Alabama Politics:
SECOND FRONT: Bentley’s comments on Romney’s tax returns show up in DNC ad
A new ad by the Democratic National Committee features a number of conservative political strategists, Republican operatives and former Republican public officials calling for Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney to release his tax records. One of the faces in the video is none other than Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley.
SOUTH UNION STREET – AG investigating public corruption, some of it related to recent federal trials
Prosecutors with the Alabama Attorney General’s Office are involved in an ongoing corruption investigation, with at least some of it pertaining to information that arose out of the recent federal trials related to gambling in the state, and a grand jury is meeting to determine whether people should be indicted, according to recent activity in federal court. Read More…
AL.COM – Pike Road mayor draws last-minute opposition, 11 qualify for council elections
The qualifying period for this year’s municipal elections ended with 13 candidates lined up to compete in the mayoral and City Council races.
Mayor Gordon Stone will face David Hughes, who qualified this afternoon. Read More…
ABC 33/40 – Birmingham Board of Education Votes Superintendent Out
ABC 33/40 – Birmingham News, Weather, Sports
Tuesday night, members of the Birmingham City School Board were suppose to vote on firing some 200 employees. Instead, they fired their Superintendent, Doctor Craig Witherspoon.
According to the State Department of Education, Chief of Staff, Craig Pouncey, says the state has overturned the action of the board dismissing Witherspoon. Pouncey says Witherspoon has been reinstated and legal matters might come into play.
It makes perfect sense when you have a budget shortfall & no budget to fire your top leader. That is exactly what every biz does #BhamBOE
— Jeff Vreeland (@jvreeland) July 18, 2012
Must-read coverage of this story from Marie Leech of the Birmingham News:
Here it is folks: Birmingham school board decision to fire Superintendent Craig Witherspoon overturned (updated) bit.ly/Od8ga6
— Marie Leech (@MarieLeech_news) July 18, 2012
Video of the vote:
National and International Politics:
THE BLAZE – Surveillance Video Shows 71-Year-Old Concealed Carry Holder Opening Fire on Would-Be Robbers
FOX NEWS: Rove and Trippi on the Race to 270
YOU DIDN’T BUILD THAT – As the Wall St. Journal pointed out yesterday, The Presidential election has a long way to go, but the line of the year so far is President Obama’s on Friday: “You didn’t build that.” Rarely do politicians so clearly reveal their core beliefs. “If you’ve got a business—you didn’t build that. Somebody else made that happen.” He said to a crowd in Roanoke on Friday.
The interwebs have once again risen to the occasion and given us the YOU DIDN’D BUILD THAT Tumblr page. Enjoy.
NEW YORK TIMES – Can Liberal Christianity Be Saved?
Today, by contrast, the leaders of the Episcopal Church and similar bodies often don’t seem to be offering anything you can’t already get from a purely secular liberalism. Which suggests that per haps they should pause, amid their frantic renovations, and consider not just what they would change about historic Christianity, but what they would defend and offer uncompromisingly to the world.
Absent such a reconsideration, their fate is nearly certain: they will change, and change, and die. Read More…
2nd amendment at work in that article from The Blaze. Well done, sir.
Being a spectator for anything that takes place in Birmingham/JeffCo makes me thankful I live in Baldwin Co. What an embarrassment to the state.
Sadly, I have to agree with this sentiment. And I DO live in JeffCo. Go long enough without solid leadership and this is what happens. Even a guy with Petelos ability can’t save us now. And our own legislative delegation doesn’t have the backbone to help.
As for the BOE, what a bunch of idiots. This is what the entire state would look like if AEA could get away with it.