7 Things: Another Dem Debate, big money in Alabama GOP Senate race, no impeachment vote and more …

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October 16, 2019

7. Halloween on Saturday

This year, Halloween falls on a weeknight, so once again there’s a petition making its rounds that would move Halloween to the last Saturday of October rather than always being on October 31. The petition was started by the Halloween and Costume Association.
The organization also altered the petition this year so that a National Trick or Treat Day would also be added; the organization stated, “Fifty-one percent of millennials say Halloween is their favorite holiday. Why cram it into two rushed evening weekday hours when it deserves a full day?”

6. Birmingham wants to create a huge no-smoking area

A new city ordinance has been passed by the Birmingham City Council that has created a “Health District” that prohibits smoking anywhere within the district limits. Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin said he fully supports the organizations that support the ordinance.
The area within the “Health District” includes the University of Alabama at Birmingham and UAB Medicine, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Jefferson County Department of Health, Children’s of Alabama, Cooper Green Mercy Health Services and Southern Research.

5. Mississippi is about to start selling lottery tickets; Alabama still doesn’t

Lottery tickets will be sold for the first time in Mississippi on November 25, several days ahead of originally planned December 1 start day. Within the first year, Mississippi is expected to generate $40 million, and it’s expected to more than double within the second year.
Mississippi will put this new revenue towards funding for education and infrastructure. Alabama, Hawaii, Alaska, Utah and Nevada are the only states that still don’t have the lottery.

4. Pence is going to Turkey

After President Donald Trump ordered that all U.S. troops be withdrawn from northern Syria, tensions between Turkey and the Kurdish forces have heightened. Trump has threatened sanctions, so now Vice President Mike Pence will be visiting Turkey with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
Ambassador James Jeffrey and United States National Security Advisor Robert O’Brien will also be in attendance with the goal of Turkey declaring a cease-fire. Pence will assist in negotiations between Turkey and the Kurds.

3. No impeachment vote; Republicans move to censure Adam Schiff

U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) will not be holding a vote for impeachment of President Donald Trump any time soon, a point Trump uses to justify not cooperating, because Democrats from swing districts are not on board with actually moving forward with an attempt to remove the president.
Meanwhile, 135 House members have co-sponsored a resolution to censure House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff (D-CA) for reading a “parody” version of President Donald Trump’s phone call with the president of Ukraine in July at the testimony of acting Director of National Intelligence Joseph Maguire.

2. Merrill deposited the most, Byrne raised the most this quarter

Republican 2020 U.S. Senate candidates in Alabama have reported their third-quarter fundraising numbers, and Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill now has $738,000 cash-on-hand after bringing in $622,250, including a $250,000 bank loan, in Q3.
U.S. Representative Bradley Byrne (R-Fairhope) led in fundraising (money raised from contributions) again this quarter. He reported that his campaign has $2,529,019 cash-on-hand and raised $408,383 in the third quarter, and former Auburn football coach Tommy Tuberville was in a close second in fundraising with $373,000 brought in within Q3.

1. Democratic primary debate

Tuesday, 12 candidates participated in the 2020 Democratic primary debate in Ohio where it became clear that U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) is the new frontrunner and her opponents hit her on her lack of a plan for paying for Medicare for All and her “wealth tax” plan.
This debate also marked another poor night for former Vice President Joe Biden who was unable to handle a softball from CNN’s Anderson Cooper about his son’s unethical business dealings by deflecting it and, for some reason, U.S. Senator Corey Booker (D-NJ) bailed him out.