A homemade video shows former U.S. Senator Doug Jones (D-Mountain Brook) on the Alabama-Georgia state line.

He explains his very first issue in his newly-announced campaign for Governor in the 2026 election: Legalizing the lottery in Alabama.

Alabama’s four surrounding states – Georgia, Tennessee, Mississippi and Florida – all have legal lotteries and are members of the multi-state Powerball and Mega Millions jackpots, drawn three times a week.

Soon after Jones posted the video, the Powerball drawing stood at about $1.5 billion, and has since been won by a single ticket sold in Arkansas.

In the video, Jones wanders around to record video of the full parking lot at the Robinson convenience store in Georgia, where he claims dozens of vehicles with Alabama tags are pulling in to buy lottery tickets from Georgia drawing.

Jones is the only character in his two-minute video.

https://x.com/DougJones/status/2002499101800497642?s=20

“Hey folks, it’s Saturday, it’s December 20th, and tonight the Powerball is 1.5 billion dollars.

That’s billion with a B.

And I’m standing right across the Alabama-Georgia line in Georgia because you can’t get a Powerball ticket in Alabama. You can see the sign behind me at 1.5 billion dollars, and right now the traffic coming over here was incredible. The parking lots across in these, there’s like four places here that sell lottery tickets. Now this is parking lot here at Robinson’s right across the line, it is completely full. You can look across the street, same.

Things happening up the hill, same things happening.

You can’t imagine the number of Alabama tags that I’m seeing in this parking lot. Alabama needs a lottery. This is crazy to how people streaming over from Birmingham, Alabama, and all places in Alabama, streaming East coming to Atlanta and Georgia, streaming North coming to Tennessee, streaming West going over to Mississippi, and creating a traffic jam going down to Florida, poor.

Tommy Tuberville is probably going to get stuck in traffic going home for the holidays down in Santa Rosa Beach. But that’s what we’re missing out on. Millions, hundreds of millions of dollars. We got to change that, folks. We got to change that coming up. Legislature is going to be looking at it this time. We need to vote on a lottery. Don’t wait till I get elected governor. We need to vote on a lottery this year, make that vote next November.

So everybody can come out. 1.5 billion dollars. And all the money that’s coming over is time that we put the Power back in the people’s hands. It’s time you had a vote on a lottery. We need to tell all the legislators down in Montgomery, we want a lottery. It’s time to get it. So let’s all get ready for the coming year, 2026, when Alabama finally joins the rest of the South in getting us a lottery.

I’m going to head back. I’m going to go get my tickets now, and then I’m going to head back to Birmingham. Oh, and by the way, Roll Tide,” Jones says.

The idea of using the lottery as a mainstay of a campaign for governor of Alabama is not new with Doug Jones.

In 1998, gubernatorial candidate Don Siegelman used the lottery as his main issue — almost only issue — in running against incumbent Governor Fob James (R-Opelika).

Siegelman brought up his support of the lottery so much and so often that political commentators would say that the solution to funding any Alabama need is a lottery, according to Siegelman.

Support of the lottery may have worked for Siegelman in the short run, but it catastrophically failed in the long run.

Lt. Governor Siegelman defeated Governor James for re-election in the November 1998 general election. As soon as he was inaugurated, he pushed the lottery measure through both houses of the Alabama Legislature.

After that, things went downhill.

A referendum of voters in a 1999 special election failed, and it was not particularly close. Siegelman spent the remainder of his term trying to explain away why his lottery amendment failed.

The early failure of the much-ballyhooed lottery in the Siegelman administration helped pave the way for a re-election challenge from then-Congressman Bob Riley.

Siegelman was the last Democrat to be elected Governor of Alabama, and the general elections have not since been close.

Siegelman and the failure of his marquee issue helped turn Alabama into a ruby red state.

Not only that, but a criminal indictment concerning a campaign contribution to the lottery came down after Siegelman had completed his one term as governor. Siegelman was eventually convicted and served federal time, losing all efforts for a reversal or pardon.

Will the lottery issue be any more effective for Democrat Doug Jones than it was for Democrat Don Siegelman?

Jim Zig Zeigler is a contributing writer for Yellowhammer News. His beat includes the positive and colorful about Alabama – her people, events, groups and prominent deaths. He is a former State Auditor and Public Service Commissioner. You can reach him at ZeiglerElderCare@yahoo.com.

On Wednesday, former HealthSouth CEO Richard Scrushy told Yellowhammer News that he and his legal team have obtained sworn affidavits and witness testimony that proves prosecutors in his bribery case withheld a high volume of exculpatory evidence.

Scrushy, who served nearly seven years in prison alongside former Alabama Governor Don Siegelman, says new evidence shows Department of Justice prosecutors deliberately withheld information that would have proven his innocence.

Scrushy plans to divulge the details and documents at a press conference Thursday at 11 a.m. at the Frank M. Johnson Jr. Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse in Montgomery. 

He’s calling on U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and the Department of Justice to investigate the case as an example of “political prosecution” and “weaponization” of federal law enforcement. He also appealed to Pardon Czar Alice Marie Johnson to review his case.

Scrushy’s legal team contends that prosecutors violated Brady v. Maryland, the Supreme Court ruling requiring disclosure of all exculpatory evidence. Quoting from trial transcripts, Scrushy says the judge explicitly ordered prosecutors to turn over any such material, yet key documents and witness information were allegedly concealed. 

RELATED: Fmr HealthSouth CEO Scrushy still maintains his innocence — Says ordeal was a ‘miscarriage of justice’

In 2006, federal prosecutors argued that Scrushy’s monetary support for Siegelman’s lottery campaign constituted a quid pro quo — and that Siegelman, in turn, appointed Scrushy to the State Certificate of Need (CON) Review Board.

Throughout their trial, Siegelman and Scrushy both insisted there was no deal tying the donations to Scrushy’s reappointment and maintained that any donations from Scrushy were legal, routine campaign contributions, not bribes.

In June 2006, Scrushy and Siegelman were convicted. Scrushy was sentenced to nearly 82 months in federal prison and ordered to pay $267,000 in restitution.

Today, Scrushy claims new documents prove he was wrongly convicted of making those payments. 

There are better people than Governor Kay Ivey to name these prisons after.

Dale Jackson is a thought leader for Yellowhammer News and hosts a talk show from 5-9 a.m. weekdays on WVNN, Talk 99.5, and News Radio 1440 from 10-11 a.m., and on Talk Radio 103.9 FM/730AM WUMP from 3-4 p.m.

We are continuing this week with our summer series on Big Jim Folsom – Alabama’s most
colorful governor.

Those of us who grew up in and around Alabama politics have coined a descriptive term for a person who is obsessed with seeking political office constantly and tirelessly without reservation or concern for their physical, mental or financial welfare. They will run for high elected office at all costs. The term we use to describe those people is named for the man who best exemplified that obsession, George Wallace.

Therefore, someone who is driven by obsession to win high public office has the “George Wallace Syndrome.”

The Alabama Baby Boomer who was eaten up with the George Wallace Syndrome more than any other I know was Don Siegelman.

Siegelman ran nonstop beginning from the time he was a student at the University of Alabama in the 1960’s. He was successful. He was president of the Student Government at Alabama and went on to become Alabama’s secretary of state, attorney general, lieutenant governor and, finally, his life’s dream of governor.

There is an old political saying that you don’t ever want to get into a race with someone who wants it more than you and will out work you. Siegelman was never outworked. He was relentless and focused on the ultimate prize that many a young politician in Alabama aspired to and that’s the governor’s chair. He captured the brass ring.

Siegelman reminded me so much of George Wallace, he truly deserves the award for having the Wallace Syndrome. He and Wallace were so consumed with politics and being governor that neither one of them could tell you what they were eating when you had lunch with them. Eating was a sideline to any political discussion they were having and calling lunch. They ate because they had to eat to survive.

Siegelman was always a little more liberal than most Alabamians. Therefore, he grew up
admiring the more progressive Alabama political icons. He admired our progressive New Deal Democrats, such as Lister Hill, John Sparkman, and Carl Elliott.

However, the utmost idol for young liberal politicians of my era was James E. “Big Jim” Folsom. Big Jim was truly a progressive on fiscal and social issues.

Siegelman had a remarkedly similar career and educational background as Bill Clinton. Both were almost the same age, both received undergraduate degrees from their state universities, both left college and went to prestigious law schools – Clinton to Yale and Siegelman to Georgetown.

They both went on to do postgraduate work at Oxford in England. Then they both started
running for office right away. Clinton ran for Congress, then governor of Arkansas.

Siegelman ran for secretary of state and then on up the Alabama political ladder to attorney general, lieutenant governor, and governor.

As Siegelman was beginning his first foray into Alabama politics, I will share with you a funny story that I call the “Don Siegelman meets Big Jim story.”

Siegelman was campaigning hard one day for secretary of state in early 1978 and wound up his day late in Cullman. Big Jim, in his later years camped out at a truck stop along the interstate in Cullman. Big Jim was drinking coffee and Siegelman spotted his lifelong hero and liberal idol, Big Jim, and went over to introduce himself.

Siegelman gave Big Jim his spiel and what he was doing and how his campaign for secretary of state was going. He gave Big Jim the story of his pedigree concerning all of his educational degrees: University of Alabama student government president, Georgetown Law School and Oxford in England.

Big Jim listened intently to the young politician and sipped on his coffee. Now, you have to
realize that even though Big Jim was a progressive on fiscal and race matters, he was pretty down home when it came to country politics, patronage, and home spun talking to folks. Big Jim was also pretty pragmatic and plain spoken.

He said, “Boy are you asking my advice about your campaign?”

Siegelman said, “Sure I am, governor.”

Big Jim said, “Well, first of all you need to change your name, ain’t nobody in Opp going to vote for some boy named Siegelman. First of all you can’t say it, secondly, it don’t sound like a good regular Alabama Baptist or Methodist name, and you better tell folks you went to school at Oxford High School in Calhoun County and not some place in England. Thirdly, don’t you know you can’t steal any money in that job?”

See you next week.

Steve Flowers’ weekly column appears in more than 60 Alabama newspapers. He served 16 years in the Legislature and may be reached at www.steveflowers.us.

7. Granholm is being criticized for being massively out of touch

• U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm recently suggested that Americans struggling with inflation should buy solar panels, saying, “If you are low income, you can get your home entirely weatherized through the expansion from the bipartisan infrastructure laws,” since there’s a new tax rebate offered through the Inflation Reduction Act.
• Granholm went on to say, “If you are moderate income, today you can get 30% off the price of solar panels … it’s a significant incentive.” Many people said Granholm was essentially out of touch with the financial reality most families are facing with 40-year high inflation. Cementing the fact that she is out of touch, in the same interview, she said the price of gasoline was dropping because of the great work President Joe Biden has done expanding the gasoline supply, which is not true at all.

6. Wisconsin will ban BLM and pride flags in classrooms

• A new policy for schools in Wisconsin has been approved by the state’s school board that will ban all Black Lives Matter and pride flags from classrooms. Superintendent Stephen Plum said, “Teachers and administration will not have political flags or religious messaging in their classroom or on their person.”
• The ban also includes “We Back the Badge” signs, as well as school employees from displaying preferred pronouns in their email signatures. In protest to the ban, one student said at the school board meeting, “I am not controversial. I am not political. I am a person.”

5. Outcry has started against proposed birthing center regulations

• New regulations and restrictions could be placed on birthing centers after the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) proposed a resolution for several centers that could be built across the state. Some of the regulations could make it illegal to use a midwife.
• In response, Alabama State Board of Midwifery (ASBM) chair Noel Leithart said, “If adopted, these rules would effectively prohibit any licensed midwives from starting or even working in any birthing center in Alabama. This proposal drastically reduces the ability of licensed midwives to care safely for women and babies in Alabama, especially rural areas.” In Alabama, there are 37 rural counties that don’t have a hospital with an OB unit.

4. Education secretary misses the point completely

• Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, discussion and criticism over teachers have increased. U.S. Department of Education Secretary Miguel Cardona asserted that these criticisms have influenced the ongoing teacher shortage, saying it’s “a symptom of something that’s been going on for longer than the pandemic and that’s a teacher respect issue.”
• Cardona went on to say that over “the last couple years, you know, our educators have bent over backwards … yet the pandemic really pushed many of these educators out of the profession because in many cases, you know, educators were not being respected when schools had to close … We need to make sure we’re supporting our educators, giving them the working conditions where they feel connected to the community and feel supported in the work that they’re doing.”

3. Younger generations are rejecting party affiliations

• A new Gallup poll shows that a majority of young voters within the Millennial and Gen Z generations aren’t affiliating as Republicans or Democrats, but instead remain Independent voters.
• The poll shows that 21% of Millennials are Republican, while 27% of Millennials are Democrat. 17% of Gen Z are Republican, 31% of Gen Z are Democrat, and 52% of both demographic cohorts have identified as Independent.

2. Alabama unemployment maintains 2.6%

• The Alabama Department of Labor (ADOL) announced that for July, the state’s unemployment rate stayed at the record low of 2.6%, meaning that there are about 59,419 people unemployed. ADOL secretary Fitzgerald Washington advised that there’s been an increase of “more than 34,000 jobs since last year.”
• Gov. Kay Ivey said the state has “more people working than ever before. We will not relent on our efforts. We will continue working hard to support businesses as they seek more employees, while also connecting folks in our workforce with existing resources to ensure they are highly skilled and well-equipped.”

1. Blanchard wants out of voting machine lawsuit and felon Siegelman wants in

• A lawsuit in Alabama claims that voting machines in the 2020 presidential election were compromised. Now, former Gov. Don Siegelman (D), a felon and conspiracy theorist, has expressed interest in joining the lawsuit after former gubernatorial candidate Lindy Blanchard has requested to be removed.
• Siegelman alleged that his reelection loss in 2002 was due to inaccuracies in electronic voting machines. He said, “For our democracy to work, everyone who is entitled to vote should be able to vote. Secondly, we must have confidence in the outcome of our elections. We can’t point fingers at Russians and declare meddling in our elections without being willing to have an audit of our own elections when properly challenged.”

State Rep. Chris England (D-Tuscaloosa) announced on Thursday that he would not seek another term as chair of the Alabama Democratic Party.

Democrats will elect a new party chair during their organizational meeting on August 13 at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex (BJCC), according to Alabama Media Group.

England was elected as the minority party’s chair in 2019 after a tense power struggle commenced between the lawmaker and then-Alabama Democratic Party chair Nancy Worley.

Democrats have not seen major electoral success since 2017 when former U.S. Sen. Doug Jones (D-Mountain Brook) defeated past Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore in a controversial senatorial special election.

Since then, Democrats have seen voter participation in its primaries drastically decrease.

The party’s voter turnout has tanked 40% from 2018 to 2022. Republicans outvoted Democrats nearly 4:1 in their parties’ respected gubernatorial primary elections this past cycle.

Even as Republicans control all statewide constitutional offices and hold a supermajority in the Alabama Legislature, the party is actively seeking to cut into traditionally Democrat voting blocs.

Last year, the Alabama Republican Party (ALGOP) launched its statewide minority outreach coalition.

The effort spearheaded by ALGOP chairman John Wahl looks to bolster Republicans’ standing among minorities, which have long been reliable Democrat voters.

State Rep. Kenneth Paschal (R-Pelham), who made history in 2021 by becoming the first black Republican since Reconstruction to be elected to the legislature, serves as director of the coalition.

However, one left-wing operative looks to put an end to Democrats’ in-state electoral struggles.

Josh Coleman, who serves as the LGBTQ+ liaison for the City of Birmingham and Mayor Randall Woodfin, announced his candidacy for the party’s top position on Thursday.

Democrats in Alabama need a champion. I’m running for Chair of the Alabama Democratic Party to be that champion. It’s time we empower our local organizations, and show up from the Shoals to the shores to restore people’s trust in the Democratic Party.https://t.co/nJlErlLglT pic.twitter.com/BWdRj4kisg

— Josh Coleman (@joshcolemanal) July 15, 2022

Coleman, who is the deputy director of Birmingham City’s Division of Social Justice and Racial Equity, serves as president of Central Alabama Pride.

The progressive operative has earned his stripes as a Democratic Party loyalist, as he has held numerous official party and campaign-related leadership positions in recent years.

Coleman has served in multiple capacities for the Democratic National Committee (DNC), Young Democrats for America, State Democratic executive committee, Jefferson County Democratic Party executive committee, and the Greater Birmingham Democrats.

In 2016, he served as Alabama volunteer director for the failed campaign of former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. Coleman is a current aide to convicted felon and former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman (D).

Dylan Smith is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @DylanSmithAL

The contest to determine who will replace outgoing State Sen. Del Marsh (R-Anniston), who formerly served as the upper chamber’s president pro tem, has garnered attention from some of the heaviest hitters in Alabama Republican politics.

The Senate District 12 GOP primary runoff features Anniston businessman Keith Kelley and attorney Wendy Ghee Draper.

Draper and Kelley secured spots in the runoff after receiving 39.31% and 35.42% of the vote in the May 24 primary election, respectively. Weaver Mayor Wayne Willis came in third place with 25.27%.

Early in the race, U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Saks), the lead Republican on the House Armed Services Committee, came out in support of Kelley. In the latter stages of the primary, Kelley’s bid was supported by a fundraiser held by former Gov. Bob Riley.

Additionally, Kelley recently received the endorsement of State Rep. K.L. Brown (R-Jacksonville).

While it is rare for a sitting congressman and former governor to intervene in an open State Senate primary, perhaps it is not entirely unexpected given the race’s dynamic.

Draper is married to Anniston Mayor Jack Draper, who in 2008 donated to Democrat Joshua Segall, who was challenging Rogers’ reelection bid for Alabama’s third congressional district.

In one of Rogers’ closest elections of his political career, the congressman would go on to defeat his Democratic opponent by just over 8% of the vote.

Draper’s bid to appear on the Republican primary ballot as a candidate for Senate District 12 was challenged shortly after the qualifying period ended. Among the issues cited in her ballot challenge was her history of financially supporting the campaigns of Democrats.

According to the National Institute for Money in Politics, Draper donated a combined $2,800 to the candidacies of four Democrats and one independent from 2002-2006.

Draper in 2002 donated to state treasurer hopeful Stephen Black, former State Rep. Craig Ford (I-Gadsden), then-lieutenant governor hopeful Lucy Baxley and the unsuccessful reelection campaign of former Gov. Don Siegelman. In 2006, she contributed to then-lieutenant governor candidate Jim Folsom, Jr.

According to the most recent Alabama Secretary of State campaign finance filings, more than $236,000 has been expended in the hotly contested race between the two candidates. Records show that Draper has spent $170,004 compared to Kelley’s $66,442.

Draper holds the fundraising edge over Kelley as she has garnered $116,160 in contributions to Kelley’s overall total of $37,063. However, as of the filing period ending May 31, Kelley currently holds $47,464 cash-on-hand while Draper’s ending cash balance sits at $6,401.

The candidate who notches the Republican Party bid in the June 21 runoff election will face no Democratic opposition in the November 8 general election.

Dylan Smith is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @DylanSmithAL

7. Ivey doesn’t include vaccine mandate ban in the special session

• The redistricting special session is set to start on October 28. Governor Kay Ivey has officially outlined that other than redistricting, the session will include “appropriations for pandemic-related healthcare service.”
• Ivey didn’t include any ability for the legislature to address vaccine mandates, as she said earlier in the day that a state law isn’t the way to fight the federal mandate. She explained, “The courts are where this will be resolved.”

6. Biden wants you to care about how much he says “union”

• While speaking in New Jersey Transit Meadowlands Maintenance Complex, President Joe Biden made a point to mention that he’s said “union” more than the last seven presidents “combined.”
• Biden said that he’s been told he’s a “union president.” This event was for the construction of the Portal Bridge that’s creating 8,000 union jobs. Biden went on to discuss how the bridge would improve travel and infrastructure, but he also made sure to say “union” several more times. 

5. Siegelman wants gambling, forgot why he went to jail

• Former Governor Don Siegelman is speaking out in favor of holding a vote on legalizing the lottery and gaming in Alabama. When he was governor over 20 years ago, Siegelman tried to create a lottery. 
• Now, Siegelman is suggesting that the issue of casinos and the lottery be split and handled separately, but the way the Alabama Legislature has already tried to handle casino licensing “makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.” He also said that it should be an open bidding system to who gets to put casinos in different areas, and it should be up to individual “jurisdictions.”

4. Another caravan is coming to the border

• Using a QR code, a caravan of migrants was organized and is heading toward the southern border of the United States. As of Monday, the caravan had just left Huehuetán and was on their third day of travel. This is one of the largest caravans seen in 2021. 
• A migrant from El Salvador said, “Tell Biden we are coming,” and others said that they need help. It’s estimated that this caravan is made up of more than 3,000 migrants. Due to laws passed by the Mexican government, those in the caravan can’t get a ride from truckers, so the whole group will have to walk the entirety of the trip. 

3. No, Mo Brooks didn’t help plan the January 6 rally or the riot that followed

• Despite “reports” that U.S. Representative Mo Brooks (R-Huntsville) spoke with coordinators and helped plan the rally on January 6 that led to a riot at the U.S. Capitol, Brooks has maintained he had nothing to do with the planning. 
• Brooks said that he “had no intentions of going to that rally until Jan. 5, when the White House asked me to speak.” He clarified that his staff could’ve potentially been involved, but he’s not sure if they were or not, adding that he would be “proud” if they were. 

2. Schools are moving to mask optional

• Delta variant coronavirus cases have declined drastically in Alabama, and now schools across the state have mostly all gone to making masks optional for students and staff. During the height of the surge, a majority of the schools required masks. 
• Currently, there are about 80 school systems that don’t require masks, but 70 districts still do. However, some districts like Tuscaloosa City Schools have just voted to extend their mask requirements. 

1. Governor Ivey’s executive order does very little, and that’s the point

• Citizens and members of the legislature have been pushing for Governor Kay Ivey to include a vaccine mandate ban in the upcoming special session, but Ivey instead issued an executive order meant to fight President Joe Biden’s vaccine mandate. 
• The purpose of the order is to block people in Alabama from being forced to take the coronavirus vaccine. The order said that within Alabama, no one can “seek to impose a penalty on any business or individual for noncompliance with any federally imposed requirement that has the purpose or effect of forcing an individual to receive a COVID-19 vaccination or requiring a business to force its employees to receive a COVID-19 vaccination.”

A few days beyond 22 years ago, Alabama voters rejected then-Gov. Don Siegelman’s referendum to create a state lottery in Alabama.

The measure fell by a 54% to 46% margin. However, had the vote swung the other way for Siegelman, Alabama’s gaming dilemma may have been a long-solved problem by now.

Once again, however, the gaming topic remains front-and-center in Alabama politics. However, instead of a threat beyond the borders of Alabama in the form of Mississippi gaming interests, Siegelman sees obstacles from within the state.

During an appearance on Mobile radio FM Talk 106.5’s “The Jeff Poor Show,” Siegelman suggested splitting all the various gaming components, including casino gaming, lottery and sports betting up and dealing with them individually.

He called on the Alabama Legislature to “quit playing games” with the gambling issue.

“I think mostly the ghosts of the future who are haunting Alabama’s opportunity to pass a lottery and perhaps sports betting and perhaps casinos,” he said. “You know, what I have been saying and what I’ve said on this program before is the legislature needs to quit playing games with the public on this issue. They’re trying to slide something through. They want to have an all-or-nothing vote on casinos, the lottery, sports betting.”

“And then they want to give the license for everything existing dog track owners or the Poarch Creek Indians,” Siegelman continued. “It makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. First of all, we ought to be voting on each item individually. If people want casinos, let them vote for casinos. If that region of the state votes for casinos, then let them decide. Let the political jurisdictions in those areas decide where they’re going to put the casinos. And it would be an open public bid process.”

He added, “If Harrah’s wants to put a casino in Alabama, or the Bellagio wants to put a casino in Alabama, then they ought to have an opportunity to bid on it. It makes no sense just to give a license or a casino to somebody who opened a dog track 50 years ago in Theodore, Alabama, for God’s sake.”

@Jeff_Poor is a graduate of Auburn University and the University of South Alabama, the editor of Breitbart TV, a columnist for Mobile’s Lagniappe Weekly, and host of Mobile’s “The Jeff Poor Show” from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. on FM Talk 106.5.

In his political memoir, “Stealing Our Democracy,” former Gov. Don Siegelman offers details of his claim he had his 2002 gubernatorial reelection bid thwarted after an apparent “computer glitch” cost him some 6,000 votes in Baldwin County.

The winner, then-U.S. Rep. Bob Riley, the GOP nominee, defeated the incumbent Democrat governor by 3,120 votes, less than one-quarter of 1% of all the votes cast. To this day, Siegelman insists he would have won the election had it not been for what he alleges happened at the Baldwin County Courthouse in Bay Minette on election night in 2002.

As the country continues to grapple with the apparent outcome of last Tuesday’s presidential election with former Vice President Joe Biden reportedly emerging as the victor and incumbent President Donald Trump and his campaign questioning the election processes that have given Biden the edge, Siegelman dismissed the existence of any similarities in the two elections.

During an appearance on FM Talk 106.5’s “The Jeff Poor Show” in Mobile, Siegelman argued the difference was votes were subtracted from his end total to give Riley the win, which he said was not the case for Trump.

(more…)

Last week, State Rep. Chris England (D-Tuscaloosa), now the chairman of the Alabama Democratic Party, said he “absolutely” saw U.S. Sen. Doug Jones (D-Mountain Brook) and former Vice President Joe Biden winning in Alabama on November 3.

Most see that outcome as a longshot but will acknowledge the Alabama Democratic Party is in better hands under England’s leadership.

During an appearance on Mobile radio’s FM Talk 106.5 on Tuesday, former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman, the last governor to occupy that seat as a Democrat, was skeptical of England’s proclamation. However, he applauded his state’s party for its “positive and upbeat attitude.”

(more…)

Some of you may wonder how many past governors we have in Alabama who are still living and how they are doing. We have six living past governors.

Governor John Patterson is our oldest living chief executive. Patterson is 99-years-old and living on his ancestral family farm in rural Tallapoosa County in an obscure area named Goldville. Patterson is a legend in Alabama politics. He was governor from 1958-1962 and was at the forefront of the beginning of the civil rights issue. He has the distinction of being the only person to beat George Wallace in a governor’s race in the Heart of Dixie. When he was elected in 1958, he was 37-years-old and was dubbed the “Boy Governor.” Patterson was Attorney General of Alabama for a term prior to being governor and served several decades on the Court of Criminal Appeals after his governorship.

He spends his time on his farm reading and tending to his animals. In fact, visitors to his home will find he has a pet goat named Rebecca. She sits and listens intently to your conversation and her head will move and look at those talking as though she is part of the conversation. Governor Patterson is totally on top of his game and has attended numerous weddings and funerals in the past year. He recognizes and converses with friends and relatives. (more…)

HUNTSVILLE — Confederate monuments and next steps were the topics of discussions at an event hosted at Mad Malts Brewing to mark the release of former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman’s (D) book, “Stealing Our Democracy.”

Among those in attendance included House Minority Leader Anthony Daniels (D-Huntsville), who discussed the simmering controversy over semblances of the Confederacy on public property around the state.

Daniels argued there were two immediate steps to be taken: Repeal the 2017 Memorial Preservation Act and remove the Confederate flag from the uniform of Alabama State Troopers.

(more…)

Former Alabama Governor Don Siegelman to sell his new book is using robocalls that appear to reference the current unrest over George Floyd’s death while in Minneapolis police custody.

On Thursday afternoon, a Yellowhammer News reporter received a robocall from 1 (800) 890-5875, a number listed as “Robocaller” by the phone protection company NoMoRobo. The voiceover of the robocall was apparently recorded by Siegelman himself.

The message began, “Don Siegelman, your governor here. We’ve got to protect people from the abuse of power by police, prosecutors, or presidents.”

“My new book, Stealing our Democracy, is a wakeup call to action. It’s also number one among new releases on amazon.com,” the message added. (more…)

Former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman warns his fellow Democrats against making 2020 all about President Donald Trump.

Siegelman, the author of his forthcoming political memoir “Stealing Our Democracy” and self-described as from the left side and liberal, argued the path to victory was convincing voters to put aside party labels.

He told Huntsville radio’s WVNN that “working families” were not spending that much time being concerned about Trump.

(more…)

You knew it was coming — the March 31 primary runoff election was never going to happen in the era of the coronavirus.

Secretary of State John Merrill wanted this delay, Attorney General Steve Marshall said it could be done and the governor pulled the trigger. (more…)

7. Mo Brooks: Whistleblower is a spy for the Democrats

• U.S. Representative Mo Brooks (R-Huntsville) has deemed the whistleblower that sparked the impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump “a spy on behalf of the Democrat party, Joe Biden and who knows whom else.”
• Brooks went on to question whether he whistleblower violated any confidentiality. He stated, “[H]is doing what he did as a spy on behalf of the Democrats, has created a significant amount of friction between the United States of America, Ukraine and who knows who else.”

6. Family members demand bodycam footage of Madison man shot by police (more…)

Now that former U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions is officially a candidate for U.S. Senate, many political prognosticators say he is a lock to regain the Senate seat he held for two decades, which is currently occupied by Sen. Doug Jones (D-Mountain Brook).

Not so fast, says former Democrat Gov. Don Siegelman.

During an appearance on WVNN’s “The Jeff Poor Show,” Siegelman predicted Sessions would fade and argued the race would be won by former Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore. If that came to be, Moore would face Jones in a rematch of the 2017 special election.

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It would appear that the Alabama Democratic Party has a lot of vocal critics, from the national level down to the local level. And now you can add former Gov. Don Siegelman to that list.

During an appearance on Birmingham radio’s Talk 99.5 on Tuesday, Siegelman, Alabama’s last Democrat governor, called his party “pathetic” and blamed current party chairwoman Nancy Worley and Alabama Democratic Conference chairman Joe Reed for its current state.

“The state of the Democratic Party itself is pathetic,” Siegelman said on “The Matt & Aunie Show.” “Joe Reed and Nancy Worley have succeeded in wrecking anything that might resemble an actual political party.”

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Former Gov. Don Siegelman’s troubles with the legal system have been well chronicled. In 2006, Siegelman was convicted on federal felony corruption charges and sentenced to serve time in federal prison.

During an appearance on Birmingham radio’s Talk 99.5, Siegelman compared his situation to President Donald Trump, who for two years was under the scrutiny of a Department of Justice special counsel probe over allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.

Siegelman, a Democrat, said Trump was justified to question “political motives” of the prosecution and argued if offered, exculpatory evidence that might exonerate a target was being withheld.

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During an interview that aired early this week on Huntsville radio’s WVNN, former Gov. Don Siegelman discussed his 1999 bid to institute an education lottery in Alabama.

Twenty years later, lawmakers are revisiting lottery proposals. One has already passed the Alabama Senate, with another soon to be considered by the Alabama House.

In 1998, Siegelman defeated incumbent Republican Gov. Fob James with a lottery as a key component of his gubernatorial platform. However, in a special election, the lottery referendum failed with some, including Siegelman, blaming gaming interests across the state line in Mississippi, particular the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians.

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7. Absurd drag queens are reading to toddlers at a Mobile public library

— A group of drag queens will be reading to children (if any show up) at a public library. Pastors and others are having none of this.

— A Mobile-based Tea Party group says they will be protesting the event, which is sure to attract media and very few participants.

6. Trump’s personal attorney Rudy Giuliani believes there will be a “people’s revolt” if Trump is impeached (more…)

Democratic gubernatorial nominee and Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox campaigned alongside former Alabama Governor Don Siegelman in Selma on Tuesday.

Siegelman is a convicted felon who was released from federal prison last year after serving approximately six years. He reportedly is still unable vote in the state.

According to the Selma Times-Journal, after Maddox gave his speech on Tuesday, he shook hands with Siegelman, Alabama’s last Democratic governor. Siegelman then gave a speech of his own. (more…)

Republicans took control of federal offices and presidential races in 1964 in Alabama. It was referred to as the Goldwater Landslide. The Baxley-Graddick fiasco in 1986 was the game changer for governor. In the last 32 years there have been eight governor’s races. Republicans have won all of them, with one exception. Don Siegelman was an interloper in 1998.

During that same period, Alabamians have elected all Republicans to every secondary, statewide office. There are six secondary constitutional offices. All six are held by Republicans. There are nine justices on the State Supreme Court. There are also 10 judges on the Civil and Criminal Courts of Appeals. These 19 judges are all Republicans. If you add the three seats on the PSC to this list and include the Governor, that is 29 state offices. All 29 are held by Republicans.

In addition, we have seven seats in Congress. Six-out- of-seven of our Congressional members are Republicans. Folks, that makes us a pretty Republican state.

However, inexplicably it was only eight years ago in 2010 that our state legislature changed from Democratic controlled to majority Republican. When it changed it really changed drastically. The final coup de gras was probably caused by the National Democrats electing Barack Obama president.
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