7. Alabama man who wrote threatening note apologizes

• An 83-year-old Mountain Brook man, James Willoughby Wood, previously made headlines for leaving a threatening note at a hair salon that displayed a pride flag outside and demanded they take the flag down, but now he’s written an apology letter and donated money to charity to atone for his mistake.
• In his letter, Wood says that the “experience has been humbling and has made me rethink the assumptions I have about this world.” Michael Cash from the salon has said that Wood is forgiven for his threatening behavior.

6. Prison issue likely to be addressed in February

• In a column published on Yellowhammer News, Steve Flowers said that a special session for prisons will likely be called after the regular session resumes on February 4, rather than a special session being called in October, just like was done for the gas tax session.
• Flowers said that calling a special session during the regular session will help “the governor and legislature avoid the criticism regarding the cost of a special session.” While some issues within Alabama prisons, such as understaffing, are already being worked on, the issue of overcrowding will be addressed during the special session.

5. Maybe Adam Schiff isn’t an honest guy

• House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff (D-CA) had contact with the whistleblower that filed the complaint that’s led to the heightened impeachment talks among Democrats, and now Schiff is saying that he “should have been much more clear” about his contact with the whistleblower.
• Previously, Schiff claimed to not have any direct contact with the whistleblower, but then that claim was later changed to Schiff not knowing the “identity of the whistleblower, and has not met with or spoken with the whistleblower or their counsel.” The whistleblower did reach out to Schiff before actually filing their complaint.

4. Further withdrawal from Syria ordered

• Syria has said that they will be moving troops to the border to help the Kurds. U.S. Defense Secretary Mike Esper announced that all American troops are withdrawing from northern Syria because forces are “likely caught between two opposing advancing armies, and it’s a very untenable situation.”
• Recent airstrikes from Turkey were targeting foreign reporters and civilians at the Syrian border, and according to a spokesman for the Kurds, at least 11 people are dead and 74 are injured.

3. There will be no Medicaid expansion in Alabama

• As much as the media and their Democrats love to talk about the issue of Medicaid expansion, you would think it would gain some traction in the state, but you would be wrong because State Senate Pro Tem Del Marsh (R-Anniston) says it isn’t happening.
• Marsh expressed that Democrats will continue talking about it but, said, “There’s no appetite whatsoever for any kind of Medicaid expansion. I can tell you that. I know the Democrats are rallying around that. I can tell you the Republicans are not for expanding Medicaid.”

2. Hunter Biden quits job he got because of his dad and won’t do it again

• Former Vice President Joe Biden’s son Hunter Biden has promised that he won’t work with foreign companies if his father becomes president in 2020, but President Donald Trump is drawing attention to Hunter’s absence and the media’s disinterest.
• Trump tweeted, “Where’s Hunter? He has totally disappeared! Now looks like he has raided and scammed even more countries! Media is AWOL.” While Trump didn’t specify what Hunter has done or the countries involved, he’s consistently been drawing attention to Hunter and his shady dealings.

1. Impeachment talk continues to dominate

• It is becoming increasingly clear that Washington, D.C. will be consumed with nothing but impeachment talk for the foreseeable future as Democrats continue chasing an issue that has absolutely no chance of removing the president and only serves to damage President Trump’s reelection chances.
• Much like the Russia investigation, demands for hearings, testimonies and investigations will follow mores accusations of wrongdoing being repeated while actual evidence of wrongdoing will be hard to come by, but that won’t stop the parade of talking heads declaring “this feels different” and “this could be the turning point” for months on end.