7. Opelika pastor, flat-Earth embarrassment, and former gubernatorial candidate Dean Odle has announced his run for Alabama lieutenant governor, emphasizing his commitment to fight political corruption and defend constitutional rights. Odle, who previously finished fifth in the 2022 Republican gubernatorial primary, brands himself as “The Anti-Establishment Republican” and opposes liberal Democrats and “RINO” Republicans. In a totally sane statement, Odle rambles, “The Luciferian globalists around the world, and those traitors in our own government (both Democrat and Republican), along with their foot soldiers aka the Chinese Communist Party have been conspiring for decades to overthrow the United States. Their plans have been multifaceted. They have been patient, waiting for the right moment to pounce and take us down.”
6. High-level cease-fire negotiations between Israel and Hamas, facilitated by U.S. and Arab mediators, are gaining momentum as President Biden expressed optimism for an agreement before President-elect Trump’s inauguration. Incoming National Security Adviser Rep. Mike Waltz announced that negotiations for the release of hostages held by Hamas in the Israel conflict are actively underway, with key talks involving Israeli, U.S., and Egyptian officials. Waltz also addressed Trump’s foreign policy stance, including a potential meeting with Putin, concerns about Ukraine’s military readiness, and Trump’s interest in securing strategic global locations like Greenland and the Panama Canal.
5. President Joe Biden has promised a one-time payment for California residents impacted by the wildfires in California in the amount of $770. Some on the Right are saying this is not enough given the money given to Ukraine, with U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville criticizing California’s handling of the devastating wildfires, asserting the state shouldn’t receive federal aid unless it reforms its fire prevention practices, such as dam construction and brush clearing and saying the state should not receive relief unless they “make some changes.” He says California’s leadership failures were responsible for the crisis, despite acknowledging many “good people” in the state. The wildfires have already resulted in 24 deaths and the destruction of thousands of homes.
4. The battle over U.S. Space Command’s headquarters continues, as U.S. Sens. Katie Britt (R-Montgomery) and Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn), alongside U.S. Rep. Dale Strong (R-Monrovia), introduced a resolution urging President-elect Donald Trump to establish Huntsville’s Redstone Arsenal as the permanent headquarters, reversing President Joe Biden’s political selection of Colorado Springs. The resolution marks the fourth anniversary of the Air Force naming Redstone the top choice, while Alabama officials argue Biden’s decision was politically motivated despite Huntsville outperforming Colorado in key assessments. Alabama leaders commend Trump’s initial fact-based selection process and criticize Biden for selecting a lower-ranked location.
3. With Secretary of Defense nominee Pete Hegseth scheduled for confirmation hearings today, and Democrats seeking to take him down in Washington, D.C., U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville endorsed all of President Donald Trump’s nominees, applauding their alignment with the America First agenda on border security, economic growth, and national defense. He highlighted key figures like Hegseth, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for health initiatives, and Kash Patel for the FBI, emphasizing their qualifications and non-traditional leadership approaches. Tuberville pledged to support their confirmations, emphasizing Alabama’s overwhelming support for Trump’s policies and leadership.
2. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey has ordered state flags to return to full-staff on Jan. 20 for Inauguration Day before resuming half-staff the next day in honor of former President Jimmy Carter’s passing. The soon-to-be trend was started by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who has ordered all state flags to be raised to full staff for Inauguration Day, despite the ongoing 30-day mourning period. President-elect Donald Trump also has now raised the U.S. flag at his Mar-a-Lago estate to full height, expressing frustration that flags would be at half-staff on his Inauguration Day.
1. Because there was no actual case, no cross-examination of witnesses, or evidence presented, in his final report, Special Counsel Jack Smith concludes that Donald Trump would have been convicted on multiple felony counts for attempting to overturn the 2020 election had his 2024 reelection not halted the case under DOJ policy prohibiting prosecuting sitting presidents. The unchallenged report outlines evidence that Trump knowingly spread false claims of election fraud and pressured officials, including Vice President Mike Pence, to subvert the election results. Smith also detailed how prosecutors prepared to counter Trump’s expected defense, such as free speech claims and reliance on legal advice, with strong proof of criminal intent.
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Dale Jackson is a thought leader for Yellowhammer News and hosts a talk show from 5-9 a.m. weekdays on WVNN and from 10-11 a.m. on Talk 99.5 and News Radio 1440, with a rebroadcast on WVNN at 10 p.m.
