[T]he GAO found President Barack Obama’s Pentagon in violation of the law, thanks to the Bowe Bergdahl swap.

[…]

As the GAO found, the move violated the 2014 Defense Appropriations Act and the Antideficiency Act.

Fine, forget it. It is still super-important and impeachable, according to the media and their Democrats.

More double standard: WaPo in 2014: GAO Ruling Against Obama Nothing More Than ‘Political Talking Point’ https://t.co/F0Frnmlnlo

— Senator John Cornyn (@JohnCornyn) January 17, 2020

U.S. Representative Mo Brooks (R-Huntsville) laid out what is really going on with all of this during a radio appearance on WVNN in Huntsville.

When asked if this was a serious violation worthy of impeachment, Brooks said, “No, it’s not any crime at all.”

He added that this happens often at the federal level.

“This is routine,” he advised. “We have so many laws at the federal government level, that nobody can possibly understand all of them. So, as a consequence, you have to go to court every now and then to figure out what’s what.”

He also noted the previous administration did this stuff as well, saying, “The Obama administration went to the Supreme Court and the Supreme Court ruled against the Obama administration more than 100 times.”

My takeaway:

The attempt to paint this latest “offense” as a big deal and the “turning point” against the president is nothing new. The people doing this told us all of the following would destroy the Trump presidency.

Tax Returns
Russia
Inauguration crowd size
Calling the media the “enemy of the people”
Stormy Daniels
Michael Avenatti
Charlottesville
The media’s “very fine people” lies
Firing James Comey
Brett Kavanaugh
Meeting with Vladimir Putin
Meeting with Kim Jong-un
Ending NAFTA
Ending China trade deal
Michael Cohen
Paul Manafort
Complaining about Robert Mueller
Roger Stone
The whistleblower
Ukraine
Alexander Vindman
Gordon Sondland
Marie Yavonovich
Trump’s Benghazi
Killing Soleimani
Iran’s response
Lev Parnas

This GAO ruling is just the latest in a long list of things that will finally accomplish the media and their Democrats’ goal of overturning the 2016 election and avenging Hillary Clinton.

But if they want everyone to take this seriously, they should show us they are taking it seriously, reopen the impeachment investigation in the United States House of Representatives and put this GAO ruling (and Lev Parnas’ accusations) in yet another flimsy article of impeachment so the United States Senate can strike it down.

Listen:

Dale Jackson is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts a talk show from 7-11 am weekdays on WVNN.

• State Senator Clyde Chambliss (R-Prattville) said that the 2020 legislative session will likely be focused on the issues surrounding Alabama’s prisons and the pressure from the Department of Justice to do something.
• Chambliss went on to say, “[I]f we don’t solve it in the first part of this year in the sessions, then it will be out of our hands beyond that and the cost will double to triple for what we could solve it for if the federal government makes the decisions.”

5. Alabama House minority leader open to the deal with the Poarch Band of Creek Indians

• The Poarch Band of Creek Indians (PCI) have previously announced their compact plan that would introduce the public campaign “Winning for Alabama,” which could potentially pay billions to the state.
• House Minority Leader Anthony Daniels (D-Huntsville) said during an interview with WHNT that the state “needs more revenue, and our constituencies are not in favor of any more taxes,” and added that this plan is “appealing” to him, but he also expects that the “other operators in the state” to bring bills forward, too.

4. Shelby and Jones vote for new trade deal with Mexico and Canada

• The trade agreement United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement has been approved by the U.S. Senate. Two Senators who helped the agreement pass were from Alabama.
• U.S. Senators Richard Shelby (R-AL) and Doug Jones (D-AL) voted in favor of the trade deaL. Shelby said, “Passage of this important trade pact is a significant win for our state and nation’s farmers, manufacturers, workers, and businesses.”

3. The “crime” Democrats are latching on to is not what it seems

• The issue of whether President Donald Trump did anything illegal when the foreign aid was withheld from Ukraine has been widely debated, but now the Government Accountability Office (GAO) has said Trump broke the law. This is not a high crime and misdemeanor, but a dishonest media will imply otherwise.
• There is more to this story than a simple “he broke the law.” The Obama administration (who also was found to have broken the law a few times by the GAO and no one cared) technically broke the law and violated the Constitution every single time the Supreme Court ruled against them.

2. Doug Jones fundraising off of impeachment while claiming he’s impartial

• Thursday morning, U.S. Senator Doug Jones (D-AL) was appearing on CNN in a somber tone declaring himself to be an impartial arbiter of the truth in the Senate, but it seems unlikely that anyone in the Senate is actually undecided on this very public matter that has been discussed for months.
• Later, the Jones campaign was fundraising using the impeachment proceedings to raise money and created a page that asks donors to give him money during the process which states, “While Doug is doing his duty, we’ve got to have his back. His opponents are taking every opportunity to divide and attack, but Doug is focused on impartial justice and real leadership.”

1. The impeachment trial has started

• U.S. Senators have sworn an oath of “impartial justice” as the impeachment trial against President Donald Trump started. Chief Justice John Roberts will be presiding over the trial.
• House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) spoke about the trial, saying that it’s a “taxpayer-funded campaign stunt,” adding that if the impeachment issues were real “yesterday was no cause for celebration.” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has said the trial will continue on Tuesday afternoon.

• U.S. Senator Doug Jones (D-AL) has a campaign event scheduled next week in Birmingham. It has been announced that a senior advisor to former President Barack Obama, Valerie Jarrett, will be headlining the event.
• Jones’ campaign slogan is “One Alabama.” Jarrett is going to lead a “Women for One Alabama” discussion at the event.

5. Alabama not allowed to refuse refugees

• U.S. District Judge Peter Messitte has blocked President Donald Trump’s executive order that would give state and local officials the ability to refuse refugees, but faith-based organizations like Church World Service Inc., HIAS Inc. and Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services had requested the preliminary injunction.
• The executive order was issued in September. The order said that “State and local government are best positioned to know the resources and capacities they may or may not have available to devote to sustainable resettlement.”

4. Iran is still making threats

• Iran President Hassan Rouhani said that European soldiers still in the Middle East “could be in danger,” making this the first direct threat made to Europe throughout the high tensions with Iran.
• Rouhani’s statements were made during a cabinet meeting that was broadcast. The president also said that Iranians “were lied to” in the days immediately following the Ukrainian passenger jet that was shot down by the Islamic Republic which killed 176 people.

3. Alabama groups want the president’s confirmation stopped

• President Donald Trump has nominated Judge Andrew Brasher for the Middle District of Alabama federal court, but now the Alabama NAACP and about 30 other organizations are asking the Senate halt confirmation due to the pending impeachment trial.
• The Senate Judiciary Committee is meant to vote on Brasher’s confirmation Thursday, but the organizations are arguing that Brasher has “engaged in aggressive efforts to oppose political participation by voters of color” and that Trump’s judicial nominations shouldn’t be confirmed since he was impeached in the House and has the potential to be removed from office.

2. Alabama Commerce Secretary visits the White House

• While President Donald Trump was signing Phase 1 of the trade deal with China, Alabama Commerce Secretary Greg Canfield was in attendance of the signing at the White House.
• The Phase 1 part of the trade deal includes that China must purchase an additional $200 billion in United States goods within the next two years. Canfield stated that this “begins a process to establish a framework from which to create a pathway to more normalized trade on a fair basis between these two nations.”

1. Articles of impeachment have been sent

• House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) has signed the two articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump over to the Senate so the trial can take place. Pelosi said that this is “so sad, so tragic for our country.”
• Pelosi added that Trump “will be held accountable” and “no one is above the law.” She also called this a “somber” moment while laughing, posing for pictures and demanding that the United States Senate finish their investigation for them on a case they claim is overwhelming.

The agency isn’t tracking whether people were using legal or black market sources to vape, but the data we have from states suggests it’s overwhelmingly illicit, pre-filled THC vape cartridges making people sick.

And don’t think I’m pro-vaping. I’m not.

Local school systems in North Alabama, and probably elsewhere, are taking equally ridiculous steps to combat this “issue.”

Decatur City Schools is sending its criminal vapers to an alternate school for their offense.

That’s right, they will take your child out of their regular school, their regular classes and send them to a school designed to deal with repetitive or serious behavioral problems for taking a pull off a vape pen.

Decatur doesn’t tell you how long they will be disrupting the educational process over vaping but don’t worry, it’s for your kid’s own good.

In an email to Yellowhammer News, a parent who has a child in Madison City Schools said they are taking a similar approach:

I personally know, through experience with my son, that Madison also assigns [alternative school] for vaping (25 days/5 weeks of it).

…

He said that punishment was standard and that he couldn’t make concessions for one student and not another based on past behavior or student involvement, etc.

…

BTW, in the hearing we had at the school we were informed that a vaping device is considered drug distribution parefenallia regardless if drug material is found in/on the vape device.

The punishment is 25 days. Five total weeks in an alternative school … for vaping.

Maybe the kid is a troublemaker? Nope. Zero tolerance … for vaping.

Why? Because vaping is considered the same as drugs.

This is an embarrassing overreaction that can seriously impact the student’s education and future.

It’s time for these school systems to pull back and recalibrate what is going on here. If school systems continue down this path, it might be time for the state legislature to get involved.

Dale Jackson is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts a talk show from 7-11 am weekdays on WVNN.

• The economist who is viewed as being the one to build the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, Stephen Moore, has said that former U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions is the one President Donald Trump should thank for winning the 2016 election
• Moore, a supporter of Sessions’ 2020 U.S. Senate campaign, said that Trump “probably would not have won – the nomination of the party if it had not been for Sessions.” He also shared how successful of a senator he thinks Sessions was in the past.

5. Tuberville is saying what he thinks of the Democrats

• During a radio appearance, former Auburn Football coach Tommy Tuberville mentioned how Democrats have remained upset over past elections, saying, “They don’t accept it, so what we’ve got now is a countdown for a civil war.”
• Tuberville also went on to describe the Democrats’ tactics to get elected as “lying, stealing, cheating,” adding, “They want a dictatorship – that’s what they want.”

4. Illegal immigrants are being returned

• Flights have been going from Tucson, Arizona, to Guadalajara, Mexico, to return illegal immigrants that have all been deemed deportable. According to the Department of Homeland Security, this is meant to deter illegal immigrants from returning.
• It’s expected that 250 migrants will be flown to Mexico per week starting at the end of January. DHS spokeswoman Heather Swift said, “This is just another example of the Trump Administration working with the Government of Mexico to address the ongoing border security crisis.” She added that working with Mexico “has allowed us to provide court dates to more than 55,000 individuals.”

3. Grocery tax removal faces big hurdles

• Every Alabama legislative session, some legislator decides they are going to attempt to remove the sales tax on groceries in the state. Every time, the hangup seems to be how the revenue, up to $400 million a year, that will be lost will end up being replaced.
• State Rep. Steve Clouse (R-Ozark), the chairman of the House Ways and Means General Fund Budget Committee, highlighted this and pointed out that this will be revenue that would be lost that is directed to the education budget; he doesn’t believe increases to property taxes and income taxes will be very popular among legislators or voters.

2. The Senate is ready for impeachment, new info released

• As Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) gets ready to go through “some preliminary steps” to get ready for impeachment, the House Democrats released new documents setting off a media frenzy about the behavior of Rudy Giuliani and his “associates” in Ukraine which includes possibly tailing the U.S. Ambassador before she was eventually removed.
• McConnell also warned that while some people might be asking for new testimony to take place in the Senate and the Republicans could call witnesses. He mentioned that the “53 of us have reached an agreement,” referring to Republican members and the votes McConnell has to pass an “organizing resolution” to structure the trial.

1. Two Americas on display Tuesday night

• Six of the leading Democrats took to the debate stage in Iowa to argue about whether U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) thinks a woman can be president, if we should spend $1.5 trillion or $40 trillion on free health care, give free college tuition to millionaires and various other trivial things, but the big story continued to be that former Vice President Joe Biden survived another debate without anyone going after him on anything.
• As this debate was happening, President Donald Trump was standing on stage at a rally in Wisconsin talking about a booming economy, killing terrorists and calling impeachment a “total hoax.”

The reality is that Ivey knows exactly where a majority of Alabamians stand on this issue and the song and dance routine here is pretty silly.

Ivey’s spokesperson Gina Maiola told the Associated Press that the Ivey administration has not made a decision on the matter. Alabama joins Georgia, Florida, Mississippi, South Carolina and Wyoming as states that haven’t made a decision yet.

But why?

Negative media attention.

Any attempt by a Republican governor in a Republican state to limit the number of immigrants (legal, illegal or refugee) that enter the state while be touted as a sign of cruelty and evilness.

Look no further than the wide-spread condemnation of Abbott in Texas.

Dallas Morning News Editorial Board: "Texas is the only state to turn its back on refugees, and we should be ashamed." https://t.co/mmc1IX2W9a

— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) January 13, 2020

'Deeply disappointed' | Refugee service groups react to Gov. Abbott's decision https://t.co/f432hi4g3K

— KHOU 11 News Houston (@KHOU) January 12, 2020

The media and their Democrats even went back to their favorite pastime of disingenuously using religion as a weapon.

ICYMI: Every Catholic bishop in Texas slammed Gov. Abbott's decision to bar refugeeshttps://t.co/81cybN3qmc

— Texas Democrats (@texasdemocrats) January 13, 2020

Texas’ Catholic bishops have issued a sharp rebuke of @govAbbott, a fellow Catholic, following his decision Friday to ban refugees from initially settling in Texas, calling the move “discouraging and disheartening.” https://t.co/2DH3RTXTmL

— Texas Tribune (@TexasTribune) January 13, 2020

Make no mistake, that is what this is all about.

I believe Kay Ivey will do the right thing and tell the federal government that we would like to respectfully decline any more refugees, but the fear of the media paralyzes Republican politicians in an era when President Trump has made it clear that there is no reason to fear them.

And even if there was, Alabamians have been clear with their votes to send politicians to Washington, D.C. and Montgomery that are clearly against more immigration and refugees.

It is time that their wishes come first.

Dale Jackson is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts a talk show from 7-11 am weekdays on WVNN.

• After the shooting at Pensacola navy base by Saudi Air Force officer 2^nd Lt. Mohammed Alshamrani that killed three U.S. soldiers, the United States has now expelled 21 Saudi military students from training programs.
• U.S. Attorney General William Barr said that the Saudi students being removed from the training program possessed anti-American or jihadist material, as well as had contact with child pornography.

5. Let Bernie and Warren fight

• An ugly fight has broken out between two of the liberal left’s darlings as Bernie Sanders has been accused of telling his colleague, Elizabeth Warren, that a woman could not win a race for President of the United States.
• Sanders says that this is not what he said. Warren stands by the story, stating, “I thought a woman could win; he disagreed.” Either way, he was merely offering his opinion and there really isn’t anything offensive or wrong about this at all but this is clearly an attempt to make Sanders look like a sexist.

4. Everyone wants their witnesses but not the other side

• We are finally moving towards some form of an impeachment trial in the U.S. Senate and the jockeying over who will get to call witnesses continues with reports indicating that there are not enough votes for immediate dismissal of the articles of impeachment.
• Meanwhile, U.S. Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) is warning his Democratic and Republican colleagues that if they want to have witnesses like John Bolton then he will be calling for votes on witnesses of his own, tweeting, “My colleagues can’t have it both ways. Calling for some, while blocking others. If we are going to give a platform to witnesses the Dems demand, I look forward to forcing votes to call Hunter Biden and many more!”

3. Ivey could be open to refugees

• Over the weekend, Texas drew the ire of the media and their Democrats when Governor Greg Abbott (R) declared that the state would not be taking in more refugees, and now people want to know where the few remaining states stand on the matter, including Alabama.
• Ivey’s spokesperson Gina Maiola told the Associated Press that the Ivey administration has not made a decision on the matter. Alabama joins Georgia, Florida, Mississippi, South Carolina and Wyoming as states that haven’t made a decision yet.

2. Decatur schools will nail you for vaping

• The Decatur City School District has posted a letter to their website that unveils their new system to discipline students using vaping or e-cigarette products that states students caught will be sent to the Center for Alternatives to Suspension.
• The letter said that the previous method of in-school suspension “did not seem to deter many of our students who elected to engage in this harmful practice” and mentioned that they didn’t want “any of our students negatively impacted by either direct exposure or second-hand exposure to these products.”

1. Democrats gained nothing from impeachment delay

• House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) claimed that her withholding the articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump from the Senate has produced favorable results, but now Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) is saying that isn’t true.
• McConnell spoke on the Senate floor and said that the delay has “produced absolutely nothing.” He continued to question her strategy to delay sending the articles and described her effort as a “one-woman blockade.”

Their “outrages” are usually a school prayer or prayer before a city council meeting.

They find these horrific events and send off a letter to the entity that is seeking God’s guidance and protection and a press release to lazy local reporters who will gladly jump on an issue that they feel could get some national traction by paraphrasing a press release from a group like this.

One of their most recent outrages comes right here from the state of Alabama, where Reeltown High School’s head football coach Matt Johnson witnessed some of his players being baptized after school activities were over.

No students involved have complained. Instead, someone sent an email to the organization and off they went.

According to FFRF spokesman Dan Barker in an interview with WVNN’s “The Dale Jackson Show,” Tallapoosa County Schools did not respond to his organization’s harassment.

Good for them.

The head coach made it clear that he would not be bullied by a letter and a press release, saying, “[This] will never ever change as long as I am here or as long as this place is open.”

Good for him.

Even Congressman Bradley Byrne (R-Fairhope) responded and defended the school, its coach and this state from absurd outsiders with an internet connection and too much time on their hands by saying the FFRF “needs to pack it up and stop forcing their ungodly, un-American views down our throats.”

Byrne understands what pretty much everyone in the state of Alabama knows: that this is something to celebrate, not demonize.

Barker attempted to explain that his organization had a higher purpose than picking stupid fights.

Not one to take this situation lightly, Barker argued, “It’s kind of embarrassing. They got this, like, big bathtub out there. It’s kind of demeaning, kind of debasing, telling these students they need to debase themselves and submit to this lord master god thing.”

I wonder what Barker thinks of Jesus “debasing” himself when he was baptized by John the Baptist in the Jordan River?

Clearly having a great grip on this situation and reality, Barker continued on to say that Coach Johnson needs to “stop violating his office.”

He’s talking about the head football coach’s “oath of office,” so he is clearly on solid ground here.

When pressed, Barker acknowledged that no one has been baptized against their will. He also had a hard time remembering which school he was pretending to be outraged about.

He knows that no one at Reeltown High School is upset about this and Barker even reluctantly admitted that with 10 full-time attorneys and office space in Wisconsin, the FFRF can’t even find an aggrieved party to act as a basis for a lawsuit here.

My takeaway:

The solution to this is simple. FFRF needs to leave these kids, coaches and Alabamians alone.

They are attempting to create controversy in a community where there is none.

Reeltown High School and every other government entity in Alabama and beyond should ignore the email they got from this group of busybodies operating from their sad offices in Wisconsin while they keep living the best life they can.

Listen:

Dale Jackson is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts a talk show from 7-11 am weekdays on WVNN.

• The federal court ruled that the Huntsville City Schools have achieved racial balance through their transportation program, thereby making more progress on the desegregation order put on Huntsville 57 years ago, but that doesn’t mean the federal government is about to back off.
• Huntsville City School Board President Elisa Ferrell said that they “filed the motion and the judge got it back to us in seven days, which was phenomenal.” She added that getting a response in such a short time shows the judge “is paying attention to the progress we’re making here in Huntsville.”

5. Iran will be forced to negotiate

• Due to new sanctions and protests, Iran will be forced to negotiate with the United States, as “Iran is being choked off,” according to National Security adviser Robert O’Brien. He stated, “Iran is going to have no other choice but to come to the table.”
• O’Brien also confirmed that President Donald Trump’s claims that Qasem Soleimani was planning multiple attacks on U.S. embassies is “consistent with the intelligence,” adding that Trump is correct “when he talks about the threats to America that came from Soleimani, and that came from the Quds force, that came from their proxies.”

4. Trump stands with the Iranian people

• After the Iranian government admitted to accidentally shooting down the Ukrainian passenger plane, protests broke out calling for the resignation of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. As Iran leaders prepared to deal with protesters, President Donald Trump took to Twitter to issue a warning to their leaders.
• While Democrats seem unwilling to take a side, Trump said, “DO NOT KILL YOUR PROTESTERS. Thousands have already been killed or imprisoned by you, and the World is watching … the USA is watching. Turn your internet back on and let reporters roam free! Stop the killing of your great Iranian people!”

3. Doug Jones really wants to guarantee he isn’t Schumer’s guy

• While interviewing with Fox News, U.S. Senator Doug Jones (D-AL) spoke about President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial in the Senate, saying that he’s “not trying to please Chuck Schumer.”
• Jones was responding to whether he could please the voters in Alabama and Schumer. He went on to say that his “job is to do my impartial justice as a senator.” Jones also noted his past as a lawyer “in a court room looking at evidence and where things out to be and how the puzzle ought to come together.”

2. Three dead, 24,000 households without power after storms

• On Saturday, severe weather rolled through Alabama, and the heavy wind, rain and a couple tornadoes have caused 24,000 homes to be without power. Crews from Georgia, Mississippi, Florida, Louisiana, Kentucky and North Carolina are helping restore power.
• There were also three people in Alabama who were killed during the storms: Tyrone Spain, 51, Albert Barnett, 85 and Susan Barnett, 75. Governor Kay Ivey said her “thoughts and prayers are with the victims of Saturday’s severe weather.”

1. Pelosi has completely caved and capitulated

• House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) has said that she will talk to other Democrats about sending the articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump to the Senate soon, but she said the delay “has produced a very positive result.”
• Pelosi went on to say they needed “the public to see the need for witnesses.” She even took a shot at Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) for backing a resolution that would dismiss impeachment if the articles weren’t sent within 25 days. Pelosi accused McConnell of “dismissing” a “cover-up,” later adding that Trump “will be impeached forever.”

Jackson and Burke are joined by Lt. General Jim Link to discuss the ongoing situation in Iran and across the Middle East after the death of Soleimani.

Jackson closes the show with a “parting shot” directed to Governor Kay Ivey to congratulate her on being cancer-free.

Dale Jackson is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts a talk show from 7-11 am weekdays on WVNN.

• House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) still shows little indication that she intends to send the two articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump to the Senate for trial anytime soon, and now U.S. Representative Bradley Byrne (R-Fairhope) is calling for Pelosi to be censured.
• Regardless, Pelosi has tightened her iron grip on Congress’ Democrats. Thursday saw multiple Democrats calling for the articles of impeachment to be transmitted to the House and then fall back in line hours later.

5. Iran shot down a passenger airliner and Trump will be blamed

• On Wednesday, a Ukrainian passenger plane crashed in Iran after taking off from Tehran’s international airport. The Pentagon has confirmed that the plane was accidentally shot down by Iran while they were launching attacks against the United States.
• Somehow, even though Iran committed this act, American politicians, members of the media and Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau seem to be blaming President Donald Trump for the airliner being shot down.

4. Symbolic bill attempts to rein in Trump’s war powers

• In a vote that means basically nothing, the House of Representatives voted on a non-binding “War Powers Resolution” which attempts to limit President Trump’s military action toward Iran mostly on party lines. Eight Democrats voted against the measure while three Republicans voted for the measure.

• The resolution asks that the president consults with Congress “in every possible instance” before introducing the United States Armed Forces into hostilities with Iran, which legally under Article 2 he can do with broad latitude.

3. Gender act for student sports coming to Alabama

• The “Gender is Real Legislative Act” by State Representative Chris Pringle (R-Mobile) will be pre-filed, as Pringle announced the bill on Thursday. It would require that student-athletes only compete as their birth gender.
• Pringle said that the bill “seeks to support female student-athletes, so that they may compete against each other and not have to compete against male students with an unfair advantage.” The bill also bans any single-gender competition that could be provided for a transgender athlete.

2. Marshall opposes medical marijuana

• This week, Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall sent a letter to legislators that explained the reasons why he doesn’t support the proposal that would legalize medical marijuana.
• Marshall stated his main concern as being that there will be another crisis started “while we fight in court for funding to remediate the opioid crisis.”

1. Impeachment trial could be next week

• During the GOP senator’s weekly lunch meeting, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said that he anticipates House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) will finally send the articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump next week.
• Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-SC) has also introduced a resolution that’s meant to compel Pelosi to send the articles. Graham said, “It is our job as senators to dispose of the articles that were lawfully passed. The speaker’s attempt to shape or delay the trial is unprecedented. It cannot stand.”

• Alabama State Senator Gerald Allen (R-Tuscaloosa) has introduced a bill that if passed would require public schools to play “The Star-Spangled Banner” once a week minimum and at school sporting events.
• While the anthem is already played at sporting events, Allen said that he wants to ensure all students hear the national anthem on a regular basis even if they don’t attend events “to try to reestablish that deep, deep tradition for the love of country and instill that in our children.”

5. Byrne says he will be in the runoff

• Before U.S. Representative Bradley Byrne (R-Fairhope) went back to Washington, D.C., he spoke to reporters at the Huntsville International Airport and said that while at an event in Guntersville that former U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions also attended, there were “a lot more lapel stickers for Bradley Byrne than for Jeff Sessions.”
• While former Auburn Football coach Tommy Tuberville and Sessions have been leading in the polls, Byrne said that polls are “sort of like inside baseball-type talk,” and he never talks to voters about polls and they don’t talk to him about polls. Byrne added that he thinks there will be a runoff and he’ll “be one of them.”

4. House will vote on Trump’s military power, Senate will not

• House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) has said that the House will vote Thursday on how much authority President Donald Trump will have when taking military action against Iran, stating that there was a concern with his “decision to engage in hostilities against Iran and about its lack of strategy moving forward.”
• While some Senate Republicans have raised issues with how the president moved forward with Iran, and some want to rein in presidential power, it seems unlikely that this will pass the Senate.

3. Good news for Governor Ivey 

• Since September, Governor Kay Ivey has undergone treatments for “a tiny, isolated malignancy” in her lung, and now Ivey has announced that her doctors have given her the all-clear.
• Ivey’s doctor, Dr. Alex Whitley of Central Alabama Radiation Oncology, stated that while Ivey will continue to go through routine screening for lung cancer, he believes “Governor Ivey to be cured.”

2. Democrats are tired of Speaker Pelosi’s games

• Due to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) continuing to delay sending articles of impeachment to the Senate so that there can be a trial held, some Democrats are starting to get impatient with how Pelosi is dragging her feet.
• U.S. Representative Jahana Hayes (D-CT) said that when she voted to impeach President Donald Trump in the House it was because of Trump’s conduct, and now she’d “like to see them go forward.” Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Chris Coons (D-DE) have said that it’s time to send the articles and get on with the trail.

1. President Trump gives Iran a chance

• While flanked by military leadership, President Donald Trump made it clear to the world and the Islamic Republic of Iran that the United States would not be responding militarily to the weak attacks Iran launched. Trump warned, “By removing Soleimani, we have sent a powerful message to terrorists: If you value your own life, you will not threaten the lives of our people”
• U.S. Senator Richard Shelby (R-AL) reacted to President Trump’s national statement he made on Wednesday about the situation with Iran, expressing, “Trump was very presidential and showed leadership and purpose.”

For some reason, this is not a reason to be happy for Democrats. They seem to think they need to straddle an odd line to keep their base happy.

Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) recently found this out while she tried to walk back her statements about a dead terrorist.

Warren, Jan 2: Soleimani is a "murderer"

Warren, Jan 3: U.S. "assassinated" Soleimani

Warren, Jan. 5: Soleimani is "a government official, a high-ranking military official" https://t.co/Bz8Squds0c

— Chris Cillizza (@CillizzaCNN) January 6, 2020

Our own U.S. Sen. Doug Jones (D-AL) finds himself in a similar situation. As noted at Yellowhammer News, where he made positive statements about the death of a terrorist and then felt the need to walk them back.

Last week, Jones said, “I commend our intelligence personnel for their critical role and our military personnel who successfully implemented President Trump’s orders. Qassim Soleimani was responsible for the deaths of countless American service members and innocent civilians. The world is most certainly a better place without him at the helm of Iran’s notorious Quds Force.”

Jones appeared on CNN Tuesday night shortly after Iran’s weak, intentionally bad, attempted de-escalation, face-saving attempt of an attack on American bases in Iraq, and before we knew what a failure and capitulation it was, Jones said, “[W]hat we know is that the president and the administration, with the killing of Soleimani, has put Americans at risk.”

What happened in between those statements?

There was never any implication that the death of Soleimani would end all aggression against the United States. The attack was a response to that ongoing aggression and a statement that it will not be tolerated anymore.

Here is a reminder of a recent timeline of Iranian/U.S. history:

12/27/19 – An American contractor is killed in Iraq by an Iranian backed militia.

12/30/20 – United States kills 25 and wounds 55 belonging to Iran-backed militias in Iraq and Syria

1/1/20 – The American Embassy in Baghdad comes under attack by Iranian backed

1/2/20 – Iranian General Qasem Soleimani becomes worm food

1/3/20 – More Iranian-backed militias get hit

1/7/20 – 56 Iranians are killed during a funeral parade

1/7/20 – Iran launches missiles towards American bases in Iraq, there are zero casualties but Iran declares that 30 Americans are dead and they want no further escalations and begged off any further tit-for-tat.

Do the math here, folks, America is clearly safer today.

Iran knows this, which is why they are now begging for mercy and asking for this to end.

I know it means being happy for Trump’s actions, which a good member of “The Resistance” can never acknowledge, but Democrats should be able to put all of their pride aside and realize that this is a good day for their country.

I was alive when we killed Osama bin Laden; no one worried about what Al-Qaeda and their allies would do in response. bin Laden was a monster and needed to die — this guy was no different.

No one was upset this went down under Obama’s watch. We were happy he was gone and thankful Obama pulled the trigger over then-Vice President Joe Biden’s objections.

The American media and their Democrats (including Doug Jones) would be well served by being happy that America won. The fact that they view this as a bad thing speaks volumes about them and it is not good.

Dale Jackson is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts a talk show from 7-11 amweekdays on WVNN.

• Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, President Donald Trump said that he’s going to follow the international law that protects cultural sites, but Trump did question why Iran is “allowed to kill our people.” He added, “[T]hey’re allowed to maim our people, they’re allowed to blow up everything that we have and there’s nothing that stops them. And we are, according to various laws, supposed to be very careful with their cultural heritage.”
• Trump also said that the strike that killed Qasem Soleimani “saved a lot of lives” because “they were planning something.”

5. Mazda-Toyota about to start hiring

• In just a few days, the Mazda-Toyota plant will start hiring about 50 people per week, totaling around 4,000 by the time the plant is fully operational in 2022.
• The average salary at the plant will be $50,000. Once the plant is at full production, 300,000 vehicles will be manufactured there every year.

4. Alabama website hacked by Iranians

• The South Alabama Veterans Council’s (SAVC) website was hacked and defaced by Iranians, with the pages of the website being replaced by pictures of Qasem Soleimani and the words “Hacked by Iranian Hacker…Hacked by Shield Iran.”
• SAVC is a private organization, but they are sponsored by the non-profit organization Military Officers Association of America. This hacking seems to also be linked to the hacking of the Texas Department of Agriculture’s website.

3. Cool it with the WWIII talk

• U.S. Representative Bradley Byrne (R-Fairhope) said that the fears of a World War III  are a bit dramatic, but instead said that the strike that killed Soleimani was “the right decision” and “has been coming for a very long time.”
• Byrne also mentioned that he didn’t see World War III as being likely because President Donald Trump “has made it clear that he does not want to be in these wars in the Middle East. He wants them to stop. He wants to talk to the Iranians.” He also noted that there’s a very real threat to military men and women overseas, adding, “We all need to be on our toes about that.”

2. Doug Jones thinks Americans are less safe with Soleimani dead

• Appearing on CNN, shortly after Iran’s attack on American bases in Iraq, U.S. Senator Doug Jones (D-AL) said, “[W]hat we know is that the president and the administration, with the killing of Soleimani, has put Americans at risk.”
• These words are in stark contrast to his words last week after the killing, where he said, “I commend our intelligence personnel for their critical role and our military personnel who successfully implemented President Trump’s orders. [Qasem] Soleimani was responsible for the deaths of countless American service members and innocent civilians. The world is most certainly a better place without him at the helm of Iran’s notorious Quds Force.”

1. Missile attacks from Iran hit U.S. bases

• Multiple locations in Iraq have been hit with missile attacks, mostly focused around the Al-Assad Air Base in Anbar. Iran has taken credit for the attacks but there have been no casualties on the bases and Iran seems to be attempting to beg off this confrontation, even falsely claiming to their citizens, and a compliant American media, that 30 Americans were killed.
• President Donald Trump tweeted, “All is well.” He promised to make a statement Wednesday morning where he will address the current actions by Iran and the killing of terrorists and Iranian General Qasem Soleimani. Watch for the American media to state that Trump’s non-response is a violation of an imaginary “red-line.”

This is a war crime.

Threatening to target and kill innocent families, women and children – which is what you’re doing by targeting cultural sites – does not make you a “tough guy.”

It does not make you “strategic.”
It makes you a monster. https://t.co/IjkNO8BD07

— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) January 5, 2020

Some lash out.

UPDATE: The Secret Service is "aware" of the fact that comedian George Lopez threatened to kill President Donald Trump. https://t.co/Wl0f8FJg7F

— Breitbart News (@BreitbartNews) January 7, 2020

Some worry about the children.

If you need help talking with the children in your life about the aftermath of Iranian Gen. Qasem Soleimani's killing, @timeforkids has a guide to explaining the topic https://t.co/wCOV3m5a2B

— TIME (@TIME) January 7, 2020

The American media is not the hardest hit by the timely death of world-renowned terrorist Iranian General Qasem Soleimani, but they are still not taking it well.

During a press conference on Tuesday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo spoke to the “diplomatic press corps,” and to say it was adversarial is an understatement. It’s even become cliche to point out how differently the media acts with President Donald Trump in office versus how they acted when former President Barack Obama was in office.

But this goes beyond that. Every single question posed by the American media on the matter of a terrorist being turned into a pink mist was drenched in Iranian propaganda.

The questions included:

Will Americans commit war crimes? No.

Was Solemeni on a peace mission? No.

What about the nuclear deal? Iran won’t be getting a nuke on our watch.

These are propaganda questions.

Iranian. Propaganda. Questions.

These could have come directly from Tehran.

This isn’t the media being inquisitive, questioning or skeptical. They are being hostile and it is aiding a foreign power.

As I stated before, people are grieving and the American media grieves by taking the side of a murderous terrorist regime that jails and kills dissenters and the LGBTQ, subjugates women and commits crimes all over the globe.

But we should understand this is a tough time for the media as they have experienced a profound loss who was a revered rock star political figure at the hands of their mortal enemy Donald Trump. So let’s be sensitive and give them time to grieve.

Dale Jackson is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts a talk show from 7-11 am weekdays on WVNN.

• Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has only been in the 2020 Democratic presidential race for about six weeks, but he’s now spent $166 million on television ads for his campaign. $36 million worth of those ads aired within the first week of 2020.
• Within the first six weeks of his campaign, Bloomberg has hired 800 staffers, he’s been endorsed by Judge Judy and he’s currently polling around 5.6%.

5. Tua to enter the draft

• Tua Tagovailoa has announced that he will be entering the NFL Draft in April and not returning for another season with the University of Alabama’s football team.
• Tua said that while Alabama is “the greatest school” in the country and it was a difficult decision, it took “lots of prayers, thoughts and guidance” before he made his decision to enter the 2020 draft.

4. Bolton unlikely to testify in impeachment trial

• Former national security adviser to President Donald Trump John Bolton has announced through a written statement that “if the Senate issues a subpoena for my testimony, I am prepared to testify,” but it still seems unlikely that he will be called to do so.
• Previously, Bolton said he would only testify before Congress if he was ordered to by a judge. U.S. Representative Adam Schiff (D-CA) has responded to the news by tweeting, “Bolton is an important witness to misconduct involving Ukraine that he called a ‘drug deal.’ Bolton refused to testify in the House, following Trump’s orders. Now he is willing to come forward. The Senate must allow testimony from him, Mulvaney and others. The coverup must end.”

3. “The Squad” make pretty good targets for Alabama politicians

• In his newest television ad for his 2020 U.S. Senate candidacy, U.S. Rep. Bradley Byrne (R-Fairhope) is taking issue with the “Socialist Squad,” U.S. Rep. lhan Omar (D-MN) and former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick.
• Also taking a shot at Omar is candidate for Congress Jessica Taylor, who said Omar was “un-American,” adding, “For her to say that when we had just taken out one of the worst terrorists … for her to say we should not have done that is just astonishing to me.”

2. Grocery tax could make an exit

• State Senator Clyde Chambliss (R-Prattville) has said that he’s going to push for Alabama to do away with the grocery tax of 4%. Alabama, South Dakota, and Mississippi are the only states that still have a grocery tax.
• Chambliss said that doing away with the tax would especially help “those who are on the lower end of the wage-earners” because groceries and food are a large portion of their spending, but he already sees the biggest issue with removing the tax would be how to pay for removal.

1. GOP moving to dismiss due to Pelosi’s delay

• If House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) doesn’t send articles of impeachment to the Senate for the impeachment trial, Republican senators are already preparing a resolution that would allow them to dismiss the articles of impeachment for lack of prosecution.
• U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) said on the Senate floor, “In the real world, when a prosecutor brings a case but refuses to try it, the court has the ability and the defendant has the right” to have the “charges dismissed.” Hawley also brought up how Pelosi for so long argued that President Donald Trump “was an urgent threat to democracy.”

Sessions, a Republican candidate for his old U.S. Senate seat, appeared on Huntsville radio’s WVNN Monday morning and said he absolutely agrees with the decision to take out Soleimani, calling the attack on him “totally justified.”

Sessions told “The Dale Jackson Show” the Iranian general was “more like Bin Laden than an official in the Iranian government.”

“[Soleimani is] well known to be the single person most responsible for spreading Iranian influence, violence, and using intelligence,” he added.

Sessions explained in the interview that he sees Trump as a much stronger leader than former President Jimmy Carter, and he was never going to allow a “Carter-type takeover of our embassy in Baghdad or Iran or anywhere else.”

Most importantly, while the president’s detractors believe this is either an attempt to distract from impeachment or based on his desire to start yet another Middle East war and Sessions says this is not the case.

“He does not want a war,” Sessions advised. “I know President Trump. He does not believe we should get in more and more wars in the Middle East.”

My takeaway:

Jeff Sessions is making it clear he is standing with the President against Iran while the media seems to be in Tehran’s corner.

Listen:

Dale Jackson is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts a talk show from 7-11 am weekdays on WVNN.

• Forbes has released a list of the world’s best winter 2020 travel destinations, and Birmingham, Alabama was one of the nine cities picked.
• Forbes said that Birmingham has produced “an amazing food scene, where high-end culinary chops meet down-home flavors.” Some of the other cities that were chosen were Rome, San Diego, Chicago, Guadalajara, Mexico City, Cartagena, San Antonio and Toronto.

5. Attack on U.S. military base in Kenya

• Three Americans have been killed during an al-Shabab, an al-Qaida linked group, attack on Manda Bay Airfield in Kenya; the five people who attacked the base were killed during the attack.
• One U.S. serviceman and two U.S. Department of Defense contractors killed, but al-Shabab originally claimed that there were 17 Americans dead and nine Kenyan soldiers killed.

4. Iraq parliament has voted to ask troops to leave

• While on Sunday morning news shows, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo discussed the United States’ strategy after the strike that killed Qasem Soleimani. Pompeo also dismissed the Iraqi caretaker prime minister Adel Abdul Mahdi’s request for a timetable for all foreign troops to leave Iraq.
• Trump already dismissed this and is deploying more troops. Pompeo said that Mahdi is “the resigned prime minister” and “the acting prime minister,” but Pompeo also stated that they “are confident that the Iraqi people want the United States to continue to be there to fight the counterterror campaign.” He added, “And we’ll continue to do all the things we need to do to keep America safe.”

3. Graham is prepared to act if Pelosi doesn’t send articles

• The two articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump are expected to be sent to the U.S. Senate this week, but if the articles don’t make it there, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-SC) is prepared to push to change rules.
• Graham intends to seek that the chamber change the impeachment rules so that the Senate would be allowed to proceed with the impeachment trial without having the articles. Graham said that his “goal is to start the trail in the next coming days, not let [House Speaker] Nancy Pelosi take over the Senate.”

2. Byrne is questioning Omar’s loyalty

• After U.S. Representative Ilhan Omar (D-MN) reacted to the killing of Qasem Soleimani by saying that she was “outraged” and saying that she would “step in and stop him” from starting a war, while overlooking that Soleimani was labeled a terrorist and instead saying he was an assassinated “foreign official,” and now U.S. Representative Bradley Byrne (R-Fairhope) is drawing attention to her comments.
• Byrne said that “Omar diminished 9/11, opposes Israel, and now she is upset that President Trump took out a murderous terrorist – at this point we have to wonder what side is she on?” He also added that she might wish “Obama were still here to bow before the Ayatollah.”

1. Trump promises a ‘disproportionate’ response

• On Sunday afternoon, President Donald Trump warned that “should Iran strike any U.S. person or target, the United States will quickly & fully strike back, & perhaps in a disproportionate manner.”
• Trump has also said that there have been 52 Iranian sites identified that could be “HIT VERY FAST AND HARD” if Tehran were to attack any U.S. assets or Americans.

Jackson and Burke are joined by Yellowhammer News editor in chief Sean Ross to discuss what went down in Alabama politics 2019 and what to look forward to in 2020.

Jackson closes the show with a “parting shot” directed at members of the media who appear to be blaming the Jewish community for anti-Semitic attacks.

Dale Jackson is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts a talk show from 7-11 am weekdays on WVNN.

• In the fourth quarter of 2019, President Donald Trump’s reelection campaign raised $46 million, which was a good bit more than the top earner out of the Democratic presidential candidates, with U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) raising $34.5 million.
• South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg brought in $24.7 million in the fourth quarter, which was just above former Vice President Joe Biden, who raised $22.7 million. Entrepreneur Andrew Yang raised $16.5 million.

5. War on smokers continues

• The Trump administration has finally announced plans to ban sales of flavored e-cigarette cartridges, except for menthol and tobacco flavors. Those who want more done are not pleased at all because it doesn’t go far enough.
• In 21 states, U-Haul has announced that they’ll no longer hire people who use nicotine products; Alabama is included in those 21 states.

4. Congressional candidate touts a strong stance against illegal immigration

• Jeff Coleman, a businessman and Republican congressional candidate in the District 2 race, has released a new campaign ad to air on television where he clearly states his stance on illegal immigration.
• In the ad, he says that part of the reason for his campaign is to “help President Trump end illegal immigration and finally built that wall.” He then goes on to say that illegal immigrants who have committed other crimes, such as human trafficking, terrorism and drug dealing, need to be deported, adding, “How can we get ‘em all back across the border? Well, I’m in the moving business.”

3. A judge is about to decide if Merrill is allowed to block people on Twitter

• A federal judge is set to decide if Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill has violated people’s free speech rights by blocking them on Twitter, which is an absurd thing for a judge to be deciding.
• The lawsuit was filed in 2018 and in December 2019, lawyers for the plaintiffs wrote in a court filing that if letting public officials “block individuals from their public social media accounts if they post replies which the public officials find ‘annoying’ or ‘harassing’ would run afoul of the very liberties protected by the First Amendment.”

2. Alabama lawmakers ready to take on Roe v. Wade

• All six of Alabama’s six Republican members of the House of Representatives have requested that the Supreme Court look to overturn Roe v. Wade and another abortion case that has stood for decades and guaranteed the “right” to an abortion.
• The Supreme Court will take up a Louisiana law that requires an abortion provider to have admitting privileges at a local hospital. This will be the first major abortion case to come in front of the Supreme Court since President Donald Trump appointed two conservative justices to the court.

1. Terrorists dead in U.S.-controlled Iraq

• It was confirmed via Iraqi state TV that Iran’s most revered military leader, Qassem Soleimani, was killed by an American airstrike. Hezbollah commander Abu Mahdi al-Mohandes was also killed.
• This blow to Iran comes after increased tensions over an attempted raid on the U.S. Embassy and after Iran Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei taunted President Donald Trump, telling him, “You can’t do anything.” He was wrong.

• With the Senate trial on impeachment likely starting soon, President Donald Trump’s personal attorney Rudy Giuliani has said that he will be willing to testify during the trial.
• Trump was impeached by the House on two articles, obstruction of Congress and abuse of power. The first Senate trial hearing is expected as early as January.

5. There will be no high-speed rail in Huntsville

• As Mobile delays an Amtrak decision, Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle said that in the long-term look at Huntsville’s future, we could see the development of a “magnetic train system” in North Alabama.
• This unlikely project is at least two decades away from actually happening, but Battle also said he wants to bring High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes and more biking and pedestrian lanes in the future.

4. Obama and Trump are both most admired

• Gallup has released its list of most admired men and tying for the top spot are President Donald Trump and President Barack Obama.
• This is the first year that Trump has had the top spot on the list, but the 12th year for Obama. Others who made the list this year were former President Jimmy Carter, U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Pope Francis, Bill Gates and others.

3. The cancel mob fails to take out two Mobile cops

• Two Mobile police officers have gone viral in a picture where they’re posing next to panhandler signs taped together with the caption that reads, “Wanna wish everybody in the 4th precinct a Merry Christmas, especially our captain. Hope you enjoy our homeless quilt! Sincerely, Panhandler patrol.”
• James Barber, who oversees the police and fire departments, spoke about the picture, stating that the officers in the picture, Officers Preston McGraw and Alexandre Oliver, showed “bad judgment,” but they’re still “good officers.” Barber doesn’t want this viral post to “overshadow the incredible work that Mobile police do every day.”

2. Jones is still pretending he is undecided on impeachment

• In a piece of lame theater, U.S. Senator Doug Jones (D-AL) published an op-ed piece in The Washington Post where he pretended he wasn’t sure about the upcoming Senate trial on removing President Donald Trump from office, to which he said the “decision will have enormous consequences, not just for President Trump, but for future presidencies and Congress, and our national security.”
• He went on to say that the “Senate must conduct a full, fair and complete trial,” but his “fear” is “that we are headed toward a trail that is not intended to find the whole truth.” He went on to blame Trump for why “the whole truth” wasn’t brought out in the House impeachment inquiry.

1. It’s not Benghazi

• After American airstrikes killed 25 militants in Iraq and Syria, a mob of Iranian-backed rioters, the media referred to them as “mourners” or “protesters,” assaulted the embassy leading to the deployment of 100 Marines. An additional 750 troops were deployed to meet rising tensions.
• The response from the media and their Democrats was painfully predictable, with references and cheerleading for a Benghazi-style failure that saw an embassy fall and four dead Americans. This was made even more absurd by the continued protestations that 2012 even was handled competently.

• Gotcha, based in Charleston, South Carolina, will send 200 electric scooters to downtown Mobile, Alabama, at the beginning of 2020, despite being rejected in Huntsville, experiencing issues in cities like Nashville and cities like New York City choosing to not allow the scooters.
• The scooters will only be available for use between 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. to limit safety concerns downtown, mainly due to the nightlife scene of bars and clubs.

5. Five airstrikes in Iraq and Syria

• The Pentagon has said that the facilities that the United States conducted airstrikes against in Iraq and Syria had ties to an Iranian-backed militia that is responsible for attacks made against a U.S.-Iraq military housing facility.
• Spokesman for the Pentagon, Jonathan Hoffman, said that these attacks were “prevision defensive strikes,” adding they will help to deter the group’s ability to attack in the future.

4. Bloomberg is coming to Montgomery

• 2020 Democratic presidential candidate and former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg will bring his campaign to Montgomery Monday.
• Bloomberg will meet with Mayor Steven Reed and mental health providers and experts. They’re planning to discuss the high infant mortality rate in Alabama.

3. Shot police officer is walking and talking with “God’s almighty power”

• It appears an amazing recovery is underway for Ozark Police Department Officer Samuel Yoh, who was shot six times in the line of duty, including three times in the head, on December 12.
• Reportedly, Officer Yoh recovery has been a “miracle” with Yoh having full movement in his limbs, the ability to stand, sit, walk short distances, open both eyes and feed himself. Yoh can even recognize his friends and family while reading and speaking fluently.

2. Abortion was the biggest story in Alabama this year

• While national political news seems to have been dominated by the Trump/Russia hoax and President Donald Trump being impeached, Alabama also had the national spotlight when the state’s abortion ban passed.
• The purpose of the abortion ban was always to challenge the U.S. Supreme Court Roe v. Wade decision, but it drew attention for making performing an abortion a felony and offered no exceptions for an abortion in the event of rape or incest, but misreporting on this matter is probably the biggest media failure in the state as well.

1. Religious violence hits America in two attacks

• In Greenwood Lake, New York, Grafton E. Thomas entered a rabbi’s house and then proceeded to stab five people while they were gathered to celebrate Hanukkah. Police have Thomas in custody, and he’s set to face five counts of attempted murder and one count of burglary.
• At the West Freeway Church of Christ in Texas, a gunman opened fire during the Sunday morning communion, leaving two churchgoers dead. The shooter was shot and killed by two parishioners in the church.

Jackson and Handback are joined by Alabama State Senator Cam Ward (R-Alabaster) to talk about medical marijuana, prison reform and his run for Alabama’s Supreme Court.

Jackson closes the show with a “parting shot” directed at the people who think 2020 will be “better” than 2019.

Dale Jackson is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts a talk show from 7-11 am weekdays on WVNN.

• In Jefferson County, a judge is considering granting death row inmate Toforest Johnson, who in 1998 was convicted of killing Jefferson County Deputy William Hardy three years prior, a new trial due to a claim that a key witness only testified because the state was offering a reward.
• The key witness was Violet Ellison, who said that she listened in on a three-way phone call with Johnson, who on the phone call confessed to killing Deputy Hardy. Ellison then went on to receive $5,000 for her testimony, but the issue is that Johnson has claimed that the prosecutors never informed the defense that Ellison was a paid witness.

5. Buttigieg is using Jesus to call for more refugees

• On Christmas Day, South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg went on Twitter to wish everyone a “Merry Christmas,” but first, he said, “Today I join millions around the world in celebrating the arrival of divinity on earth, who came into this world not in riches but in poverty, not as a citizen but as a refugee.”
• Even though there is no refugee story in the virgin birth, a popular liberal talking point, Buttigieg’s 2020 Democratic presidential campaign has very recently released Buttigieg’s plan to increase refugees admitted into the country, setting the minimum at 95,000.

4. Gardendale taxpayers pounded for trying to leave Jefferson County Schools

• The City of Gardendale attempted to start its own school district because the citizens were tired of being forced into the Jefferson system. A federal judge said they and their kids were trapped, and now they have to pay extra for the privilege.
• The NAACP Legal Defense Fund and former federal judge U.W. Clemon get the money because U.S. District Court Judge Madeline Haikala said the parents “acted in bad faith” because of posts on Facebook that were used as justification to stop the school system from being created, speaking of bad faith.

3. Police in Alabama are being killed with stolen guns

• The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said that out of the six police officers killed in Alabama in 2019, five of them were killed with stolen guns.
• This is the highest number of officers shot and killed on duty since 1987; nationally there were 128 officers killed while on duty, and Texas, California and New York are the only states who had higher numbers than Alabama.

2. Trump continues to tweet about impeachment

• Since the House has passed two articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) has delayed sending the articles to the Senate, tensions have risen between the president and Pelosi.
• Trump tweeted, “Crazy Nancy should clean up her filthy dirty District and help the homeless there. A primary for N?” Trump has also said that the Democrats are “liars” and “hypocrites” for their handling of impeachment by deeming him a national security threat and then delaying the impeachment process.

1. Gary Palmer blasts Speaker Pelosi, says she isn’t interested in a fair process

• U.S. Representative Gary Palmer (R-Hoover) spoke about the impeachment process and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) keeping articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump from moving to the Senate and he thinks this is far from over.
• Palmer repeated Pelosi’s claim that she won’t send the articles of impeachment “until she is sure that there will be a fair process,” but Palmer said that this is just a way of saying she wants “a rigged process.” Palmer also noted how there were things that happened during the House impeachment process that “rigged” the process, such as “witnesses that they declared classified so that you and I and the rest of the country could see that, couldn’t hear what they were saying.”