Oil-yez, oil-yez, Jim Kitchens presiding

As you might remember, during his campaign Jim Kitchens attacked Jim Smith for taking money from "Big-time oil and energy executives." We revealed his hypocrisy by noting: "Kitchens caught with oil on his hands."

Now it seems this very same money oiled the gears of his campaign. On October 28 - exactly a week before the election - Jim Kitchens took out a $250,000 loan for his campaign from Pike County National Bank. The security for the loan was the assignment of proceeds of an oil, gas, and minderal lease owned by Kitchen's wife. The lease is held by Questar Exploration and Production company.

Kitchens criticized Smith for connections to oil and energy, but then funded his own campaign with oil and energy resources. Hypocrisy. I guess he would say, its just oil in the family.

Furthermore, on Kitchen's latest campaign finance report, Carroll Hood of Hazelhurst is listed as giving Kitchens an $1800 In-Kind contribution by hosting a fish fry and reception. (It was actually listed as a disbursement. Maybe the campaign gave an in-kind contribution to him. Or maybe he gave an in-kind contribution but the campaign decided to pay for it. Of maybe he gave it as an in-kind contribution and the campaign disbursed money to someone else. I don't understand; maybe you do.)



Carroll Hood has served as chairman and vice-chairman of the Mississippi State Oil and Gas Board:

Hood is also on the board of directors of the Mississippi Economic Council and serves as president of Hood Petroleum Company Inc., Copiah Oil Company Inc. and HICO Inc. General Insurance Agency. In the past he has served as a commissioner of the Mississippi Employment Security Commission.

He currently has a nomination from Attorney General Jim Hood for another term on the Mississippi State Oil and Gas Board.