Posted on June 30th, 2011 by Rick Journey
Chief Justice Sue Bell Cobb’s unexpected decision to exit the court more than a year before her term ends has people talking. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Sen. Cam Ward (R-Alabaster), Cumberland Law School Dean John Carroll and Democrat activist and consultant Martha Bozeman talk about the current political shocker on Good Day Alabama. Watch here. [...]
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Posted on June 23rd, 2011 by Rick Journey
The incoming president of the Alabama Bar Association says a $27,000 fix to extend Jefferson County court security for 3 more weeks is a way to buy time for a long-term solution. “Well-intended people are working on extending those 3 weeks,” Jim Pratt says. Pratt, who moves into the president’s role in three weeks, says [...]
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Posted on June 21st, 2011 by Rick Journey
Debriefing testimony from Rep. Barry Mask’s 2nd day on the witness stand in the “Bribes for Bingo” case. Birmingham attorneys Roger Appell, Raymond Johnson Jr. and pollster/political observer Larry Powell of UAB talk about Mask’s claims that he felt Milton McGregor was offering him a bribe. Read more of Rick Journey’s blog here.
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Posted on June 20th, 2011 by Rick Journey
Attorney General Luther Strange says he wants to represent ratepayers in Jefferson County’s $3-billion sewer debt crisis. Strange has asked a judge to let him intervene on behalf of the ratepayers. He hopes for a hearing soon. Strange says he wants a “seat at the table…. to be a catalyst” to negotiate a resolution. The [...]
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Posted on June 1st, 2011 by Rick Journey
Her husband no longer serves as an economic development booster as governor or lieutenant governor in Montgomery, but former first lady Marsha Folsom takes on the role as the promoter with a new agribusiness. The future for Alabama’s Black Belt Region? In a word, Marsha Folsom says… “bamboo.” “It’s the new cotton,” Folsom told me [...]
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Posted on April 26th, 2011 by Rick Journey
Tough question for Alabama lawmakers to deal with this session. Perhaps tougher than many of you will realize. Here it is: when do you become a person? At birth or is it the minute the sperm fertilizes the egg? Now throw in this complication. What if the fertilized egg isn’t in the womb. Is the [...]
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Posted on April 15th, 2011 by Rick Journey
George Altman reports in this morning’s Press Register that a bill to strengthen Alabama’s weakest in the nation cockfighting law may be doomed. Altman quotes Rep. Jim Barton (R-Mobile) saying “the sentiment of the House – particularly a lot of the north Alabama representatives (is that they) do not want to deal with it…. I [...]
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Posted on April 11th, 2011 by Rick Journey
Well, did you expect Democrats to tell the new Republican majority “good job?” You can hear the fatigure when Democrats talk about the Republican “Handshake With Alabama,” which was a mid-summer 2010 campaign promise. Recently, Rep. Juandalynn Givan (D-Birmingham) quipped to me “the ‘Handshake’ is about to break my arm.” Sunday, Dana Beyerle of the [...]
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Posted on March 2nd, 2011 by Rick Journey
Committee work picks up today in Montgomery. This morning, AEA took the stance as the only group opposing Rep. Greg Canfield’s (R-Vestavia) “Rolling Reserve Budget” bill during a hearing. The state Department of Education backs the idea. This Huntsville Times editorial looks at the issue. Canfield and Jefferson county Democrat, Rep. Merika Coleman react to [...]
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Posted on February 23rd, 2011 by Rick Journey
Bradley Byrne says he’s “very impressed” with the legislature and expects an “activist” session from the new Republican majority. As for the man who defeated him in a bitter Republican primary, Byrne says Gov. Robert Bentley deserves to be given time. “Those budgets he presents next week will be key.” The candidate who was favored [...]
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