7. Lew Burdette pushing for donation limits

• Gubernatorial candidate Lew Burdette is advocating for a change in Alabama law that would limit the amount that could be donated to any candidates’ campaign. There used to be a $500 limit from corporate contributions, but the passing of Fair Campaign Practices Act removed this cap.
• Burdette said, “We’re one of five states…that allows unlimited campaign contributions, and that’s just wrong.” He added, “Everybody in Alabama knows we have a corrupt state. We’re the fourth most politically corrupt state in Alabama…We have to limit campaign contributions.” Burdette also argued that large contributions “buy favor and influence.”

6. The school improvement report has been delivered — It’s not a pretty picture

• The Public Consulting Group was hired by some Alabama legislators to determine how to improve the Alabama school system by evaluating the state Department of Education, and one of the top points was a need for more accountability. 
• Consultant Anna d’Entremont said, “You have to hold your schools and districts accountable. The Alabama State Department of Education is the leader in education.” She added that the department needs to be held accountable for issues within the system. The key recommendations were focused on reviewing funding models, report card alignment, streamlining communication, more support for underperforming students and a faster process for teacher certification. 

5. The White House uses Roy Moore to defend Supreme Court nominees record

• U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) is starting to raise concerns about U.S. Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson’s record as a judge and policymaker. The concerns surround her decision-making on sex crimes and her own words. White House press secretary Jen Psaki responded to a question about this matter by declaring that Hawley’s “silence” on Roy Moore meant he couldn’t ask these questions. This is not true, but activists and the media will fall in line on this.
• The concerns being raised by Hawley are legitimate. The sentences are light for the crimes, and Jackson’s words on sex offenders, sex registries and sex crimes are worth noting. Hawley noted Jackson showed “alarming sentencing leniency for sex criminals.” She will still be confirmed, and it is unlikely the issues raised during her confirmation will be used for the decades that follow as they have with Clarence Thomas and, more recently, Brett Kavanaugh.

4. Joe Biden is corrupt — The media now knows it years after everyone found out

• In a surprise to no one outside of America’s newsrooms, Hunter Biden’s laptop has been discovered to be his laptop after over 50 individuals associated with the intelligence community, many employed in that field or the media today, declared it was “Russian misinformation.” The revelation follows the New York Times acknowledging an ongoing federal probe into Biden’s tax filings. This reporting includes correspondence with now-President Joe Biden, business dealings, Ukrainian energy companies, Russians, Chinese and other international business dealings that President Biden absolutely knew about and participated in.
• The implications of this are clear — Hunter Biden used his father’s connections while he was vice president to make money, his father was the “Big Guy,” his father lied during his presidential campaign, the media covered it up because it was inconvenient to their cause, they continue to cover it up, big tech helped them, and the American people were misled during a presidential election.

3. Lottery legislation approved in committee but seems unlikely to pass both chambers

• State Representative Chip Brown’s (R-Mobile) has introduced legislation that would create a lottery in Alabama. The bill has been approved by the House Economic Development and Tourism Committee. 
• The education lottery would contribute funds to pay for student loans, tuition and bonuses for retired education employees. When the bill was approved, Brown said, “This bill is a true bottom-up bill. This came from members of the House that want to allow the people of their districts to have the ability to vote on this. So by bringing this bill we are sending the message that we want the people of Alabama to vote on this. We have time to do this and I expect to get on the floor and get it out.”

2. Brooks is bringing January 6 speech to voters’ attention

• A new campaign ad for U.S. Representative Mo Brooks (R-Huntsville) has been released in his bid for U.S. Senate. In the ad, his speech from January 6 is brought up, as well as his endorsement from former President Donald Trump. 
• Brooks says in the spot, “America does not need any more weakling, cowering, wimpy Republican congressmen, and senators. On January 6th, I proudly stood with President Trump in the fight against voter fraud. I’m running for the Senate because I’m tired of debt-junkie, weak-kneed open-border RINOs who sell out our conservative values.” 

1. Putin is calling for ‘self-purification’; Some say peace may be near

• There’s more talk of peace and more people doubting that talk as Russian President Vladimir Putin is showing his full intentions with his invasion of Ukraine. He claimed “The Russian people will always be able to distinguish true patriots from scum and traitors and simply spit them out like a fly that accidentally flew into their mouths.” 
• Putin went on to add, “I am convinced that such a natural and necessary self-purification of society will only strengthen our country, our solidarity, cohesion and readiness to respond to any challenges.” Putin also called the invasion and war “a struggle for our sovereignty, for the future of our country and our children.”