Category: News

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Kay Ivey: Walt Maddox ‘misguided’ on calls to expand Medicaid

FAIRHOPE – Gov. Kay Ivey isn’t necessarily buying into the notion that the expansion of Medicaid could be a win-win for Alabama, as her Democratic opponent Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox has portrayed it.

Medicaid expansion has been a key component of Maddox’s campaign, and it has been something Republican lawmakers have resisted given its potential future cost to state taxpayers.

Thursday night, before taking the stage at Baldwin County’s Oak Hollow Farms for a political rally, Ivey fielded questions from reporters, one of which dealt with the expansion of Medicaid.

Continue reading “Kay Ivey: Walt Maddox ‘misguided’ on calls to expand Medicaid”

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Sessions conducting ‘most aggressive campaign against leaks’ in DOJ history

After 39-year-old former FBI Special Agent Terry J. Albury was sentenced on Thursday to 48 months in the District of Minnesota in connection with his unauthorized disclosure and retention of classified national defense information, Attorney General Jeff Sessions confirmed the DOJ is in the process of “conducting perhaps the most aggressive campaign against leaks in Department history.”

“We are conducting perhaps the most aggressive campaign against leaks in Department history,” Sessions said in a release. “Crimes like the one committed by the defendant in this case will not be tolerated—they will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law and punished … Today’s sentence should be a warning to every would-be leaker in the federal government that if they disclose classified information, they will pay a high price.” Continue reading “Sessions conducting ‘most aggressive campaign against leaks’ in DOJ history”

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Byrne: Odds better than 50/50 GOP keeps House — ‘There is truly a Kavanaugh effect going on here’

FAIRHOPE – What a difference a month can make for Republican lawmakers in Washington, D.C.

Heading into the summer, most political watchers anticipated that the GOP was set to lose at least the House of Representatives in the upcoming midterms. By mid-August, some Republicans thought losing the Senate was even a possibility.

However, the confirmation hearings of Supreme Court associate justice nominee Brett Kavanaugh appeared to have been a game-changer for Republicans, and according to Rep. Bradley Byrne (R-Fairhope), the public’s reaction to the Kavanaugh confirmation hearings could be enough for Republicans to hold on to both the House and the Senate.

Continue reading “Byrne: Odds better than 50/50 GOP keeps House — ‘There is truly a Kavanaugh effect going on here’”

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Ivey campaign criticizes ‘Lying Liberal Walt Maddox’

After Democratic gubernatorial nominee and Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox on Thursday held a press conference to spread unsubstantiated allegations about Governor Kay Ivey’s health and accuse her of a coverup 19 days before Election Day, the governor’s campaign responded by giving the Democrat a new moniker – “Lying Liberal Walt Maddox.”

“Apparently Walt Maddox isn’t just a liberal. He’s a lying liberal,” Ivey’s campaign said in a statement. “The people of Alabama will see this for what it is – a desperate false attack from a shameless politician who will say or do anything to get elected.”

Ivey has repeatedly denied the allegations about her health since last year, and her doctor even refuted them this week, providing a detailed letter to back up the conclusion that Ivey is in good health.

Besides the allegations regarding the governor’s health, the Maddox camp is alleging that then-Lieutenant Governor Ivey had a member of her protective detail demoted and transferred over her 2015 hospitalization in Colorado.

Ivey’s campaign said, “As it relates to the officer, that’s another Maddox whopper. News outlets reported last year that the officer actually received a promotion and raise in late 2015.” Continue reading “Ivey campaign criticizes ‘Lying Liberal Walt Maddox’”

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Effort underway to have Alabama inmates vote this election cycle

As reported first by the Troy Messenger, an effort is underway by the Pike County NAACP to have eligible inmates vote in Alabama’s upcoming November 6 general election.

Only inmates convicted of “crimes of moral turpitude” are disqualified from voting, however being in prison obviously bars inmates from heading to the polls on Election Day. This is where absentee voting comes in; yet, incarceration is not currently available as an option on the state’s absentee ballot request forms.

“There’s nowhere on the absentee ballot application that lists being incarcerated as a reason you can vote absentee,” Jamie Scarbrough, Pike County absentee election manager, explained. “You have to be out of the county, have a physical impairment, a work conflict, a member of the armed forces or a student in another county.” Continue reading “Effort underway to have Alabama inmates vote this election cycle”

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Ainsworth rallies Alabama voters after George Soros’ involvement in upcoming election revealed

After Yellowhammer News revealed that billionaire George Soros this week directly dumped $200,000 into a group of Tuscaloosa PACs that has been Democratic gubernatorial nominee and Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox’s biggest contributor, the Republican nominee for Lieutenant Governor, state Rep. Will Ainsworth (R-Guntersville), issued a warning and a rallying call to Alabama voters.

“Billionaire George Soros is flooding Alabama with several hundred thousand dollars in last minute contributions to Walt Maddox and other liberal Democrats on the Nov. 6 ballot,” posted on Facebook.

Ainsworth continued, “Soros wants to replace our conservative principles and Alabama values with his Socialist progressive agenda. We must not let the pro-abortion, anti-gun and tax-raiding liberals become competitive. Please tell your, friends, neighbors, and church members to vote the Straight Republican ticket on Nov. 6!”

Combined with almost $1 million in dark money funneled into the state from Planned Parenthood, political observers in the state expect the Soros money to go towards attempting to boost Democratic turnout on Election Day. Maddox, Planned Parenthood and other out-of-state liberal groups are opposing a pro-life constitutional amendment on the ballot – Amendment Two.

Sean Ross is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @sean_yhn

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Another $95,000 funneled into Alabama PAC from out-of-state Planned Parenthood group

According to a mandatory financial disclosure filed at approximately noon on Thursday, Planned Parenthood on Tuesday pumped an additional $95,000 into its efforts to influence Alabama’s November 6 general election.

Planned Parenthood, through Planned Parenthood Southeast’s “Alabama for Healthy Families” PAC, is opposing a pro-life constitutional amendment and attempting to drive up Democratic turnout on Election Day. Along with Planned Parenthood, Democratic gubernatorial nominee and Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox, the ACLU, the Feminist Majority Foundation and URGE are opposing the amendment – Amendment Two.

The $95,000 contribution to the Alabama PAC was made from Planned Parenthood of Northern New England, located in Vermont. The PAC now reports having $915,000 cash on hand to spend in under three weeks leading up to the election. Previous contributions have come in from multiple entities each in California and New York City.

Combined with a $200,000 cash infusion directly from George Soros, Alabama Democrats will be hoping that more than $1 million in last minute, out-of-state spending will buoy their candidates, especially in down ballot races that could take advantage of Democrats voting the straight ticket option while the average Alabamian checks off individual candidates he or she knows while ignoring the lesser known races. Continue reading “Another $95,000 funneled into Alabama PAC from out-of-state Planned Parenthood group”

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Roby Dem opponent Tabitha Isner tells NY Times Russian hacking claim was used as a ploy for campaign publicity

Back during the summer, Democratic congressional hopeful Tabitha Isner attracted national headlines when she claimed Russians had attempted to hack her campaign’s website.

“I was pretty surprised by that because I had bought enough bandwidth, enough hosting power, that it shouldn’t be an issue,” Isner said to Business Insider back in August. “I knew something was up and I had my web administrator go look into it.”

She went on to say the hacking attempt seemed partisan and that it appeared there was a lack of concern when hacks benefitted Republicans. As it turns out, some of that concern may have been a ploy for attention.

Continue reading “Roby Dem opponent Tabitha Isner tells NY Times Russian hacking claim was used as a ploy for campaign publicity”

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Byrne to propose innovative bill to fund building the border wall

Congressman Bradley Byrne (AL-1) will soon introduce the “Fifty Votes for the Wall Act,” which would use the budget reconciliation process to overcome Democratic obstruction and fund the border wall.

In a statement to Yellowhammer News, Byrne explained the rationale behind his proposal, which he outlined further in an op-ed published by The Hill.

“The American people elected Donald Trump on the promise of building a border wall, and we can’t let Democrats continue to block funding from this critical project,” Byrne said.

He continued, “To be clear, border security is national security. Having a secure border is absolutely necessary if we want to cut down on crime and keep potential terrorists and bad actors out of our country. With this bill, we create a process to overcome the Democrat filibuster in the Senate and provide the money necessary to build the wall and keep the American people safe.” Continue reading “Byrne to propose innovative bill to fund building the border wall”

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AL-3 Dem congressional hopeful Mallory Hagan: I won’t support Pelosi for House Speaker if elected

In a Q & A interview that appeared in Wednesday’s edition of the Montgomery Advertiser, third congressional district Democratic nominee Mallory Hagan said if she wins her election next month, she would not support House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) for Speaker of the House.

The possibility of Hagan, a former Miss America, defeating incumbent Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Saks) in the November 6 contest is considered to be a long-shot in the heavily Republican east Alabama congressional district. It is a district that President Donald Trump won by 33 points in the 2016 presidential election, and one Republicans have held since January 1997.

Continue reading “AL-3 Dem congressional hopeful Mallory Hagan: I won’t support Pelosi for House Speaker if elected”

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Nick Saban endorses Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) in tight reelection bid (VIDEO)

University of Alabama head football coach Nick Saban has endorsed his “friend” Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) in the senator’s tightly contested reelection bid, per a new campaign ad released on Wednesday.

Saban, who was born in Fairmont, WV in 1951, was joined in the ad by two other natives and sports legends of the Mountain State – Jerry West and Bob Huggins.

Watch: Continue reading “Nick Saban endorses Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) in tight reelection bid (VIDEO)”

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Resisting complacency, getting out the vote on Nov. 6 the message at Coffee County GOP women’s group gathering

ENTERPRISE – With less than three weeks to go until Election Day, by most indications statewide Republican candidates in Alabama are on solid footing.

Down in the Wiregrass’ Coffee County, Republicans aren’t taking that for granted and are gearing up for the November 6 contests.

At a gathering at the Enterprise Country Club just north of downtown Enterprise, the Republican Women of Coffee County (RWCC) held their last meeting before next month’s election, and RWCC President Johnna Roberts urged attendees to encourage as many people as possible to vote straight-ticket Republican.

Continue reading “Resisting complacency, getting out the vote on Nov. 6 the message at Coffee County GOP women’s group gathering”

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National Right to Life endorses Kay Ivey for governor

Governor Kay Ivey’s campaign on Wednesday announced that she has been endorsed by National Right to Life in her gubernatorial race against Democratic nominee and Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox.

National Right to Life is the oldest and largest pro-life group in the United States, with 50 state right-to-life affiliates and more than 3,000 local chapters.

This comes after Maddox has come under heavy fire recently over his opposition to the pro-life constitutional amendment on the November 6 general election ballot – Amendment Two.

Sean Ross is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @sean_yhn

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Auburn University leads $2 million initiative to maximize U.S. fuel economy

Researchers at Auburn University are leading a $2 million U.S. Department of Energy initiative to improve fuel efficiency and economy.

As part of the program, the researchers will create a bio-based fuel additive that can blend with diesel fuel to reduce soot and greenhouse gas emissions and provide cleaner vehicle operation in cold weather.

The project is one of 42 totaling $80 million awarded by the Department of Energy to support research for vehicle technology. Continue reading “Auburn University leads $2 million initiative to maximize U.S. fuel economy”

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George Soros dumps $200,000 into group of PACs backing Maddox

Infamous billionaire backer of liberal political causes George Soros on Monday directly dumped $200,000 into a group of Tuscaloosa PACs that has been Democratic gubernatorial nominee and Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox’s biggest contributor.

The Soros contributions were revealed in mandatory financial disclosures that were filed Wednesday night. The treasurer of the PACs receiving the funds also serves as Maddox’s campaign treasurer, per FCC filings.

The conglomerate of PACs, compromised of Cash PAC, CMG PAC II, ET PAC, Leadership PAC, Pride PAC II and T-Town PAC II, has contributed nearly 30 percent of Maddox’s total amount raised over the course of his campaign. Continue reading “George Soros dumps $200,000 into group of PACs backing Maddox”

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Will Ainsworth slams Democrats for Kay Ivey health ‘October surprise’: ‘Sick,’ ‘despicable’

ENTERPRISE — On Tuesday, a report surfaced questioning the circumstances of a hospital visit then-Lt. Gov. Kay Ivey made in Colorado in 2015. That has led some to suggest the resurfacing of the story was part of a so-called  “October surprise” deployed by Democrats against the incumbent governor and intended to better Ivey’s general election opponent Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox’s chances in next month’s contest.

Ivey has disputed the report in an appearance at the Tuscaloosa Republican Party Lincoln-Reagan Dinner later in the day and called it “plum sad” Maddox’s campaign would resort to such tactics.

On Wednesday after speaking to the Republican Women of Coffee County at the Enterprise Country Club, Republican lieutenant gubernatorial nominee Will Ainsworth also criticized Democrats believed to be behind the report.
Continue reading “Will Ainsworth slams Democrats for Kay Ivey health ‘October surprise’: ‘Sick,’ ‘despicable’”

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Company seeking to fill 850 jobs between two South Alabama locations on Thursday

According to a press release published by NBC 15, one company is seeking to fill a massive amount of jobs between two of its locations in southwest Alabama on Thursday.

Alorica, “the largest provider of customer experiences to North American consumers,” will attempt to hire 550 employees at its site in Saraland and 300 employees at its Mobile facility.

This comes as a part of the company’s first “National Recruiting Day” spanning more than 80 sites across the United States and Canada on Thursday from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Continue reading “Company seeking to fill 850 jobs between two South Alabama locations on Thursday”

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Ivey’s doctor confirms the governor is in good health

The primary care physician for Governor Kay Ivey on Tuesday released a letter confirming the governor is in good health and refuting a report alleging that she had suffered a ministroke in April 2015.

Dr. Brian Elrod of Montgomery, who has been Ivey’s doctor for “many years,” wrote that the governor had indeed been hospitalized at a conference in Colorado that month in 2015, however “extensive” tests conducted at the hospital “were all negative.” Additionally, Elrod himself examined Ivey the day after she was released from the hospital, saying that “I saw no evidence of a transient ischemic attack (ministroke).”

More tests later that year, including an EKG and echocardiogram, were deemed “unremarkable” and “normal.” Then, a cardiologist visit in December 2015 “also showed no new concerns” and “her nuclear imaging study in January of 2016 was likewise unremarkable and suggested ‘a relatively low risk of cardiovascular events.'”

Elrod added that he could not comment “on what condition may have led to her hospitalization in April of 2015,” but that the governor’s health since then “has remained good with no indication of increased cardiovascular risk.” Continue reading “Ivey’s doctor confirms the governor is in good health”

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Mike Pence encourages Alabama farmers affected by Hurricane Michael, pledges continued support

According to a post by the Alabama Farmers Federation, Vice President Mike Pence encouraged attendees and pledged continued aid for farmers affected by Hurricane Michael during the Sunbelt Ag Expo in Moultrie, Georgia on Tuesday.

“Under President Trump’s leadership, we have taken and will continue to take decisive action to address the aftermath of Hurricane Michael,” Pence said. “I know the strength and faith and resilience of the people of agriculture. We will recover from lost crops and rebuild communities.”

During the expo, which was attended by members of the Alabama Farmers Federation, federation president Jimmy Parnell also discussed issues affecting the Yellowhammer State’s farmers hit by the category-four hurricane with U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue. Continue reading “Mike Pence encourages Alabama farmers affected by Hurricane Michael, pledges continued support”

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New school safety and security legislative advisory committee holds first meeting

The newly formed Legislative Advisory Committee on School Safety and Security held its organizational meeting at the Alabama State House on Tuesday, with the chair, state Rep. Terri Collins (R-Decatur), touting the broad partnerships represented on the committee.

The panel, which was created by Speaker of the House Mac McCutcheon (R-Monrovia) and tasked with reviewing and vetting legislation involving school security issues, is comprised of legislators, law enforcement officials, educators and mental health professionals.

McCutcheon, who addressed the meeting, explained that he hopes it will serve as a valuable resource for lawmakers by providing advice, input and counsel on school security measures that are introduced in upcoming sessions of the Alabama Legislature.

Collins, who is considered one of the state’s leading voices on education issues, previously led a similar Emergency Task Force on School Safety and Security that was formed in 2016. This past task force recommended several school security statutes that have since been passed into law and enacted. Continue reading “New school safety and security legislative advisory committee holds first meeting”

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Roby makes push for agricultural disaster area declaration in Hurricane Michael’s wake

Because of Hurricane Michael and the path of destruction left in its wake last week, Alabama farmers are looking at potentially $100 million in losses from the toll it took on the cotton crop alone.

Before the storm, farmers in southeastern Alabama were looking at harvesting a bumper cotton crop that was on the verge of being ready for harvest.

Add to that the impact the storm had on livestock, peanuts, timber and other aspects of the Wiregrass region’s agriculture, and farmers have a crisis on their hands, as Rep. Martha Roby (R-Montgomery) put it in an address to the Dale County Republican Party Executive Committee on Monday night.

Continue reading “Roby makes push for agricultural disaster area declaration in Hurricane Michael’s wake”