Divisive race ends with win for Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith
Republican U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith returns to Washington as a solidly loyal supporter of President Donald Trump after he stumped for her in a divisive Mississippi runoff shaped by her video-recorded remark about “public hanging.” Hyde-Smith on Tuesday defeated Democrat Mike Espy, a former congressman and former U.S. agriculture secretary who was trying to become the state’s first African-American senator since Reconstruction. The election was rocked by the video, in which Hyde-Smith, who is white, said of a supporter, “If he invited me to a public hanging, I’d be on the front row.” A separate video showed her talking about “liberal folks” and making it “just a little more difficult” for them to vote. Her comments, and the backlash to them, made Mississippi’s history of lynchings and violent suppression of black voting rights a theme of the runoff and spurred many black voters to return to the polls. In the aftermath of the video, Republicans worried they could face a repeat of last year’s special election in Alabama, in which a flawed Republican candidate handed Democrats a reliable GOP Senate seat in the Deep South. The GOP pumped resources into Mississippi, and Trump made a strong effort on behalf of Hyde-Smith, holding last-minute rallies Monday in Mississippi. Speaking to supporters after her win, Hyde-Smith vowed to fight for everyone in the state when she goes to Washington. “I want everybody to know, no matter who you voted for today, I’m going to always represent every Mississippian. I will work very hard and do my very best to make Mississippi very proud,” she said. Speaking to reporters later, she said Trump had called to congratulate her and said she’d “been through a storm” and “survived it with grace.” Her supporters said the furor over her comments was overblown. They also stuck by her as a photo was circulated of her wearing a replica Confederate military hat during a 2014 visit to Beauvoir, the last home of Confederate president Jefferson Davis. “So many things are taken out of context,” said Elizabeth Gallinghouse, 84, from Diamondhead, Mississippi. “The fact that she toured Jefferson Davis’s house. You or I could have done the same thing. They said, ‘Put this cap on. Hold this gun.’ It was a fun time. She wasn’t trying to send any messages.” Hyde-Smith was in her second term as Mississippi agriculture commissioner when Republican Gov. Phil Bryant appointed her to temporarily succeed GOP Sen. Thad Cochran. The longtime lawmaker retired in April amid health concerns. Her win Tuesday makes Hyde-Smith the first woman elected to Congress from Mississippi. The contest caps a campaign season that exposed persistent racial divisions in America — and the willingness of some political candidates to exploit them to win elections. With Hyde-Smith’s victory, Republicans control 53 of the Senate’s 100 seats. The GOP lost control of the House, where Democrats will assume the majority in January. In the final weeks of the runoff, Hyde-Smith’s campaign said the remark about making voting difficult was a joke. She said the “public hanging” comment was “an exaggerated expression of regard” for a fellow cattle rancher. During a televised debate nine days after the video was publicized, she apologized to “anyone that was offended by my comments.” But Hyde-Smith, 59, said the remark was used as a “weapon” against her. Espy, 64, replied: “I don’t know what’s in your heart, but I know what came out of your mouth.” Addressing his supporters Tuesday night at the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum in Jackson, Espy said: “While this is not the result we were hoping for, I am proud of the historic campaign we ran and grateful for the support we received across Mississippi. We built the largest grassroots organization our state has seen in a generation.” The “public hanging” comment also resonated with his supporters. “That really offended me,” said Charles Connley, 60, a black voter from Picayune. Some corporate donors, including Walmart, requested refunds on their campaign contributions to Hyde-Smith after the videos surfaced. Hyde-Smith and Espy emerged from a field of four candidates Nov. 6 to advance to Tuesday’s runoff. She will complete the final two years of the six-year term Cochran started. Shortly after the win Tuesday, Trump tweeted: “Congratulations to Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith on your big WIN in the Great State of Mississippi. We are all very proud of you!” Republished with permission from the Associated Press.
Last US Senate race of midterms up for vote in Mississippi
Mississippi voters are deciding the last U.S. Senate race of the midterms, choosing between a white Republican Senate appointee backed by President Donald Trump and a black Democrat who was agriculture secretary when Bill Clinton was in the White House. History will be made either way: Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, 59, would be the first woman ever elected to Congress from Mississippi, and Democrat Mike Espy, 64, would be the state’s first African-American U.S. senator since Reconstruction. Voter Elizabeth Gallinghouse, 84, said Tuesday she wanted to be a part of that history by helping to elect the state’s first woman to Capitol Hill. “We need more women in Congress, and I think we’re slowly getting there,” she said. Mississippi’s past of racist violence became a dominant theme after a video showed Hyde-Smith praising a supporter in early November by saying, “If he invited me to a public hanging, I’d be on the front row.” She said it was “an exaggerated expression of regard.” More than a week after the video’s release, she said she apologized to “anyone that was offended by my comments,” but also said the remark was used as a “weapon” against her. Hyde-Smith was seen in another video talking about making voting difficult for “liberal folks,” and a photo circulated of her wearing a replica Confederate military hat during a 2014 visit to Beauvoir, a beachside museum in Biloxi, Mississippi, that was the last home of Confederate president Jefferson Davis. Critics said Hyde-Smith’s comments and Confederate regalia showed callous indifference in a state with a 38 percent black population, and some corporate donors, including Walmart, requested refunds on their campaign contributions to her. Michael King, 71, who was voting Tuesday, said he believed that criticism of Hyde-Smith was purely political, as people were “grabbing something to make her look bad at the last moment.” “I think the media hyped it up as much as they could,” said King, who said he voted for Hyde-Smith. Mississippi — which still has the Confederate battle emblem on its state flag — has a history of racially motivated lynchings. The NAACP website says that between 1882 and 1968, there were 4,743 lynchings in the United States, and that nearly 73 percent of the victims were black. It says Mississippi had 581 lynching during that time, the highest number of any state. Hyde-Smith was in her second term as Mississippi’s elected agriculture commissioner when Republican Gov. Phil Bryant chose her to temporarily succeed longtime Republican Sen. Thad Cochran, who retired in April amid health concerns. Tuesday’s winner will serve the last two years of Cochran’s six-year term. Hyde-Smith has campaigned as an unwavering supporter of Trump, who campaigned with her Monday, praising her at a rally in the northeastern Mississippi city of Tupelo for voting to confirm Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court. “She stood up to the Democrat smear machine,” Trump said. With the Mississippi election undecided, Republicans hold 52 of the 100 Senate seats. Mississippi last elected a Democrat to the U.S. Senate in 1982, but Espy was trying for the same kind of longshot win that fellow Democrat Doug Jones had nearly a year ago in neighboring Alabama, another conservative Deep South state where Republicans hold most statewide offices. Espy campaigned as someone who would be able to bridge the partisan divide in Washington. He was endorsed by former Vice President Joe Biden, and three Democrats who are potential 2020 presidential candidates — former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick and Sens. Kamala Harris of California and Cory Booker of New Jersey — traveled to Mississippi to campaign for him. “Why are we still fighting about the color line?” Espy said during a speech Monday night at a predominantly African-American church, noting that it was the 21st century. “This is a campaign that goes to the color line and it reached across the color line, across the chasm of racial division, across the chasm of racial acrimony,” Espy said. If white voters outnumber black voters 2-to-1 on Tuesday, Espy would have to win 30 percent or more of white votes, a tough task in a state with possibly the most racially polarized electorate in the country. But if black voters rise to 40 percent of the electorate and Espy wins 9 out of 10, he needs less than a quarter of white votes to squeak out a victory. “If Espy wins that race, it represents a huge breakthrough for America,” said the Rev. Jesse Jackson, a longtime civil rights activist and former Democratic presidential candidate. “If he loses, it’s a brief statement about Mississippi being unrepentant.” Meanwhile, federal and state authorities are investigating seven nooses that were found hanging from trees outside the Mississippi Capitol on Monday, along with handwritten signs that referred to the Senate runoff and the state’s history of lynching. Hyde-Smith campaign hammered Espy for his $750,000 lobbying contract in 2011 with the Cocoa and Coffee Board of the Ivory Coast. She noted that the country’s ex-president, Laurent Gbagbo, is being tried in the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity. “I don’t know how many Mississippians can really relate to an income that can command a $750,000 check from one person for a lobbying job,” Hyde-Smith, who is a cattle rancher, said during a Nov. 20 debate. Espy, who is an attorney, said: “I found out later that this guy, the president, was a really bad guy. I resigned the contract.” Federal registration papers show Espy terminated the contract two weeks before its scheduled end. Espy resigned the Cabinet post in 1994 amid a special counsel investigation that accused him of improperly accepting gifts. He was tried and acquitted on 30 corruption charges, but the Mississippi Republican Party ran an ad this year that called Espy “too corrupt for the Clintons” and “too liberal for Mississippi.” Espy said he refused to accept offers of plea deals. “I put my reputation on the line, went through a trial, went through 70 witnesses against me, went through
Senate GOP welcomes first woman to leadership in years
Senate Republicans welcomed the first woman to their leadership team in years Wednesday as they sought to address the optics of the GOP side of the aisle being dominated by men. Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst called her selection to the leadership ranks “a great honor.” “It’s a great opportunity for those of us that are in some of the younger classes (of senators) to have our voices heard,” Ernst said. Senators chose Majority Leader Mitch McConnell for another term leading Republicans and Chuck Schumer for Democrats in closed-door party elections Wednesday that lacked the high drama underway on the House side in the midterm election fallout. McConnell said he’ll be talking with Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, after Democrats took control of the House from Republicans in last week’s election, on ways to work together. Pelosi hopes to become speaker in the new Congress. “We’ll be looking for ways, now that we have divided government again, to make some progress for the country,” he said. Both McConnell and Schumer were chosen as leader by acclamation, according to those familiar with the private caucus meetings. McConnell, the Kentucky Republican who expanded GOP ranks in last week’s midterm, faced no contest for the job. Democrats returned Schumer’s entire leadership team, despite the failure to capture the majority in the midterms. The only contested leadership position was Ernst’s race down-ballot race for vice-chair of the Republican conference. It’s the first time Republicans will have a woman in leadership since 2010, something GOP leaders wanted to remedy. The stark gender divide for Republicans was highlighted during the Supreme Court hearings for Brett Kavanaugh and an election that ushered in more than 100 women to Congress, most of them Democrats. Ernst, a military veteran in her first term, beat Nebraska Sen. Deb Fischer in closed-door voting. During a brief photo op in McConnell’s Capitol office ahead of voting, McConnell presented his newly elected senators who will take their seats in January. Among them was Florida’s Rick Scott, the Republican governor whose race against incumbent Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson remains undecided. McConnell said later he was confident Scott would become the 53rd senator in the GOP majority. Schumer said President Donald Trump is lying when he claims voter fraud in Florida’s election. Schumer said he was confident Nelson would return as Florida’s senator, as long as every vote was counted. “President Trump and Gov. Scott have just lied,” Schumer said. “They’ve said there’s fraud when their own Republican officials in Florida have said there’s no fraud.” Schumer portrayed Senate Democrats as emboldened, despite midterm losses, by an election he characterized as a rejection of the GOP tax cuts and Republican efforts to end the Affordable Care Act. Even in the minority, Schumer said Senate Democrats will push for the party’s broader congressional agenda of lowering health care costs, investing in infrastructure and implementing good government reforms to put a check on the Trump administration, which he called “the most ethically challenged in history.” “We will be relentless here in the Senate,” said Schumer, flanked by his leadership team. “Senate Democrats are committed to fighting to make those ideas a reality in this upcoming Congress.” In the House, the elections were unfolding differently, after Democrats won control of the chamber, putting Republicans in the minority. Republican Kevin McCarthy is poised to take over the shrunken House GOP caucus in closed-door elections. The race for minority leader is McCarthy’s to lose, but the Californian must fend off a challenge from conservative Rep. Jim Jordan, who has support from the right flank and outside groups as a co-founder of the House Freedom Caucus. “We’ve got a plan,” McCarthy told reporters as he ducked into a closed-door meeting of House Republicans late Tuesday. Trump has stayed largely on the sidelines ahead of elections that will determine party leadership. On Wednesday, Jordan told “Fox & Friends” the GOP lost its House majority because it didn’t deliver on promises to Americans to secure the U.S.-Mexico border, fund Trump’s wall and replace the Obama health care law. “Some key things we told them we were going to do, we didn’t,” Jordan said. At Tuesday’s meeting, McCarthy and Jordan encountered frustration, finger-pointing and questions as lawmakers sorted through an election defeat and began considering new leadership for the next congressional session. Republicans complained about the unpopularity of the GOP tax law they blamed for losses in New York and other key states, some attendees told reporters after the meeting. Some in the meeting said Republicans should have tried harder to fulfill Trump’s priorities, like funding for the wall with Mexico. They also warned that they need a new fundraising mechanism to compete with the small-dollar online donors that powered Democrats to victory. “There’s a little rawness still,” Rep. Mark Walker, R-N.C., who is running unopposed for a down-ballot position as vice chair of the GOP conference, told reporters outside the meeting room. “But there’s an opportunity for us to come together and get single-focused on the message.” Most GOP lawmakers, though, prefer McCarthy’s more affable approach, and he remained favored to win Wednesday. GOP Whip Steve Scalise, the Louisiana Republican who was gravely wounded in last year’s congressional baseball practice shooting and is running unopposed for another term in leadership, said McCarthy “knows what he needs to do” to win over his colleagues — and win back the majority — and is well-positioned to do both. “You always look in the mirror and see what you can do better,” Scalise said as he entered the room. Republicans, he said, “need to do a better job of letting people know what we stand for.” Rounding out the GOP leadership team will be Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming, a daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney, who wants to bring a more aggressive stance to the GOP’s communications and messaging strategy in the No. 3 spot. The biggest leadership race is for Pelosi’s return as speaker and a group of House Democrats seeking to stop her
Alabama polling firm tests Taylor Swift’s political influence
Oooh, look what she made you do. According to Vote.org, 28-year-old country-to-pop superstar Taylor Swift swayed more than 65,000 nationwide to sign-up to vote in the 24 hours following her surprise Instagram endorsement of Democrat Phil Bredesen in the Tennessee U.S. Senate race last week. But according to new a new poll released Tuesday by Alabama-based Cygnal, a Republican polling and research firm, Swift’s “big reputation” did little to actually move the needle in the race against Republican Marsha Blackburn. With only 23 days left until the November 6 midterm elections, Cygnal found more than 86 percent of those polled say their vote hasn’t changed, despite 82 percent of respondents indicating they were aware of the endorsement altogether. “Millennial and Gen Z voters are highly aware of the endorsement of the Democrat, but it did little to move their vote preference,” said Matt Hubbard, VP of Research & Analytics at Cygnal. “Swift’s endorsement is providing a boost to get-out-the-vote efforts, but we’re seeing minimal impact on the race.” The statewide survey, conducted October 13-14, of 414 likely general election voters under the age of 35 in Tennessee, shows Democrat Phil Bredesen (50 percent) with a 14-point lead over Republican Marsha Blackburn (36 percent) in this age segment. 10 percent of young voters remain undecided. “Anytime a celebrity endorses a candidate or speaks publicly about their political views, there’s always a risk of alienating fans on the other side of the aisle,” said Brent Buchanan, Cygnal’s President and Founder. “In this case, Swift’s endorsement may lead to ‘Bad Blood’ with her conservative fans.” Respondents that were swayed by Swift’s choice to ‘Speak Now’ were split between the candidates, with 5 percent saying that they would now support Bredesen, and 6 percent indicating they would now vote for Blackburn. The Swiftie Effect “Swifties” or Swift superfans, respondents who attended 4-5 of her concerts, heavily favor Bredesen: 48 percent-26 percent. His lead swells to +52 among concert-goers who’ve attended at least six of Swift’s shows, but the race is tighter among less passionate fans. Respondents who have attended only one of her concerts are evenly split between the two U.S. Senate candidates, with Bredesen polling +1. Swift’s endorsement This was Swift’s first political endorsement. The star has stayed silent on her political views for years. “In the past I’ve been reluctant to publicly voice my political opinions, but due to several events in my life and in the world in the past two years, I feel very differently about that now,” Swift wrote in her Instagram post. “I always have and always will cast my vote based on which candidate will protect and fight for the human rights I believe we all deserve in this country.” It remains to be seen whether this will be the first and last of Swift’s endorsements, or if she’ll do it over and over and over again. Read Swift’s full Instagram endorsement below: View this post on Instagram I’m writing this post about the upcoming midterm elections on November 6th, in which I’ll be voting in the state of Tennessee. In the past I’ve been reluctant to publicly voice my political opinions, but due to several events in my life and in the world in the past two years, I feel very differently about that now. I always have and always will cast my vote based on which candidate will protect and fight for the human rights I believe we all deserve in this country. I believe in the fight for LGBTQ rights, and that any form of discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender is WRONG. I believe that the systemic racism we still see in this country towards people of color is terrifying, sickening and prevalent. I cannot vote for someone who will not be willing to fight for dignity for ALL Americans, no matter their skin color, gender or who they love. Running for Senate in the state of Tennessee is a woman named Marsha Blackburn. As much as I have in the past and would like to continue voting for women in office, I cannot support Marsha Blackburn. Her voting record in Congress appalls and terrifies me. She voted against equal pay for women. She voted against the Reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act, which attempts to protect women from domestic violence, stalking, and date rape. She believes businesses have a right to refuse service to gay couples. She also believes they should not have the right to marry. These are not MY Tennessee values. I will be voting for Phil Bredesen for Senate and Jim Cooper for House of Representatives. Please, please educate yourself on the candidates running in your state and vote based on who most closely represents your values. For a lot of us, we may never find a candidate or party with whom we agree 100% on every issue, but we have to vote anyway. So many intelligent, thoughtful, self-possessed people have turned 18 in the past two years and now have the right and privilege to make their vote count. But first you need to register, which is quick and easy to do. October 9th is the LAST DAY to register to vote in the state of TN. Go to vote.org and you can find all the info. Happy Voting! 🗳😃🌈 A post shared by Taylor Swift (@taylorswift) on Oct 7, 2018 at 4:33pm PDT
U.S. Senate confirms Liles Burke to be North Alabama U.S. District Judge
The U.S. Senate on Thursday confirmed an associate judge on the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals to serve as U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of Alabama. U.S. Senator Richard Shelby made the announcement of Judge Liles Burke‘s confirmation. “I am proud to have voted tonight to confirm Judge Liles Burke to be a District Judge for the Northern District of Alabama,” said Shelby. “He is extremely qualified for this high honor, having served as a judge in Alabama for over a decade. I congratulate Judge Burke on this prestigious achievement and am confident he will serve our nation well.” Burke’s confirmation came as Senate leaders struck a deal to approve 15 federal, lifetime judges in exchange for recessing early through the Nov. 6 election. The Senate had previously been scheduled to be in session until Oct. 26, and the early recess will allow vulnerable Democrats to return to their home states and campaign for their seats. About Burke Burke, a native of Marshall County, was named the Municipal Judge for the City of Arab, Ala. in 2001. He held that office until 2006 when he was appointed Marshall County District Judge by former Governor Bob Riley. During his time as a trial judge, he created Marshall County’s first family drug court and started one of the state’s first domestic violence courts. In 2008 Burke was elected to a full term on the District Court, without opposition. During his years on the bench, he has served as President of the Alabama Appellate Judges Association and has been officer in both the Alabama District Judges Association and the Alabama Juvenile Judges Association. In February of 2011, Burke was named by former Governor Robert Bentley to the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals, filling the office left vacant by the election of Judge Kelli Wise to the Alabama Supreme Court. He was elected to a six-year term in 2012 without opposition, and still serves there through his confirmation process. In addition to his experience in the courtroom, Judge Burke serves as the leader of the Marshall County United Way fund drive, City of Arab Chamber of Commerce, and the Arab Historical Preservation Committee. He is also a Rotarian and alumnus of Leadership Alabama, an officer in the Judge Advocate General’s Corps of the Alabama Army National Guard, and an assistant organist at First United Methodist Church of Arab. Burke received his B.A. from the University of Alabama and J.D. from the University of Alabama School of Law. Other judicial nominees Following Thursday’s vote, five Alabama judicial nominees, initially nominated by President Trump in 2017, have been confirmed. One 2018 nominee still awaits confirmation, and another awaits a hearing before the Judiciary Committee.
What they’re saying: ALGOP reacts to Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination advancing to final floor vote
It’s official: the U.S. Senate will give Judge Brett Kavanaugh a final floor vote on Saturday, after enough senators voted to end debate and advance his nomination Friday. The final vote was 51 to 49. Alabama Republican Party (ALGOP) Chairman Terry Lathan said the state party was “very supportive” of the vote. “The Alabama Republican Party is very supportive of today’s vote now allowing Judge Kavanaugh’s confirmation to come to a full floor vote in the U.S. Senate,” said Lathan. “We have the utmost respect for Judge Kavanaugh as he has endured baseless and slanderous attacks on his character from the left. We deeply appreciate Senator [Richard] Shelby‘s yes vote today along with his careful consideration of the requests of Alabamians who want to see this confirmation move forward.” The ALGOP doubled-down on their disappointment to Jones, whom they called out last week when they described his decision to vote against Kavanaugh as a betrayal to the State of Alabama. Lathan continued, “It is an absolute shame Senator Doug Jones chose to vote no and deny the pleas and calls of his constituents who clearly want to see Judge Kavanaugh confirmed. In 2020 the voters will hold Senator Jones responsible for continually ignoring the will of Alabamians and instead choosing to follow the bidding of Democrat leadership.” Friday morning’s cloture vote follows a September 27 hearing in which Kavanaugh fended off allegations by Christine Blasey Ford that he had sexually assaulted her when both were in high school in the 1980s.
ALGOP Chair: time is now for Doug Jones to decide if he’s with Chuck Schumer or Alabama
The confirmation hearings for President Donald Trump‘s Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) pick, Judge Brett Kavanaugh, began Tuesday. If confirmed by the Senate, Kavanaugh will take the seat currently held by retiring Justice Anthony Kennedy. The confirmation hearings are expected to be the scene of highly partisan battle over the future high court, where Alabama’s junior Senator, Doug Jones, among a handful of other Democratic senators in red states, are facing pressure to confirm Trump’s SCOTUS nominee. On Tuesday, the Alabama Republican Party (ALGOP) Chairman Terry Lathan asserted the State Party’s support for Kavanaugh and called on Jones to “decide to either vote with Chuck Schumer or with Alabama.” “The Alabama Republican Party strongly supports Judge Kavanaugh’s confirmation to the United States Supreme Court. A brilliant and fair mainstream jurist with over 20 years of public service on the bench, Judge Kavanaugh is thoroughly qualified to serve on the High Court of our great nation,” said Lathan.” Political theatre Kavanaugh’s confirmation has already been overtaken by political theatre as Democratic lawmakers delayed the start of the hearing by more than an hour saying they lack of important information about the judge’s record. “Helpful reminder: Democrats didn’t show up to see sensitive documents that were made available to them, the idea the hearing should be delayed because they haven’t read material is quite laughable,” tweeted Sen. Orrin Hatch‘s office. Helpful reminder: Democrats didn’t show up to see sensitive documents that were made available to them, the idea the hearing should be delayed because they haven’t read material is quite laughable. #KavanaughConfirmation — Senator Hatch Office (@senorrinhatch) September 4, 2018 Hatch’s office continued to set the record straight, tweeting the process has not been rushed. Myth: “this has been rushed.” Fact: that’s nonsense, this has been an appropriately paced, deliberate process. Kavanaugh was nominated 64 days ago ✅ Sotomayor was confirmed in 66 days ✅ Roberts in 23 days ✅ Kennedy in 65 days ✅ Ginsburg in 42 days#KavanaughConfirmation Nevertheless Senate Democrats have interrupted the hearing 63 times during the first half of the first day. “As his confirmation hearings begin and senseless attacks from the left continue, it is imperative that Americans remember the truth surrounding this nomination. Senate Democrats are reacting in a knee jerk manner of disapproval simply because it is President Trump’s choice,” Lathan continued. “In fact, many Democrats publicly stated they would oppose whatever nominee he chose. Their attempt to discredit Judge Kavanaugh, who earned the unanimous endorsement of the American Bar Association, is another example of their consistent obstructionist choices.” Jones to decide: Schumer or Alabama Lathan encouraged Alabamians to call Jones’ office and let him know of their support for Kavanaugh. “The Alabama Republican Party urges Senator Jones to confirm Judge Kavanaugh to the U.S Supreme Court. In 2020, our voters will remember a ‘no’ vote. We urge every Alabama citizen to call Senator Jones’ office at 202.224.4124 to let him know of your support for Judge Kavanaugh.” “The time is now for Senator Jones to decide to either vote with Chuck Schumer or with Alabama. We thank Senator Richard Shelby for making an early and firm commitment to support Judge Kavanaugh. We hope Senator Jones will follow Senator Shelby’s lead and hear the voices of Alabamians,” Lathan concluded.
Doug Jones launches new official website for constituents
Nearly nine months after being sworn-in to the U.S. Senate, Alabama’s Doug Jones has given his official U.S. Senate website a facelift. On Friday, Jones announced the launch of his new official website that offers services and information for Alabama constituents about the Senator’s legislative priorities, resources for students, help with federal agency casework, information about applying to military service academies and Senate internships, and more. The new site replaces the introductory website provided to all new senators and features a more extensive and accessible menu of constituent services. “Whether I’m working in Alabama or Washington, I need to hear from folks at home about how I can best serve as their voice in the U.S. Senate. My new website will help me stay connected with Alabamians from every corner of the state and keep them informed about what I’m working on for them,” said Jones. Mindful of his more rural constituents, Jones had the mobile-responsive site designed to limit the data required to view it on a mobile device, in an effort to maximize accessibility. The newly launched site was designed with a constituent-oriented experience in mind, putting Alabamians’ most frequent requests easily within reach, including: Sharing feedback with Senator Jones Scheduling a meeting Getting help with federal agencies Ordering flags Applying for a nomination to a military service academy. Constituents will also be able to quickly locate the senator’s local offices and contact information using an interactive Alabama county map on the homepage. And Alabama students and their parents can also explore resources that are available, ranging from internships to financial aid.
Richard Shelby joins elite crowd having cast 10,000+ Senate votes
Alabama U.S. Senator Richard Shelby joined an elite crowd of U.S. Senators this year when he cast his 10,000 vote on the Senate floor earlier this year. Shelby, the chairman of the prestigious Senate Committee on Appropriations, on Wednesday was recognized by his Senate colleagues for his achievement that has put him among the ranks of only 32 other members, past and present, in the upper chamber. “Like so many of his accomplishments, that landmark seemed to slip by without a whole lot of fuss,”Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on the Senate floor. “But, what a remarkable milepost in a very distinguished career.” McConnell began the remarks and was followed by Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Appropriations Committee Vice Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.). “As he took the reins of the Appropriations Committee, he made it clear that, working with Senator Leahy, regular order would be the name of the game,” McConnell added. The Senators also commended Shelby for bringing back regular order to the appropriations process. Under Shelby’s leadership, and with the help of his colleague, Leahy, the appropriations committee passed all 12 major spending bills by July 4 — the fastest in three decades, since 1988. Shelby, who has served in the U.S. Senate for over 30 years, said he is humbled by his colleagues remarks. “I am humbled to hear Majority Leader McConnell, Minority Leader Schumer, and Vice Chairman Leahy speak about my achievements in the Senate this year. We have worked hard to move funding bills through regular order to restore the Senate’s appropriations process, as well as the faith of the American people. I am grateful to have been given this opportunity. Our progress so far is encouraging, and I hope we can continue on this path,” said Shelby. He continues, “Further, I am honored to have cast my 10,000th vote in the Senate this year. Thank you to the great people of my home state of Alabama who have voted to keep me in office for over 30 years, and to my colleagues and staff who have supported me along the way. This is truly a privilege.” Shelby also tweeted his thanks for the encouraging words. Thank you @SenateMajLdr, @SenSchumer, & @SenatorLeahy for the encouraging words today. Grateful to the great people of #Alabama for voting for me for over 30 yrs & to my colleagues & staff who have supported me along the way. #Appropriations #10000votes https://t.co/7pKNjDV6ry — Richard Shelby (@SenShelby) August 1, 2018 Watch the full remarks of Shelby’s recognition below:
U.S. Senate needs to welcome baby Duckworth with open arms
It’s tough enough being a woman in politics (see my recent op-ed), but today I was surprised to read Sen. Tammy Duckworth, the first U.S. Senator to give birth while in office, is having to appeal Senate rules to be allowed to take her newborn baby on the floor during session. This is a no-brainer folks. It would make no sense to prohibit this hard-working mom from being able to take care of her child while also doing her job representing the people of Illinois in the Senate. I’m reminded of the woman in the Australian Parliament who breastfed her baby while moving a motion. Last summer Larissa Waters was speaking about black lung disease, while feeding her 14-week-old daughter Alia Joy on the parliament floor. Prior to that the Water made history for breastfeeding during session. She’s not the only one. Unnur Brá Konráðsdóttir breastfed in during a session of parliament in Iceland. It’s time for America to play catch-up to the rest of the world. Most developed countries and civilized nations recognize and understand a parent can and is able to do their jobs and be their for their newborns or infants. We are at a time in our nation where strong women should be looked at and encouraged in our workforce, particularly in politics where women as a whole are underrepresented. As the mother of two small children (the oldest about to start kindergarten… please don’t even make me think about that), I took my children with me everywhere I went for most of their earliest years. As a nursing mother it was important for them to be able to be at the office with me and both children went to work and meetings with me regularly in their first year and half of life. As a mother who values an attachment parenting style it was critical for me to be able to bond with my kids while still being able get the job done. In my particular case that meant my daughter being at my office on The Hill within weeks of her birth for me to work through the State of the Union. The fact that the Senate has to change their rules in 2018 to allow this new mother (or new parents regardless of gender) to have a child on the floor is long overdue. Hopefully it doesn’t take very much time to make this allowance and hopefully commonsense and decency will prevail in a place not necessarily known for either. This is great opportunity for our nation’s lawmakers to set the standard all workplaces around the country should adopt. Working women should not only feel welcomed to have their young children at at work, they should feel encouraged to do so. The need to update this rule, serves to show what a long way we still have to go as a country in making our workforce both welcoming for women, and also encouraging to families who want to bond with their young children. Not just for mothers and their children, but for fathers as well. Congratulations Sen. Duckworth on baby Maile Pearl. Here’s to hoping the Senate takes care of this antiquated rule ASAP.
Richard Shelby selected to chair powerful Senate spending panel
Republicans on the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee selected Alabama’s senior Sen. Richard Shelby as their new chairman Monday. On Tuesday, the full Senate confirmed the selection to serve as chairman for the remainder of the 115th Congress. “My colleagues have placed their trust in me to lead the Senate Appropriations Committee, and I am honored to serve our nation in this new capacity,” said Shelby. “This is a remarkable opportunity. I look forward to working with Vice Chairman Leahy and the entire committee as we continue the practice of writing and approving bills that responsibly allocate funding for the activities and duties of the federal government.” Shelby continued, “It is a privilege to continue serving the people of the great state of Alabama and the entire nation in this new position of leadership.” In addition to serving as chairman of the full Committee on Appropriations, Senator Shelby will also assume the chairmanship of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense. It is the responsibility of the Senate Appropriations Committee to write funding bills and oversee the implementation of the legislation by the executive branch. The Subcommittee on Defense specifically focuses on national security priorities, providing the necessary funding to support our military and other defense operations. “I am proud to take on a larger role, helping to secure funding to strengthen our military,” Shelby added. “With heightened global instability, as well as diverse and complex threats currently facing the United States, national security is of the utmost importance.” Shortly after the confirmation, Alabama 1st District U.S. Rep. Bradley Byrne extended his congratulations to Shelby. “Congratulations to Senator Shelby on being selected as Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee,” Bryne said in a statement. “Over the years, Senator Shelby has been a steadfast champion for Alabama’s priorities, and I have no doubt his efforts will continue in this prestigious position.” Senator Shelby previously served as vice chairman of the committee for the 113th Congress. Shelby has also served as the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, the Senate Banking Committee, and the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.
Senators to preview proposals on improving election systems
With the 2018 primary season already underway, leaders of the Senate Intelligence Committee are launching an effort to protect U.S. elections from a repeat episode of foreign interference. Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr, R-N.C., and Virginia Sen. Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the panel, will preview some of the committee’s recommendations for improving the nation’s election infrastructure at a news conference Tuesday. On Wednesday, the committee will hold a hearing examining attempted hacks on state elections systems in 2016 and the federal and state response to those efforts. The committee has prepared a larger report on the issue, one of what could be several reports to come out of the committee’s investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election. Burr and Warner have said this report is the most urgent because of the threat that it could happen again in 2018. It’s unclear when the full report will be released, but it is expected to include recommendations for elections officials around the country and also proposals for legislation to help ward off the hacking. Overall, experts say far too little has been done to shore up vulnerabilities in 10,000 U.S. voting jurisdictions that mostly run on obsolete and imperfectly secured technology. Russian agents targeted election systems in 21 states ahead of the 2016 general election, the Homeland Security Department has said, and separately launched a social media blitz aimed at inflaming social tensions and sowing confusion. Top U.S. intelligence officials have said they’ve seen indications Russian agents are preparing a new round of election subterfuge this year. There’s no evidence that any hack in the November 2016 election affected election results, but the attempts scared state election officials who sought answers about how their systems had been potentially compromised. DHS took nearly a year to inform the affected states of hacking attempts, blaming it in part on a lack of security clearances. Lawmakers in both parties have pressed the department on why it took so long. Warner has said he thinks the process to prevent such hacking needs to be more robust, especially since President Donald Trump has not addressed the matter as an urgent problem. “We’ve got bipartisan agreement we have to do something on this,” Warner said earlier this year. At the hearing Wednesday, former Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson and current Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen will both testify. The Senate intelligence panel has put off making any assessments about whether Trump’s 2016 campaign in any way coordinated with Russia. Though that is one part of the panel’s investigation, Burr and Warner have decided to focus on less controversial issues where all members agree. Republished with permission from the Associated Press.
