7. Gov. Cuomo adamant he didn’t do anything wrong
- New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) is facing a series of scandals and finally held a press conference to address them. He said he felt “awful,” but that making others feel uncomfortable was “unintentional.” The 63-year-old added that he “learned an important lesson.”
- In a stark difference in how the media handles these scandals when their favorites are not involved, the New York Times used the headline, “Contrite Over Sexual Harassment Accusations” as Cuomo said he didn’t know if he had actually been inappropriate. One of his accusers was less understanding. Lindsey Boylan noted on Twitter, “How can New Yorkers trust you @NYGovCuomo to lead our state if you ‘don’t know’ when you’ve been inappropriate with your own staff?”
6. Threats against congressmen have increased dramatically
- According to acting Capitol Police Chief Yogananda Pittman, there’s been a 93.5% increase in threats made against those in Congress just in January and February of 2021 compared to 2020.
- Pittman also said that the chance of a repeated riot, like the riot on January 6, “is a very real and present danger.” There’s also been “a possible plot to breach the Capitol by an identified militia group on Thursday, March 4,” according to U.S. Capitol Police. The U.S. House has canceled its session because of this threat.
5. No monument removal for municipalities
- State Representative Juandalynn Givan (D-Birmingham) presented a bill that would allow counties and cities to remove monuments that were over 40 years old, amending the Memorial Preservation Act of 2017, but the Alabama House Judiciary Committee has voted the bill down.
- Only State Representatives Jim Hill (R-Moody), Merika Coleman (D-Birmingham), Prince Chesnut (D-Selma) and Chris England (D-Tuscaloosa) supported the bill in committee. The legislation is likely done for this session, but Givan spoke to reporters and said those who voted against the bill “showed you what type of people they actually are in this day and time in the United States of America.”
4. Only fine people for marijuana possession
- State Senator Bobby Singleton’s (D-Greensboro) bill that would make the only punishment for possession of marijuana a fine has passed the Senate Judiciary Committee in a 6-3 vote. Now the bill will go to the full Senate.
- The bill is only for possession that’s less than two ounces of marijuana. It wouldn’t be charged as a misdemeanor anymore, and the fine couldn’t be more than $250. Greater amounts would be charged as a misdemeanor, but the fine limit remains the same. Repeat offenses would cause an increased fine, adding $250 for each additional offense.
3. Ainsworth: Remove the mask mandate
- Lieutenant Governor Will Ainsworth has come out against the statewide mask mandate put in place by Governor Kay Ivey, again, as it’s set to expire on Friday. He called on Ivey to “immediately lift the statewide mask mandate.”
- Ainsworth also said that Ivey should “allow citizens and local officials the liberty to make the decisions that best fit their circumstances.” He has always encouraged people to take precautions but has disagreed with masks being mandated.
2. “Neanderthal thinking”
- Unsurprisingly, President Joe Biden has disagreed with Mississippi and Texas removing their mask mandates and reopening their states completely. In a statement about this, Biden called it “Neanderthal thinking.” A doctor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham didn’t go as far as Biden but did speak out against lifting the mask mandates, saying that Alabama “isn’t out of the woods yet.”
- Biden did add that it’s expected there will be enough coronavirus vaccines for every adult in the United States by the end of May, and this type of “thinking” is the “last thing we need,” but Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves and Texas Governor Greg Abbott have both said that their vaccine numbers continue to increase and cases are declining, which justifies reopening the states.
1. Ivey announcing mask mandate decision
- Today at 11:00 a.m., Governor Kay Ivey will announce if she plans to extend the statewide mask mandate beyond March 5, 2021. Pressure has increased for her to do away with the mandate as Texas and Mississippi have recently gotten rid of their mandates and reopened completely.
- Ivey spokesperson Gina Maiola has said that Ivey “prefers personal responsibility to government mandates,” adding that they’re “optimistic that our state is heading in the right direction, and we still have some work to be done.”
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