1. Alabama leaders react to President Trump’s nomination
— Governor Kay Ivey e-mailed, “Judge Kavanaugh clearly understands the proper role of a judge is to interpret the law as it is written and apply the law impartially.”
— The ALGOP statement read, “”[T]he Alabama Republican Party calls on all members of the U.S. Senate, including Senator Doug Jones, to vote ‘yes’ in confirming Judge Kavanaugh to the United States Supreme Court.”
2. President Trump nominates Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court
— The president touted Kavanaugh’s “impeccable credentials, unsurpassed qualifications and a proven commitment to equal justice under the law” and added that, “There is no one in America more qualified for this position, and no one more deserving.”
— Kavanaugh already had one contentious nomination process for U.S. District Court due to his time with Ken Starr during the Clinton stage, he represented Cuban exile Elian Gonzalez and his time with President George W. Bush.
3. Trump invited four red-state Democrats to the White House for the announcement, Sen. Doug Jones does not go
— Democratic Senators Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota, Doug Jones of Alabama, Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Joe Donnelly of Indiana were all offered a chance to attend the event, but they were not interested in appearing with the president and his choice.
— Potential 2020 opponent for Jones, Rep. Bradley Byrne has urged Jones to “Do the right thing” and support the president’s nominee.
4. Democrat Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer threatens red state Democrats
— With very few actual options, Schumer is imploring his senators behind the scenes to stick together and not consider Brett Kavanaugh for the Supreme Court, while he hopes to pick off a moderate Republican.
— As the Democrat leader, Schumer controls fundraising and committee assignments so this threat is not an empty one, but Schumer needs these red state Democrats as bad as they need him.
5. Troy King has filed an ethics complaint against Attorney General Steve Marshall a week before an election because he knows it will not be heard
— King is alleging a PAC that gave money to Marshall took money from another PAC, which is a violation of the state’s PAC to PAC ban. There will be no hearing, but King got his headlines.
— Marshall has argued that Alabama’s law does not apply to federal PACs, and told AL.com, “We are pleased to have received support from the RAGA Action Fund and trust they have complied with Alabama law.”
6. Like many in the media, New York magazine’s Jonathan Chait has gone completely off the rails by claiming Trump has been a Russian asset since the 80s.
— Special Prosecutor Robert Mueller can’t seem to prove that Trump’s campaign manager colluded with the Russians, the Chait thinks he has cracked the Trump/Russia code as he asks, “Will Trump Be Meeting With His Counterpart — Or His Handler?”
— After Trump visited Moscow in 1987, Chait argues Trump was pushing Russian propaganda by spending $100,000 on a series of full-page newspaper ads that argued that America pays too much for other nation’s defense.
7. Alabama considers a law to charge people who leave dogs in hot cars
— Even though a woman was charged with felony aggravated cruelty to animals for the hot car death of a dog in Trussville, many want more done including making the act of leaving a dog in a locked car a crime.
— Senate President Pro Tem Del Marsh wrote on Facebook that he was “looking into having legislation drafted to prohibit people from leaving animals unattended in their vehicles.”
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