7 Things: Ivey’s office says governor is healthy after fact-free aldotcom column, AG Garland approved Mar-a-Lago raid but won’t stand for criticism of FBI and more …

7. There have been more than 20,000 COVID-19 deaths in Alabama

• The Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) has reported more than 20,000 coronavirus deaths since the pandemic started in 2020. It was originally estimated that the state would have about 25,000 coronavirus deaths within the first month of the pandemic.

• Alabama has had more coronavirus-related deaths than countries such as Israel, Australia and New Zealand. However, cases, deaths and hospitalizations have heavily declined in 2022 compared to previous years as new variants have weakened the virus.

6. Rules for medical marijuana approved for licensing

• In another step to legalizing some forms of medical marijuana in Alabama, the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission has approved rules and regulations for companies to get licenses that will allow them to distribute products.

• The commission has also announced that applications for a license will be open from October 31 through December 30 of this year, with licenses going out as soon as June 2023. It’s expected that medical marijuana products will not be available until at least the end of next year.

5. Inflation for July may have declined, but food prices are still at a 40-year high

• For July, inflation did not decline but slowed from 9.1% to 8.5%, while food prices are still 13.1% higher than they were this time of year in 2021. Additionally, the price of groceries increased 1.3% in July. This large increase in only a month is the highest seen since 1979.

• Some products saw more drastic increases than others since last year, with butter up more than 26%, eggs have increased 38%, potatoes are up 13.3%, coffee increased 20%, and meats have risen 10.9%.

4. Biden had to have known about the raid

• U.S. Rep. Jerry Carl (R-Mobile) has reacted to the reports that President Joe Biden knew nothing about the FBI raid on former President Donald Trump’s home in Mar-a-Lago, saying, “I refuse to believe that.”

• Carl added, “Anytime you’re going to do anything that involves the president of the United States or the ex-president of the United States, you had better brief the president, because he’s got to protect that office—not just for Trump—but for Obama before and himself in the future. This has opened up a whole new avenue that I hope we don’t go down.”

3. Questions against the FBI are not dangerous but threats are

• After calls for investigations or defunding the FBI, which are completely fair, there have been more extreme calls for violence or civil war, and current FBI director Christopher Wray has responded calling these statements “deplorable and dangerous.” Wray said, “I’m always concerned about threats to law enforcement. Violence against law enforcement is not the answer, no matter who you’re upset with.”’

• It has been suggested that a man who tried to breach an FBI office in Cincinnati might be reacting to the agency’s raid on Mar-a-Lago. 42-year-old Ricky Shiffer, who was alleged to have been in Washington, D.C. on January 6 but had not been charged with any crime, allegedly posted on social media that people should “kill the F.B.I. on sight.” 15 minutes after the attack, he allegedly posted, “Well, I thought I had a way through bullet proof glass, and I didn’t. If you don’t hear from me, it is true I tried attacking the F.B.I., and it’ll mean either I was taken off the internet, the F.B.I. got me, or they sent the regular cops.” Insane.

2. Garland approved the raid but get also doesn’t want the FBI questioned

• U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland held a press conference on Thursday afternoon, where he discussed the FBI raid of former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home and some of the reactions to the raid. Specifically, Garland attempted to deter any calls for investigation into the FBI or the raid on the 45th president’s compound.

• Garland said, “I will not stand by silently while the [FBI’s] integrity is unfairly attacked…The men and women of the FBI and the DOJ are dedicated and patriotic public servants.”

1. Ivey is doing well

• Recently, liberal aldotcom “writer” Kyle Whitmire attempted to raise questions over Gov. Kay Ivey’s health due to a lack of public appearances and unreturned texts and e-mails. Ivey’s spokeswoman Gina Maiola responded to the questions, saying that Ivey is in good health.

• Maiola said, “While I did not want to give any credibility to these bogus rumors, I do want to be sure to clear the air and set the record straight. Governor Ivey is doing great, and she continues to thank the Good Lord of keeping her healthy and cancer-free. We look forward to her leading the state of Alabama for years to come.”