7 Things: Jackson confirmed to the Supreme Court, Alabama passes a stronger version of Florida’s ‘Parental Rights in Education’ bill and more …

7. More Second Amendment protections for Alabama passed

• The Alabama Legislature approved a bill meant to prevent any federal executive orders that would limit citizens’ Second Amendment rights from being enforced on the local level. The Alabama Second Amendment Protection Act was introduced by State Senator Gerald Allen (R-Tuscaloosa).
• While there was Democratic criticism about how the legislation ignores that state law is typically trumped by federal law, ultimately, Republican concerns about executive orders on gun control from President Joe Biden took priority.

6. Wes Allen sees victory in keeping integrity in elections

• State Representative Wes Allen’s (R-Troy) legislation that would prevent money from influencing elections by limiting funds from private entities passed on Thursday. The legislation came after some counties in Alabama had received funds from Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg.
• Allen outlined, “My bill to prohibit private individuals, companies or organizations from purchasing voting equipment or supplies and prohibiting those same entities from compensating an election official or their staff members passed the Alabama House and Senate today.”

5. PTSD shouldn’t be used as a weapon against Mike Durant

• Former U.S. Representative Parker Griffith (D) made the accusation that U.S. Senate candidate Mike Durant “is suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.” He added, “I mean he was shot down, lost his friends, and nobody goes through that without being disturbed a little bit,” claiming that Durant’s comments on the Second Amendment show that he’s struggling mentally.
• Retired Lieutenant General Michael Flynn came to Durant’s defense, saying, “An attack on any veteran for the challenges that they face due to service-related issues should never ever be taken lightly or put into a negative light.”

4. The folks who keep failing to unionize the Bessemer Amazon facility want another chance

• At Bessemer’s Amazon fulfillment center, workers have concluded voting on whether to join the Retail, Wholesale & Department Store Union (RWDSU) for the second time after the first results were tossed out due to allegations of wrongdoing from Amazon.
• The RWDSU is again claiming that Amazon is interfering in the election and “created an atmosphere of confusion, coercion and/or fear of reprisals and this interfered with the employees’ freedom of choice.” The current vote to unionize stands at 875 to unionize and 993 against, with 416 ballots being challenged.

3. Trump denies asking Brooks to overturn the election, says it should be overturned

• U.S. Representative Mo Brooks (R-Huntsville) has detailed how former President Donald Trump requested his work to overturn the 2020 presidential election in Trump’s favor. But Trump recently stated, “I didn’t ask him to do it. He’s in no position to do it. I certainly didn’t ask him to do it.” Trump, telling on himself, followed that up by saying it should happen, adding, “I can’t imagine that somebody who won the election based on fraud, that something doesn’t happen?”
• Brooks’ U.S. Senate campaign released a statement reaffirming his previous statements about Trump’s request, stating, “Both Congressman Brooks and President Trump agree on this: The 2020 election was stolen,” but that “Brooks stands by his recollections.” 

2. Alabama has passed their own “Don’t Say Gay” bill

• The legislation by State Representative Scott Stadthagen (R-Hartselle) requires that students in public schools only use the bathroom that corresponds with their birth gender passed on Thursday. This was previously called the “bathroom bill,” but since Florida has passed legislation that prevents the teaching of sexual education to children in grades K-3, this bill has also been dishonestly dubbed a “don’t say gay” bill by the media and their Democrats.
• As a last-minute amendment, lawmakers did add a provision that bans the teaching of sexual education related to LGBTQ+ in grades K-5. The final vote was 26-5 to pass the legislation. This will apply to all Alabama public schools.

1. Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson confirmed to SCOTUS

• The U.S. Senate, in an expected move, has confirmed Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the U.S. Supreme Court. The decision has already been celebrated due to the fact that Jackson is the first black female appointed to the court. While much is being made of the lack of Republican votes, there were three, zero Democrats voted for now-Justice Amy Coney Barrett.
• Jackson was confirmed in a 53-47 vote. Despite Jackson being a liberal judge, when she joins the court there will still be a 6-3 conservative majority on the court. Jackson won’t join the court until the summer when Justice Stephen Breyer retires.