Good morning and Happy Friday! Y’all said more West Wing gifs so that’s what you get, even if they are non sequitur. Here is your Daily News.
1. It doesn’t feel like winter
- Today Republicans from all around the state will begin to gather in Montgomery for the ALGOP Winter Dinner/Meeting.
- The dinner is always fun, but this year the meeting promises to be entertaining as well.
- Will the party go forward or back in terms of Roy Moore, Sen. Richard Shelby and the resolution that is before them? I wrote a column asking that question, and it is in today’s Montgomery Advertiser.
- Will party leaders really go through with removing Bobby Bright from the Republican ballot? I’ve written at length about that in this space, but now so has a real reporter in Brian Lyman, whose story in the Advertiser is worth your time this morning.
2. Marsh files AG’s ethics bill
- A long-anticipated proposed update of the state’s ethics code has been introduced in the Alabama Legislature.
- Senate President Del Marsh filed SB383, sweeping legislation drafted by Attorney General Steve Marshall’s office and intended to clear up confusion and close potential loopholes in the law governing how public officials conduct themselves.
- The AG’s office has been conducting a line-by-line review of the code to prepare changes for more than a year, spanning back to when former Attorney General Luther Strange was in office.
- I am the first to report on this story, which will see major developments next week. For now you can go read about what the bill is supposed to do in my story at AL Daily News.
3. Eggs & Issues
The Montgomery Chamber of Commerce’ “Eggs & Issues” event has always drawn top-billed speakers for an influential audience.
Yesterday may have taken the quiche, though, because accompanying Senator Richard Shelby were U.S. Representatives Martha Roby and Terri Sewell.
All three were there for such a time as this – an opportunity not lost on Montgomery rabbi Scott Kramer. Go read Brad Harper’s story about how the rabbi’s prayer sparked some positive discussion about guns and violence from these Members of Congress.
F-35
- All three were honored for their roles in landing the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter at Dannelly Field – a boon that will keep the 187th Fighter Wing flying and bring billions of dollars of investment to the River Region.
- Rep. Terri Sewell is talking about how landing the F-35 not only makes history for Alabama, it preserves and protects it. She is absolutely right. People don’t talk about it, but what a shame it would have been if the legacy unit for the Tuskegee Airmen had disappeared.
- Rep. Martha Roby is telling the story about how building relationships contributed to the success. I was there and I can tell you that, if anything, she is being coy about her role in landing the lightning.
Headlines
ALABAMA DAILY NEWS – Marsh introduces AG’s ethics update
ALABAMA DAILY NEWS – Husband of slain online exhibitionist charged with murder
ALABAMA DAILY NEWS – Lawmaker proposes to raise age for assault rifle purchase.
MONTGOMERY ADVERTISER – Shelby backs more school security, tighter background checks in gun debate.
MONTGOMERY ADVERTISER – Alabama schools struggle with juvenile sex offenders in classrooms.
MONTGOMERY ADVERTISER – Bobby Bright’s U.S. House campaign faces ballot access challenge.
YELLOWHAMMER NEWS – Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato: Arming teachers ‘an incredible burden to put on them’.
YELLOWHAMMER NEWS – Contributor Mary Grace Lyon: What’s at the core of gun violence? Our nation doesn’t value all human life.
YELLOWHAMMER NEWS – Fallen law enforcement officers: Alabama Senate will consider extended benefits to their families.
YELLOWHAMMER NEWS – Wayne Reynolds launches campaign for Republican nomination for State Board of Education, District 8.
AL.COM – Execution of Alabama inmate Doyle Lee Hamm called off.
AL.COM – No guns on Alabama K-12, community college campuses, law says.
AL.COM – Good Hope High student jailed after concerning Facebook post.
AL.COM – Birmingham area students plan anti-gun violence march.
AL.COM – Alabama not the only state considering guns for teachers.
AL.COM – Huntsville to sell bonds to help finance Toyota-Mazda project.
AL.COM – Columnist John Archibald: What happened to the home of the brave?
AL.COM – Columnist Kyle Whitmire: Dear kids, raise hell (and save us from it).
DECATUR DAILY – The Decatur Daily: Arming teachers a bad idea.
ANNISTON STAR – The Anniston Star: On Trump’s infrastructure plan, listen to Sen. Shelby.
ANNISTON STAR – Editor Phillip Tutor: If our students in Calhoun County rise up, listen to them.
OPELIKA-AUBURN NEWS – Police, FBI charge teen with terror threat aimed at Opelika High School.
DOTHAN EAGLE – The Dothan Eagle: Eye-popping utility bills.
WASHINGTON POST – ‘We have to harden our schools’: Trump makes arming teachers his top safety goal.
WASHINGTON POST – Contributor Hugh Hewitt: There’s reason to smile as we approach Day 400 of the Trump presidency.
NEW YORK TIMES – Major Shootings Led to Tougher Gun Laws, but to What End?
NEW YORK TIMES – A Supreme Court Showdown Could Shrink Unions’ Power
Today’s front pages (images link to newspaper websites, which you should visit and patronize)
