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State Rep. Hanes: Ivey executive order ‘does not go far enough’ — Says governor ‘bought and paid for by the Business Council of Alabama’

Tuesday, State Rep. Tommy Hanes (R-Bryant) expressed his disappointment in Gov. Kay Ivey’s executive order issued in response to President Joe Biden’s so-called vaccination mandate.

Biden’s mandate requires federal employees and employers with federal government employees and contractors to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Also, under the Biden edict, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration will create a rule for private sector companies with 100 or more employees to require their employees to be vaccinated or undergo weekly testing.

On Monday, Ivey issued an executive order criticizing Biden and encouraging Attorney General Steve Marshall to explore legal remedies through the federal courts. However, language in her accompanying statement seemed to discourage an act of the legislature, calling a state law “not enough.”

Hanes slammed the order for its lack of language protecting Alabama workers.

“This order did nothing to protect workers in Alabama who contract with the Federal government, or our citizens who work for an Alabama business that has more than 100 employees, which Biden is targeting right now,” he said in a statement.

The Jackson County lawmaker argued for the consideration of HB 31, a bill filed by his colleague State Rep. Ritchie Whorton (R-Owens Cross Roads), which would “nullify” the Biden administration mandate.

Hanes also took a shot at Ivey by suggesting her approach to combatting the mandate was guided by Alabama’s business community.

“Governor Ivey has proven that she is bought and paid for by the Business Council
of Alabama, which lobbies strongly against giving people the choice of what goes
in their bodies,” Hanes declared. “It is clear the Governor will not stand up for our freedoms and is instead leaving the issue to the court system, a classic RINO move.”

“If Ivey cannot do what is right and demand HB 31 pass, then she is a part of the problem,” he added. “I will always stand for our freedom and will never let you down unlike the RINOs in Montgomery who bow to the corporate lobby.”

@Jeff_Poor is a graduate of Auburn University and the University of South Alabama, the editor of Breitbart TV, a columnist for Mobile’s Lagniappe Weekly, and host of Mobile’s “The Jeff Poor Show” from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. on FM Talk 106.5.

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