Pat Duggins

Republican lawmakers in Tennessee are poised to take up a plan carve up a majority-Black congressional district, reshaping it to the GOP's advantage as part of President Donald Trump's strategy to try to hold on to a slim House majority in the November midterm elections. The Alabama House passed legislation authorizing special congressional primaries as Republicans eye the possibility of getting a different congressional map in place for the November elections

Lawyers for the Southern Poverty Law Center will appear in court Thursday for the first time since the civil rights group was charged with defrauding donors by failing to disclose that money would be paid to informants inside extremist groups. The SPLC denies wrongdoing, and no individual is charged.

Imagine waking up one morning, opening that day's copy of The New York Times, and seeing yourself described as TV's “king of creepy.” My guest tonight got that distinction just last year. Two time Emmy award winning actor Michael Emerson is a University of Alabama graduate, and he once worked at the Alabama Shakespeare Festival. Now, just in case you thought that creepy comment in the New York Times was a one off, the Washington Post later called Emerson “TV's most beloved creepy guy” four months later. He seems to relish in that. Emerson starred as Benjamin Linus in the TV series "Lost" and the eccentric billionaire Harold Finch in "Person of Interest." However, fans of the cult classic horror film "SAW" may remember him as the creepy hospital orderly Zep Hindle. Michael Emerson and I talk about his days at the University of Alabama and more, next on APR notebook.

The Alabama House may debate legislation that would allow the state to hold a special congressional primary, if the Supreme Court clears the way for the state to change its U.S. House districts. The current primary vote is currently set for later this month. Actions in the Alabama House and Senate are drawing an unusual rebuke from the, otherwise non-partisan, State League of Women Voters.

The Alabama NAACP and the state’s League of Women Voters held a rally and issued statements against this week’s special session to possibly erase two Congressional seats, held by African American Democrats. This move follows last week’s U.S. Supreme Court ruling in a Louisiana case, where the Justices ruled that race should no longer be a factor in drawing voting maps. The NAACP held a protest in Montgomery called "Pull Up The People's House."The League of Women Voters is strongly opposing the Alabama special session, which was called nineteen days before voters head to the polls for this year’s primary elections. The Alabama Public Radio news team produced a national award winning series and documentary on the creation of the new District 2 seat.

Denis Leary didn’t want to do another golf tournament for a fundraiser. Or an auction. But the actor-comedian, currently starring in the Fox comedy “Going Dutch” and best known as the voice of Diego in the “Ice Age” movies, needed more donations for his Leary Firefighters Foundation. Alabama first responders are among the beneficiaries, and among the first to praise the comedian's efforts.

Republican governors in Alabama and Tennessee have summoned lawmakers into special sessions this week seeking new congressional districts after the U.S. Supreme Court weakened a key provision of the Voting Rights Act. Governor Kay Ivey reversed her position following the U.S. Supreme Court decision that race should not be a factor in drawing voter maps.

Alabama lawmakers gather in special session this week to possibly redraw the state's two minority-majority U.S House seats. Both are currently represented by African American Democrats. The National Association of Black Journalists, the Public Media Journalists Association, and the Society of Professional Journalists honored the APR news team for its eight month investigation into the creation of the new District 2 seat, as ordered in 2023 by the U.S. Supreme Court. Here's part one of that series from the APR archives...

Germany's defense minister on Saturday appeared to take in stride a Pentagon announcement that the United States plans to pull some 5,000 troops out of the country, President Donald Trump's latest attempt to reduce America's commitment to European security. One key U.S. lawmaker from Alabama has questions, too.

Alabama Governor Kay Ivey reversed her original decision to not call a special session over the state’s Congressional map. The National Association of Black Journalists, the Public Media Journalists’ Association, and the Society of Professional Journalists honored the Alabama Public Radio newsroom for its eight month investigation into the state’s newest Congressional seat, which now may be at risk. Click below to listen to APR’s special report from 2024, “…a U.S. House seat, if you can keep it.”