“Rumors and Rumblings” is a weekly feature that runs each Wednesday. It includes short nuggets of information that we glean from conversations throughout the week. Have a tip? Send it here. All sources remain confidential.
It’s a bit of a slow week outside of the ongoing shenanigans surrounding the Accountability Act of 2013… here are a few things to hold you over.
1. Dunn ARISES
In a March 1 AL.com article, Public Service Commissioner Terry Dunn expressed his support for an Alabama ARISE report on the condition of state utilities.
“The report from the Arise Citizens’ Policy Project says what I have been saying for months now, and frankly it is gratifying to see our message reinforced with this kind of analysis,” Dunn said.
Those who are in the loop will recognize Alabama ARISE as one of the state’s farthest leftwing advocacy groups, but for those who aren’t familiar with them, Alabama ARISE:
1. supports ObamaCare
2. advocates for higher taxes by eliminating the state deduction for federal income taxes
3. works to expand the welfare state
4. believes Medicaid is a jobs program
5. wants to rewrite Alabama’s constitution from scratch
For a guy who has struggled for the last few months with the perception that he is joined at the hip with liberal environmentalists, it’s probably not the best time for Dunn to be coming out in support of an agenda being put forth by one of Alabama’s most well known far left fringe groups.
2. Schriver stepping down
In an email to friends yesterday, College Republican National Committee Chairman Alex Schriver announced he is resigning his position as CRNC National Chairman. Schriver is a graduate of Auburn and has returned to Alabama where he has taken a position at a technology start up. The CRNC raised an impressive $16 million during the last election cycle under Schriver’s leadership. Speculation has been quietly making it’s way around Montgomery that he may be considering a run for elected office in 2014.
3. Maloney Leaving the Party
ALGOP Executive Director TJ Maloney resigned yesterday at the Alabama Republican Party steering committee meeting. His resignation is effective the end of this month. Sources close to Maloney and the Party have confirmed that his departure has been planned for several months. His plans have not been made public yet, but his extensive background as a political consultant is probably an indication of the direction he’ll be heading moving forward. We’ll know more in a few weeks.
4. That pesky thing called the Constitution…
Artice V Section 125 of the Alabama Constitution states, in part, “Every bill which shall have passed both houses of the legislature, except as otherwise provided in this Constitution, SHALL be presented to the governor.”
Enough said.
What else is going on?
1. Liberal Judge on AEA Case Took Contributions from AEA & Their Lawyers
2. Jeff Sessions is The Best We’ve Got
3. AEA Files Suit in Desperate Attempt to Block Education Reform [With Updates]
4. Four Takeaways from the Passage of Education Reform
