7. Texas legislature passes voter integrity bill even though Democrats fled the state in protest

• The story garnered a huge amount of attention, misinformation about the bills filled the airwaves, the media found new darlings to promote, and at the end of the day, the Texas “fleebaggers” accomplished absolutely nothing. The full legislature in Texas has passed a massive voter integrity bill that Governor Greg Abbott (R) will sign.
• Democrats really have themselves to blame for how Republicans handled this. In 2020, Democrats used the pandemic to change voting rules across the country, and Republicans responded by passing efforts to set in stone the rules of the electoral process in states they control.

6. Dismukes is pleading not guilty

• Montgomery County Circuit Judge Brook Reid has scheduled State Representative Will Dismukes’ (R-Prattville) trial date, and Dismukes has entered a not guilty plea to the charges of theft of money or property at more than $2,500.
• Previously, Dismukes had requested a change of venue, claiming that there would be prejudice against him since he’s been accused of being racist due to past statements and activities, but that request was denied. Dismukes has tried to claim that the issue should be settled in a civil court instead of a criminal court.

5. Black Lives Matter has joined the calls for a redo of the Amazon union vote

• There have been some out-of-state activists pushing for the vote on unionizing at the Bessemer Amazon facility to be redone, and now Black Lives Matter has joined those calls. BLM is also asking others to sign a petition to support “all the Black workers fight for equity.”
• BLM added that Amazon’s “intimidation & manipulation won’t win,” and in Bessemer, the “fight for unionization is far from over.” Previously, unionizing in Bessemer was heavily voted down by workers, but supporting unions have since accused Amazon of intimidating workers.

4. Britt: Leaving anyone behind is un-American

• U.S. Senate candidate Katie Britt has voiced her criticism of President Joe Biden as the last U.S. military troops have left Afghanistan and hundreds of citizens were left behind. The Pentagon initially estimated that there were about 250 Americans abandoned in the country.
• Britt said, “Leaving anyone behind is a disgrace and un-American,” adding that while Biden knows that this makes America look weaker worldwide, “This is a gut punch to every American and ally around the world.”

3. Hospital system struggling as they become short-staffed

• The state of Alabama added 5,206 new coronavirus cases and 61 deaths. At the same time, the Decatur-Morgan Hospital is just one of many short-staffed hospitals looking for nurses and volunteers as they struggle with the number of coronavirus patients they have at the hospital. Hospital president Kelli Powers detailed the issue, saying they lack about 70 nurses.
• Powers also said that their current staff is “working overtime, 60 hours a week for some of the staff,” as the hospital deals with 57 coronavirus patients, nine of which were vaccinated. According to Powers, none of the eight patients in the ICU were vaccinated. In the state, 84% of those hospitalized are unvaccinated, 4% have one shot and 12% are fully vaccinated.

2. Vaccination status is becoming quite the weapon

• Earlier this week, a judge decided a mother would lose custody for not being vaccinated, and now it is suspected that not being vaccinated has cost quarterback Cam Newton a job with the New England Patriots (other players, too). Some employers are implementing penalties on their employees.
• Increasingly, Americans are becoming completely OK with punishing the unvaccinated. A new poll in California shows 57% of those polled want the employers to mandate a vaccine, 51% of those polled want the state requiring it, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director Dr. Rochelle Walensky says the unvaccinated should not travel. As this is happening, vaccine hesitancy is dropping across the board. 

1. It wasn’t Biden’s fault because Donald Trump

• President Joe Biden has finally addressed the nation after hundreds of Americans were left in Afghanistan, and he managed to fail at providing any real answers. Instead, he blamed the issues in the Middle East on former President Donald Trump and talked about how he inherited a bad situation.
• Biden claimed that leaving Afghanistan by August 31 was to “save lives,” and the only thing he took “responsibility” for was leaving Afghanistan. He disagreed that the evacuation could’ve been done better. Biden also discussed the evacuation as if it was a huge success and basically ignored the abandoned Americans.

7. Frustrations felt by families searching for loved ones in Florida condo collapse

• Search and rescue crews have continued work at the site of Champlain Towers South where a beachfront condo complex collapsed last week. Six people have been pronounced dead, but 152 remain missing.
• Families have started to express their frustrations with the search, such as Soriya Cohen, who is still waiting for news about her husband and brother-in-law. She said that she feels like she’s “living in a Third World country and they just don’t care enough” when discussing how the search has been conducted.

6. State Rep. Will Dismukes has been indicted (more…)

7. Terrorism continues in Portland as the media yawns

• Attacks on federal facilities and federal employees outside of Washington, D.C. continue without much concern from the people inside the walls at the U.S. Capitol and the media as a whole. The attacks at the courthouse in Portland are nothing new, but this attack took place days after a metal fence surrounding the facility was removed.
• Portland police said they arrested one person after encountering dozens dressed in black. Elsewhere in Portland, a security guard pulled a gun on protesters after they attempted to break into the building, which is obviously not protesting.

6. People who pay prostitutes can be outed, the prostitutes cannot be under proposed law (more…)

7. Fauci is already looking at coronavirus next year

• Dr. Anthony Fauci has predicted that the coronavirus is going to be something that we live with for a while since it’s unlikely that we’ll be able to completely get rid of it due to how “highly transmissible” it is.
• Fauci said that we need a “combination of a good vaccine and attention to public health measures,” and he doesn’t mean more shutdowns, but we could be wearing masks and social distancing for quite some time. Fauci added that “by the time we get through 2021 and go around for another cycle that we’ll have this under control.”

6. No plans to clean the Madison County monument (more…)

MONTGOMERY — A felony arrest warrant has been issued for State Rep. Will Dismukes (R-Prattville), Montgomery County District Attorney Daryl Bailey announced in a Thursday press conference.

The warrant is for first-degree theft of property, a Class B felony. The freshman state legislator allegedly stole more than $2,500 from a former employer, Weiss Flooring in Alabama’s capital city.

Bailey said Dismukes has not yet been arrested and has until Thursday at 4:00 p.m. CT to turn himself in.

The district attorney reminded the public that a warrant represents “a mere allegation” and that Dismukes remains presumed innocent “until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.” (more…)

Radio talk show host Dale Jackson and Alabama Democratic Executive Committee member Lisa Handback take you through this week’s biggest political stories, including:

— Are this week’s really good coronavirus numbers a sign that we are moving in the right direction?

— Did Alabama head coach Nick Saban and President Donald Trump similar messages on college football save the season?

— Was former Vice President Joe Biden best option really U.S. Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA)? (more…)

Last weekend should have been a shining moment for the state of Alabama, a celebration of the life and efforts of Congressman John Lewis – a true freedom fighter and hero for civil rights and equality in our nation.

It was also an opportunity to reflect on our past and be proud of how far we Alabamians have come. Republicans and Democrats, blacks and whites – all came together to honor and remember the life of Alabama’s courageous and remarkable son.

Well, not all, apparently. (more…)

State Rep. Will Dismukes (R-Prattville) on Wednesday resigned from Pleasant Hill Baptist Church, where he was serving as an Alabama Baptist bivocational pastor.

The resignation, first announced by The Alabama Baptist, comes in the wake of Dismukes attending a celebration of Nathan Bedford Forrest, who was a Confederate general and the first grand wizard of the Ku Klux Klan.

The Alabama Baptist is an official entity of the Alabama Baptist State Convention. The publication explained that the resignation came following a meeting that included church deacons and Mel Johnson, lead mission strategist for the Autauga Baptist Association. (more…)

7. Space and Rocket Center faces possibly closing

• Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville has announced that $1.5 million is needed to keep their doors open, otherwise, they’ll have to close permanently. The organization has said they’ve lost two-thirds of their revenue.
• The Center is asking for public support through their Save Space Camp campaign for people to donate through. On the page, they specified they’ll have to close in October if they can’t raise more funds. It’s estimated that the Center adds about $120 million to the North Alabama economy.

6. Tuberville gets National Right to Life endorsement (more…)

One of the first public figures that spoke out about State Rep. Will Dismukes’ (R-Prattville) participation in a celebration for Nathan Bedford Forrest on Saturday and subsequent post on Facebook was his colleague, State Rep. Danny Garrett (R-Trussville).

Garrett expressed his disapproval on social media, tweeting, “I cannot fathom why anyone in 2020 celebrates the birthday of the 1st KKK Grand Wizard. And while the body of a civil rights icon beaten by the Klan lies at state Capitol being honored by GOP/Dem leaders from all over the state. This mentality does not rep my party or my faith.”

On Tuesday, Garrett elaborated on his sentiment during an interview on Birmingham radio Talk 99.5’s “Matt & Aunie Show,” explaining that he wanted to make sure Dismukes’ actions were not a reflection of other House members or the entire body of the Alabama House of Representatives.

(more…)

7. Out of state hospitals want Alabama’s help

• The coronavirus pandemic is clearly putting a strain on medical facilities across the country, and now David Spillers, CEO of the Huntsville Hospital Healthcare System, has claimed that hospitals in Georgia, Mississippi, Tennessee and South Alabama have requested to move patients to North Alabama, which he rejected.
• Spillers explained that the hospitals were “all asking to transfer patients to Huntsville Hospital because the hospitals in their area were full.” He added, “They felt like they could not take any more COVID patients. We were unable to accept those patients because we were dealing with the patients we have here in north Alabama.”

6. The push to cancel schools continues  (more…)

It is stupid to have a birthday party for anyone that has been dead for a century-plus.

It is incredibly stupid to have a birthday party for a long-dead Confederate general and former Ku Klux Klan leader.

It is indescribably stupid for a state representative to participate in such an event, but here we are as State Rep. Will Dismukes (R-Prattville) has found himself in hot water for posting pictures of himself at an annual celebration of Nathan Bedford Forrest’s birthday. (more…)

Alabama Republican Party Chairman Terry Lathan on Monday afternoon strongly criticized State Rep. Will Dismukes (R-Prattville), stopping short of calling for his resignation.

Dismukes on Sunday posted a picture of himself at a birthday celebration for Nathan Bedford Forrest, who was a Confederate general and the first grand wizard of the Ku Klux Klan.

As reported by Yellowhammer News, Dismukes on Monday morning issued a statement regarding that picture.

While he denounced the KKK, the freshman legislator did not address why he was at the celebration in the first place or why he said that annual event is “[a]lways a great time.” (more…)

State Rep. Will Dismukes (R-Prattville) is once again drawing bipartisan criticism for posting pictures of himself with the Confederate flag.

Dismukes in recent months voiced support for the Confederate Memorial Park in his district, after which the Alabama Democratic Party released a picture of him wearing a “Prattville Dragoons: Sons of Confederate Veterans” shirt and called on the freshman legislator to resign. In defending himself from that call, Dismukes ended his statement by writing, “Deo Vindice.”

“Deo Vindice,” latin for “(With) God (as our) defender/protector”), was the national motto of the Confederacy.

On Sunday, Dismukes posted a picture of himself from an annual celebration of Nathan Bedford Forrest’s birthday. Forrest was the first grand wizard of the Ku Klux Klan following his service as a Confederate general during the Civil War. (more…)

Last week’s decision by state officials to institute a statewide mask mandate continues to be a topic of contention across the state and has drawn the objections of lawmakers, even as the Alabama legislature is out of session for 2020.

The latest is State Rep. Will Dismukes (R-Prattville), who questioned the mandate’s implementation given state officials have not explicitly stated the proper use of masks to mitigate the threat of COVID-19.

Monday on Huntsville radio WVNN’s “The Jeff Poor Show,” Dismukes laid out this concern and other concerns he has about the mandate announced last week by Gov. Kay Ivey and State Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris.

(more…)

As a movement of racial justice sweeps across the nation, the media finds itself distracted by patently absurd issues like cartoon voices, 80s TV shows and other trivial issues.

Most people, however, seem interested in hearing out the legitimate gripes people may have about depictions of history and how power operates in this country.

Riots and protests at unrelated monuments to American history (Columbus, Washington, Lincoln and Grant) have the potential to derail the movement, as do the equally absurd cries to “Defund The Police” — and white liberals’ attempts to explain what that “actually” means while those saying it in the Black Lives Matter movement are pretty clear.

In Alabama, with its troubling racial past, there are leaders like House Minority Leader Anthony Daniels (D-Huntsville) who have laid out a few real changes they would like to see while showing an openness to compromise on issues down the road. (more…)

Alabama Democrats are missing out on a golden opportunity to bring the state together, gain some political steam, and notch a big win.

As is their custom, they are blowing it.

The party apparatus of the Alabama Democratic Party is targeting State Representative Will Dismukes (R-Prattville) and referring to him as a Confederate sympathizer by saying, “If little Will wants to play dress-up and pretend to fight for the lost cause, he should resign.” This happened because he opposes any effort to defund Confederate Memorial Park. (more…)

7. Where is Biden?

• Former Vice President Joe Biden is the only candidate left seeking the Democratic nomination for the 2020 presidential election, but he hasn’t held any kind of news conference in 80 days and people are starting to question why. 
• Senior campaign advisor Symone Sanders was asked about this while on “Fox News Sunday” with Chris Wallace, and Sanders said that Biden is still campaigning and still “following CDC guidelines.” She added that Biden is “prioritizing local media … the vice president is doing local media interviews, he’s doing national media interviews, and he is taking questions from reporters.”

6. More impeachment (more…)

In what might be the Alabama Democratic Party’s most aggressive move yet in the era of its new leadership with State Rep. Chris England (D-Tuscaloosa) at the helm, party executive director Wade Perry called for State Rep. Will Dismukes (R-Prattville) to resign given his “public support of the lost Confederate cause.”

Earlier in the week, Dismukes pushed back against House Minority Leader Anthony Daniels’ (D-Huntsville) proposal to defund the Confederate Memorial Park near Marbury. On Friday, Perry took aim at Dismukes, calling him “stuck in the past.”

Perry issued a statement calling on Dismukes to resign if he could not adjust his priorities. However, accompanying Perry’s statement was a photo of what the statement called “Confederate regalia,” which was Dismukes in a short-sleeve button-down shirt with an embroidered “Prattville Dragoons: Sons of Confederate Veterans” logo, and alongside his wife and child, apparently from a March 2 Facebook post.

(more…)

Last week, House Minority Leader Anthony Daniels (D-Huntsville) proposed to strip state monies from the Confederate Memorial Park near Marbury in Chilton County, calling the funding “not appropriate” and the park “something that brings a lot of pain back to Alabamians.”

Daniels has received pushback from some Republican lawmakers, including State Sen. Tom Butler (R-Madison), who cited the roughly 300 Confederate veterans buried at the park as justification for the state to continue funding. Add State Rep. Will Dismukes (R-Prattville) to the list as well, who called Daniels’ push “dead wrong.”

During an interview with Huntsville radio WVNN’s “The Jeff Poor Show” on Wednesday, Dismukes, who represents a district just south of the park, explained the park serves multiple purposes beyond memorializing the Confederacy.

(more…)

7. Former Alabama Attorney General mixed up in alleged mask scheme

• Former Alabama Attorney General Troy King, a failed candidate for Congress, was working as an intermediary for a company attempting to sell six million masks to the Department of Veterans Affairs hospitals for $34.5 million before the entire deal blew up and no masks were delivered. 
• King’s role in the fiasco appears to be that he said he could connect the company with 3M, the manufacturer of the mask, and to arrange financing to pull off the deal to sell masks that list at $1.27 for $4.90, a price that was almost certainly an attempt at “price-gouging” according to a retired Army colonel.

6. Greenville mayor and his wife have been diagnosed with coronavirus (more…)

Tuesday, as protesters appeared in front of the State Capitol decrying the state’s coronavirus shutdown order, State Rep. Will Dismukes (R-Prattville) was reportedly the only member of the Alabama legislature to make the trek across Union Street from the Statehouse for the protest.

Since publishing a Facebook video questioning the seeming double standard that has resulted from actions of state government at this stage of the COVID-19 pandemic, Dismukes has become an integral figure in the so-called Reopen Alabama movement, and his appearance at the protests at the State Capitol appears to back that up.

Tuesday, Dismukes was interviewed by Huntsville radio’s WVNN and elaborated on his views about Alabama’s handling of the pandemic under the leadership of Gov. Kay Ivey.

(more…)

Alabama is 11 days away from the expiration of Governor Kay Ivey’s “Safer at Home” order.

The first full weekend under Ivey’s new public health order was welcomed by many businesses granted the freedom to reopen.

Some did, some didn’t. At the Shoppes at Eastchase in Montgomery, it was reported that locally-owned stores began to reopen while several of the national chains did not. This has been a common theme in other reopening states around the country. Stores with out-of-state corporate management, many of whom are based out of New York, have yet to give the green light to its locations. This could reflect a growing disconnect between the perception of those in large, cold weather metropolitan areas and the reality in states like Alabama. For those who adhere to the “shop local” approach, now is their time.

One of those people is apparently State Rep. Danny Garrett (R-Trussville) who patronized local shops and found all the safety measures you would hope to see.
(more…)

State Rep. Arnold Mooney’s (R-Indian Springs) campaign for the U.S. Senate has received an endorsement from 10 of his colleagues in the state legislature with less than two weeks to go before the primary election.

The endorsers include many of the most conservative members in the Alabama statehouse, like State Rep. Mike Holmes from the Montgomery area and State Rep. Tommy Hanes from Northeast Alabama.

The state-level endorsements fall in line with the prominent national conservatives who have endorsed Mooney previously. Conservative Senators Mike Lee (R-UT) and Rand Paul (R-KY), along with conservative television host Mark Levin, and Alabama’s own Rep. Mo Brooks (AL-05) are among those who have thrown their support behind Mooney.
(more…)