Good Job CL

The Clarion Ledger ran the AP story about Bennie Thompson, Chairman of Vacation Security.

Will Mississippi press report on Ethics investigation into Bennie Thompson's travel?

Will Mississippi press report on Ethics investigation into Bennie Thompson's travel? Find out tomorrow. But for today, here is some national press on it.

The Associated Press: Ethics committee investigating lawmakers' travel

The House ethics committee is investigating whether five Democratic lawmakers, including two committee chairmen, received improper gifts in travel to Caribbean conferences 2007 and 2008.

The committee said it was investigating: Charles Rangel of New York, chairman of the Ways and Means Committee; Carolyn Kilpatrick of Michigan; Donald Payne of New Jersey; Bennie Thompson of Mississippi, chairman of the Homeland Security Committee and Donna Christensen, the delegate from the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Avant, Thompson's top aide, said "Neither chairman Thompson nor I have any knowledge of any corporation or private entity that funds the Caribbean News Foundation. "The only sponsor, the sole sponsor of the trip Chairman Thompson took was the Caribbean News Foundation, to his knowledge."

Really? Then how do you explain the original trip forms signed and filed by Bennie Thompson (link to the PDF provided on this page)? The ones that list corporate sponsors of Thompson's appearances? One sponsored by HSBC and one sponsored by Macy's. Other corporate contributors included AT&T, Verizon, Pfizer, and American Airlines. We posted those documents at this post.

More journalists reporting on this:

The Hill - Ethics launches probe of CBC Caribbean trip

Politico - Caribbean trips under investigation

CQ Politics - House Ethics Panel Opens Probe of Lawmakers’ Caribbean Trips

Ethics Committee Asks Bennie Thompson about Carribean Trip

Y'all Politics posts a story from Roll Call confirming the Office of Congressional Ethics contacted Congressman Bennie Thompson regarding his Carribean Trip. Long time readers know we've been watching that story.

Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) said the OCE [Office of Congressional Ethics]contacted him regarding the trip.

Mississippi Democrats: Sore Losers and Hypocrites

Wonderful posts from Majority In Mississippi, so great we wish we had written them, but likely more tasteful than we would have been, too.

First, Majority posts on Sore Loser Jamie Franks who thinks the 59% of Mississippians who rejected him as lieutenant governor in 2007 now want to hear from him on how that office is being run: Jamie Franks=Sore Loser

Then there is this great post on the Democrats' instant hypocrisy within in one email. The explanation of which is obvious in the title: Democrats Try To Raise Money By Bashing Barbour For Raising Money

Well played, Majority in Mississippi, well played.

Childers Demands Stanford Answers...in Harshly Worded Group Letter

Travis Childers is "demanding answers from the Securities and Exchange Commission about its handling of the alleged Ponzi scheme at Stanford Financial." (He should ask Bennie Thompson about Allen Stanford.)

But seriously, one of Stanford Financial's primary locations is in Childers' district. And Childers serves on the Financial Services Committee. Shouldn't he just be a little more involved than signing on to a mass letter? I mean, in this economy, an epicenter of a billion dollar ponzi scheme is the home district of a congressman whose committee oversees this kind of thing, and all he does is sign on to a letter? Really?

Travis says on his web site about the Financial Services Committee:

The committee has primary jurisdiction over the nation's financial sectors that
include banking, insurance, real estate, public-housing, and securities.
On a routine basis, the committee hears testimony from various international
finance experts that include the Chairman of the Federal Reserve and the
Secretary of the Treasury. With the increasing strains on the American
economy, I certainly look forward to offering my experiences as a small business
man in order to find effective solutions to the financial obstacles every day
American's face on a daily basis.

Uh yeah. You signed a letter. Good job with the economy and all that, Travis.

(And it is "Americans" not "American's" - I'm sure his office will correct after this post.)

Mississippi's Tobacco Revenue

I got an email about a new radio commercial dealing with tobacco revenue (see "New ad hits the air to push discount tobacco to level taxation" at Y'all Politics) that also directed me to this web page where of course you can listen to the ad, but it also has just some general information about tobacco revenue in Mississippi: TobaccoIssues.com/Mississippi

Altria (Marlboro) created the page. It provides some nifty details on the costs of tobacco including state and federal taxes, settlement payments, and such.

Mississippi Independence Day Tea Parties

The Mississippi Tea Parties are back for Independence Day. Here are a few that are on schedule so far.

Bay Saint Louis – Saturday, July 4, 12 p.m. to 3 p.m., front steps of Bay Saint Louis City Hall, 688 Hwy 90

Byram - Saturday, July 4, 9:30am - 10:30am: Swinging Bridge Fish House in Byram

Hattiesburg - Independence Celebration - Details to be announced

Hernando – Saturday, July 4, 10 a.m., County Courthouse

Iuka - Saturday, July 4, noon, location to be announced

Jackson - Please come join us from 11am - 2pm on Saturday, June 27th in the cool shade of Boyle Park on Lakeland Dr. Parking will be at Smith Will Stadium, on the east side of the parking lot - 1200 Lakeland Dr. There are two foot bridges that you can use to access the park.

Laurel - Tea Party II, "Spirit of 1776" - Tuesday, June 30 - Jones County Courthouse in Laurel - 6pm

Meridian - Saturday, July 4, DuMont Plaza in downtown Meridian: 10am-Noon.

Tupelo - Tupelo City Hall, July 4, 10am-11am

Everyone Likes Marshall

I'm sure those who approve of Jim Hood's actions and those who do not all like today's Marshall Ramsey cartoon.

Dems in Glass Houses

Well, Sam Hall takes an opportunity at the Democrat's blog to criticize Paul Gallo's spelling.

Someone should tell Gallo that if he is going to continue to be the GOP cheerleader he should learn to spell the name of one of their possible Congressional candidates. It’s “Nunnelee”, not “Nunnelle”.

As noted below, it is a common name to misspell, Minor (named by "Majority in Mississippi" the "Mississippi Democrat party spokesman, emeritus") spelled it "Allen Nunnalee."

But Democrats in glass houses should be careful at throwing spelling stones. Yesterday, the Mississippi Democrats sent out an email from Jamie Franks. Here are a few sentences.

Subject: We need Wilbur Jones in the House

=LET'S GET BEHIND WILBUR JONES=

Wilbur Jones had a great night last night.

Wilbur Jones is the Democrat.

I'm proud to join with the Democratic leadership of the Mississippi House of Representatives in supporting Wilbur Jones.

Thanks for your support of Wilbur Jones.

Sincerely,
Chairman Jamie Franks

His name is Wilbert Jones. Ooops.

Someone should tell Sam Hall that if he is going to continue to be the Democratic Executive Director he should learn to spell the name of one of their possible legislative candidates.

Minor a major irritant

Bill Minor's column, aptly titled Absurdity of budget crisis, is the latest entry in a long line of poor journalism. If he can't provide accuracy within his stories, he should at least try to make them interesting. Seriously. Read the latest "absurdity" here.

I've got five minutes, so here are a few thoughts.

He starts with a question and, well, let's be fair - it's a good question:

Question: "What does it tell you about Mississippi's ability to
govern itself when the Legislature couldn't craft and fund the 2010 FY budget within its 90-day regular session and now must be called back into special session to prevent a shutdown of state government after June 30?"

Minor's answer: "MS is evidently incapable of governing itself."
(Whoa, hold your horses Billy! What a pesky thing that democracy is. We elected these folks, so I'm wondering if Minor's statement is an indictment of the elected or the electorate?)

My answer: Let's not attack the fundamentals of our government; instead, let's attack the lack of leadership apparent on both sides of the spectrum. This means the Republican-led Senate and the Democratic-led House negotiators need to do their job. It's time for some leadership, folks.

Well... Bill... if you're going to use Nunnelee in your story, at least spell his name right:

• Minor's spelling: Sen. Allen Nunnalee, (R. Tupelo)
• Correct spelling: Sen. Alan Nunnelee

Let's see - what else? There's the fact Minor quotes Cecil Brown, who is widely known for being "misinformed" (as described by the Governor). I'd challenge Bill to look into the hospital tax issue further - and I think he would find that not only did Cecil Brown vote for the hospital tax back in the 90s, so did Speaker McCoy...along with virtually every other Representative and Senator. Remember, the hospitals ASKED for this tax.... Or, in MHA Prez Sam Cameron's words, "a loan." Sure, if you call putting in $1 and getting $4 back a "loan." (Maybe I can get that kind of "loan" for my house... )

Not enough time to discuss further - but, suffice it to say, Bill Minor is a major irritant. Closely following is all the, ahem, "credible" newspapers that still run his column.

Dems vs Reality

Mississippi Democrats criticize Haley Barbour for going to Iowa and New Hampshire instead of working on the budget. First, he is not the Democrat controlled legislature which has failed to produce a budget. They are blaming Haley for not doing their own job. Second, where was this outrage when their budget conferee and CHAIRMAN of Medicaid, Dirk Dedeaux, skipped budget meetings to go to DISNEY WORLD?

The Mississippi Democrats also salute Brandon Presley for his recent appointment to this national board. Shocking, but Y'all Politics is reporting that Presley and the Public Service Commission recently retained that organization under contract. I guess the Democrats really ought to congratulate him, he is learning the Democratic methods early and well.

Billion Dollar Set Backs for Jim Hood

Last week was a bad one for Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood. First, Hood lost before a three judge panel of the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals over a billion dollar lawsuit accusing Memphis of stealing Mississippi's water.

Apparently Hood is looking to take this to the U.S. Supreme Court.

"Either way, Mississippi will get its day in court and Memphis will have to answer and account for its theft of Mississippi's water," Don Barrett, lead counsel for the state, said in a text message Friday afternoon.

Mississippi Atty. Gen. Jim Hood, who filed the suit, said the ruling addresses only the proper court for the case, not its merits.

"We look forward to stopping the flow of our pure water to the Memphis pumps and recouping restitution for the loss of Mississippi resources," he said in a statement.

Oh yeah, lead attorney Don Barrett is a long time trial lawyer handling asbestos, tobacco, firestone tires, ford gas caps, vioxx - but very notably head of the Katrina Litigation Group (along with the Scruggs Firm and others). I tell you what, a contingency fee on a billion dollars is a nice deal if you can get it. It must be nice to be like Hood's family.

This case is also interesting because Public Service Commissioner Brandon Presley has said he wants to get involved in it, too.

Public Service Commissioner Brandon Presley said he'll push for the PSC to get involved in water rights litigation between Mississippi and Memphis.

Presley told the DeSoto County Board of Supervisors Tuesday the regulatory agency needs to represent water customers in a lawsuit alleging that Memphis is taking Mississippi's water.

"I think the PSC has to have a role in that case," Presley said. "It's on the minds of everybody in DeSoto County to make sure we've got that water supply here."

Presley said the previous PSC didn't act on the water rights lawsuit in time to be a party to it. He said the case is scheduled to be heard in U.S. District Court in Oxford in February.

Whatever the outcome, he anticipates the case will be appealed, and the PSC will get an opportunity to file a friend of the court brief.

The second big lost came to Hood's challenge of Mississippi Power's $2 billion Kemper Coal Plant, unanamously rejected by the three members of the Mississippi Public Service Commission. Hood, the Sierra Club, and two independent power producers (Entegra Power Group and Magnolia Energy) all had filed challenges to stop this new facility and the PSC rejected them all. It was a good win for Mississippi Power.

The Clarion Ledger and the Neshoba Democrat both editorialized this as a victory for more energy and more jobs.

That Is So Gay

"That is so gay" is apparently what all the kids are saying these days about something that is silly or dumb. "Gay" people (not silly people, not dumb people, and not "happy" people, but homosexual people) are now upset about this and have a national media campaign called "ThinkB4YouSpeak." I heard the commercials sponsored by the AdCouncil on talk radio today. But I don't think the language police will come and get me if I say that, "THIS is so gay."

House Ethics Committee Investigates Bennie Thompson Caribbean Trip

The Hill reports the House Ethics Committee is investigating a Caribbean Trip made by several Congressmen including Bennie Thompson that may have violated House Ethics Rules against corporate sponsorship.

The House ethics committee is reviewing a trip Rep. Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.) and several other members took to the Caribbean island of St. Maarten last year.

Ethics committee Staff Director Blake Chisam and Todd Ungerecht, counsel to the panel’s ranking member, have asked for information from a conservative group that has raised questions about a November 2008 conference at the St. Maarten Sonesta Maho Bay Resort & Casino.

Earlier, the new Office of Congressional Ethics interviewed staff members to some lawmakers who attended an event at the sun-swept resort billed as the Caribbean Multi-Cultural Business Conference.

Besides Rangel, Democratic Reps. Carolyn Kilpatrick (Mich.), Sheila Jackson Lee (Texas), Donald Payne (N.J.), Bennie Thompson (Miss.) and Virgin Islands Del. Donna Christensen attended the event.

The conservative National Legal and Policy Center’s president, Peter Flaherty, traveled to St. Maarten and found evidence that corporate sponsors paid for the conference.

House rules imposed by Democrats after they took back the House in 2006 bar lawmakers from accepting travel lasting more than two days if corporations that “employ or retain a registered lobbyist” are underwriting or organizing any part of them.

Lawmakers who attended listed the New York Carib Foundation, a non-profit group affiliated with a newspaper aimed at New York City’s U.S. Caribbean immigrant community, as the sponsor.

But photos and transcripts taken by Flaherty show evidence of corporate involvement. Several banners above and below the main podium included corporate logos of Pfizer, Citigroup, IBM, Verizon, AT&T, Macy’s and American Airlines. Flaherty also heard Kilpatrick and Payne thank business “sponsors.”

Chisam and Ungerecht contacted the conservative watchdog group on May 22 to request information on the conference. Flaherty replied with a letter to the ethics committee on Friday, along with 18 photos, a transcript of the morning conference sessions, including Kilpatrick’s remarks, notes of Payne’s remarks, and a copy of the conference program.

Flaherty also filed a formal ethics complaint calling for full-fledged investigation into the trip.

“My characterization of the trip as a ‘junket’ is based on my observation that the sessions were lightly attended,” Flaherty wrote in the complaint. “Most attendees spent significant time at the beach or the pool. Members of Congress attended the sessions when they had a speaking role.”

Democrats imposed stricter limits on corporate-sponsored travel to prevent the type of abuse unearthed during the Jack Abramoff scandal. Lawmakers who attended Abramoff-organized golf junkets to London and Scotland, as well as other luxurious locales, listed several nonprofits as having paid for the travel even though corporations footed the bill.

We've been talking about this for a while here, starting with a report from Kingfish, then this story about how the a complaint had been filed with the Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) for a formal review of the sponsorship by Citigroup of the Caribbean junket, and then a piece from - believe it or not - the Clarion Ledger. A New York paper described the trip as "shameful" and the Madison County Journal made connections between Bennie Thompson's Caribbean trips and Allen Stanford. Still, the story has yet to get much attention in Mississippi.