Open Secret
The Alabama Legislature is about to reach the two month mark of its 2010 session. So far, lawmakers have devoted much of their time to the legality of gambling and the future of the state’s prepaid college tuition program. This week, another big issue got some attention in the House–reform of Alabama’s 1901 constitution. A bill by Democratic Representative Demetrius Newton that would create a constitutional convention was defeated. And a bill by Republican Paul Demarco to rewrite the constitution article by article stalled in the House. This week also saw the premiere of a new film commissioned by the group, Alabama Citizens for Constitutional Reform. Open Secret is based on the actual transcript of the 1901 Constitutional Convention. Filmmaker Melanie Jeffcoat tells WBHM’s Bradley George that the 155 convention delegates–all white males, met in Montgomery with one goal in mind.
In an extended interview, Melanie Jeffcoat talks about researching the convention transcripts and the exclusion of women from the convention.
| State Representative Paul DeMarco (R-Homewood) wants to change Alabama’s constitution by rewriting article by article. He says his approach starts by tackling non-controversial provisions.
Sudanese paramilitary drone attack kills 50, including 33 children, doctor group says
Thursday's attack is the latest in the fighting between the paramilitary group, the Rapid Support Forces, also known as the RSF, and the Sudanese military, who have been at war for over two years.
Russia unleashes drone and missile attack on Ukraine as diplomatic talks continue
Russia unleashed a major missile and drone barrage on Ukraine overnight into Saturday, after U.S. and Ukrainian officials said they'll meet on Saturday for talks aimed at ending the war.
Takeaways from the latest special election and what it means for control of the House
There was yet another sign this week of a potential 2026 wave that could hand control of the House of Representatives to Democrats.
West Virginians question National Guard deployments after attack on 2 of their own
Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom was fatally shot in Washington, D.C., while Air Force Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolfe was seriously wounded. Trump says the deployments are necessary to fight crime, but others disagree.
Trump official signals potential rollback of changes to census racial categories
Trump officials are reviewing changes to racial and ethnic categories that the Biden administration approved for the 2030 census and other federal government forms, a White House agency official says.
HHS changed the name of transgender health leader on her official portrait
Admiral Rachel Levine was the first transgender person to be confirmed by the Senate to serve in the federal government. Her official portrait at HHS headquarters has been altered.
