7 Things: Ainsworth says tolls solution is not the citizens’ job, AEA vs. the kids, Alabama sheriff indicted and more …

7. Trouble in Alabama for the DNC

• The Credentials Committee of the Democratic National Committee has officially recommended invalidating Democratic Party Chair Nancy Worley and Vice-chair Randy Kelley’s credentials since they have not followed mandates to accept new bylaws.
• Previously, the DNC instructed Worley and Kelley to adopt new bylaws into the party and that a new election for chair and vice-chair were to be held within 90 days, but the deadline and extended deadline of August 17 to institute the bylaws were both missed.

6. Democrats really want the power to punish their foes

• U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) has said that criminal charges should be brought against fossil fuel executives since they’ve “knowingly caused” destruction. The 2020 Democratic presidential candidate was not specific on what crimes they committed or how this is part of the president’s job.
• Sanders said this along with releasing his own “Green New Deal” that would “end the greed of the fossil fuel industry.” Sanders wants to move to “100% renewable energy.”

5. This is what actual anti-Semitism looks like

• U.S. Representative Bradley Byrne (R-Fairhope) responded to the news of a New York Times editor’s anti-Semitic comments by saying that the anti-Semitic editor could explain why The New York Times is constantly defending U.S. Representatives Ilhan Omar (D-MN) and Rashida Tlaib (D-MI). Byrne stated, “It’s clear that anti-Semitism is growing and being adopted by the radical left. As a nation and as a people, we should always stand up against anti-Semitism.”
• The political editor of The New York Times, Tom Wright-Piersanti, was outed for his history of anti-Semitic comments made on social media, such as, “I was going to say ‘Crappy Jew Year,’ but one of my resolutions is to be less anti-Semitic. So…HAPPY Jew Year. You Jews.”

4. 2020 will be all about that base

• A new poll conducted by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research shows that President Donald Trump’s approval rating has dropped 36%, whereas his disapproval rating has spiked to 62%.
• Among Republicans, eight out of 10 approve of Trump’s job performance, but 94% of Democrats disapprove of Trump. Independents are heavily swinging against Trump at this time.

3. Limestone County sheriff indicted

• Limestone County Sheriff Michael Blakely has been indicted on 13 state ethics charges. Blakely’s attorney, Mark McDaniel, said that they will be pleading “not guilty,” and McDaniel has already said that he’s planning on arguing the constitutionality of the ethics laws in Alabama.
• McDaniel wasn’t specific on what ethics act he’ll be challenging, but he argued that you could violate an ethics law without even knowing that you’ve done something wrong because of how “broad” the laws are.

2. The AEA fights for the status quo and stymies innovation

• Lawmakers have decided to increase their investment in opening more public charter schools in Alabama, and now $800,000 will be contributed to the Alabama Public Charter School Commission, which is four times the amount that’s been contributed in the past.
• Half of the investment will go to recruiting more charter schools to open in Alabama. Senate President Pro Tem Del Marsh (R-Anniston) has said that some of the money will help legally defend the commission in lawsuits brought on by the Alabama Education Association.

1. The lieutenant governor wants government officials to do their job

• After it was made clear that the October meeting of the Alabama Toll Road, Bridge, and Tunnel Authority was going to be used for people to come and offer alternatives to the current plan to make the I-10 Mobile Bay Bridge a toll bridge, Lieutenant Governor Will Ainsworth advised that the responsibility isn’t on the citizens and it’s the Alabama Department of Transportation and director John Cooper’s responsibility to determine an alternate funding plan.
• Ainsworth said that Cooper and ALDOT need to show up to the meeting with “a series of other alternatives.” He added, “And you’re going to see us come out and push on that pretty hard.”