “Oklahomans often now wake up to read the news about the latest execution-style murder, human trafficking, or prostitution at a grow facility in rural Oklahoma. In January 2023, the Tulsa World reported that about 2,000 licenses for medical marijuana were being investigated because they were suspected of having been either obtained unlawfully or were covering up an operation to sell on the black market. Oklahoma is now the top source for black market marijuana in the nation. So much for the argument that widening legal access to a drug gets rid of the illicit market.” President Joe Biden launched the first federal administrative review of marijuana’s legal status last October, calling current federal policy a “failed approach.” To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Steve Flowers: Alabama is in for a congressional shakeup
Being elected to Congress is like having a guaranteed job for as long as you want. They serve two-year terms, and the reelection rate is 96%. All you have to do is vote the party line and not commit murder, and you are there for life. The path to reelection to most political offices is to have money and name identification, and this is especially true in Congressional races. All seven of our congressmen are considered in safe seats. We have six Republicans and one lone Democrat in our Alabama delegation to the Potomac. The districts as currently drawn are designed for six Republicans and one Democrat. A three-judge federal panel made up of two Republican-appointed judges and one Democrat appointee judge made the decision over two years ago that Alabama should have a second Black Democratic seat. They hung their hat and robe on the fact that one Black Democratic seat is not sufficient in Alabama, given that one seat comprises only 14% of the black population and Alabama has a 27% Black population. Thus, Black Democrats should have two rather than one Democratic seat in the Heart of Dixie. This decision has been upheld by none other than the United States Supreme Court. Therefore, folks, it is about to happen. My prediction over a year ago was that the Courts or their appointed cartographer would draw a second minority district. I further continue with my prognosis that the Court will act very soon, probably within the next few weeks, to ignore the legislature’s partisan plan in favor of the Milligan/Plaintiffs Plan. The result will be the new Congressional lines for the next decade. The Milligan/Plaintiffs Plan is perfectly drawn and expertly designed to comply with the Court’s decree. This plan creates a second minority district centered around all of Montgomery, the Black Belt, and the Black voters in Mobile. The new second minority district will appropriately be Alabama District 2. The old Second District that Republican Barry Moore sits in will be dissolved. The Whites in the five Wiregrass counties will be sent to the Mobile/Baldwin Republican district held by Jerry Carl. Under the Milligan/Plaintiffs Plan, Congresswoman Terri Sewell’s district is beautifully drawn for her. It is essentially the same as her current district. It will be 55% Black. The new Second District will be 50% Black. The Republicans will contest this new district and may prevail. However, the odds favor a Black Democrat. My guess is when the dust settles in November 2024, Alabama’s Congressional makeup will be five Republicans and two Democrats. This change has been brewing for over a decade. Black voters have argued that having a Black population of 27% calls for two seats under the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Finally, after the 2020 census, Black plaintiffs sought relief from our federal courts. It was clear that the growth in the Black population in the Montgomery area would allow for a congruent, clearly defined second minority district. When you include Montgomery with the 12 rural overwhelmingly Black and Black Belt counties and draw in most of the Black voters in Mobile, it becomes possible. The three-judge panel agreed and gave the state a two-year reprieve because the 2022 elections based on the 2020 census were already ongoing. You could tell from the original decision to stay the case due to the timing of the 2022 elections that the Supreme Court was interested in revisiting this Alabama scenario. They did, and they ruled and sent it back to the three Alabama judges to uphold. The three-judge panel is going to rule on the final district lines any day now. The lines that the Judges deliver to Alabama soon will favor a second minority district for our state. This Supreme Court case is far-reaching. It will also change the partisan makeup of other Southern states like Louisiana, Georgia, and North Carolina. The Supreme Court knew what they were doing. They knew they were using Alabama as a guinea pig and plowing new ground in the South under the Voting Rights Act. Our Alabama Congressional delegation is looking at a shakeup in 2024. However, it will not affect our power and influence in the U.S. House. Our three Republican powers in Congress, Robert Aderholt, Mike Rogers, and Gary Palmer, will be unaffected, and our two Republican newcomers, Jerry Carl and Dale Strong, will have enhanced Republican districts. Terri Sewell will be entrenched as a Democratic leader in the House. See You next week. Steve Flowers is Alabama’s leading political columnist. His weekly column appears in over 60 Alabama newspapers. Steve served 16 years in the state legislature. Steve may be reached at www.steveflowers.us.
Mike Rogers requests GAO investigation of the U.S. SPACECOM basing process
U.S. Representative Mike Rogers (R-AL03), the Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, requested that the Government Accountability Office (GAO) investigate the basing process for U.S. Space Command (USSPACECOM) permanent headquarters. This follows Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall’s request for an Inspector General investigation on Wednesday. Chairman Rogers has requested that GAO investigate the process between the completion of their previous report in June 2022 and President Biden’s selection of Colorado Springs as the permanent headquarters for USSPACECOM. “National security decisions of this magnitude and significant economic interest require the process to be standardized, repeatable, transparent, and deliberate,” Rogers wrote in the letter. “Based on numerous administration officials talking to the press, the decision by President Biden appears to be anything but. Preferential decision-making by the President because of certain state laws has widely been publicized as a major factor but was never included in the basing requirements.” “Long-term, permanent basing decisions should stand up to scrutiny and not be politically motivated based on social policy preferences or based on advocacy by Administration officials,” Rogers continued. “Instead, such a process should remain analytical and focused on clearly announced criteria and requirements that can be publicly scrutinized. Anything but a transparent process played out in the final decision for USSPACECOM headquarters under this Administration. The public deserves an independent review to understand how this basing process went awry and failed to follow transparent and repeatable steps which would have garnered trust in the final basing decision for USSPACECOM headquarters.” The letter is addressed to Comptroller General Gene Dodaro: “The decision to locate Space Command at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama, was made in the waning days of the Trump Administration by the Pentagon, which set criteria for the possible relocation. Two independent reviews confirmed that Redstone Arsenal met those criteria better than any other possible site. Colorado finished fourth behind Nebraska and San Antonio, Texas. Colorado, however, is a swing state that voted for Biden.” “Not only is it outrageous, but also unfortunate for the American people to hear that the Secretary of the Air Force allowed politics to circumvent his, and the Department of Defense’s, own basing selection process that determined Huntsville, Alabama as the preferred location of SPACECOM,” said Congressman Robert Aderholt (R-AL04) in a statement at the time. “Over and over again, the legitimate process proved that Alabama was the right choice for SPACECOM HQ. Unfortunately for this nation, this decision is the latest chapter in the long saga of the Biden Administration’s failing national security record, and I know the majority of the American people feel the same way. As a nation, we must do better. The precedent that has been set today should sound the alarm for the future of strategic, national security decision-making processes and lands a direct hit to the future of state’s rights.” The Alabama delegation has said that this decision is not final, but at this point, it seems unlikely that they will ever have the votes in Congress to overturn the President’s decision. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Robert Aderholt introduces bill to keep federal government from using lease agreements to punish pro-life states
Congressman Robert Aderholt introduced a bill last week to prohibit the Administrator of General Services from constructing or acquiring buildings or entering into leases based on the legality or availability of abortions in the respective state. “The Biden Administration continues to inject abortion politics into otherwise non-partisan areas of the federal government, such as locations of federal offices,” Aderholt said in a statement. “This blatantly partisan practice threatens, and insults, states’ rights in protecting the unborn. That is not a precedent I want to see set in this country.” “President Biden cannot be permitted to punish states for enacting laws the Supreme Court has clearly ruled are within the rights of the states,” said Aderholt. The bill has so far garnered the support of 14 original co-sponsors, including Congressmen Dale Strong (R-AL05), Jerry Carl (R-AL01), and Barry Moore (R-AL02). “I am proud to join Congressman Aderholt’s bill preventing the Biden Administration from punishing states that do not adhere to its radical abortion agenda,” said Rep. Carl. “Abortion politics should play no role in the placement of federal buildings across the country.” “Decisions like this have historically been non-partisan and should have nothing to do with laws that states legally decide to enact,” said Rep. Moore. “The Biden Administration’s dangerous partisanship has been clear as they work to deny Space Command to the state that came in first place during a rigorous, merit-based process. I thank Rep. Aderholt for his work on legislation to ensure attacks on states’ rights such as this one cannot happen again.” “Threats from the Biden Administration to punish states who protect life create an incredibly dangerous precedent,” said Rep. Strong. “I am proud to co-sponsor this bill, which sends a clear message to the Biden administration: the protection of unborn life is not up for negotiation in states like Alabama.” “The Biden Administration is undermining the rule of law by doing an end-run of the SCOTUS ruling that empowers states to make their own laws surrounding abortion policy,” said House Budget Committee Chair Jodey Arrington (R-Texas). “This political gamesmanship has no place in strategic military decisions, including attempts to hold up SPACECOM’s relocation to Alabama.” “The Supreme Court ruled that abortion is a state issue,” said Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-California). “President Biden is wrong to try and arbitrarily punish states that don’t surrender to his policy wishes. These kinds of polarizing issues should not be decided by executive fiat at the national level. Let the individual states in the Union chart their own courses and decide their own abortion laws with the input of their voters. That’s how federalism works.” “The Biden Administration has continuously proven that it will put its radical agenda above states’ rights, the rule of law, and our Constitution,” said Rep. Debbie Lesko (R-Arizona). “I’m proud to join Congressman Aderholt on his bill that would prevent the federal government from using a state’s pro-life laws against them when executing leases.” The General Services Administration (GSA) is the executive agency responsible for real estate and facility procurement, leasing, and development for the federal government. Since the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision last year, the Biden Administration has prioritized the federalization of abortion access, as well as penalized states that have enacted laws to protect the unborn. There are reports that the Biden Administration intends to halt plans to move the U.S. Space Command headquarters to Alabama due to “the state’s restrictive abortion laws.” The bill’s intent is consistent with a Senate companion bill introduced by Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kansas). President Joe Biden, meanwhile, has not loosened his staunchly pro-abortion stance. “The stakes could not be higher for women across America,” Biden said. “I will continue to fight politically-driven attacks on women’s health. But let’s be clear – the American people must continue to use their vote as their voice, and elect a Congress who will pass a law restoring the protections of Roe v Wade.” Robert Aderholt has represented Alabama’s Fourth Congressional District since he was first elected in 1996. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Will Ainsworth: Alabama congressional delegation fights Joe Biden’s efforts to corrupt Space Command HQ selection
31 That is the number of months that have elapsed since Alabama was officially announced as the location for U.S. Space Command headquarters. 3 That is the number of independent studies conducted by the Department of Defense Inspector General and the Government Accounting Office that rate Huntsville’s Redstone Arsenal as the best place for U.S. Space Command headquarters. 5 That is where President Joe Biden’s preferred state of Colorado ranks on the list of states qualified to house U.S. Space Command. 31…3…5 Those three simple numbers are all the evidence you need to demonstrate that the Biden administration has fully politicized the most important long-term strategic decision that Pentagon officials have made in decades. During his more lucid moments, Biden has made no secret that he prefers to place U.S. Space Command in a blue state like Colorado, which aligns more closely with his own ultra-liberal views, rather than a red state like Alabama that fiercely embraces conservative principles and strongly supported President Donald Trump’s candidacy in both 2016 and 2020. But with space serving as the newest battlefield in potential conflicts with hostile nations like Russia, China, and North Korea, politicizing what should be a decision based solely upon military advantage harms our defensive posture and puts the lives of roughly 335 million residents of the United States at risk. The members of Alabama’s congressional delegation, even those whose districts are located at the opposite extreme of the Tennessee Valley, are currently fighting a tremendous battle against Biden’s politicization in the corridors, committee rooms, and chambers of the U.S. Capitol building. Both U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville and Senator Katie Britt recently met with General James Dickinson, the commanding general of U.S. Space Command, and publicly reported they received his assurance that Alabama remains the unequivocal choice for the agency’s headquarters among members of the nation’s military leadership. Congressman Dale Strong, whose district includes Huntsville, received the same affirmation from Dickinson. House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers, a veteran congressman from the Anniston area with more than two decades of service, has inserted a provision in legislation that bans any construction related to Space Command headquarters from taking place until the Air Force confirms Alabama as the permanent location. The Rogers amendment also freezes half of the Air Force secretary’s travel budget until a permanent announcement is forthcoming. Likewise, Congressman Robert Aderholt of Haleyville and Congressman Jerry Carl of Mobile both serve on the House Appropriations Committee and have also inserted clauses pausing Space Command construction and other military development until an official announcement that is “in alignment” with the independent selection process is made. And after the Air Force leadership obliquely suggested that the criteria for locating Space Command may have secretly “changed” without public notice, Rogers opened an Armed Service Committee investigation into the delay surrounding the headquarters, and every email, memo, letter, note, and other material that touches upon the topic is becoming subject to congressional subpoena. Congressman Gary Palmer of Birmingham, Congressman Barry Moore of Enterprise, and even Congresswoman Terri Sewell of Birmingham, a fellow Democrat with Biden, have also communicated with the Air Force secretary and are equally committed to championing Redstone Arsenal’s cause. With the 2024 presidential election fast approaching, the stench of politics surrounding Space Command becomes exponentially stronger with each day that passes. A final, firm, and committed Pentagon announcement that Redstone Arsenal secured the selection was supposed to occur in December, but openness and accountability have been replaced with silence and stonewalling. Despite Biden’s ongoing efforts to corrupt a fair and independent process, Alabamians can remain secure in the knowledge that our congressional delegation is working hard every day to fight the smoke-and-mirrors approach being pushed by the White House and return honesty and fairness to the Space Command headquarters selection. For that, we can all be thankful. Will Ainsworth has served as lieutenant governor of Alabama since 2019.
Legislature to finish redistricting today
On Friday, both Houses of the Alabama Legislature will meet on redistricting. The federal appeals court in Atlanta has set Friday, July 21, as the deadline for the state to submit a new congressional redistricting for the court to consider in the state’s ongoing Voting Rights Act case concerning congressional redistricting. There are a lot of disagreements in the Legislature on what plan the legislators should pass. Legislative Democrats, the plaintiffs in the lawsuit against the state, and civil rights groups believe that to comply with the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the state should pass a plan with two majority-minority districts. This would almost certainly mean a pickup of one House of Representatives seat for Democrats in the U.S. Congress as Alabamians overwhelmingly vote along racial lines, with over 90% of Black Alabamians preferring Democrats and over 80% of White Alabamians preferring Republicans in recent elections. Alabama’s Legislative Republicans have rejected calls by Democrats to turn Alabama’s Second Congressional District into a majority-minority district. Congressional District 2 is currently represented by Congressman Barry Moore (R-Enterprise) – who served two terms in the Alabama House of Representatives from 2010 to 2018. Moore is a Republican, a member of the conservative Freedom Caucus, and an ardent Donald Trump supporter. Currently, 30% of the voters of CD2 are Black. State Senator Rodger Smitherman (D-Birmingham) has introduced a plan that would turn Congressional District 2 into a majority-minority district with over 50% of the voters in the district being Black. Republicans rejected that map as well as others introduced by Sen. Bobby Singleton (D-Greensboro) and other Democrats. Republicans maintain that the court has not ruled on Milligan v. Allen that the state is in violation of the Voting Rights Act. Democrats look at the same U.S. Supreme Court ruling and the recent order by a three-judge panel of the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals and say that the court did not provide the state with enough guidance to know what an “opportunity district” means. “That could be 42% (Black voters), that could be 38%, we just don’t know,” Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Reed (R-Jasper) told reporters. House Republicans have passed a plan by State Representative Chris Pringle (R-Mobile) they title the community of interest plan where Congressional District 2 is over 42% Black. Pringle maintains that that is close enough racially so that it is winnable by either party. Senate Republicans have passed a competing plan by State Sen. Steve Livingston (R-Scottsboro). The Livingston plan would only raise the Black voting age population of CD2 from 30% Black to 38% Black. Livingston said his plan kept communities of interest together and is the most compact while still providing an opportunity district for Black voters in Congressional District 2. More radical elements in the Legislature had called for turning Alabama’s Seventh Congressional District into an opportunity district that would be potentially winnable by Republicans. Congressional District 7 is represented by Terri Sewell – the only Democrat and the only Black representative in the congressional delegation. Both Pringle and Livingston, while deeply divided on the merits of their respective plans, did not go that far, and Congressional District 7 remains majority Black. Livingston said that his plan kept the Wiregrass whole and in the Second Congressional District, and it keeps the Gulf Coast and Mobile County whole. The House passed Pringle’s plan on Wednesday, but when he brought his bill to the Senate, Livingston motioned to substitute the Pringle plan for the Livingston plan. The Committee passed that motion. Pringle then stormed out of the room without continuing to present his bill. His bill, now the Livingston Bill, was passed by the Committee along party lines, with Democrats voting against it and Republicans voting for it. The one exception was State Senator Andrew Jones (D-Centre). His primary disagreement with the Livingston plan is that a small portion of northwest Etowah County would be in Congressional District 4, while 90% of Etowah County would switch to Congressional District 3. Jones told reporters he did not care whether Congressman Mike Rogers (R-AL03) or Robert Aderholt (R-AL04) represented Etowah County. “My issue is that historically Etowah County has not been divided,” Jones, who represents Etowah and Cherokee Counties, said. Smitherman told reporters that he and Sen. Singleton had brought their own federal lawsuit and joined Milligan and the other plaintiffs. Smitherman said that it is his understanding that the plaintiffs will be given the opportunity to tell the court whether the plan passed by the Legislature satisfies their concerns or not. “Right now, I can’t support either (Republican) plan,” Smitherman said. Smitherman has demanded that the Apportionment Committee prepare a report on the plans showing the likelihood of a Democrat or a Republican winning each of these. “They can get that, or they already know it and don’t want to release it,” Smitherman said, Since the GOP is wildly divided on which plan they will advance to federal court, there is uncertainty about what the Legislature will pass on Friday. “Obviously, there will be negotiations,” Reed said. A compromise plan can be substituted on the floor of either House. Failing that, any difference between the House and Senate plans would be settled by a conference committee. If that happens, then under the circumstances, both Houses will recess until the conference committee returns with a conference committee plan to vote on. If the state and the plaintiffs cannot agree on a redistricting plan that is acceptable to both sides, a trial will likely be held in the eleventh circuit. Whatever is ultimately decided by the federal appeals court in Atlanta will likely be appealed by whichever party is dissatisfied with the outcome meaning that the Milligan case could go back to the Supreme Court, where Justice Brett Kavanaugh appears to be the swing vote. There is even a possibility that this case may not be resolved until after the 2024 elections. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Robert Aderholt cosponsors American Confidence in Elections Act
On Wednesday, Congressman Robert Aderholt (R-AL04) announced that he had signed on as an original cosponsor of the American Confidence in Elections Act (ACE Act). “Proud to join my colleagues as an original cosponsor of the American Confidence in Elections Act,” Aderholt said on Twitter. “We are taking the necessary steps towards securing elections, cracking down on states that allow noncitizens to vote, and improving voting access for our service members overseas.” The legislation was introduced by Committee on House Administration Chairman Bryan Steil (R-Wisconsin). The American Confidence in Elections (ACE) Act is reportedly the most conservative election integrity bill to be seriously considered in the House in over 20 years. The comprehensive bill includes nearly 50 standalone bills sponsored by members of the House Republican Conference. The sponsors say that the ACE Act equips states with election integrity tools, implements key reforms in D.C., and protects political speech. “The ACE Act is a conservative, federalist approach to boost voter confidence and encourage more states to implement commonsense election integrity reforms,” Rep. Steil wrote in an op-ed in the Washington Examiner. “The Committee on House Administration has oversight jurisdiction over federal elections. As chairman, I’m committed to upholding the Constitution by ensuring states maintain primary control over administering elections — not the federal government.” “The ACE Act has three main pillars: equipping states with election integrity tools, implementing election integrity reforms in Washington, D.C., and protecting political speech and donor privacy.” Steil continued. “The primary section of the bill is focused on providing states with tools to improve voter confidence. We will remove outdated policies that stand in their way and provide access to information held only by federal agencies.” Steil wrote that states should have access to the Social Security death list to maintain their voter rolls. “Another safeguard states can implement to improve voter confidence is requiring photo ID.” The ACE Act would also prohibit federal funds from going to places that allow noncitizens to vote and stop noncitizens from voting in Washington, D.C. It would also prohibit the District of Columbia from mailing out ballots and require the District to finally implement photo ID. The ACE Act would prohibit federal agencies like the IRS from asking for nonprofit organizations’ donor lists and bring greater transparency and accountability into the federal campaign finance system. In addition to Rep. Aderholt, there are over 100 original House cosponsors of the ACE Act. House Republicans held a press conference on Wednesday to announce the introduction of the legislation. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-Louisiana) said that the ACE Act would “ensure that elections across America will be fair and that people who are legally eligible to vote can actually cast that ballot and that people who aren’t legally eligible to vote can’t undermine the vote of everyone else, because when someone illegally votes they take away the vote from a legally voting American.” “The idea that you have to show a picture ID to vote is common sense to Americans. In fact, polling indicates that about 80% of Americans support the idea that you require an ID to vote, including by the way a strong majority of Democrats support showing ID.” Scalise said. “Let’s go strengthen the sanctity of the vote. Don’t go mail ballots to people who have been off the rolls for years, that died or moved out of state. We have seen that. It is well documented. This bill that Chairman Steil and members of the committee have brought forward is an important step in the right direction to cleaning up our elections and ensuring that everybody who is entitled to vote can get that vote and that people who aren’t eligible can’t deny that vote. Let’s make it easier to vote and harder to cheat. This bill achieves that. I strongly support it and hope to bring it t the House floor.” Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen joined House Republicans in D.C. for that press conference. Allen also spoke with Congressman Jerry Carl (R-AL01) about the importance of election integrity during his visit to Washington. “I sat down with Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen to talk about everything Alabama is doing to ensure election integrity in upcoming elections. He is doing an incredible job!” Rep. Carl said on Twitter. Given the partisan divide over election integrity legislation, it is unlikely that the Senate Democrats will advance this legislation even if House Republicans are able to pass it out of the House. A signature from President Joe Biden is also unlikely ahead of the 2024 presidential election. Aderholt is in his 14th term representing Alabama’s Fourth Congressional District. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Tommy Tuberville leads first Alabama delegation prayer breakfast
The Alabama Congressional delegation met for a prayer breakfast in Washington, D.C., this week. U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville, along with U.S. Senator Katie Britt and U.S. Representatives Robert Aderholt, Terri Sewell, Gary Palmer, Barry Moore, Jerry Carl, and Dale Strong, joined to host an Alabama prayer breakfast. More than 100 Alabamians joined congressional leaders praying for the state and nation. “Our uniting in prayer is more important now than ever because I think we can all agree that we are facing a lot of division and brokenness in our country,” said Senator Tuberville. “And the solutions to these problems aren’t found in the Hall of Congress or the White House—but among God’s people. Our presence here today shows we recognize that God is the only one who can heal and restore. But first, America needs to turn back to God. That begins with you and me.” Honored to host the inaugural Alabama Prayer Breakfast with Alabama legislators, faith leaders, & constituents to pray for our great state & nation. Thank you to all those who joined us in prayer. May we continue to look to the Lord for guidance and remain one nation under God. pic.twitter.com/0sAGzZpznk — Coach Tommy Tuberville (@SenTuberville) June 21, 2023 Senator Britt said on Twitter, “Blessed to start the day in prayer with my colleagues and constituents. Thankful that we had such a great group of Alabamians join our congressional delegation for this morning’s prayer breakfast. All things are possible through Him!” Congressman Palmer said on Twitter, “It was an honor to join fellow Alabamians in prayer this morning for our state and our nation at the first annual Alabama Prayer Breakfast. Thank you to @SenTuberville for hosting.” The members were joined by faith leaders from Alabama, including University of Alabama President Stuart Bell, Dr. Jim Carter of Monroeville, Pastor Troy Garner of Huntsville, and Birmingham Theological Seminary President Ike Reeder. The leaders read passages from the Bible and took turns praying for our families, education system, churches, economy, and military. More than 100 Alabamians gathered in the Kennedy Caucus Room of the Russell Senate Office Building. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Rep. Robert Aderholt secures Space Command spending language in House appropriations bill
On Tuesday, Congressman Robert Aderholt (R-AL04) announced that he has been able to secure language halting the development of the U.S. Space Command (SPACECOM) in Colorado until an official basing decision has been made. “Now more than ever, the establishment of a permanent Space Command Headquarters remains vital to our national security,” said Rep. Aderholt. “The language incentivizes the Secretary of the Air Force to determine the permanent headquarters location as quickly as possible.” “In this matter, timeliness remains of the utmost importance,” Aderholt continued. “I urge the Department to move the headquarters to its preferred permanent location as quickly as possible; however, if the Administration continues to delay, I am relieved that General (James H.) Dickinson, the SPACECOM Commander, last week assured the Alabama Delegation that he had no national security concerns about moving the headquarters.” The bipartisan language is included in the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs fiscal year 2024 spending bill, following a review and approval by the United States Air Force. During the Trump administration, the Air Force held a national search for a permanent home for Space Command. Dozens of sites across the country were considered for a multitude of factors. Two different evaluations found that Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville was the best possible site. Nebraska came in second, followed by San Antonio, Texas. Colorado, where Space Command is presently, came in fourth. A review by the inspector general found that the decision to locate SPACECOM in Huntsville was the correct decision and was not tainted by politics. “The fact is, Air Force already made the correct decision well over two years ago,” said Congressman Mike Rogers (R-AL03). 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.” Over 24 months later, no action has been taken to relocate SPACECOM. A recent report by NBC News claims that the White House may halt plans to move Space Command. The report cites Alabama’s restrictive abortion law. Alabama’s congressional delegation, however, points to the fact that Colorado voted for President Joe Biden while Alabama voted to keep President Donald Trump. The SPACECOM basing decision remains a responsibility of the Secretary of the Air Force, Frank Kendall, a decision delegated by the President of the United States and the Secretary of Defense. “As we take this step, I would like to thank the Alabama delegation for their commitment to this fight,” said Aderholt. “We all know that Space Command belongs in the Rocket City.” According to a June 2022 Government Accountability Office (GAO) report, the decision-making process that the Air Force used to decide to move Space Command headquarters from Colorado Springs to Alabama had “significant shortfalls in its transparency and credibility.” “Over the past year, we’ve repeatedly raised concerns that the previous administration used a flawed, untested, and inconsistent process to select a location for U.S. Space Command. The reports from the Government Accountability Office and the Department of Defense Inspector General both confirm that the basing process lacked integrity and neglected key national security considerations,” Sens. Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper and Reps. Doug Lamborn and Jason Crow said in a joint statement. Additionally, legislators from Colorado argue that the decision to move Space Command was politically motivated, arguing that former President Trump indicated that he would decide the 2020 election. AL.com reported in 2021 that during an interview on the Rick & Bubba show, Trump stated, “Space force – I sent to Alabama. I hope you know that. (They) said they were looking for a home, and I single-handedly said, ‘Let’s go to Alabama.’ They wanted it. I said let’s go to Alabama. I love Alabama.” Robert Aderholt is in his 14th term representing Alabama’s Fourth Congressional District. He is an attorney and was formerly counsel for Alabama Governor Fob James. He is a native of Haleyville. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
