7. Huntsville passes Montgomery, sets targets on Birmingham
- Montgomery has been knocked down to the third-largest city as Huntsville takes place as the second-largest city in the state. The population in Huntsville is estimated to be 199,808, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.
- While Birmingham is still listed as the largest city in the state, Huntsville is on track to surpass Birmingham within the next five years. Huntsville officials in 2015 predicted that Huntsville would pass Montgomery and become the largest city by 2022.
6. AL(dot)com reporter blames Trump for aggressive Alabama males
- In another eyebrow-raising tweet, Alabama Media Group’s women and gender reporter Abbey Crain asked readers to recall how Trump’s election led to male students at the University of Alabama behaving inappropriately, tweeting, “Remember when all us girls who went to UA were talking to current UA girls about how guys seemed more aggressive/emboldened post ’16 election?”
- She continued to add, “Please be safe this weekend. Do not leave your girl alone. Buddy up. Don’t take drinks from strangers, etc.”
5. Baby Trump will be featured in Tuscaloosa
- The giant inflatable baby Trump balloon will make an appearance in Tuscaloosa while President Donald Trump is also visiting for the Alabama/LSU game.
- Trace Fayard and Nic Gulas started a GoFundMe campaign that has now raised $5,675, more than $1,000 over the initial goal, and the balloon will be stationed four blocks away from the Bryant-Denny Stadium. The media will surely seek it out and feature it prominently.
4. Kamala Harris is grifting off of Senator Doug Jones
- Since former U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions is coming back to reclaim his Senate seat, U.S. Senator Kamala Harris’ (D-CA) presidential campaign sent out an email on Wednesday asking for funds for U.S. Senator Doug Jones’ (D-AL) campaign while attacking Sessions’ character.
- The grift here is impressive by Kamala Harris. Her email specified that the funds would be split down the middle between Harris and Jones and said that Sessions is guilty of “decades of systemic racism and bigotry” while touting Jones as “a great Senator, a strong defender of civil rights, and a fighter for the people of Alabama.”
3. Jeff Sessions has entered the race as Trump readies attacks
- During his appearance on Fox News’ “Tucker Carlson Tonight,” former U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced that he will be campaigning to win back his former U.S. Senate seat that’s currently held by Senator Doug Jones (D-AL).
- In anticipation of his announcement, the New York Times has already reported that President Donald Trump planned to attack Sessions upon entering the already crowded field of candidates. The report stated that Trump notified Sessions “that he would publicly attack him if he ran.” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said, “The president said he was very much still opposed to Mr. Sessions and would make that clear if he had to.”
2. Tuberville Super PAC has already released an ad against Sessions
- A Super PAC supporting former Auburn Football coach Tommy Tuberville’s campaign has released a new video ad that compares Tuberville to former U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions, mainly outlining what President Donald Trump has said about Sessions.
- The ad was released on the one-year anniversary of when Sessions resigned as attorney general and the same day he was expected to announce his Senate candidacy; some of the Trump quotes in the video are from when he called Sessions “a disaster” and an “embarrassment to Alabama.”
1. Latest impeachment witness saw no quid pro quo
- Deputy Assistant Secretary of State George Kent testified to Congress that he was “concerned” about Rudy Giuliani’s attempts to remove an ambassador and Ukrainian foreign policy, but he had no “direct knowledge” of a quid pro quo with Ukraine. He additionally confirmed that “nobody in the Ukrainian Government became aware of a hold on military aid” until a month after the much-ballyhooed July 25 phone call between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
- Kent also informed House members that he had previously tried to raise concerns and look into Hunter Biden’s dealings in Ukraine, but was told not to due to Beau Biden’s poor health.
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