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U.S. Senator Katie Britt has been named a Vice Chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC). Britt reports she will be laser focused on solidifying and expanding the Republican majority in the U.S. Senate.

“Senate Republicans are ready to get to work! The American people delivered the White House and the Senate majority because we need to secure the border, turn our economy around, and preserve the American Dream for our kids,” Sen. Britt (R-Montgomery) said. “Fighting alongside President Trump, four years of a Republican Senate majority is critical to fulfilling this mandate. I’m excited to work with Senator Tim Scott to protect and build upon the success we had on November 5.”

The announcement came from NRSC Chairman Senator Tim Scott (R-SC), who introduced the full slate of Vice Chairs, including U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Ted Budd (R-NC), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), and Senator-elect Jim Banks (R-IN).

According to the NRSC, now in power alongside a majority in the U.S. House of Representatives and control of the White House, the group of five will work with Scott to deliver unity, transparency, and accountability for the committee as the team continues to form.

https://x.com/votetimscott/status/1859622882390786340

“Republicans are united around advancing President Donald J. Trump’s agenda and defending our U.S. Senate majority,” said U.S. Senator and NRSC Chairman Tim Scott. “There is too much at stake to do this alone, so I’m thankful to my colleagues for stepping up to serve as Vice Chairs to the NRSC. Raising the resources, expanding the map, and building the organization to win is going to be an all hands on deck task.”

As previously reported, Sen. Britt was instrumental in securing the new Republican Senate majority. She campaigned and fundraised to flip three U.S. Senate seats red while retaining critical incumbencies, including U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX).

“America is ready for a change,” Britt said after a full GOP sweep earlier this month. “The want secure borders, they want stable prices, they want a strong defense understanding peace through strength, no new wars like we had under President Trump, and people are ready for common sense policies.”

Grayson Everett is the state and political editor for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on X @Grayson270

U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Montgomery) believes Americans are ready for the change that the new Republican majority will bring to the U.S. Senate next year — a flip that Britt fought hard to make happen.

“America is ready for a change,” Britt said this week. “The want secure borders, they want stable prices, they want a strong defense understanding peace through strength, no new wars like we had under President Trump, and people are ready for common sense policies.”

Republicans were able to win back the majority by flipping three seats red while also retaining their incumbents. Part of that effort included a victory for incumbent U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Tex.), who Britt recently traveled to Texas to campaign for Cruz in the pivotal Houston suburb of Montgomery County.

Introducing Cruz to hundreds of Texans at a rally in Conroe, Britt said, “We want to keep Texas, Texas. And we don’t want America to become San Francisco. So, folks, you have a decision to make. Texas is the last line of defense for our country. We need you now. … Senator Ted Cruz is a fighter. He’s a fighter for our values – the values of faith, family, and freedom.”

In his remarks that followed, Cruz said, “And then to my friend Katie Britt. Let me just say, Katie Britt is a rock star. She is smart, she is talented, she is principled, she is ferocious, and she is doing a phenomenal job representing the great state of Alabama. And I’m grateful that she came all the way to the state of Texas.”

In addition to her stumping for Cruz on the campaign trail, Britt has also helped Texas’ junior senator raise critical reelection funds. Britt this summer held a fundraiser in Birmingham that raised more than $250,000 for Cruz. She also held a separate fundraiser in Birmingham that raised more than $2 million benefiting Republican swing-state Senate candidates, including Bernie Moreno, Tim Sheehy, Dave McCormick, and Mike Rogers.

Britt said the new majority will be “so helpful in ushering in President Trump’s agenda, ushering in his cabinet appointments, really getting to be able to move things if there’s a Supreme Court vacancy among other things.”

Overall, Britt has been at the forefront of Republican Senate fundraising since taking office in January 2023. During the 2024 cycle, Britt has contributed or raised nearly $5 million for Republican Senate incumbents and candidates.

Britt has also financially supported Republican campaign efforts for the White House and the House, including contributions to the campaigns of President Donald Trump and to Trump’s White House political director, Brian Jack, who is running to serve as the next U.S. Representative for Georgia’s 3rd Congressional District.

“If we’re able to hold the House…that means we can use reconciliation to hit the ground running on day one,” Britt explained. “And look, I think the American people have spoken, they’ve spoken loudly, and they’re going to expect us to actually achieve results and get things done, and I think that’s exactly what you’re going to see.”

In addition, Britt donated $20,000 to the Mighty Alabama Strike Force, which knocked doors in the crucial swing state of Georgia for Republican candidates. As a Trump-Vance surrogate, Britt headlined a Georgia Faith and Freedom Coalition dinner in the Atlanta area in September, after which she traveled on Trump Force Two with Senator J.D. Vance (R-Ohio). Britt previously headlined an Iowa Faith and Freedom Coalition dinner as a Trump campaign surrogate earlier this year.

Britt has been a top campaign surrogate for Trump this year, landing a primetime speaking role on the opening night of the Republican National Convention in July and serving as a campaign surrogate in the spin room before and after the Vice Presidential Debate in October.

Yaffee is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts “The Yaffee Program” weekdays 9-11 a.m. on WVNN. You can follow him on X @Yaffee

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U.S. Senator Katie Britt addressed the Senate floor on Wednesday with Sens. Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Roger Marshall (R-KS) in support of the IVF Protection Act. The bill, which aims to ensure nationwide access to in vitro fertilization, was blocked by Senate Democrats.

https://x.com/JulieNBCNews/status/1801045211319005503

“The entire Republican conference has signed a statement led by @SenKatieBritt on the eve of Democrats’ IVF vote, calling it a ‘partisan campaign of false fear mongering intended to mislead and confuse the American people,'” Julie Tsirkin of NBC News tweeted.

Last month, Sens. Britt (R-Montgomery) and Cruz introduced the IVF Protection Act and became more vocal than ever about protecting the practice into law.

Wednesday, Sen. Britt passionately spoke about the joy of motherhood and the crucial role IVF plays in helping aspiring parents experience the miracle of life. “As a mom, I know firsthand that there is no greater joy in this life than that of being a mother. IVF helps aspiring parents across our nation experience the miracle of life, and start and grow a family. That’s why I strongly support continued nationwide IVF access,” Britt said.

She highlighted the pro-family nature of IVF access and its importance to millions facing infertility. She pointed out that about 2% of U.S. babies are born via IVF. Britt stressed the need for continued nationwide IVF access, noting the millions born with IVF’s help in recent decades. She also acknowledged Alabama’s swift action earlier this year to protect IVF access.

“IVF is legal and available in every single state across America. That includes my home state, where Governor Ivey and the Alabama Legislature acted quickly and overwhelmingly earlier this year to protect IVF access for our state’s families.”

The IVF Protection Act aims to provide aspiring parents with certainty and peace of mind regarding IVF’s legal status nationwide. Britt emphasized the bill’s focus on protecting IVF access and safeguarding religious liberties, urging swift Senate support. Senator Britt expressed disappointment that Senate Democrats have blocked the IVF Protection Act, attributing their actions to partisan politics. She accused them of using scare tactics and emphasized the need for common-ground solutions rather than political show votes.

Britt commended Senator Cruz for his leadership on IVF access and reaffirmed her commitment to fighting for families.

“At the end of the day, the American people want secure borders, they want safe streets, they want stable prices, and they want strong families. My colleagues across the aisle know that they can’t sell the Biden Administration’s record on any of these topics. It’s been failure after failure, yet again. So instead, they have to rely on distorting and misrepresenting Republicans’ position on issues, including our support for IVF access. The bottom line is, the American people deserve better. And there is no better path out there than our bill. The path of common-ground solutions, not show votes or scare tactics.”

Republican senators have highlighted IVF access as a top issue in the run-up to the fall general elections amidst ongoing political debates.

Grayson Everett is the state and political editor for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @Grayson270

Two Republican U.S. Senators, Katie Britt and Ted Cruz, introduced legislation aimed at safeguarding in vitro fertilization (IVF) following a Alabama Supreme Court decision earlier this year that declared fertilized embryos as children under state law.

After the ruling, Alabama state legislators and Governor Kay Ivey passed a measure during the 2024 session to shield IVF clinics from civil and criminal liabilities, allowing them to continue operations.

Britt and Cruz are teaming up on the IVF Protection Act to further safeguard IVF services throughout the United States.

“I’m honored to join Senator Ted Cruz in introducing the IVF Protection Act. IVF is pro-family, and I’m proud to strongly support continued nationwide access to this pathway to parenthood for the millions of American couples facing infertility,” said Britt (R-Montgomery). “As a mom, I know firsthand that there is no greater blessing than our children, and IVF helps families across our nation experience the joyous miracle of life, grow, and thrive.”

The legislation does not compel any person or organization to provide IVF services. It allows states to implement health and safety standards regarding the practice of IVF. It would also make states ineligible to receive Medicaid funding if they ban access to IVF.

“This commonsense piece of legislation affirms both life and liberty — family and freedom, and I look forward to working with my colleagues to enact it into law.”

Britt and Cruz both appeared on FOX this morning to discuss their legislation:

I’m honored to join @SenTedCruz in introducing the IVF Protection Act today. IVF helps parents across America experience the miracle of life and start and grow their families.

I’m proud to support continued nationwide access to this pathway to parenthood. pic.twitter.com/FCJVB9XRox

— Senator Katie Boyd Britt (@SenKatieBritt) May 20, 2024

“IVF has given miraculous hope to millions of Americans, and it has given families across the country the gift of children,” U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) said. “I’m proud to partner with Sen. Katie Britt to ensure that couples in Texas and across the country have the opportunity to be loving parents, by ensuring that IVF is fully protected at the federal level.”

“My goal is for Alabama to be the best place in the world to live, work, worship, and raise a family,” Britt said. “Ultimately, IVF helps create life and grow families, and it deserves the protection of the law. I’ll continue to advance a culture of life while ensuring moms and children have the opportunities and resources they need to thrive and live their American Dream.”

According to a survey conducted by the Pew Research Center, seven in ten Americans believe people having access to IVF is a good thing. The data also showed that women (70%) and men (69%) are about equally likely to favor IVF access.

Austen Shipley is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on X @ShipleyAusten

Since 2021, the NCAA has allowed its student athletes to profit from their Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) rights.

While universities are not permitted to directly pay players — athletes can be compensated by boosters, companies, and other third parties. Oftentimes, this compensation is distributed by “collectives” that have no direct affiliation with schools.

Despite the new era they’ve ushered in to modern college athletics, NIL and NIL collectives exist in a gray area — they are not uniformly regulated.

Now retired, one of the most influential figures in the history of college sports has emerged as an outspoken leader in the current push to do just that: Nick Saban.

An uneven patchwork of state laws provides athletes and collectives in some states more financial freedom than others. Recent litigation has weakened the NCAA and lessened their control over player compensation. Earlier this year, a judge stripped the organization of much of their enforcement power related to NIL infractions.

The absence of a common definition for “compensation” has created an environment that U.S. Senator and former Auburn head football coach Tommy Tuberville, compares to the Wild West.

The uncertainty has led to larger, existential questions. As the Dartmouth men’s basketball team took the radical step of forming a union — the entire world of college sports could be transformed forever if such a precedent was adopted at scale.

Confusion sweeping the sport has caused coaches, athletes, and administrators alike to call for a national standard for player compensation, whether implemented by the NCAA or by the federal government. As reality set in, a handful of U.S. Senators have looked closely at the threats and opportunities posed by NIL and authored legislation to regulate it.

Those lawmakers chiefly include U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV), Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn), and Ted Cruz (R-TX).

This week, Sen. Cruz hosted a roundtable discussion for coaches, players, administrators and elected officials to speak frankly about the way forward. Former University of Alabama football head coach Nick Saban and Athletic Director Greg Byrne were front and center.

Much of the conversation centered around, not just NIL, but rather, how student-athletes should be classified. Saban told the panel that he believes the current system is worse than free agency.

“I think the system that we have in the NFL, where players are employees, would be better than the system that we have now, because at least it creates competitive parity,” Saban said.

Saban went as far as to say the current NIL system made him lose faith in beliefs he’s held for his entire career.

“All the things that I believed in for all these years, 50 years of coaching, no longer exist in college athletics,” Saban said. “It always was about developing players. It was always about helping people be more successful in life.”

“The whole idea of boosters being able to contribute money to collectives established a sort of pay-for-play model, which I don’t think is in the best interest of college athletics in the future,” Saban said. “To come up with some kind of a system that still can help the development of young people I think is paramount to the future of college athletics.”

However, both Saban and Byrne were clear in the belief that student-athletes shouldn’t be considered employees. Saban advocated for a “revenue-sharing model,” but it’s unclear what that would look like on a large scale.

“I think the number one solution to all this is if we can have some kind of a revenue-sharing proposition that does not make student-athletes employees,” said the former coach. “I don’t want them to be employees, but I want them to share in the revenue in some kind of way.”

The issue of employment and collective bargaining has far more potential than NIL to shape the college athletics landscape, sports industry analyst Amanda Christovich says.

The implications would be vast if all student-athletes were legally recognized as employees. Experts are unsure how an employment ruling would synchronize with Title IX and the lower levels of organized sports; St. Joseph’s athletic director Jill Bodensteiner has even claimed that the Dartmouth decision could affect DII, DIII, club, and high school teams.

As Saban spoke, the employment question was being discussed elsewhere on Capitol Hill. Running simultaneously to the roundtable was a hearing in the U.S. House examining Dartmouth’s union.

The roundtable continued with Byrne and NIL attorney Darren Heitner sharing differing perspectives on their goals for potential legislation.

“We’re looking for some safe havens. From an employee status standpoint, from a Title IX standpoint, and then just some safe havens from an antitrust standpoint,” said Byrne.

“If Congress is motivated to affirmatively classify athletes as not being employees, then it should also do the job of ensuring better working conditions,” said Heitner. “I credit [the University of] Alabama for doing a wonderful job. But Congress needs to step in if it is going to make sure that athletes are not employees to also then help them out and codify that those working conditions are set in place for every school across the country.”

Sen. Cruz brought the hearing to a close with an intentional call for Republicans and Democrats to solve these challenges together. At a time the two aisles are so far apart, Cruz said the future of the sport is on the line, and believes federal legislation is around the corner.

“I think we’re really close — and we need to get it done. If we don’t get it done, the consequences for thousands and thousands of young people across the country would be enormously harmful,” Cruz said. “I appreciate everyone being part of this, and I look forward to the next stage, and to hopefully getting the legislation agreed to passing it and getting it over the finish line.”

It’s unclear what that bill will look like. Lawmakers have never been able to bring an NIL bill to a vote, in large part because of difficulties hammering out fine details and disagreements over whether the NCAA’s amateurism model should be protected.

After the roundtable, Cruz told reporters outside there’s a “50-50” chance of a bill being passed before the election in November.

Charles Vaughan is a sports analyst and contributing writer for Yellowhammer News.

On Tuesday, U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville was asked about the NIL roundtable hosted by U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) attended by Nick Saban and Greg Byrne.

Tuberville (R-Auburn) and U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (R-WV) teamed up on their own legislation in 2023 to begin addressing the regulatory challenges posed by by Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) and its emerging impact on college athletics.

Tuberville said Saban has taken part in those conversations about creating a uniform code governing NIL — but Democrats will not sign on unless unionization is included.

“I know Nick has told people that NIL was a big reason for his retirement. A couple of years ago the Supreme Court ruled that college athletes can get paid. I support college athletes making money but the system we have now is a complete mess,” Tuberville said.

“It’s the wild west, there are no nationwide rules, every state does different things, it makes for an unleveled playing field, plus it puts a lot of people in harm’s way in terms of being pushed from behind the scenes with agents, lawyers, accountants,” Sen. Tuberville said. “If we don’t fix this, we could ruin college sports.”

“I wanna make sure these kids actually get an education — what a thought, right?”

Tuberville emphasized that he is in favor of college players making money, but a national standard and regulation is critical to preserve college athletics.

During the roundtable on Capitol Hill Tuesday, Saban echoed the sentiment that he is pro-NIL, but that it is not being used as it was intended and has instead become a pay-for-play system.

“I want their quality of life to be good. Name, image, and likeness is a great opportunity for them to create a brand for themselves. I’m not against that at all. But to come up with some kind of a system that still can help the development of young people I think is paramount to the future of college athletics,” Saban said.

Michael Brauner is a Senior Sports Analyst and Contributing Writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @MBraunerWNSP

U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) hosted a roundtable discussion on Tuesday morning to address the state of college athletics and issues that are fundamentally reshaping the sport like Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) and the NCAA transfer portal.

Former Alabama head coach Nick Saban spoke openly to members of Congress and the public to share his perspective on the changing world of college sports as it relates to a regulatory framework with sustainable future.

Sen. Cruz asked Saban just how much NIL factored into his recent decision to step away.

“All the things that I believed in for all these years, 50 years of coaching, no longer exist in college athletics,” Saban said. “It always was about developing players, it was always about helping people be more successful in life.”

Saban shared the story of how his wife, Ms. Terry, opened his eyes to the idea that the game is no longer what it once was.

“We have all the recruits over on Sunday with their parents for breakfast and she would always meet with the mothers and talk about how she was going to help and impact with their sons and how they would be well taken care of,” Saban said of Ms. Terry.

“And she came to me right before I retired and said ‘why are we doing this?’ And I said ‘what do you mean?’ She said ‘all they care about is how much you’re gonna pay them, they don’t care about how much you’re gonna develop them which is what we’ve always done so why are we doing this?'”

“So to me that was kind of a red alert that we really are creating a circumstance here that’s not beneficial to the development of young people. Which is why I always did what I did and why I always liked college athletics better than the NFL.”

Saban emphasized that he is not against the idea of NIL and that he wants players to create a brand for themselves — but that has cascaded into a pay-for-play system to the detriment of the sport.

FULL VIDEO:

Michael Brauner is a Senior Sports Analyst and Contributing Writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @MBraunerWNSP

As college athletics continue to evolve and change, elected officials are becoming more interested in regulating Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) toward a positive future.

U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) will host a bipartisan roundtable with some of the biggest names in college sports in attendance.

In 2023, Cruz drafted legislation aimed at providing legal certainty for college athletes and prohibit the restriction of student-athletes NIL rights while also creating a national standard of uniformity for NIL contracts.

Both Nick Saban and Greg Byrne are scheduled to attendance at the event.

Saban said upon retirement that he was going to be spending his time working to improve the state of college sports. He’s openly expressed concern the sports is not in a good place and that he will do everything he can to find solutions.

Byrne, on the other hand, has become one of the faces of college football and his voice influence will undoubtedly help to shape whatever comes of college football over the coming years.

The full list of invitees includes:

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas
Sen. Jerry Morgan, R-Kan.
Retired Alabama football coach Nick Saban
Alabama athletic director Greg Byrne
ACC commissioner Jim Phillips
TCU women’s basketball player Haley Cavinder
Former Miami women’s basketball player Hanna Cavinder
The Collective Association president Russell White
NIL attorney Darren Heitner

The roundtable will be held on Tuesday, March 12.

Michael Brauner is a Senior Sports Analyst and Contributing Writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @MBraunerWNSP

U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz endorsed Rep. Barry Moore in the heated GOP primary contest in Alabama’s newly-drawn 1st Congressional District against Rep. Jerry Carl (R-Mobile) — now just two weeks away from election day.

“Since 2021, Barry Moore has been a strong voice in Congress fighting for a secure border, fiscal conservatism, and the unborn,” Cruz (R-Texas) said. “Barry has proven that he is not afraid to take a stand and make the tough votes. He is undoubtedly the leader Alabama’s First District needs in Congress and I am proud to endorse him today.”

Cruz, a conservative powerhouse and 2016 GOP presidential primary contender, has backed candidates in the Yellowhammer State in years past, including former U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks in his bid for the U.S. Senate in 2022, as well as former State Sen. Bill Hightower’s campaign challenging Rep. Jerry Carl in 2020.

“It is a great honor to have the endorsement of fearless conservative fighter Senator Ted Cruz,” said Moore (R-Enterprise). “Senator Cruz has earned a nationwide reputation as a voice for limited government, the unborn, religious liberty, protecting our southern border, and the conservative values that make America great.”

The GOP primary is March 5.

Grayson Everett is the state and political editor for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @Grayson270

7. Starbucks caves and does away with some Pride merchandise while Target is targeted by LGBTQ wannabe terrorists but most of the media seem to want to bury the lede.

6. A day after transgender White House partygoers showed their man-made breasts and mastectomy scars on the White House lawn, the White House press secretary dismissed those individuals’ behavior, but then declared that asking questions about transgender athletes is “dangerous.”

5. U.S. Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-Haleyville) wants the Air Force to stop building up Space Command in Colorado. He has now inserted language into appropriations legislation that forbids any more money be spent on Space Force construction in Colorado until, “the preferred location for permanent headquarters of the United States Space Command is selected or until the required report is submitted.”

4. U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn) missed the vote to confirm President Joe Biden’s terrible economic advisor Jared Bernstein to the position of chairman of the White House Council of Economic Advisers. Tuberville’s fellow Republicans are not happy, which is reasonable, considering the senator was in New Jersey with former President Donald Trump. BUT Democrats had the votes, all Tuberville’s vote did was force Vice President Kamala Harris to do some work. Sen. Katie Britt (R-Montgomery) voted against Bernstein.

3. U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) took the first opportunity he could to call out the FBI for withholding information from Congress and protecting the Biden family. FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate refused to answer questions about whether the FBI has investigated Biden family bribery allegations or if they would provide the Senate with the requested recordings and documents. Mainstream media still does not care.

2. Media whiffs again on suggestions that chaos would happen in Miami during former President Donald Trump’s arraignment, even citing “unnamed sources” in Trump’s orbit. The media warned, as usual, that chaos would reign and violence would unfold because Trump’s supporters are bloodthirsty psychos. But the only outrageous incident was a protestor who tried to rush the former president’s motorcade.

1. Trump has been arrested, pleads not guilty, and then was immediately released. He then traveled to New Jersey and gave a speech to a very receptive crowd.

Listen:

Dale Jackson is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts a talk show from 7-11 AM weekdays on WVNN.

7. Get your woke out of my retirement fund

Republicans passed a disapproval resolution that puts the brakes on Biden’s rule to force Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) metrics into retirement plans. Biden implemented a Department of Labor rule which pushes private retirement plan companies to look at ESG metrics when making decisions about how to invest the retirement money of millions of Americans.
U.S. Sen. Mike Braun (R-Ind.), who led the bill, said, “President Biden wants to sacrifice seniors’ retirement savings to fund his political agenda.” Both the Senate and House passed it, but now it heads to Biden’s desk, and he’s already threatened to veto it, in which case it would then need a two-thirds majority to pass. Democrat U.S. Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Jon Tester (D-Mont.) voted with the GOP.

6. Stop speed racing

State Rep. Allen Treadaway (R-Birmingham) has had enough of the reports of street racing and is ready to introduce penalties for street racing, exhibition driving, burnouts, and donuts in both public roads, and public and private parking areas. For the first conviction, drivers could face 5-90 days of jail time and a fine of $25-500. The penalties increase from then, with felony charges and driving bans.
This bill comes following several incidents in Birmingham and Gadsden. 16 people were hurt in an exhibition incident in Birmingham and two teenagers in a separate incident, leading to calls for action. Currently, such activities can only be prosecuted as reckless driving or reckless endangerment and Treadaway hopes this bill will act as more of a deterrent.

5. Childcare costs rise 11% in Alabama

Childcare costs keep rising, with some families in Alabama paying a staggering $10,000/year. Childcare costs rose 11% over the past four years, with the average cost for a year of center-based childcare coming in at $6,814. None seemed to get away with paying less than $5,000.
According to national data, Central and North Alabama come with the highest childcare prices. There also seems to be a shortage of licensed childcare programs, which makes it harder for people in some areas to even find good childcare. Some parents are even seeing decreases in cost as they move kids from daycare to private school.

4. Public schools all over the country are making the case for REAL school choice

A training session in a Kansas city school district is the latest to encourage teachers to push LGBTQ+ topics on young children and keep parents in the dark. The training presentation, titled “LGBTQ+ Students: Pronouns and More,” stated “the lack of using pronouns could lead to death … To allow a parent’s wishes to not use the students’ preferred pronouns and/or names is to allow yourself to be deputized to discriminate. This is not acceptable.”
Apparently, now it’s up to teachers and school districts to decide what parents should or should not be allowed to do and know about their children. Teachers are supposed to gather information about a student’s preferences through a questionnaire and even seek to designate a “go-to” adult at school, to replace their parents. REAL school choice now.

3. Cruz KOs Garland

U.S. Sen, Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland absolutely had it out in a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing. They fought over the DOJ’s disinterest in protecting Supreme Court Justices after the Dobbs decision, their personal addresses were leaked and the DOJ’s disinterest in prosecuting those who attack crisis pregnancy centers.
“When rioters descended on the homes of six Supreme Court Justices, night after night after night, you did nothing. The department did nothing,” Cruz exclaimed. Cruz would also accuse Garland of failing in his duty to protect Americans, politicizing the Justice Department, persecuting pro-lifers, and covering up the Hunter Biden laptop incident.

2. Tuberville tells Colorado delegation to blast off

Democrats continue to pressure President Joe Biden to play politics and reverse the placement of Space Command Headquarters (not Space Force) in Alabama at Redstone Arsenal while saying the move was politics. U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn) isn’t having any of this.
Tuberville said, “Huntsville and the state of Alabama was the place to put it because of missile defense, because of NASA, because of everything that’s going on in Huntsville.” Tuberville also noted that three different studies have found Alabama is the No. 1 choice for this command, and a U.S. Government Accountability Office report found Colorado to be fifth best place for it.

1. The government cannot be honest about the Hunter Biden laptop story

FBI Director Chris Wray incorrectly claimed that “The FBI does not, is not in the business of functioning as the truth police. We don’t tell social media companies to censor anything or remove account information.” This is a lie. As is shown in released Twitter files which show that multiple people at the bureau asked Twitter to ban accounts to help suppress the Hunter Biden laptop story.
Wray also wants the American public to believe the FBI has no bias and cares only about facts, completely dismissing instances of breaking standard policy, politics permeating the bureau, and a failure of leadership to admit it and attack it. No one is convinced by the FBI playing the victim.

U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn) on Friday led a group of his fellow GOP colleagues in calling for an investigation into Chinese government-affiliated stock trading platforms.

In their letter to U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) chairman Gary Gensler, the Republican senators called attention to popular online trading platforms Webull Financial, LLC and Moomoo, Inc.

The stock trading apps, which are registered with the SEC and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), are owned by Chinese companies that have reportedly abetted the communist regime in suppressing the nation’s citizenry.

Chinese telecommunications giants Xiaomi and Tencent, the apps’ parent companies, have allegedly aided the rogue government in surveillance operations.

According to the senators, the trading apps’ collection of sensitive consumer information, such as Social Security numbers, mailing addresses and financial account data, poses major privacy concerns.

“Instead of pursuing partisan rulemakings like the SEC’s recent climate disclosure proposal, which will do nothing to protect investors, we urge you to focus Commission resources on fully implementing the Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act and ensuring that U.S. investors are not put at risk by using broker-dealers owned by Chinese companies,” the senators wrote in their letter. “Our national security and the financial well-being of U.S. investors depend on your efforts.”

Tuberville led U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.) and Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) in sending the letter to the SEC.

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

U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks’ (R-Huntsville) senatorial candidacy picked up a boost Monday afternoon as U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) stumped on behalf of the congressman at a campaign rally in Alabama’s Rocket City.

Monday evening, Brooks received an additional public display of support from another prominent elected official in U.S. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), who campaigned for the candidate in a statewide tele-townhall.

According to the congressman, the tele-townhall garnered around 10,000 participants during the course of the call, which lasted more than 35 minutes in duration.

The Kentucky senator kicked off his remarks to voters by touting Brooks’ conservative voting record.

“I am excited to endorse Mo Brooks. I endorsed him several months ago and I’m happy to re-endorse him today,” said Paul. “I said that when I first ran that the Republican Party is an empty vessel unless we imbue it with values. It’s not enough to be just a Republican — you have to believe in something.”

Paul then lamented what he asserted to be the lack of Republicans who were sufficiently conservative on issues relating to federal spending.

“Mo Brooks will vote for a balanced budget. I don’t know that about all Republicans,” he admitted. “I mean, we have hundreds of Republicans running across the country. Many of them will come up there and they’ll be part of establishment, the big government Republicans that really don’t make things any better.”

He then expressed discontent with Republicans’ lack of investigative authority over matters concerning Hunter Biden’s laptop, along with the absence of political will to subpoena the records of White House chief medical adviser Dr. Anthony Fauci.

Paul advised that Brooks would be supportive of his efforts as Alabama’s junior senator.

“Well, you know, these corrupt politicians manipulated the last election — that’s how they were able to win. But a lot of it’s because of the weakness and timidity of Republicans,” declared the senator. “So you’re going to have a primary tomorrow, you’re going to have a choice. You’ve got a chance.”

“I’m not here to disparage the other candidates, but I can tell you I don’t know,” continued Paul. “But I do know how Mo Brooks votes. He’s one of the most conservative members of the House. I’d probably say he’s one of the five most conservative members of the House. I think he will in the U.S. Senate also.”

Paul added that he believed Brooks was “conscious and cares about the deficit, cares about our country, and I think Mo Brooks is the choice for tomorrow.”

In touting the endorsement, Brooks sang Paul’s praises and said the senator was a leader in the upper chamber of Congress “particularly on liberty and freedom issues, and minimizing the role of the federal government as it becomes more and more intrusive into our daily affairs.”

Brooks faces former Business Council of Alabama head Katie Britt and U.S. Army veteran Mike Durant Tuesday in the Republican primary contest to replace retiring U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Tuscaloosa).

If no candidate earns a plurality of all votes cast, a runoff election will take place June 21, 2022, to determine who will be the Republican Party’s nominee for Alabama’s open U.S. Senate seat.

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

HUNTSVILLE — The day before primary Election Day in the Yellowhammer State, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) made a campaign appearance with U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks (R-Huntsville) at the Huntsville International Airport and touted his endorsement of Brooks for U.S. Senate.

Cruz originally endorsed Brooks for the Alabama Senate seat in October 2021.

“I’m tempted to introduce a resolution in the Senate that says Democrats have to wear masks forever. The only problem is their masks, they’re not tight enough. We can still hear ’em.”

— Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) jokes while campaigning for Rep. Mo Brooks (R-AL) pic.twitter.com/oXem5FRoCM

— The Recount (@therecount) May 23, 2022

Speaking to the press and a crowd of Brooks’ supporters, Cruz said he had no doubt the Alabama congressman was the most conservative candidate in the Senate race.

“I’ve worked with Mo,” Cruz said. “I worked with Mo in Congress when Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer had been fighting to undermine our country. I worked side by side with Mo, and in 2020 when we saw the challenges to our election, when we saw fraud across the country, I tell you Mo and I stood up together and fought for Congress to examine election fraud and to shine a light on it.”

The former presidential candidate emphasized that Brooks was a proven fighter for conservative principles.

“So, when it comes to who’s actually going to stand and fight,” he argued, “I don’t have to guess. I don’t have to roll the dice because I’ve been in the trenches with Mo Brooks. I know the people of Alabama can count on him.”

Asked about Trump rescinding his endorsement for Brooks, Cruz said he disagreed with the former president’s decision.

“Well listen, Donald Trump has made a lot of endorsements across the country,” he outlined. “A lot of them have won, not all of them, and on the vast majority President Trump and I have agreed and we’ve endorsed the same candidates. Sometimes we haven’t. Everyone’s got to make their own choices.”

Brooks said he believed he could still win without the Trump endorsement because he was the proven conservative in the race.

“I believe that every endorsement matters,” Brooks said, “and certainly President Trump’s endorsement is a bonus, but at the same time, the people of Alabama, they’re conservative, particularly in a Republican primary, and they’re looking at the differences in records. I have one, the other candidate do not.”

Cruz’s message to voters in Alabama was also to look at the candidates’ records, which he argued proved that Brooks was the most qualified person in this Senate race.

“My philosophy is simple,” Cruz explained, “which is I support the strongest conservative that can win, and the way that I try to make that determination is to look to their record, and I got to say for the people of Alabama, if you do this, for the voters planning on voting tomorrow, thinking about voting tomorrow, go and study the record of these candidates.”

The Texas senator reiterated that Brooks had proven himself to be a fighter on the key issues Republican voters care about in the Yellowhammer State.

“In politics, the lesson you learn, as in life, is don’t listen to a person’s words, look to their actions,” he said. “And when it comes to who’s going to stand up to secure the border, or who’s going to stand up for the second amendment, who’s going to stand up for the Constitutional rights of the people of Alabama, I don’t have to guess with Mo Brooks because I know what his record is, because he’s done it over and over again.”

Thank you so much for your endorsement, @TedCruz. Conservatives need to come together to drain the Swamp and fight Joe Biden’s radical socialist agenda. And I’m ready to fight in the Senate! pic.twitter.com/ns2V5I3eqC

— Mo Brooks (@MoBrooks) May 22, 2022

Yaffee is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts “The Yaffee Program” Weekdays 9-11am on WVNN. You can follow him on Twitter @Yaffee

7. Title 42 protected by a judge as poll finds Americans want illegal immigrants kept out

The Trump-era program that made it easier to expel illegal immigrants who enter the United States and are stopped by Border Patrol agents will continue for now after a Louisana judge ordered it to remain. Even with the program in place, which won’t be for long, the stream of illegal immigrants across the border has increased significantly under the Biden administration with 2 million being expelled using Title 42 but many more getting away.
The American people want this program to continue with 55% saying it has stopped hundreds of thousands of illegal aliens from requesting asylum and being allowed to stay inside the country while their case is adjudicated.

6. There’s a waitlist to stay in Vicky White and Casey White’s motel room

There is now a long waitlist at Motel 41 in Evansville, Ind., where Lauderdale corrections officer Vicky White and inmate Casey White stayed for several days after escaping in late April.
The waitlist is only for the specific room, 150, that the couple stayed in. At least 60 people are currently on a waitlist for the room. After fleeing the motel on May 9, Vicky died from a self-inflicted gunshot and Casey was captured, later being returned to Lauderdale County Jail.

5. Even if you aren’t showing symptoms, you may be achimptomatic

There are at least 92 confirmed cases across 12 countries of the rare disease of monkeypox and 28 suspected cases. The World Health Organization said in a release that there are cases in the United States, Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.
The latest suspected case in the United States is located in Florida. White House coronavirus response coordinator Dr. Ashish Jha stated, “The situation is evolving and WHO expects there will be more cases of monkeypox identified as surveillance expands in non-endemic countries…I feel like this is a virus we understand, we have vaccines against it, we have treatments against it, and it’s spread very differently than SARS-CoV-2.” The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention previously had to use some smallpox vaccines to stop the spread of monkeypox in 2003.

4. Some formula has arrived in the United States

Some slight relief has come to the infant formula shortage, with 78,000 pounds of formula arriving in the United States from Europe. Several flights are expected to bring the formula to the country.
According to White House National Economic Council director Brian Deese, this supply is only 15% of the formula currently needed. Deese also mentioned that this situation showed a need for more formula providers since the shortage was a result of one plant shutting down in Michigan due to safety issues.

3. New record-low unemployment

The Alabama Department of Labor (ADOL) announced that in April, there was a new record low unemployment rate of 2.8% in the state. This is down slightly from March, which was at 2.9%.
The report shows that 2,213,189 people are employed while only 63,208 remain unemployed, and there was an increase in wages. ADOL Secretary Fitzgerald Washington said, “I can’t tell you the last time I’ve seen a jobs report with this many positives… On top of the other records, we’ve also increased wages to a new record high, with average weekly wages gaining over $21 dollars over-the-year. Additionally, the leisure and hospitality sector set yet another record for weekly wages, with a yearly increase of more than $28.”

2. Hillary Clinton assisted in spreading disinformation about Trump

The trial of Michael Sussmann has revealed that Hillary Clinton approved spreading the false information that former President Donald Trump was connected to a Russian bank, according to testimony from former campaign manager Robby Mook.
Trump’s potential link to the Russian bank was also investigated by the FBI, and general counsel James Baker said, “[T]here was nothing there.” Trump responded to the recent testimony, calling it “one of the greatest political scandals in history,” and added, “For three years, I had to fight her off, and fight those crooked people off, and you’ll never get your reputation fully back.”.

1. Closing arguments in U.S. Senate race

As the GOP Primary for the United States Senate race comes to an end, U.S. Representative Mo Brooks (R-Huntsville), Katie Britt and Mike Durant work on their closing arguments and attacks. For Brooks, U.S. Senators Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Rand Paul (R-Ky.) seek to boost his conservative credentials with visits in-state and digitally. Britt visited VetFest and continued to make her closing argument about running for “my kids and yours.” Mike Durant announced the endorsement of Lt. General Boykin and visited voters in Jefferson County.
But what would the race be without a little drama involving former President Donald Trump? The Alabama Political Reporter, a clearinghouse for attacks on Durant and Brooks thus far, claimed there were letters going out from the Brooks campaign touting the endorsement of Donald Trump after Trump rescinded and absurdly called Brooks “woke.” Yellowhammer owner Tim Howe said he received one of the letters. Brooks campaign spokesman Will Hampson called the letter fake news, stating, “This mailer went out in March before the endorsement was rescinded. The story mentions polling from March as ‘the most recent polls.’ Trying to claim this happened recently is 100% Fake News. The Britt camp must be getting desperate, but even for them this is sad. Mo is surging because people are realizing he’s the only America First conservative in this race.”

United States Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson’s confirmation hearing was a disaster for the nominee, who was unable to muster coherent answers to questions about how to define a woman, if babies are racist or why she let sex offenders off easy.

The two nominees before her were pummelled about everything from their Catholic faith to how many beers they drank in the 80s, which they both answered.

The questions asked of this nominee are hardly hard questions. If anything, the questions are too easy, but she can’t answer them.

Watch:

Dale Jackson is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts a talk show from 5-9AM weekdays on WVNN and on Talk 99.5 from 10AM to noon.

7. Democrats want surveillance on bank accounts

U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) recently introduced legislation that would have blocked President Joe Biden’s plan to allow the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to review any bank transactions of $600 and more made by Americans. Unfortunately, Democrats have blocked Tuberville’s measure.
If Biden’s plan passes, transactions would be reported to the U.S. Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network. Currently, only transactions $10,000 and more have to be reported through a Currency Transaction Report.

6. Attorney General can’t have jurisdiction over school boards

A memo was released by the Department of Justice and Attorney General Merrick Garland that indicated the department would be investigating some of the parents who might challenge their local school board at meetings. The department insisted that they would only investigate threats of violence made, but the vague language used in the memo concerned many lawmakers and citizens.
Now, it’s being confirmed that the Attorney General doesn’t have any jurisdiction over local school board meetings, according to former federal prosecutor Andrew McCarthy. McCarthy, who worked at the DOJ along with Garland, said that Garland knows this is “dangerous nonsense.” He added there are questions about how these efforts from the justice department could infringe on people’s right to free speech.

5. Debt-limit raised, battle over spending limps on

The never-ending end-of-the-world brinksmanship of debt-limit increase battles in Washington, D.C. have led to another last-minute deal that would see the United States extend it’s debt limit until mid-December. U.S. Senator Richard Shelby (R-AL) was one of 11 Republican senators to vote to end debate on the measure, and then he voted against extending the limit.
The deal was brokered by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), who was then immediately attacked by Senate Democrats pledging to use his collapse to push for even more spending in the future. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) took a victory lap on Twitter, saying, “With America honoring its full faith and credit: Senate Democrats are continuing our work to Build Back Better, help people and families, fight climate change, create the good-paying jobs of tomorrow, and rekindle that optimism that has long been the core of America’s identity.”

4. Ted Cruz endorses Mo Brooks

U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) has endorsed U.S. Representative Mo Brooks (R-Huntsville) in the U.S. Senate race in Alabama. Brooks has also received the endorsement of former President Donald Trump.
Cruz described Brooks as “a proven conservative who will fight to protect Alabama from Joe Biden’s radical agenda,” and he encouraged other conservatives to vote for Brooks. The North Alabama congressman responded to the statement by saying it’s clear he’s the “only proven conservative in the Alabama U.S. Senate race that Alabama voters can rely on to do what he says he will do.”

3. ALFA responds to Brooks’ allegations

After the Alabama Farmers Federation (ALFA) endorsed U.S. Senate candidate Katie Britt through their FarmPAC, U.S. Representative Mo Brooks (R-AL) alleged that ALFA supports amnesty, open borders and cheap foreign labor. He added, “[T]hey try to ensure that their candidates for open borders get elected.”
ALFA responded to the allegations, saying that “Brooks’ statements are not only categorically false, but they are also an insult to the hardworking, law-abiding farmers he claims to represent. The Federation’s policy is clear in its support of secure borders and opposition to illegal immigration.” ALFA also added that Brooks has “actively sought, and in prior races accepted, the endorsement of FarmPAC.” Lieutenant Governor Will Ainsworth (R-AL) weighed in on the issue, saying on Twitter, “Anyone who attacks and criticizes family farmers or minimizes the challenges they face does not speak for me or the majority of Alabamians.”

2. Majority of Alabama parents are hesitant on vaccinating their kids against COVID-19

In Alabama, 27% of school-age kids have been fully vaccinated against the coronavirus, and 36% of kids have gotten at least one dose. Officials have been encouraging parents to get eligible kids vaccinated, but a majority of parents are hesitant. A U.S. Census Bureau survey shows that 67% of adults are hesitant about children getting the vaccine. According to the survey, 10% aren’t convinced the vaccine is necessary for kids, 26% don’t trust the government, 33% want to wait and ensure the vaccine is safe. Only 2% are strictly against vaccinations.
A poll from Quinnipiac displayed similar results but also found that 52% of the general public as a whole supports vaccinating kids. This obviously means that people without kids have very strong opinions about how they feel like kids need to be vaccinated. In related news, Pfizer is working on a vaccine for younger children.

1. Biden doesn’t care that people are losing their jobs over his vaccine mandate

President Joe Biden recently discussed the success of his vaccine mandate and mentioned how United Airlines now has 99% of their employees vaccinated against the coronavirus, which is up from 59%. However, this only happened because the vaccine was mandated and the company fired anyone who didn’t get the vaccine. This is hardly a massive success because it is a result brought about by coercion that says get the vaccine or lose your career.
Biden said that he realizes how vaccine mandates could be “unpopular to some, politics for others, but they’re life-saving, they’re game-changing for our country.” He also encouraged all employers to require their employees to get vaccinated and enforce their mandates, since “vaccinations are going to beat this pandemic.” Alabama’s leadership has been largely silent as citizens are beginning to lose their jobs at the same time their President cheers those job losses on.

Thursday, the 2022 U.S. Senate campaign for U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks (R-Huntsville) announced it had earned the endorsement of U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX).

In the endorsement, Cruz asked his fellow conservatives to back Brooks.

“Mo Brooks is a proven conservative who will fight to protect Alabama from Joe Biden’s radical agenda,” Cruz said in a statement accompanying the announcement. “The Senate needs strong, principled leaders who will take on the Washington swamp. I ask my fellow conservatives in Alabama to support Mo’s campaign for U.S. Senate.”

Cruz’s endorsement is another high-profile endorsement for the Brooks campaign. Earlier this year, former President Donald Trump also endorsed Brooks.

Brooks was a loyal advocate for Cruz’s 2016 presidential campaign. He said the nod from Cruz showed he was “the only proven conservative” in the contest.

“We are thrilled to receive the endorsement of renowned conservative U.S. Senator Ted Cruz,” Brooks said in a statement. “Ted Cruz is one of America’s and the U.S. Senate’s greatest, stalwart fighters for liberty, freedom and the foundational principles that have combined to make America the greatest nation in world history.”

“Senator Cruz’s endorsement confirms yet again that Congressman Mo Brooks is the only proven conservative in the Alabama U.S. Senate race that Alabama voters can rely on to do what he says he will do,” he continued. “No other Senate candidate offers a proven, conservative track record.”

In his statement, Brooks also took another shot at his opponent, former Business Council of Alabama head Katie Britt.

“While my second-place opponent continues to rack up money from and endorsements by special interest groups that seek to flood America with cheap foreign workers who take jobs from and undermine the wages of struggling American families, we have been blessed with endorsements of well-known conservative thought leaders who seek to make America First, for all Americans,” Brooks added. “Our campaign really likes that contrast, and I believe Alabama voters do, too!”

@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.

7. The demand for racism continues to outpace the supply

A man who sat in the view of cameras behind the batter at a Colorado Rockies game over the weekend was accused of yelling a racial slur at a black athlete and, of course, this accusation went viral, and the hunt for the man was on. Unfortunately for the race-hustlers on social media and in the media, the man was found to have been yelling for the mascot of the Rockies, “Dinger.”
Despite the video evidence, an investigation by a woke organization and a plausible explanation, the mob still needed blood. The ballplayer in questions claims, “I personally keep hearing the n-word. It’s not that I want to hear it,” but he clearly wants to hear it because it is not there. Fans now want the name changed because some people might feel that it is racist-adjacent-kind of-sounding.

6. Everyone in the military must have the vaccine by September 15 (more…)

7. Apparently $1.9 trillion just wasn’t enough

White House press secretary Jen Psaki suggested that President Joe Biden is looking to pass another coronavirus stimulus package soon, saying that this week he’ll introduce the second part of his “recovery” plan, “which will include an investment in infrastructure.”
Psaki also said that Biden will share more details throughout the month and is expected to include areas of “health care, child care.” She added, “It’s a crisis right now, the number of women who have left the workplace.” But she did confirm that the full details aren’t entirely worked out.

6. Tuberville: Alabama is paying for relief for larger cities (more…)

7. Ted Cruz under fire for vacation to Cancun

The state of Texas has seen a major energy crisis as they were impacted by severe winter weather, and Democrats have attacked U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) for going to Cancun during this time, and some have even called for him to resign.
When asked about the issue, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said their focus is working with those in Texas and surrounding states, and while she didn’t take a direct dig at Cruz, she said, “We expect that would be the focus of anyone in the state or in surrounding states who is elected to represent them.”

6. Effort to not let Trump be buried at Arlington (more…)

U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) on Wednesday night voted to reject the electors from Arizona, fulfilling his pledge from the previous day.

Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) made the objection earlier in the day, and, after hours of turmoil, the Senate finished its deliberation on the matter shortly after 9:00 p.m. CST. (more…)

7. No charges in Jacob Blake case

Officer Rusten Sheskey who shot Jacob Blake on August 23 in Kenosha, Wisconsin, won’t be criminally charged, prosecutors announced. Blake was left paralyzed after the shooting, and the incident led to protests and riots in the area.
The three officers involved in the situation won’t be charged, as Kenosha County District Attorney Michael Graveley said that he’d have to “disprove the clear expression of these officers that they had to fire a weapon to defend themselves.” Graveley added, “I do not believe the state … would be able to prove that the privilege of self-defense is not available.”

6. Decatur mayor played ‘Russian roulette’ and lost (more…)