Republican Hispanic group slams Beason

A national Hispanic group is asking for an apology from Alabama state Sen. Scott Beason for using violent metaphors when referring to exhausting all possibilities to stop illegal immigration.
Somos Republicans, which has been fighting what it believes are incendiary comments and actions in Arizona, slammed Beason for his comments and said other comments show he does not support the birthright citizenship granted by U.S. law.
Beason, chairman of the powerful committee that determines which bills come to the Senate floor for debate, finished remarks about finding solutions to illegal immigration by saying "empty the clip, and do what has to be done."
The group condemned Beason for using the language at a time when there is "extreme tension and occasional violence over illegal immigration" and criticized the senator for not learning from similar rhetoric by other politicians, including former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.
"Such violent metaphors can push some unstable people 'over the edge,'" according to the release from the Somos Republicans.
Beason, R-Gardendale, told the Associated Press he did not suggest any violence toward illegal immigrants or Hispanics. He told the Birmingham News he was using an analogy.
Beason has been an outspoken advocate for immigration reform and said he would like to see Alabama pass some of the reforms passed in other states like Arizona.
The organization labeled Beason as "intellectually dishonest" for backing laws that would likely be challenged in court costing taxpayers millions to defend.
The Somos Republicans, who criticized the Arizona state senator who sponsored the controversial illegal immigration measures there, called on Beason to renounce violence and "apologize for his poor choice of words."
The Somos Republicans want to increase the "Latino Republican voting block by 100 percent within two years."

-- posted by Sebastian Kitchen

Senator comes under fire for immigration comments

Alabama Democrats are among those criticizing a powerful state senator for referencing firearms when talking about taking care of illegal immigration.
In a speech to the Cullman County Republican Party, Sen. Scott Beason finished remarks about finding solutions to illegal immigration by saying "empty the clip, and do what has to be done."
Beason, a Gardendale Republican who is the chairman of the committee that determines which bills come before the Senate for debate, has come under fire from some for comments that some consider inflammatory, especially for using that phrase following the tragic shooting in Tucson, Ariz.
Beason has since told the Associated Press he did not suggest any violence toward illegal immigrants or Hispanics. He told the Birmingham News he was using an analogy.
"Senator Beason's remarks in Cullman were unnecessary and dangerous, particularly in light of the recent tragic shootings in Tuscon," said Mark Kennedy, chairman of the Alabama Democratic Party. "If Republicans are truly interested in pursuing sensible immigration reform, they should put a stop to this reckless rhetoric about emptying gun clips and build on the strong ties our Democratic Legislature made with the business community to hold corporations accountable for their part in enabling illegal workers."
Beason has been an outspoken advocate for immigration reform and said he would like to see Alabama pass some of the reforms passed in other states like Arizona.

-- posted by Sebastian Kitchen

Christian Coalition criticizes new State House security policy

The head of the Christian Coalition of Alabama, Randy Brinson, said Tuesday that a new policy launched by the new Republican leadership in the Legislature "will likely have a chilling effect on the ability of the people to contact their representatives."
Speaker of the House Mike Hubbard and Senate President Pro Tem Del Marsh said Monday that people would no longer be able to freely roam the halls of the floors where lawmakers have offices when the Legislature is in session. They said people can set up appointments to see their lawmakers.
Hubbard, R-Auburn, and Marsh, R-Anniston, cited the tragic shooting in Tucson as a reason for restricting access.
But, as Brinson points out, that occurred in an open area while people must pass through security personnel and metal detectors to get into the State House.
"The fact that the tragedy in Tucson is now being used as a justification for diminishing access of the people to their representatives is neither prudent nor necessary," Brinson said.
Hubbard and Marsh said they wanted to help relieve the hallways of congestion.
Marsh said there are times he has gone to his office and six lobbyists were there waiting on him.
The top lawmakers mentioned on Monday a freshman legislator being cornered and intimidated in an office during the special session in December.
"Many have brought allegations of intimidation during the special session," Brinson said. "If that is the case, then such matters need to be brought forward and investigated and if there were lapses in security or badgering of legislators, then those who committed such acts need to be held accountable. To date, no specifics have been elucidated."
Brinson said he agreed with Sen. Scott Beason, R-Gardendale, who wanted "to clear the halls of the lobbyists so that the people will have access to their representatives."
"We totally concur with this sentiment, and as such, we will work with the leadership so that everyday citizens will be able to address their legislators and not just the special interests or affluent," Brinson said.
He said they want to ensure that all citizens have access to their representatives.

-- posted by Sebastian Kitchen

Senators appoint members to key posts

The Alabama public, political observers and Alabama state senators found out Tuesday who will chair key committees in that body.
Sen. Scott Beason, R-Gardendale, who is considered one of the most conservative members of the Senate, was selected as chairman of the powerful Rules Committee that determines which bills come to the Senate floor for debate. He succeeds powerful Sen. Lowell Barron, a Democrat who lost in the November election.
Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, will be chairman of the Senate general fund budget committee which sets funding levels for Medicaid, prisons, public safety and most other non-education entities in the state. Sen. Roger Bedford, D-Russellville, the previous chairman of the committee, will serve as a minority member.
Sen. Trip Pittman, R-Montrose, will preside over the education budget in the Senate. The former chairman, Sen. Hank Sanders, D-Selma, will continue to serve on the committee.
The House did not announce committee assignments on Tuesday, although Rep. Jay Love of Montgomery and Rep. Jim Barton of Mobile are expected to serve as the chairmen of the House education and general fund budget committees, respectively.

-- posted by Sebastian Kitchen

Sweeping Ethics Bill Goes to the Governor

At just before 3 a.m. Thursday, the Alabama Legislature passed sweeping changes to the Alabama ethics law that would limit spending by lobbyists, but also open the door for spending by other people and at other events.

House and Senate members concurred on changes to a bill sponsored by state Sen. Bryan Taylor, R-Prattville, that is much changed from the original version that he introduced at the beginning of the special session called by Gov. Bob Riley to overhaul ethics laws in the state. It's even different from the two substituted versions of the bill that moved through the Legislature.

Taylor's original bill would have capped spending by lobbyists to $100 per year and required them to report everything that they spent. The first substituted version of the bill, which was crafted by state Sen. Scott Beason, R-Gardendale, would have kept lobbyists from spending anything, but would have allowed those who hired lobbyists, or principals, to spend up to $250 a day before they had to report it. The second substitute of the bill would also have stopped lobbyists from spending anything to influence lawmakers, but would have capped what principals could spend at $100.

If the governor signs the version of the Taylor bill that is coming to his desk, lobbyists can spend up to $150 a year, and principals, which currently don't exist as a defined class under the law, could spend up to $250 a year.

"Nobody can argue you had $250 per day that was brought down to $250 a year," Senate President Pro Tem Del Marsh, R-Anniston, said of lobbyist spending on public officials.

However, there is no cap on spending at an "educational function or widely attended event," where people can provide "hospitality, meals, and other food and beverages" to public officials. A widely attended event is one with more than 12 people.

Taylor said the law would still include the existing portion requiring any expense over $250 a day to be reported. He said it also stops unlimited hospitality, lodging, and travel for purely social reasons. So, there would still be no reporting of spending on public officials under $250 a day and that would not pertain to certain events.

The bill passed Thursday does not include its own reporting requirement, which was included in the original version. Marsh said they did not see the need for the reporting since the cap was so low. He said they could add in a reporting requirement later if people believe it is an issue.

Taylor said the version they passed restored some of the strongest portions of his original bill. He had said the first version of the bill passed by the Senate created a "huge loophole."

Marsh said he expects the seven ethics bills passed in the last three days to change how people conduct business in Montgomery. He expects the bills, like the one passed early Thursday, to curb the cozy relationships between lobbyists and lawmakers.

Marsh expects their action to limit some of the "wining and dining" of legislators.

Marsh said the Business Council of Alabama, whose President William Canary was at the State House until early Thursday, expressed concerns about the bill. But, he said, no lobbyists were allowed in the conference committee meeting between House and Senate members and he told BCA officials that they were not changing the bill after the committee met.

Senate Minority Leader Roger Bedford, D-Russellville, said he believes the passed bills give the state the most accountable, transparent government in the country.

The Legislature wrapped up the special session called by Riley at about 3 a.m. Thursday after passing the seven bills he was pushing.

-- posted by Markeshia Ricks and Sebastian Kitchen

Senate cuts key parts of Riley ethics overhaul

The Alabama Senate, led by Republican Sen. Scott Beason, replaced the ethics overhaul supported by Gov. Bob Riley and replaced it with a simplified version that stops all lobbyist spending on public officials. But, it does not stop those who the lobbyists work for from spending on those officials.
The sponsor of the original bill, Sen. Bryan Taylor of Prattville, expressed his concerns that the bill was opening a “huge loophole.” He said it will not stop the wining and dining of public officials, only changing who pays for it.
"Fundamentally, this doesn't change anything about the system in Montgomery or back home," Taylor said. " ... I'm afraid that it will end up being window dressing."
Taylor's proposal capped, with some exceptions, the spending of lobbyists and others with interests before public officials at $25 a day and $100 a year. Also, his proposal would have stopped universities from giving lawmakers football tickets, but that would be allowed under the Beason version.
Riley called legislators into a special session to overhaul ethics laws in the state. They could pass a variety of bills by Tuesday.
Taylor said he knows that some of his colleagues were concerned because they were confused by some portions of his bill.
Beason, R-Gardendale, said his version was simpler, avoids unintended consequences, and addresses the sometimes corrupting cozy relationship between legislators and lobbyists. If the changes are passed, a lobbyist could not buy an official a cup of coffee, he said.
Beason does not believe the changes weaken the bill. If other problems arise, he said the Legislature will address those at that time.
"The problem was all of the questions weren’t answered," he said of the comprehensive Taylor proposal.
Taylor said the lobbyists and special interests are working very hard "to get us all addicted to the good ol' boy system that has been in place for too long."
Nothing in the altered bill would stop legislators from being taken on a purely social trip, from going on other travel, or being taken golfing, Taylor said.
Taylor's bill would have required online reporting of all lobbyist spending on public officials and public employees, but since all lobbyist spending would be prohibited that is not in the Beason version.
Beason's version also asked the Alabama Ethics Commission to, by the fifth day of the legislative session that begins in March, submit a report on what other states have successfully enacted to improve ethics there.

-- posted by Sebastian Kitchen

Taylor takes oath of office

Autauga County Probate Judge Al Booth said he and other Republicans there were "giddy" after their first meeting with Bryan Taylor.
"We knew we had a candidate we could get behind and who could win," Booth said.
Taylor, the former policy director for Gov. Bob Riley, did win, convincingly defeating a seven-term Democratic senator.
On Thursday, Booth and other officials from the six counties that Taylor now represents watched in the historic chambers of the House of Representatives at the Capitol as Riley issued the oath of office to Taylor.
Jessica, Taylor's wife, held the Bible during the oath. They are expecting their first child by the end of the year.
Booth called Taylor, 34, and his wife "the future of politics."
Taylor was one of several Republicans who unseated Democrats to take control of the Alabama Senate and the Alabama House. He said he was proud to be part of a "new class of leadership in Montgomery."
Taylor, and many of his Republican colleagues, have vowed sweeping ethics reform to end corruption in Montgomery.
"That's why I got into this race," he said. Taylor believes the election was a "wake-up call," that the people are watching, and asked the dozens present for his oath to "hold my feet to the fire."
He is hoping to achieve many of his campaign goals during a special session that most lawmakers are expecting Riley to call by the end of the year to address ethics reform.
Riley said Taylor first joined him as an aid, traveling with him throughout the state. Later in his time in the administration, Taylor also helped lead the fight against what they believe is illegal gaming in the state.
Riley said he considered Taylor one of the foundations of his administration.
The governor advised Taylor to "come home' if he ever considered acting for political reasons, ever worried about a decision costing him the next election, or just worried about trying to build a consensus.
"Now is when the testing comes," Riley told him. He said too many people worry about their reelection.
Others who attended the event included several members of the Riley administration who served with Taylor including Tom Surtees, director of the Department of Industrial Relations; Art Faulkner, the newly appointed director of the Alabama Department of Homeland Security; and Judge Jim Main of the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals, who served as state finance director. Other legislators there included Reps. Paul Beckman, R-Prattville and Alan Boothe, D-Troy, and Sen. Scott Beason, R-Gardendale.
District 30 includes all or part of Autauga, Butler, Crenshaw, Elmore, Lowndes, and Pike counties.

-- posted by Sebastian Kitchen

Republicans select Hubbard, Marsh as leaders

The two men who were the faces of the Republican effort to take over the Alabama House and Senate from Democrats for the first time in more than 130 years were rewarded with top leadership posts by their new majority on Thursday.
House Republicans selected Alabama Republican Party Chairman Mike Hubbard, who is also a state representative from Auburn, as their choice to be the next speaker of the House.
Senate Republicans voted for Sen. Del Marsh of Anniston to be the president pro tem when they organize. The pro tem is the most powerful member of the chamber who helps with assigning bills and managing the body.
With Republicans holding 22 of the 35 seats in the Senate, Marsh is expected to be approved by the full Senate when the members organize either in January or in a special session called by the governor before that.
Sen. Jabo Waggoner of Vestavia Hills was selected as majority leader.
Hubbard is considered the architect of Campaign 2010, the Republican plan to raise money and take control of the Legislature from Democrats for the first time in more than 130 years. Republicans hold 62 seats in the 105-member House.
Marsh helped raise money for the Republican effort to take control of the Legislature.
The Republicans unanimously voted for Hubbard even though there had been talk of another candidate entering the race. Rep. Paul DeMarco of Homewood and some other members had privately expressed interest in becoming speaker and talked to other members trying to win over their support.
But on Thursday at their meeting, no one offered up another candidate.
Members had also discussed voting for speaker and then for speaker pro tem, but then decided only to vote for speaker on Thursday, giving new members an opportunity to know the potential candidates before voting.
State Rep. Jay Love of Montgomery said they recognized with the hard work and organizational skills of Hubbard "that he would be our best choice for speaker."
Waggoner said Marsh would be an effective pro tem. He said his colleague is knowledgeable about issues, is a "good debater," and has proven leadership capabilities.
Marsh, 54, is the president of two companies, Aerospace Coating and Industrial Plating, which employee a total of about 150 people, he said. He is in his fourth term.
Marsh said he would be able to bring people together.
Both Marsh and Hubbard were elected in separate closed-door caucus meetings.
Republican governor-elect Robert Bentley said he met at his Tuscaloosa home on Wednesday with the people who expressed interest in being speaker, Hubbard and DeMarco.
He said he did not impose his will on legislators as they elected their leadership, but was trying to be a "peacemaker" and trying to "smooth things out" in the House delegation, where he felt there was contention. Bentley said he believed the situation had been resolved with a power sharing agreement.
"I really support whoever the caucus votes for," Bentley said after addressing the Senate caucus during the meeting at the Alabama Forestry Association. "It is their right to decide their leadership."
Bentley said he thought Hubbard "had done a good job" leading the party up to the election.
Hubbard, 48 and president of the Auburn Network Inc., is in his fourth term as a legislator. He has served as minority leader in the Alabama House for six years and as chairman of the state party for four years.
Hubbard said his role as chairman was to get as many Republicans elected as possible and to be the "tough guy," but he said speaker "won't be a partisan position" and is more about governing.
"I am looking forward to taking off that partisan hat," he said.
The new leaders said Thursday that their priorities would be ethics, and efforts such as tax incentives to help small businesses.
Waggoner said they did not decide on committee posts at the Thursday meeting and he said those would be decided between now and December.
Waggoner and other senators said there was no conflict between Marsh and Sen. Scott Beason of Gardendale, who challenged him for the pro tem position.
"They are on the same page," Waggoner said. "We are all on the same team."
Marsh said Beason would be in a leadership position "where he chooses to work."
After the original vote, the Republican senators voted again for the victor to ensure there was unanimous support for the pro tem selection.
Sen. Bryan Taylor of Prattville said he was glad to see men "approach such an important issue with mutual respect."
Sen. Dick Brewbaker of Pike Road said he was happy the caucus is "of one mind" and said it is a great step forward "for everybody to agree on the basic agenda."
Beason said he was not successful, but was glad they came back and voted unanimously for Marsh. He said he has learned that while sometimes someone might lose individually, "you have to remember it's about the cause."
Marsh said they all pledged when they ran for office that they would support the nominee of the caucus.
"Once we agree as a caucus, we're unanimous," he said.
When he addressed his colleagues on Thursday morning before they met behind closed doors, Waggoner said "I have been waiting for this (takeover) for 20 years."
"This is a dream come true for a lot of us," said Waggoner, who was previously the minority leader. Waggoner has been a member of the Legislature since 1966.
Pat Harris, assistant secretary of the Senate, spoke to the group along with Bentley and incoming lieutenant governor Kay Ivey. Waggoner and Marsh said they needed help from Harris and others because they have never been in the majority and never been through this transition.
Bentley told the members he knew the Senate had been dysfunctional, but he was hopeful.
He also said he was hopeful that the Republicans would not operate like Democrats and would not be vindictive now that they are in the majority. Bentley also said they should not serve lobbyists and the special interests.
Bentley, a two-term state legislator from Tuscaloosa, said he wants to stay in close communication with legislators and is also reaching out to Democrats. He named outgoing Democratic House Speaker Seth Hammett to his transition team.
Most of the Senate Republicans participated in a ceremonial swearing in in the historic House chamber in the Capitol on Thursday. Waggoner told people in attendance they were witnessing history.

-- posted by Sebastian Kitchen

Republicans select Marsh as Senate leader

Senate Republicans voted Thursday for Sen. Del Marsh of Anniston to be the president pro tem of the Senate when they organize.
With Republicans holding 22 of the 35 seats in the Senate, Marsh is expected to receive that vote from senators when they organize either in January or in a special session called by the governor before that.
Sen. Jabo Waggoner of Vestavia Hills was selected as majority leader.
Marsh helped raise money for the Republican effort to take control of the Alabama House of Representatives and the Senate.
During a caucus meeting at the Alabama Forestry Association, Republicans selected Marsh over Sen. Scott Beason of Gardendale, who also entered his name in the race.
The pro tem helps the lieutenant governor to assign bills to committee and has other management responsibilities.
During the Thursday meeting, Republicans also heard from governor-elect Robert Bentley and state Treasurer Kay Ivey, who was elected lieutenant governor on Tuesday.
Republicans in the House of Representatives are also expected to select their choice as speaker of the House during meetings today.

-- posted by Sebastian Kitchen

Senator: bingo "issue is over"

A prominent Democrat declared a movement to pass a bill that would tax and regulate gambling in the state "over."
Sen. Roger Bedford, D-Russellville, and other Democrats did not muster the 21 votes needed to formally bring up the legislation for debate on Wednesday. They were three votes short.
"I think this issue is over," he said.
Some other supporters of the legislation were more hopeful.
Sen. Paul Sanford, R-Huntsville, said he planned to draft and introduce legislation that would be a straight up or down vote on whether people want electronic bingo. Fellow Republican Scott Beason of Gardendale has already introduced legislation that he said would allow people to vote on whether they want gambling before deciding how to govern it in Alabama.
Bedford, the sponsor of the legislation they voted on Wednesday, said people lost their right to vote on Wednesday and thousands of people have lost their jobs in recent weeks as casinos in Alabama have closed.
Several Republicans said the legislation before them on Wednesday was corrupt and gave monopolies to casino operators in the state.

-- posted by Sebastian Kitchen

Dems consider shutting off debate on roads bill

A powerful state senator said he and his Democratic colleagues will consider shutting off debate on Thursday on a bill that would use $1 billion over 10 years to improve roads and bridges.
Sen. Lowell Barron, D-Fyffe, said they might stop debate and try to move forward with a vote if they do not believe the Republicans are serious about moving forward on Thursday.
The Senate has debated the bill for three business days, much of it slowdown tactics by Republicans, and is expected to continue debate on Thursday.
If the Legislature passes the bill, people would vote on whether they wanted the program in November and the work could begin in 2011.
Republicans have concerns about taking $100 million a year for 10 years from the Alabama Trust Fund, royalties the state receives from oil and gas. Some of the money is used for the General Fund budget.
"I just don't think now is the time to jeopardize the trust fund or the savings account of the state of Alabama," said Sen. Del Marsh, R-Anniston.
Sen. Scott Beason, R-Gardendale, said it makes sense to leave the money and live off of the interest. If money is pulled out, he said there are millions and millions of dollars in interest the state will never see.
Sen. Larry Means, D-Attalla, plans to introduce an amendment that would place a floor at $2 billion, which would automatically halt the program if it reached that level and keep it parked until the principal climbed back above $2 billion again.
Sen. Ben Brooks, R-Mobile, believes the floor should be at least $2.5 billion and took up much of Tuesday afternoon discussing his proposal.
Barron, chairman of the committee that decides which bills come to the Senate floor for debate, thought they might vote on Tuesday. He said he had concerns about voting cloture, or shutting down debate, because it often creates hard feelings, which he did not want so early in the session. Barron, the Senate sponsor of the bill, said they have the 21 votes necessary to pass the bill in the Senate and he expects at least 25 votes. The House sponsor of the bill is Rep. Billy Beasley, D-Clayton.
Barron, Beasley, and about a dozen other senators joined road builders for a Tuesday press conference between the State House and large equipment the builders parked along South Union Street.
They called on Republicans to stop delaying.
Beasley said the work would make Alabama roads and bridges safer.
Barron said the bill is more important now with unemployment at 11 percent. He said about as many people are underemployed.
Lee Gross of Ozark Striping Company, which he said has 125 employees, said the unemployment rate in the construction industry is 18 percent.
State Sen. Roger Bedford, D-Russellville, said people could already be working if Republicans did not kill the bill a year ago.
Beasley and Barron said the bill would create 30,000 jobs, a number Republicans have disputed.
Supporters of the bill said the job creation information is from the Federal Highway Administration.
Marsh said that would equate to workers making less than $2 an hour.
State Sen. Larry Dixon, R-Montgomery, said the trust fund should be "sacrosanct" and the principal of the money should not be touched because revenues are is used for corrections, public health, and public safety.
"When you're having trouble funding government, you deplete one of the major sources by depleting the trust fund," he said.
Dixon is concerned that the money will be discretionary and handed out to friends of Democrats. The senator said the bill is the "biggest pork project ever."
He said there is language to diminish some of that discretion, but that projects will be line-itemed in the General Fund.
The appropriation, according to the bill, "may be made in either the general appropriation act or a separate appropriations act." Dixon believes that puts the discretion in the hands of the General Fund budget committee.
"No committee in the Legislature ought to have that discretionary money," he said.
While the money will be directed to projects in cities, counties and congressional districts, Dixon said no language in the legislation states that the money will be turned over to local governments.
Barron said there is not language that would make the money discretionary. He said most of it would go to the Alabama Department of Transportation or to local governments that would spend it.
"They make decisions on how that is spent," Barron said.
Seventy-five percent of the money would go to the Alabama Department of Transportation and 25 percent would go to cities and counties.
Barron and Bedford criticized proposals by some Republicans, one by Marsh and one by gubernatorial candidate Tim James, that would allow counties to increase their gas tax and that would use bonds to fund construction, respectively.
They called those terrible ideas that either increases taxes or increased the state's debt.

-- posted by Sebastian Kitchen