Eight Votes, One Direction

HE VOTED AGAINST THE DEFENSE BILL

On July 22 the House passed the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2027. It is the bill that authorizes pay, equipment and training for every branch of the United States military.

It passed by four votes, 216 to 212.

Shomari Figures voted no.

Robert Aderholt voted yes. Barry Moore voted yes. Gary Palmer voted yes. Mike Rogers voted yes. Dale Strong voted yes.

Mike Rogers is the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee.

The margin was four. Two more members voting the way our congressman voted, and the United States military has no defense authorization for this year.

FOURTEEN MINUTES LATER, HE VOTED AGAINST BANNING CONGRESSIONAL STOCK TRADING

The next recorded vote that afternoon was the Stop Insider Trading Act. It bars members of Congress from trading individual stocks while they serve.

It passed, 232 to 198.

Shomari Figures voted no.

All five Alabama Republicans voted yes.

That vote was taken at 4:51 in the afternoon, fourteen minutes after the defense vote. Nothing about it is complicated and none of it requires explanation from us. He was asked whether members of Congress should be allowed to trade stocks. He said they should.

THREE VOTES ON VETERANS

On February 11 the House passed the Veterans Accessibility Advisory Committee Act by five votes. Shomari Figures voted no.

On May 21 it passed the Veterans 2nd Amendment Protection Act. Shomari Figures voted no.

Twenty minutes later the same evening it passed the Sharri Briley and Eric Edmundson Veterans Benefits Expansion Act. Shomari Figures voted no.

On all three, every Republican Alabama sends to Washington voted yes.

This district trains the Army's helicopter pilots. The soldiers who fly them retire here. Three times this year a bill carrying the word veterans came to the floor, and three times the congressman from the Wiregrass voted against it.

THE THINGS HE WOULD NOT PUT HIS NAME TO

On April 16 the House agreed to a resolution expressing support for tax policies that support working families. Shomari Figures voted no.

On April 22 it agreed to a resolution expressing support for rural communities. Shomari Figures voted no.

On July 23 it passed the Removing Barriers to Work for Disabled Americans Act. Shomari Figures voted no.

A resolution costs nothing. It spends no money and creates no program. It is a statement about who you are for. Twice this spring he declined to make one, and both times the subject was the people who live in this district.

EIGHT VOTES, ONE DIRECTION

February to July. A defense bill, a stock trading ban, three veterans bills, two resolutions, and a bill on work for disabled Americans.

Eight recorded votes. In every one of them, all five Alabama Republicans voted one way and Shomari Figures voted the other.

Eight is not a disagreement. Eight is a record.

WHAT THE RECORD COVERS

Every number and every name above comes from the official roll calls published by the Clerk of the House of Representatives, read September 20.

Roll Call 69, February 11, S. 1383, passed 218-213. Roll Call 121, April 16, H. Res. 1156, passed 219-207. Roll Call 132, April 22, H. Res. 1182, passed 220-196. Roll Call 190, May 21, H.R. 1041, passed 216-201. Roll Call 191, May 21, H.R. 6047, passed 235-179. Roll Call 278, July 22, H.R. 8800, passed 216-212. Roll Call 280, July 22, H.R. 7008, passed 232-198. Roll Call 283, July 23, H.R. 8884, passed 232-188.

All eight are votes on final passage, 119th Congress, second session.

FORTY-FOUR DAYS

Forty-four days until November 3.

Rhett Marques is the Republican nominee in Alabama's Second Congressional District. Shomari Figures is the incumbent.

He has been in that seat long enough to have a record. This is it.

We want this seat back. Show up.

Wall of Shame — Today: Maynard Nexsen

Today on the Wall of Shame: the Maynard Nexsen PAC (Birmingham) has put $5,000 into Rep. Shomari Figures' campaign account. The same firm was also writing checks to the Republican primary opponent — bipartisan hedging from the firm representing Regions Bank in the Mabel Amos case. The Wall of Shame exists for one reason — so that total stops growing. https://take2back.com/wall-of-shame.html