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Federal Court Rules Obamacare Unconstitutional, Jim Hood had said "unlikely"

2010-12-14T05:47:00.001-06:00

When House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was asked if Obamacare was constitutional, she could not believe the reporter was serious. Her office went on the record as saying, "That is not a serious question."

When Attorney General Jim Hood was asked to file a lawsuit on behalf of Mississippi against Obamacare, he said back in April of this year it was unlikely a court would find Obamacare beyond the scope of the Commerce Clause:

Given the extremely broad scope of Congress's commerce power under existing case law from the last sixty years, it is unlikely the a court would find the Act with its regulated activity of healthcare and health insurance to be beyond that authority....After hours of research, the consultation with constitutional law scholars, and a review of actions of other states' Attorneys General on the health care reform legislation, we have found no authority to support a suit.

Now that unlikely federal court has ruled. The court ruled:

At its core, this dispute is not simply about regulating the business of insurance -- or crafting a scheme of universal health coverage -- it's about an individual's right to choose to participate....no specifically articulated constitutional authority exists to mandate the purchase of health insurance....an individual's personal decision to purchase - or decline to purchase - health insurance from a private provider is beyond the historical reach of the Commerce Clause...On care review, this Court must conclude that Section 1501 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act - specifically the Minimum Essential Coverage Provision - exceeds the constitutional boundaries of congressional power.

Governor Haley Barbour said:

The decision of the federal court in Virginia is encouraging to all of us who consider the Obamacare law unconstitutional; however, we know the case will ultimately be decided by the U.S. Supreme Court.

The Virginia Attorney General has asked the Supreme Court to rule on this directly rather than going first through an appeals court. If it goes to the Supreme Court, will Jim Hood finally get on board? In his letter to Governor Haley Barbour mentioned above, Hood said:

If some viable cause of action arises during the years of litigation, it would be much cheaper for the state of Mississippi to wait to join the suit when it gets to the U.S. Supreme Court.

It has been months not years, but maybe that won't discourage Hood.

Hood and BP Spill

2010-12-13T09:21:00.002-06:00

We wonder if Attorney General Jim Hood made specific recommendations (and if they are on his campaign contribution list) or just generally suggested this practice.

Mr. Feinberg also will announce Monday that anyone who wants a lawyer to help them sort through the new options can have one for free. At the request of Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood, Mr. Feinberg plans to hire a firm to offer the free legal services to claimants.

Republicans celebrate new PSC Commissioner, McComb Mayor

2010-12-08T17:31:00.000-06:00

Republicans are having a good day. Majority in Mississippi posts that the GOP has two new officials elected this week (new mayor and selectman in McComb), plus a new Public Service Commissioner who is a former Democratic legislator and won his PSC in 2007 and will run next year as a Republican. PSC Commissioner Lynn Posey's switch is huge for the GOP.

Guy, Brock appeal fraud

2010-12-07T15:44:00.001-06:00

Y'all Politics posts that Attorneys William Guy and Thomas Brock are appealing a federal jury's ruling that they committed fraud in litigation against Illinois Central Railroad. As you will recall, both are significant contributors to Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood.

Butch Brown and Cancer

2010-12-06T09:10:00.003-06:00

We've had a good time poking fun at Butch Brown. But cancer is no laughing matter. We hope for him and his family his treatment is successful and are glad to see he is in good spirits about it.

Former Mayor and Mississippi Department of Transportation commissioner Larry “Butch” Brown recently discovered his prostate cancer has come back for the third time since 2008, but he said everything is business-as-usual at work and at home on his end.

“(Doctors) performed additional biopsies and found that I do have more — and a more powerful — reoccurrence of cancer in my prostate, so now we’re looking at surgical removal,” Brown said.

Despite his diagnosis, Brown said he feels perfectly normal.

“If doctor hadn’t told me I was sick I wouldn’t know I was sick — I feel just fine,” Brown said.

As far as his own health, Brown said he is living his life as usual.

“I’m just going to keep doing what I’ve always done — try to stay out of trouble, keep doing things for MDOT and the City of Natchez and playing with my grandchildren — that sort of thing,” Brown said.

“I’m gonna be here a long time — trust me. The people of Natchez and the people of Mississippi are going to have to put up with me for a long time.”

MDOT: We don't need no stinking traffic lights

2010-12-06T09:03:00.003-06:00

This is an example of a city trying to take care of a problem before it happens, and a bureaucracy that won't take steps until after the problem occurs. Sandersville wants a traffic light because of expectations of more traffic once a new casino is open. But MDOT apparently can only react and not solve a problem before it happens.

Sandersville Mayor Walter “Buzz” Jack and other town and county officials met with Southern Transportation Commissioner Wayne H. Brown Wednesday to discuss the possibility of installing a traffic light at the intersection of Highway 11 and Main Street in the small Jones County community.

Brown and Pol said Mississippi Department of Transportation officials have determined that a traffic light is not warranted in the area. Brown said MDOT looked at such things as traffic, concentration, accident records, speed, proximity to the railroad and other factors in reaching its decision.

“Traffic signals do not necessarily reduce traffic,” explained Brown. “Neither do they promote safety.”

Now this is the best part.

He pointed out a section of highway in Gulfport were traffic signals were put up with the expectation of having a safer roadway. However Brown said more than 300 accidents occurred on the section of road that had traffic lights, while only about 45 occurred where there were no lights.

That's right. According to MDOT Commissioner Wayne Brown, traffic lights are dangerous. They increase accidents.

The commissioner told the group that the average cost of a traffic light is $500,000.

A traffic light costs half-a-million dollars. We're all in the wrong business. The good news is we can fix some of the state budget problems. According to Wayne Brown, traffic lights are expensive and dangerous. Why don't we just not install any more?

Still not convinced a traffic light wouldn’t be good for the area, Jack asked if a traffic light could be installed at the intersection if the town and Choctaws partnered to do it.

“No, we will not issue a permit for a traffic light unless it is warranted,” replied Brown. “We’ll look at it again if things change somewhere down the road.”

If something changes somewhere down the road...you mean like a casino opening down the road?

Strain advised those in attendance that the casino is scheduled to open Dec. 20. “We are looking at a daily average of about 500 to 600 cars,” said Strain. “That number may increase during the weekends.”

We suspect there are instances of MDOT putting up traffic lights in anticipation of events rather than just based on past traffic levels.

“We are concerned about safety, not so much for the people going to the casino, but for those who live here,” said Jack. “Once the casino opens, I’m sure we will begin to hear complaints from our people about not being able to get from one side of the road to the other.

“We wanted to avoid some of these things and were looking at a traffic light as a good way of doing it.”

Sandersville, this is really a local problem. It isn't like MDOT created it.

Jack said a traffic light once stood at the intersection, but was removed when the state did some work on Highway 11. He said the town was told that a traffic light or flashing yellow lights would be placed at the intersection, but so far the town hasn’t received anything.

Oh, well, look at it this way Sandersville, MDOT did you a favor by removing that dangerous traffic light. Although it would be interesting to know where that traffic light went. Did it go up somewhere else? Is it in storage? Was it sold? We have determined they are quite valuable. But then again, why anyone would want to buy such a dangerous thing?

One Brown Down

2010-12-04T13:52:00.003-06:00

One of the Brown Boys has decided to throw in the towel.

Southern District Transportation Commissioner Wayne Brown said Friday he isn’t running for re-election. He said Friday his announcement was only confirming the obvious. “It’s the worst-kept secret,” Brown said with a laugh.

Mississippi’s three-member transportation commission is likely to look much different soon. In addition to Brown’s replacement, the northern district will also be represented by a first-termer. An election will be held Jan. 11 to replace Northern District Transportation Commissioner Bill Minor, who died in office Nov. 1.

Minor and Brown, both Democrats, often found themselves opposing Central District Transportation Commissioner Dick Hall, a Republican, on major issues including the job performance of MDOT Executive Director Larry Lynn “Butch” Brown.

The new commission may decide the fate of the other Brown.

The 2011 primaries are in August and the general election in November.

Brown's planned departure is a poorly kept political secret. Rumors have swirled for some time that he likely would not seek re-election.

Others already have been lining up for the post, most notably, Senate Highways and Transportation Committee Chairman Tom King, R-Petal. King said Friday that he is taking a hard look at the job and will make a formal announcement in early January.

In the Northern District, the qualifying deadline for candidates is 5 p.m. Friday. Holly Springs resident Ray Minor - Bill Minor's younger brother and business partner - already has turned in his signatures for qualification. Also having met the qualifying deadline are Tippah County District 4 Supervisor Dennis Grisham; Grenada business owner Larry Lee; MDOT employee Larry Lee; and DeSoto County schools transportation director John Caldwell. House Transportation Committee Chairman Warner McBride, D-Courtland, also has announced. Others are eyeing the post.

We hear those in the transportation community view both elections as a referendum on Butch Brown. And that it is not so much a partisan race. For example, it is expected that Ray Minor and Warner McBride, both Democrats, would support Butch Brown. But in the Southern District, the word is that the Republican Tom King would also support Butch Brown.

Wayne Brown has stood behind embattled MDOT Executive Director Butch Brown, who is of no relation.

Central District Transportation Commissioner Dick Hall made a motion to dismiss Butch Brown following the MDOT chief's run-in with the law this summer at the Beau Rivage casino, a vote Hall lost by a 2-1 split.

He actually didn't lose the vote, his motion died for failure to get a second. Bill Minor and Wayne Brown would not even allow the motion to come to a vote.

Butch Brown was arrested in July on a public intoxication charge, which was eventually dropped in return for his agreeing to take anger management classes. Butch Brown was in hot water again in November after he railed on federal U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood during a meeting of national highway leaders.

Hall said he is planning to seek re-election next year. If he wins, he will be the senior member, but Hall said he's not concerned about training newcomers.

"I'm sure whoever wins will come in and we'll bring them up to speed right quick," he said. "We have a pretty senior staff. Added Hall: "It's no secret I plan to make a change at the top if I get the vote to do that."

We hope voters send Hall some backup so we can see a real change at MDOT.

Report on Jim Hood: 'egregious impropriety in hiring private attorneys'

2010-12-04T09:20:00.000-06:00

Thanks to Y'all Politics for this news. A new report Beyond Reproach? Fostering Integrity and Public Trust in the Offices of State Attorneys General criticizes the Attorneys General of six states including, not surprisingly, Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood. A press release on the report by the American Tort Reform Association describes the problem and offers some of a solution. The Mississippi section of the report is not pretty for Hood.

Mississippi has a long and troubling history of unseemly relationships between the office of the attorney general and plaintiffs’ attorneys. Attorney General Jim Hood was elected in 2003 and has funneled substantial work to his plaintiff lawyer campaign contributors ever since. His tenure as attorney general represents one of the most egregious examples of the impropriety that can be found in the process of states hiring private attorneys.

• Over a five year period following his election in 2003, Attorney General Hood retained at least 27 outside law firms to file at least 20 lawsuits on behalf of the State of Mississippi. These law firms and their attorneys contributed $543,000 to Hood’s campaigns.

• Since 2005 Attorney General Hood has received $149,056 in campaign contributions from Bernstein Litowitz Berger & Grossmann, and the State of Mississippi has contracted with this firm on five lawsuits. Between February 14 - 17 of 2006, Bernstein Litowitz attorneys contributed $25,000 to Hood’s campaign, and on February 21, 2006, Hood selected the firm to represent the Mississippi Public Employees Retirement Fund in a securities class action claim against Delphi Corp. The lawsuit settled for $333.4 million, paying $40.5 million in legal fees.

• The firm Wolf Popper contributed $15,000 to Hood’s campaign on February 22, 2006, and the state of Mississippi contracted with this firm on a lawsuit against Sonus on March 23, 2006. Sonus settled for $9.5 million, including legal fees estimated at $1.5 million.

Legislation similar to the Private Attorney Retention Act has been introduced in Mississippi but has not passed. Even after Dickie Scruggs, the state’s handpicked lawyer, went to jail for bribing a judge, Attorney General Hood has resisted such ethics reforms. Stronger state laws are needed to ensure that private attorneys hired to represent the state are selected through an open and competitive bidding process.

There is plenty more in the report on this problem and Mississippi.

We've been watching this here for a while. Our posts on his relationship with Bernstein Litowitz including a trip to Ireland and "pay to play" tactics, and cartoons on what this does to confidence in the legal system and Robin Hood, and the many, many, many, many calls for more ethics and sunshine in the Office of Attorney General.

More Jim Hood on BP Payments

2010-11-25T06:38:00.000-06:00

BP settlement news:

The administrator of BP Plc's (BP.L) $20-billion fund for victims of the worst U.S. offshore oil spill on Wednesday encouraged claimants to file early for final settlements to get the most generous terms.

"I am determined to be more generous than the courts would be..." said Kenneth Feinberg of the Gulf Coast Claims Facility on a conference call as the program stopped taking emergency claims and started work on final settlements.

He warned that Gulf Coast people and businesses who decline to settle and refuse to give BP and its contractors a release from future risk of lawsuits might end up getting less money.

"There is no guarantee that, in the future, a lump sum final payment will be as generous as it will be currently," Feinberg said.

"Until we finish our negotiations with Mr. Feinberg, I advise claimants against signing a release or accepting a final payment without first ~~sharing those payments and paying fees to~~ consulting an attorney," Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood said in a statement.

Jim Hood on BP Oil Payments

2010-11-23T06:55:00.000-06:00

Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood, a Democrat, criticized Feinberg’s draft of protocols for final payments requiring ~~lawyers to forego their legal fees~~ victims to waive their legal rights to sue BP and other companies tied to the spill.

Butch Brown Agrees to Anger Management; Charges Dropped

2010-11-18T10:47:00.002-06:00

That was easy.

The attorney for state transportation director Larry "Butch" Brown says his client will enter anger management classes and, in return, the city of Biloxi will drop a public intoxication charge.

Brown, 67, of Natchez, is executive director of the Mississippi Department of Transportation. He was scheduled to stand trial in Biloxi on charges arising from an incident at Beau Rivage Casino in July.

Brown did not appear in court Thursday.

His attorney, Walter Brown of Natchez, no relation, said if the MDOT chief successfully completes the anger management course, the charges against him will be dropped and his record will be expunged.

Larry Buffington speaks on Judicial Performance and being called an SOB

2010-11-17T13:07:00.006-06:00

Monday's debate between Judge Larry Buffington and challenger David Shoemake sponsored by MageeNews.com is available online for viewing.

It lasts about an hour, but here are our favorite parts:

1) Buffington discusses the Judicial Performance charge against him.

2) Buffington and Shoemake discuss the third candidate's (Douglas Magee) endorsement of Shoemake.

3) Buffington says Shoemake called him an SOB and Shoemake explains if he did it was over the case of 15-year-old honor student named Tiffany who didn't want to visit her neglectful parent for which Buffington had a deputy arrest her and take her to jail.

Here are the transcripts.

[43:01]

Question: The Mississippi Commission on Judicial Performance found that you did not have the proper authority to issue subpoenas to two county supervisors to appear before you in a meeting on February 11, 2009. At the meeting you admitted you failed to comply with the law but said you didn't care. The Commission recommended to the Mississippi Supreme Court that you be reprimanded and fined. The Supreme Court has not yet issued its decision. Do you agree with the recommendation by the Commission on Judicial Performance?

Buffington: Absolutely. I messed up. Sixteen years you make some mistakes....I was frustrated; I'll be just as honest as I can be. I had asked the Simpson County Board of Supervisors to meet with me because there had been a controversy about an appointment that I made, a great appointment, a very qualified person, a needed appointment. Three of the supervisors agreed to meet with me. Unfortunately, one of the supervisors particularly said he wanted a subpoena or an order. The other supervisor I was told said the same thing. So out of frustration, because I have always met with the board. If they asked me to meet with them about any kind of situation and I've met with the board. And I thought that, not that they owed me anything, but they owed the office the respect, to meet with me. So I did. Before I thought, I issued the subpoena. The thing about the subpoena was I could have issued the subpoena if I had just set forth what it was. I did not set forth in the subpoena the reason. I made a mistake. I accepted that responsibility. The judicial performance committee has made a recommendation on it and I am in full agreement with it.

[49:31]

Question: Judge Buffington, Simpson County is the largest county in this district and Simpson County native Douglas Magee won a large share of our votes. What would you say to those who supported Mr. Magee to convince them to vote for you in the run-off election?

Buffington: Look at my last 16 years. Doug and I have never had any disagreements. He might have had a disagreement on certain things he wanted to achieve but we've never had any disagreements as far as in court and I would think if they look at me and what I've done they'd want to support me.

Shoemake: Well, Mr. Magee and his supporters are going to support me - [cheers and applause] - and there will be an ad coming out in the paper this week to that effect. But I would say to them, if you want to compare who to vote for, do just that. Go ask other lawyers who have had other lawyers with me, who have had other lawyers with him, ask the people who have had cases with me, ask the people who have had cases with him and inquire if they think justice has been done. When they got a ruling out of the court do they feel they've been treated fairly and has justice been done. When I do my job as a lawyer did I treat them with respect? Did I do what I pledged to do as a lawyer and represent them to the best of my ability? And did I do it and treat them fairly and honestly? People need to go and investigate the people they are voting for for judge.

[53:50]

Buffington: The fact that maybe I've run for other offices, trying to improve what I think is our court system. I'm not ashamed of that. I would do it again. The only lawyer who has ever called me an S.O.B. is standing right beside me right here. So I would ask you to ask the other lawyers in the district as far as how I treat people and how he has treated me at times. And he was a good friend. He is godparent of my youngest child. I have appointed him on cases to represent children where he has made close to a million dollars.

Shoemake: That is absolutely not true and I do want a chance to respond to all of this.

Buffington: And he has and those type things. And I have ruled against him. And he has told everybody I have ruled against him every time he comes in there and I don't. I rule based on the facts and based on what's before me. And I'm going to continue to do that in the future and I hate that it’s gotten down to this. I'm real disappointed it’s gotten down to this. But I'm not going to sit here and be slammed. And I do ask you to check. Check with your court personnel. Check with your local lawyers. Are there two or three that are mad at me? Absolutely. But check with them and see.

Moderator: OK. I'll give you one minute to respond.

Shoemake: Judge Buffington says I called him an S.O.B.

Buffington: Terrell Stubbs was present!

[Terrell Stubbs was standing at the back of the room, at this point he exited the debate hall.]

Shoemake: I don't know whether I did or not, but I know what happened immediately before that in Court. He put that young lady right there on the second row in jail. She was fifteen, a straight-A honor student at Seminary High School. She had not ever caused anybody a problem. She had three part time jobs. She did not want to go with her parent on a weekend visitation when that parent had basically neglected her for the first fourteen years of her life. After all of that. Judge Buffington ordered a deputy to come to the courthouse and take her to jail. Now, in the courtroom, my face never changed. I don't have a lot of personality and I take being a lawyer seriously. I carry a poker face in the courtroom. You never know my emotions in the courtroom. When I got back to his office, in his office with the door closed and with two or three other lawyers there I expressed my opinions on the way he ran his court. And I still have those opinions. And that's one of the things that has pushed me to run for the job I'm running for now. You can talk all you want to, it’s all about kids. But when you put a fifteen year old honor student like Tiffany in jail or threaten her with jail, something is bad wrong.

[Applause]

Debate between Judge Larry Buffington and David Shoemake for Chancery Judge seat, 13th District, MS from Deia Sanders on Vimeo.

Larry Buffington and using the law to silence the media

2010-11-17T11:22:00.004-06:00

You remember Larry Buffington. He went nuts when someone "leaked" public information to the press. In his attempt to uncover the hideous crime of giving public information to the press, he issued subpoenas that he later acknowledged broke the law, but he didn't care. For that the Judicial Performance Commission recommended a public rebuke, a case still pending before the Mississippi Supreme Court.

Now, Larry Buffington, the law, and the media collide once again. As we have noted, it appears Larry Buffington may have violated state ethics rules regarding nepotism by ordering supervisors to hire his brother and ordering his brother's level of pay. Additionally, this would seem to violate the Code of Judicial Conduct that says clearly, "A judge shall avoid nepotism and favoritism."

So a citizen files a complaint. Then comes the story in the Clarion Ledger quoting the citizen and the head of the Judicial Performance Commission.

Charlene May of Silver City acknowledged to The Clarion-Ledger that she filed the complaint "because I think the public needs to know he is robbing taxpayers." But the head of the judicial watchdog group charged with investigating complaints and making punishment recommendations said state law dealing with nepotism is fuzzy. "It speaks to specific officers and clerks," said John Toney, executive director of the Mississippi Commission on Judicial Performance.

Now comes the next story. Apparently Larry Buffington and his attorney are attempting once again to use the law to silence the media.

A Silver Creek woman says her judicial complaint against longtime Chancery Judge Larry Buffington has been dismissed because she talked to the media.

This is a woman who saw something wrong. She did the responsible thing and reported it to the authorities. When contacted by the press she didn't run and hide, she said what she did. At what point does any of this clear Larry Buffington of nepotism?

She filed her complaint late last month with the Mississippi Commission on Judicial Performance.

Buffington said Monday he hired his brother four years ago in Lawrence County only because the county prosecuting attorney had a scheduling conflict. He said county supervisors hired his brother in the other counties.

So Buffington can comment on this, but the person who made the allegation can not?

May said she received a call on her cell phone from the commission's Executive Director John Toney telling her that her complaint was voided because she breached the confidentiality clause after her story appeared in The Clarion-Ledger.

That was the same story in which John Toney appeared.

May said she disagrees with her complaint beingdismissed.

"That does not negate what he has done," May said of Buffington. "He committed nepotism."

Toney said he couldn't confirm or deny anything about the case because the commission's work is confidential until the recommendation.

Butch Brown Trial Thursday

2010-11-17T06:14:00.000-06:00

Unless something has changed, Butch Brown faces trial tomorrow on a charge of public intoxication.

School Attorney says pink cleats kid "quit"

2010-11-16T17:41:00.002-06:00

There is always two sides to every story but so far we've only heard one side. Here are the first comments by the attorney for the school in the silly pink cleats lawsuit.

The attorney for Mendenhall High School football player Coy Sheppard claims the school did not honor its agreement to let him back on the football team last Friday. But, the attorney for the Simpson County School Board says the coach told the high school senior he was back on the team, but he would not be playing in the playoff game. We’re told the coach allowed Sheppard to stand on the sidelines, but he was not in full uniform. "My understanding is that he quit he walked away. He said well I’m done with you and everything and he walks away and that’s it. At no time was he ever forced off the team,” recalls Daniel Jones, Simpson County’s attorney.

The Silliness Continues

2010-11-16T09:56:00.004-06:00

The implied threat to the Coach is you better play this guy at Friday's game or else the lawsuit will happen. As we have warned, we are now litigating the decisions coaches make in football. Parents, forget screaming at the coach, just hire a lawyer instead.

Coy Sheppard says he just wants to kick the ball Friday and help his Mendenhall High School football team win.

And he's hoping his coach doesn't reverse field and keep him from dressing out.

Sheppard is practicing with the team this week in preparation for Friday's game against the St. Stanislaus Rockachaws in the third round of the state playoffs. The winner advances to the state semifinals.

The Sheppards sued the school district earlier this month to protest his dismissal from the team. According to the lawsuit, Mendenhall coach Chris Peterson dismissed Sheppard after he wore pink cleats to the Oct. 8 football game and Oct. 11 practice.

Peterson told Sheppard he could not dress out for Friday's game because he had missed too many practices, Diaz said.

Quarterback Arlandas Johnson, who has also been kicking in Sheppard's absence, was injured last week, and it's unclear whether he will be able to play Friday.

Joanne Sheppard said her son just wants to be able to play before his senior year season ends.

Diaz said the original lawsuit had not been dismissed because they were waiting to see whether Coy Sheppard would be "fully reinstated" as the agreement said.

Coaching Through Litigation - or - the other shoe drops

2010-11-15T06:18:00.000-06:00

It appears the Mendenhall football coach did not play the kid with the pink cleats after he was reinstated to the football team and dropped his lawsuit. Some people yell at a coach from the bleachers when they don't like what he does. Not anymore. Now its time to sue.

The kid's attorney, Oliver Diaz, said

"So not only is this coach making bad decisions, he is also costing the taxpayers of Simpson County a good amount in legal damages."

Two items to note. First, what is costing the taxpayers of Simpson County is the lawsuit will now include money for the kid and money for his attorney. Second, the team won suggesting the Coach may just not have needed the kid.

In addition to the initial request for punitive damages paid to the American Cancer Society and Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, Diaz said, he will be requesting punitive damages for Sheppard, plus attorney’s fees.

Mendenhall defeated Purvis 27-21 in the Class 4A playoffs.

If anyone is costing the taxpayers money, it is the lawyer. If you measure coaching decisions by a win or loss, then the coach did not make a bad decision.

Let's hope for the sake of football that we don't soon add on-field lawyers for players to consult when they disagree with their coaches.

A "silly" lawsuit dropped

2010-11-12T07:20:00.004-06:00

It seems the silly lawsuit over a football player's pink shoes has come to an end.

Sheppard, who was kicked off the Mendenhall High School football team last month after wearing the brightly colored shoes for a game and practice, was reinstated Thursday during a meeting with school officials.

The 17-year-old kicker filed a lawsuit against the school district last week to protest his Oct. 11 dismissal from the team. The suit has been dropped as part of Thursday's agreement, his attorney, Oliver Diaz, said.

Sheppard said his goal was to raise awareness about breast cancer.

"As long as this raised awareness, then it's done some good," he said. "I'm just glad to be back on the team."

Attorneys for Sheppard and the district said coach Chris Peterson hugged Sheppard and welcomed him back to the team after the agreement was reached.

"He coaches the team real good," Sheppard said. "I'm glad to be back with him, playing for him."

At last, the Republic is safe once again.

A "silly" lawsuit

2010-11-12T06:19:00.001-06:00

A kid wears pink cleats to football practice. His coach tells him not to wear them. The kid ignores the coach and wears them again. The coach says if you won't follow instructions, you're off the team. The kid sues. Former Supreme Court Justice Oliver Diaz is his attorney.

Because students in the Simpson County School District earn academic credit for participating in sports, Diaz said the dismissal has put Sheppard's future at the school in question. "His graduation may be in jeopardy for something as silly as not being allowed to wear pink cleats," he said.

How silly for the kid to put his own graduation in jeopardy by not listening to his coach at practice. He must value his pink cleats more than football, even more than his education. Good for him. One day he can point to those pink cleats on the wall and tell his grandchildren that pink cleats are worth fighting for, even sacrificing your education for.

Another word for "silly" is of course "frivolous."

But wait. It appears pink cleats are not worth fighting for.

Diaz said Coy Sheppard has apologized and promised to leave the pink shoes at home, but so far school officials have not budged.

"All Coy wants to do is play football," JoAnne Sheppard said "If they told him he could play football this weekend, he would go play."

Kid doesn't listen to his coach. Kid gets kicked off the team. Kid still wants to play. Kid now says he will listen to his coach. I bet he will listen to his coach now and more than that the other team members will listen to their coach. That is important to a team.

Should the coach let the kid who learned his lesson to get back on the team? That's up to the coach, but while the kid still wants to play football, it isn't clear he learned his lesson.

Sheppard's suit, filed last week in Simpson County Chancery Court, asks the court to reinstate Sheppard to the football team and clear his disciplinary record. The suit also asks for any monetary damages to be awarded to the American Cancer Society.

So, the kid wants the judge to run football, not his coach. The kid wants a judge to erase the fact that he ignored his coach's instructions. And the kid wants to take money from his school and give it to a charity he supports. It appears the kid doesn't just want to play football, he wants to play football on his own terms, which is what started this whole mess to begin with.

We agree with his attorney. This is silly.

That's a big AASHTO to fill

2010-11-11T09:08:00.002-06:00

Marshall Ramsey on Butch Brown's AASHTO comments.

Salter: Butch should go - Ledger: MDOT needs change

2010-11-10T13:47:00.003-06:00

Sid Salter writes today that Butch Brown should retire from MDOT to focus on his own concerns.

Brown needs to step down from the leadership of MDOT and attend to his personal issues. Brown needs to be able to focus on his battle against cancer without the political turmoil that is certain to develop over his leadership of MDOT during the process of choosing a successor to the late Minor.

In all likelihood, the election to choose Minor's successor doesn't bode well for Brown continuing in that role regardless of his health.

The Clarion Ledger editorialized the "the activities, comments and actions of Executive Director Butch Brown continue to keep the Department of Transportation in an upheaval of political intrigue and controversy."

Central District Transportation Commissioner Dick Hall has sought Brown's removal for some time and, again, has called on him to step down. Hall has been overruled by the other two commissioners, Wayne Brown (no relation to Butch Brown) in the Southern District and Minor, who died of a heart attack the morning of Brown's remarks about LaHood.

A new commission will change the political makeup, which could affect whether Brown remains executive director of MDOT.

Calling federal highway officials names won't help Mississippi build needed highways. Some new state leadership might.

Warner McBride Dodges on Butch Brown

2010-11-09T07:50:00.002-06:00

There are many issues voters should consider in the upcoming special election for transportation commissioner in the Northern District. Just as the first important vote in Congress is for Speaker of the House and control of the whole Congress, so the first important vote at MDOT is for the executive director who with the support of two commissioners rules the entire agency and is more powerful than the third elected commissioner.

If a candidate denies Butch Brown is an issue then that is code that they will support Butch Brown.

McBride, who chairs the House Transportation Committee, said he plans on making a public announcement to run after the governor sets the election date.

He said his "thoughts and prayers go out to Butch and his family" as he deals with cancer.

"I think until he's back home and recovering and better it's inappropriate to discuss his leadership," McBride said. "The question is not about Butch Brown or other personnel, but it's how MDOT can best be run for the people of Mississippi, and that's going to be my focus."

Larry Buffington Does it Again

2010-11-06T06:54:00.001-05:00

How can one rural judge provide so much entertainment? Here is the latest from Judge Larry Buffington.

Longtime Chancery Judge Larry Buffington, who is in a runoff in less than three weeks, is facing a new judicial complaint.

Buffington allegedly has filed orders in four counties dating to 2000 hiring his brother, Scott Buffington, as a Youth Court prosecutor, according to the complaint.

Charlene May of Silver City acknowledged to The Clarion-Ledger that she filed the complaint "because I think the public needs to know he is robbing taxpayers."

But the head of the judicial watchdog group charged with investigating complaints and making punishment recommendations said state law dealing with nepotism is fuzzy.

"It speaks to specific officers and clerks," said John Toney, executive director of the Mississippi Commission on Judicial Performance.

This is the "fuzzy" law.

It shall be unlawful for any person elected, appointed or selected in any manner whatsoever to any state, county, district or municipal office, or for any board of trustees of any state institution, to appoint or employ, as an officer, clerk, stenographer, deputy or assistant who is to be paid out of the public funds, any person related by blood or marriage within the third degree, computed by the rule of the civil law, to the person or any member of the board of trustees having the authority to make such appointment or contract such employment as employer. § 25-1-53

And the law states (§ 25-4-103) a brother is a relative.

Toney would not discuss a specific case but said generally it's not a "slam dunk" that any rule or law has been broken.

"The only thing we would be looking at is whether he appointed someone who wasn't needed," Toney said.

There might be a few other things to consider as well also from the Code of Judicial Conduct

• A judge shall avoid nepotism and favoritism. (Canon 3-C-4)

• Judges shall not allow their family, social, or other relationships to influence the judges' judicial conduct or judgment. (Canon 2-B)

Back to the story.

May filed records with her complaint showing orders signed by Buffington appointing Scott Buffington as a Youth Court prosecutor in Jefferson Davis, Lawrence and Simpson counties. Scott Buffington also was appointed for Smith County, too, but not Covington, she said.

Besides nepotism, Buffington also may have violated §25-4-105 that prohibits a relative setting "the amount of pecuniary benefit" of a relative which the Mississippi Ethics Commission has looked down on numerous times (for example Opinion ID: 99-043-E and Opinion ID: 05-069-E).

We hope to hear more from Judge Larry Buffington on this one.

Wayne Brown: Butch's remarks rhymed with "AASHTO"

2010-11-05T14:01:00.003-05:00

An update on this morning's post also coming from the Mississippi Business Journal (and Y'all Politics is posting, too.)

We did manage to reach Southern District Transportation Commissioner Wayne Brown (no relation to Butch) on his cell phone a few minutes ago.

Wayne Brown could not remember exactly what Butch Brown said that drew Mendez’ ire, but did say there was a profanity involved that “rhymes with AASHTO.”

“I think Victor was a little too sensitive. We have a right to express our opinion in these rural states about the direction transportation’s going in. Did Butch do it with the best taste in the world? No, he did not.”

Wayne Brown has been an ally of Butch Brown for many years, and he said this latest incident does nothing to change that. Central District Transportation Commissioner Dick Hall has often clashed with both Browns. A spokesman for Hall said Friday morning that Hall did not attend the AASHTO Board of Directors dinner.

“Mendez had a right to say what he said in his letter; Butch had a right to say what he said,” said Wayne Brown. “Both of them could have done it with a little more sensitivity.”

Federal Highway Chief: Butch Brown's behavior "offensive" and "shameful"

2010-11-05T06:06:00.000-05:00

Clay Chandler at the Mississippi Business Journal breaks this story:

Early this afternoon, Magnolia Marketplace obtained a letter Federal Highway Administrator Victor Mendez wrote to Brown and copied several others on. It’s only two sentences long, but it packs quite a punch.

The full text of the letter, which was dated Nov. 3 and addressed to Brown: “Your remarks as a public official were highly offensive, inappropriate and unprofessional. Your behavior was shameful and brings discredit to your department (the Mississippi Department of Transportation), the citizens of the great State of Mississippi and your peers at AASHTO.”

Wow.

Mendez was referring to Brown’s behavior during AASHTO’s Board of Directors dinner, which was listed on the letter’s subject line, on Nov. 1. According to the AASHTO meeting agenda, the dinner took place at the Imperial Palace, was invitation only and started at 6 p.m. Here’s the interesting thing about that: Northern District Transportation Commissioner Bill Minor died the morning of Nov. 1. He was attending the AASHTO meeting.

So whatever Brown did that night, hours after his friend and colleague’s sudden death, was deemed so “offensive, inappropriate and unprofessional” by Mendez, he fired off a letter and copied the other two members of the Transportation Commission (Dick Hall and Wayne Brown), AASHTO’s executive director, AASHTO’s incoming president, and the deputy director of the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Conversation on the Coast

2010-11-03T15:12:00.003-05:00

If Taylor wins, he still loses subcommittee leadership

2010-11-02T12:02:00.000-05:00

Politico:

MS-4 - Mississippi's Gene Taylor is one of the most conservative Democrats in the House, but this year's reelection bid has pulled him even further to the right, and despite the work he's brought home to Northrop Grumman's naval shipyard in Pascagoula, he's very vulnerable to Republican Steven Palazzo. Even if Taylor survives today, he'll likely lose his chairmanship of the HASC's sea power subcommittee to Missouri's Todd Akin.

Former 4th District Nominee Urges Support for Palazzo

2010-10-31T18:36:00.000-05:00

In 2008, John McCay won the Republican nomination to face Democrat Congressman Gene Taylor in the general election. Taylor won. Showing no signs of sour grapes and all signs of supporting his party, this year John McCay is urging voters to support Steven Palazzo.

The 4th Congressional District deserves a representative who understands our district and will vote responsibly.

We need a true conservative who will put Mississippi first, and that person is Steven Palazzo.

For too long the 4th District has not had a true conservative who will stand for what he believes and supports a conservative mission.

We need Steven Palazzo in Congress. I believe Steven to be a man of integrity, faith and love for his family and country. These are ideals we as Mississippians hold dear.

I strongly encourage you to support Steven Palazzo as he labors for the betterment of our state and our country.

Democrats Bankroll Gene Taylor

2010-10-30T06:10:00.000-05:00

Lest anyone think Gene Taylor is independent from his National Democratic Party, check out how the Democrats bankrolled his campaign.

Stephen Colbert Calls Gene Taylor "Gutless"

2010-10-29T06:39:00.000-05:00

Gene Taylor throwing Dems under the buss

2010-10-26T15:17:00.003-05:00

Gene Taylor says he voted for John McCain and not Barack Obama. He says he voted for Pelosi to help with insurance reform and now he isn't going to vote for her again, so we guess insurance reform is off the table.

Gene Taylor can't work with Democrats, and he isn't a Republican, so what good is he?

Taylor complained that Republicans were trying to jump on the admission. “They’re trying to make it a sign of desperation,” he said.

It IS a sign of desperation. He is doing whatever it takes to get reelected and willing to throw anyone under the bus to make it happen.

Buffington Has Opponents

2010-10-25T06:45:00.000-05:00

Remember Larry Buffington? Sid Salter said he put the "Buff in judicial buffoonery."

Judge Larry Buffington admitted:
• He violated the Mississippi Constitution
• He violated the Code of Judicial Conduct
• He brought disrepute on the Court with his willful misconduct
• He didn’t care when he broke the law
• He uses his position as Judge to appoint his friends to office

A case against him by the Mississippi Judicial Performance Committee is pending at the Mississippi Supreme Court.

Well, Larry Buffington has two opponents for reelection coming up on November 2.

Douglas Magee and David Shoemake

David Shoemake:

Douglas Magee

Gene Taylor so happy to vote for Nancy Pelosi

2010-10-24T06:43:00.000-05:00

Clinton Reid - Clinton Childers

2010-10-23T06:47:00.000-05:00

From the Bill Clinton campaign trail: these are the guys he wants back in Washington DC in two weeks.

Bill Clinton campaigning for Harry Reid

Two days later, Bill Clinton campaigning for Travis Childers

Will Morgan Freeman's name be on the ballot next to Luckett's?

2010-10-22T06:26:00.000-05:00

Good one from Marshall Ramsey.

Gene Taylor hit by the surge

2010-10-21T11:51:00.000-05:00

Today from Marshall Ramsey

Gene Taylor didn't build it high enough, according to the new Tarrance Group poll that has Steven Palazzo in the lead by two points.

NAACP Rallies Against "Racist" Tea Party

2010-10-21T06:14:00.000-05:00

This is the face of the Tea Party in Mississippi: Bill Marcy

And the NACCP thinks the Tea Party is racist.

The NAACP held a rally at the state capitol on Wednesday speaking about the Tea Party Activism around the country and in Mississippi. The rally was in light of a national report released by the Institute for Research and Education on Human Rights. In the report it discusses certain areas of the country where Tea Partiers have crossed the line and conducted in "racist" behavior. NAACP state chapter President, Derrick Johnson says they are concerned with these findings. "We cannot afford in the state of Mississippi to go backwards." Johnson continued, "It is bad across the country."

NRCC: Travis Childers, Just The Facts

2010-10-20T06:42:00.001-05:00

The National Republican Congressional Committee has a greatest hits web page up called ChildersFacts.com with video and various items including the following.

•The Daily Journal (Tupelo, MS) said Travis Childers’ campaign made “a serious misjudgment” in one of its attack ads. The premise of Childers’ ad is “simply not true,” and the campaign “should pull the…ad” because it “lowers the quality of debate.” Further, the Commercial Dispatch (Columbus, MS) called claims made in the same ad “unfair,” “lame,” and “misleading.” (Additional Information)

•Travis Childers voted for Barack Obama’s $787 billion dollar stimulus plan that has left the nation deeper in debt while Mississippi unemployment hit a 23-year high. Even worse, his vote helped give tax breaks to foreign companies creating jobs in China. (Additional Information)

•Travis Childers wrote a letter to a judge asking for leniency in the sentencing of disgraced lawyer Joey Langston, who pleaded guilty to trying to bribe a judge on behalf of his client Dickie Scruggs. Less than one month after Childers wrote the leniency letter for Joey Langston, Childers took a twenty-three hundred dollar campaign check from Langston’s lawyer, the maximum allowable contribution. (Additional Information)

•Travis Childers has supported higher taxes. He voted for a permanent extension of the current death tax rate, which the Wall Street Journal calls “the largest increase in the death tax in U.S. history,” and he voted for an increase in carried interest and enterprise value taxes. But Travis Childers has been delinquent in paying his property taxes six times since getting elected to Congress, and late a total of 221 times since 1999 – even as he served as a county official in charge of collecting other people’s property taxes. (You may find additional information here. You may find additional information about his tax delinquency here and here.)

Newt seeks contributions for Palazzo

2010-10-20T06:35:00.001-05:00

From Newt Gingrich's contribution appeal for Steven Palazzo and four other candidates.

We are just two weeks away from some of the most important mid-term elections in our nation's history, and members of American Solutions PAC have already made a big difference.

Together we have raised a total of over $100,000 for ten candidates running in races that are absolutely critical in our efforts to take back the House.

But Republicans need to win 39 seats to take back the House from Speaker Nancy Pelosi. So this week we are featuring another five candidates.

These candidates are running in the most competitive Congressional races in the entire nation, and they need your support.

It is absolutely critical that you contribute to these candidates, and your donation will go directly to their campaigns:

Steven Palazzo is running against 10-term career Democrat politician Gene Taylor. One of the most conservative House districts in the country to be occupied by a Democrat, it is time for a true voice for the people of Mississippi. Donate to Steven here.
The outcome of their races could determine who controls Congress, and the very future of our nation is at stake.

In related news, Dick Morris also sees this as a competitive race.

Democratic House seats that no one would have imagined are vulnerable, and races thought to be blowouts for Democrats are now neck and neck, he says.

“That really is an advantage to Republicans -- first because the undecided almost always go against the incumbent, and second because Republicans are so much more enthusiastic about voting this year that I think their turnout will be much higher.”

Morris cites several incumbent Democrats earlier considered prohibitive favorites who are likely headed for defeat: Reps. John Dingell of Michigan, Corrine Brown of Florida, John Hall of New York, Mike Ross of Arkansas and Gene Taylor of Mississippi.

Bennie Thompson's Supports Obama, but hoarding money

2010-10-20T06:23:00.000-05:00

Bennie Thompson is still supporting Barack Obama as he says in this video in which he criticizes President Bush for the veto of two farm bills he says were necessary for the Delta.

However, Democrats are criticizing Thompson and his colleagues for hoarding cash.

Cash-strapped House Democrats are beginning to feel Scrooged by politically safe elder statesmen who won't part with stockpiles of campaign money.

Allyson Schwartz of Pennsylvania has $3.5 million in the bank. Ed Markey and Richie Neal of Massachusetts have a combined $5.9 million — at a time when Republican Scott Brown's special-election Senate victory has Democrats worried that they'll lose the open 10th District based on Cape Cod. Brad Sherman of California has $2.9 million, Lloyd Doggett of Texas has $2.8 million, Jerry Costello of Illinois has $2.4 million, and Bennie Thompson of Mississippi has $2 million.

"I would use the word shameful. Embarrassing and shameful. There are people on this list who are chairmen. There are people on this list who want to be chairman. And then obviously No. 6 ," said the chief of staff to another Democrat in a top-tier race. "It's incredibly short-sighted. If they ever want to run for something, someone's going to slam them on the fact that they just sat on [millions]."

DCCC Calls Taylor a Nazi?

2010-10-19T06:38:00.002-05:00

Did the DCCC call Gene Taylor a Nazi? Not quite, but almost. We don't believe Gene Taylor deserves that attack, but then we aren't the DCCC.

National Democrats have charged that a House candidate endorsed by a controversial anti-immigration group has “Nazi ties” — but six other congressional Democrats also have the group’s endorsement.

The group, Americans for Legal Immigration, or ALIPAC, supports candidates and incumbents who oppose creating a path to citizenship for the thousands of undocumented immigrants in the United States. The Anti-Defamation League has criticized ALIPAC for what it says is support from white supremacist and racist groups.

“Another [National Republican Congressional Committee] Young Gun candidate, another Nazi tie — it should come as no surprise,” Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee spokesman Andy Stone said in a statement Monday. He said the group was “on the racist fringe” and that it was “backed by anti-Semites and white supremacists.”

The DCCC statement was aimed at Arizona congressional candidate Jesse Kelly, the Republican who is challenging Rep. Gabrielle Giffords in the state’s 8th District.

But six Democrats: Reps. Joe Donnelly of Indiana, Gene Taylor of Mississippi, Pete DeFazio of Oregon, Mike McIntyre of North Carolina and Jim Marshall and John Barrow of Georgia, all have the group’s endorsement.

But at least one, McIntyre, has touted the group’s endorsement. POLITICO calls and e-mails to the other five Democrats were not immediately returned.

ALIPAC adamantly denies any voluntary association with white supremacist or neo-Nazi groups.

The ADL has carefully documented white supremacist groups that have encouraged their members to attend ALIPAC events or have posted ALIPAC information on their own websites. They have also pointed out white supremacist groups that have encouraged their members to attend rallies or lobby members of Congress in support of ALIPAC goals.

Just so we're clear here, we do not think Gene Taylor is a Nazi. We don't know if he has embraced this endorsement. And honestly, we don't even know anything about ALIPAC. What we do know is the DCCC is pretty quick to use the "Nazi" tag and get dirty, and this time some of that mud has blown back on one of their own candidates.

Newt Gingrich Endorses Steven Palazzo

2010-10-19T06:33:00.000-05:00

Y'all Politics has a press release from Steven Palazzo's campaign touting the endorsement Newt Gingrich for Palazzo. As far as we can tell, Palazzo is the only candidate in any Mississippi race endorsed by Gingrich and American Solutions.

Alexandria, Virginia – Speaker Newt Gingrich and American Solutions has officially announced its endorsement of conservative Republican Steven Palazzo (MS-04).

“Mississippi’s 4th Congressional District is one of the most conservative districts in the country, but has been represented by a Democrat who votes with Nancy Pelosi's agenda nearly 80 percent of the time. Steven Palazzo is a true representative of the values of his conservative district and will fight to create jobs in South Mississippi through less spending and less taxing,” said Speaker Newt Gingrich.

“I am honored to be endorsed by American Solutions. Speaker Gingrich is the leader on conservative issues and solutions. When elected, I will carry the conservative banner in Congress and get American families back to work,” said Palazzo.

Gingrich says, “Any time an incumbent is at only 44 percent, the challenger is in an ideal position for victory. Palazzo is within two points of Gene Taylor and has a real chance to take back a conservative seat.”

Heck of a job Taylor

2010-10-18T06:42:00.001-05:00

"That guy has to run against me,'' Taylor said. "And I've got a heck of a record."

Right, heck of a job Taylor. We've heard that one before. And if you think FEMA was slow, what has Gene Taylor done over the past twenty years in congress?

Actually, we don't want to be totally dismissive. He has fought to rename a bunch of Post Offices, and for that we say, heck of a job Taylor.

Veterans of Foreign Wars: Gene Taylor "can't ride that wagon anymore"

2010-10-17T07:44:00.000-05:00

The Hattiesburg American has news on Democrat Gene Taylor's run against combat veteran Steven Palazzo. Basically, they are looking to rescind Taylor's endorsement and Taylor "can't ride that wagon anymore."

National Veterans of Foreign Wars officials want the organization's political action committee to rescind its congressional endorsements in the November elections, including one for Congressman Gene Taylor.

Bill Perkins, senior vice commander for VFW Post 3063 in Hattiesburg, said he understood that the national office had received thousands of calls and e-mails on the endorsements. The VFW has 2.1 million members.

Taylor's campaign has aired commercials about the VFW-PAC endorsement and included it on his campaign website, www.congressmangenetaylor.com.

Perkins said the VFW's demand that the PAC rescind its endorsements means that Taylor "can't ride that wagon anymore."

Dems turning on each other, attack Thompson for hording money

2010-10-17T06:38:00.001-05:00

Erica Payne at the Huffington Post attacked Bennie Thompson and other Democrats for not sharing their wealth with their colleagues.

Like a chubby kid stockpiling his Dunk-a-roos at snack-time, many Democratic politicians in safe seats are hoarding their goodies while embattled colleagues go hungry this campaign season. The bottom line is: vulnerable Democrats are begging donors for cash -- $2,400 at a time, while their colleagues are sitting on millions of dollars they could unleash with a pen stroke. So what is it? Senate aspirations? Bag lady syndrome? Who knows? And, frankly, who cares? It's time we taught our little hoarders to share.

Pelosi gives Childers permission to run against her

2010-10-16T15:23:00.000-05:00

Just like on the ObamaCare vote, Travis Childers has to wait until Democratic House Leadership - Nancy Pelosi - gives him permission to do the conservative thing. Now Travis Childers is running against Pelosi, but according to the New York Times, he apparently has "her blessing" to do so.

Biting the hand that feeds you is not always a successful strategy, but it underscores the stakes in the Nov. 2 elections. Many Democrats are doing whatever it takes to try to keep their majority.

And they apparently have Ms. Pelosi’s blessing.

“I just want them to win,” Ms. Pelosi said in a recent interview on “NewsHour” on PBS when asked about the defectors.

The number of defecting Democrats is hard to quantify since some, like Mr. Bright in Alabama and Representative Gene Taylor of Mississippi, have said flat out that they would not vote for Ms. Pelosi while others have only signaled that they might not.

Representative Travis W. Childers of Mississippi said he would “like to see someone more moderate” as speaker.

These Democrats are trying to run as quasi-Republicans, he said, but voters will not support them when real Republicans are on the ballot.

Many Democrats are now boasting about how often they vote with the Republicans. When his Republican challenger said that Mr. Taylor “chooses Nancy Pelosi over Mississippi,” Mr. Taylor said that of the 1,466 votes he had cast since January 2009, “Nancy Pelosi agreed with my vote 34 times,” or 2 percent of the time.

Nunnelee & Palazzo Outraise Dems in 3rd Quarter

2010-10-16T12:08:00.002-05:00

Republicans Alan Nunnelee and Steven Palazzo both outraised their opponents in the 3rd Quarter according to FEC reports. While Democrats Travis Childers and Gene Taylor still lead in cash on hand, the momentum is clearly with the GOP as Dem donors appear tapped out.

DC's Hotline called Palazzo a winner in the money race

Once thought to be longshots, Republicans Bobby Schilling, who's taking on Rep. Phil Hare (D-IL), and Steven Palazzo, who's challenging Rep. Gene Taylor (D-MS), both managed to haul in more than the incumbents. The showing by both validates their status as real upset picks on Nov. 2.

and said elsewhere

The list goes on and on: Rep. Joe Donnelly (D-IN) wasn't even in the fundraising ballpark of his Republican challenger Jackie Walorski, who outraised the congressman, $546K to $323K. Rep. Gene Taylor (D-MS), a popular conservative Democratic facing his first serious race in many years, got badly outraised by Republican Steven Palazzo. We're still tabulating all the numbers, but if the trends hold up, we could see a record number of Democratic incumbents getting outraised in the last three months by their Republican challengers - another empirical bit of evidence that 2010 is shaping up to be a Republican rout.

Here are the numbers.

Travis Childers
3rd Quarter
Raised: $307,027.67
Spent: $711,949.08

Year To Date
Raised: $1,635,331.93
Spent: $1,141,534.45

Cash On Hand: $494,848.04
Debt: $100,000

Alan Nunnelee

3rd Quarter
Raised: $475,526
Spent: $403,928.79

Year To Date
Raised: $1,358,126.78
Spent: $1,060,039.95

Cash On Hand: $322,988.99

Gene Taylor

3rd Quarter
Raised: $159,535
Spent: $175,147.80

Year To Date
Raised: $623,844.98
Spent: $532,797.37

Cash On Hand: $331,071.71

Steven Palazzo

3rd Quarter
Raised: $311,534.50
Spent: $134,083.72

Year To Date
Raised: $501,593.50
Spent: $330,011.69

Cash On Hand: $203,581.81
Debt: $32,000

Gene Taylor Double Talk on Pelosi

2010-10-15T06:58:00.000-05:00

Why did Gene Taylor vote for Nancy Pelosi?

Was it because he didn't like Republican John Boehner?

Taylor has said that he voted for Pelosi mainly because he disagreed strongly with her opponent, Rep. John Boehner. He has said he would not vote for her again.

If so, why didn't he not vote for Pelosi but vote for someone else like he did many years ago?

Was it because she promised him her help on insurance reform?

Asked why he voted for Nancy Pelosi as House Speaker, he said, "I will tell you exactly why." "She came down to South Mississippi and heard the horror stories of people who had been cheated by the insurance companies. She listened, stood in a town hall meeting in Bay St. Louis and said, If you will let me be speaker, we will pass some insurance reform through the U.S. Congress, let you get your wind and water policy, all one policy, so that the next time, and there will be a next time, when we have a hurricane, people won't get screwed by the insurance companies; it doesn't matter if the wind, water did it or a barge goes through your house, you get paid," he said.

If so, consider this. Nancy Pelosi promised Gene Taylor she would help him with insurance reform. So he says he voted for her. Now he says he will not vote for her (“She failed to support it this year, so I will not be voting for her again.”) so does that mean Gene Taylor has given up on insurance reform?

No, it means he wants to get reelected, that is his top priority. He will worry about insurance reform, worry about the Coast, later. His brilliant plan to get someone else to keep his promise failed, now he has no plan. That's the problem of being both ineffective and alienated from your party.

Bennie Thompson: Performance Measures to Secure Homeland Security Money...like $22 million for Tougaloo

2010-10-15T06:51:00.001-05:00

So President Barack Obama signed a law to reduce waste and increase accountability in Homeland Security funds. Bennie Thompson said about the new law:

“Without reliable performance measures, we risk allotting scarce homeland security grant dollars to activities that do not boost our nation’s preparedness,” said Congressman Bennie Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security.

We agree. Afterall, if we waste Homeland Security money, we won't have any to spend on those critical needs to keep our country safe and "boost our nation's preparedness." Things like...a $23 million earmark for Tougaloo for a program that apparently didn't exist.

In an earmark request for 2010 appropriations, Thompson’s Web site indicates that he is seeking $23 million for the “National Institute for Education and Training” at Tougaloo College for “an Operational Test and Evaluation Activity (OTEA) in Vicksburg, Mississippi…”

The money would be “an addition to existing programs” at the institutions, [Thompson's Chief of Staff Lanier] Avant said. Tougaloo “has one of the most renowned engineering programs of all the [historically black colleges and universities] in the country. … It’s not like Tougaloo is some kind of new kid on the block,” he said.

But Tougaloo does not offer an engineering major. The school’s course catalog indicates that there is not a single engineering class being taught at Tougaloo this semester. The school does have a joint program with the Georgia Institute of Technology that allows students to transfer there to get their engineering degree after finishing their liberal arts coursework at Tougaloo.

George Armstrong, a chemistry professor who serves as the interim director of Tougaloo’s National Institute for Education and Training in Transportation Security, said he had heard about the earmark but had no details about it.

“That is something just coming out,” Armstrong said. “I wouldn’t have known about it except I just happened to be in a meeting” where the project was mentioned, he said last week. “It hasn’t been fully defined … [though] I know our name is associated with that.”

UM Cartoon: Bill Clinton and Panty Thief

2010-10-14T09:17:00.003-05:00

Josh Clark at The Daily Mississippian and Marshall Ramsey at The Clarion Ledger with their takes on the Bill Clinton-Travis Childers campaign event at the University of Mississippi today.

Sun Herald Endorsement for Congress: My Grandfather

2010-10-14T06:21:00.000-05:00

Last week the Sun Herald endorsed Star Trek's Khan for Congress. This week, they endorsed my grandfather. Let's go through it.

The Sun Herald is basically begging people to support Gene Taylor. Here are some excerpts and the translation.

Those employees have no stronger advocate than Taylor.

Taylor is an advocate.

And since he ranks fourth in seniority among the 60 members of the House Armed Services Committee, Taylor is in an especially advantageous position to be an advocate for the Coast.

Taylor has seniority.

He also serves as chairman of the Seapower and Expeditionary Forces Subcommittee, which has an annual budget of approximately $60 billion to spend on Navy and Marine Corps programs.

Taylor is a subcommittee chairman.

This is experience and stature that South Mississippians can take to the bank, and influence which could not be replaced anytime soon by any of Taylor’s opponents.

Taylor has influence.

He’ll hop on a plane and go to the other side of the world if he thinks he can make life a little safer for Americans serving in harm’s way. His concern for and care for our troops is an important reason that he has long been so popular among South Mississippians.

Taylor cares about the troops.

He lost everything but life to Katrina and he’s determined to make such disasters less ruinous for others. He is one of the most knowledgeable members of Congress on the insurance issue so important to Americans living near a shoreline — and that’s more than half of all Americans.

Taylor is determined and knowledgeable.

So why would the sensible constituents of the 4th Congressional District gamble on another candidate?

It is obvious. Gene Taylor is a determined and knowledgeable senior advocate with influence who chairs a subcommittee and cares about the troops.

Other than him not being a subcommittee chairman, the Sun Herald basically endorsed my grandfather to be congressman.

(And with Gene Taylor saying he won't vote for Nancy Pelosi, even if the Democrats retain the House, he won't be a subcommittee chairman next time.)

My grandfather and Gene Taylor have something else in common. Both have accomplished nothing for the Fourth Congressional District over the past twenty years.

That is the real reason thousands of sensible constituents of the 4th Congressional District will take a sure thing on another candidate.

Clinton's Schedule - Tuesday: Harry Reid; Thursday: Travis Childers

2010-10-13T11:49:00.005-05:00

Former President Bill Clinton is trying to keep the liberal Democrats in control of Congress for two more years.

Tuesday he was in Nevada to help Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid:

Joking that he was "preaching to the saved," former President Bill Clinton on Tuesday night urged a largely Democratic crowd to help return U.S. Sen. Harry Reid to Washington.

At a rally inside Valley High School's gym, Clinton said that "in a normal time" Reid would be winning his re-election bid by 25 points and his GOP challenger Sharron Angle wouldn't be a electoral threat to the incumbent.

The crowd, which got invitations through the Democratic Party and from other Reid-friendly groups, stood and applauded when the senator and later Clinton took the stage.

Holding Reid signs, people applauded warmly several times when Clinton or Reid made a point -- and booed whenever Angle's name was mentioned. But people began to politely stream out of the gym as Clinton went on about the economy and the hour-long event was wrapping up just after 10 p.m.

"I assume you all are going to vote," Clinton said, knowing Democratic turnout must be high for Reid to win. "You've got to vote for Harry Reid."

Clinton most recently campaigned for Reid's son Rory, who is running far behind Republican Brian Sandoval in the gubernatorial race. The Reids have not campaigned together, both fearing they'll hurt one another's chances of election.

Clinton's visit comes more than a week before President Barack Obama is scheduled to visit Las Vegas on a rescue mission to save Reid's re-election chances and to raise money for the Democrats.

In Las Vegas, Obama plans to attend a rally sponsored by the Democratic National Committee and a fundraiser for Reid in coordination with the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee.

The Obama rally will be a public event, aimed at boosting voter turnout and shoring up support for Reid and Rep. Dina Titus, D-Nev., locked in tight race with GOP challenger Joe Heck.

Having left the Harry Reid event in Nevada, Bill Clinton now comes to Oxford, Mississippi to help Travis Childers.

We think Clinton digs the Mustache

2010-10-13T11:06:00.003-05:00

Bill Clinton will be in Oxford tomorrow to endorse Travis Childers. The message?

"Travis, 1972 called, it wants its mustache back."

Party with Childers, Hood, Presley, Mims

2010-10-13T07:33:00.002-05:00

Y'all Politics shares the details about a Monday night party featuring Democratic Congressman Travis Childers, Democratic Attorney General Jim Hood, Democratic Transportation Commissioner Bill Minor, Democratic Public Service Commissioner Brandon Presley, and nonpartisan judicial candidate Kelly Mims (who has a picture of Haley Barbour in his campaign commercials). No word if Jamie Franks or Bob Marley were there.

Investigative Reporting Blog on Bennie Thompson, Hinds Homeland Security funds

2010-10-12T07:27:00.002-05:00

The Center for Investigative Reporting says the press missed a "politically intriguing" story about Hinds County, Homeland Security funds, and Congressman Bennie Thompson.

The Center for Investigative Reporting has offered up numerous stories by now of communities running into trouble with federal grants awarded to them by Washington for anti-terrorism and preparedness purposes. But one of the most politically intriguing so far surfaced in early October.

That’s when the Department of Homeland Security told local authorities in Hinds County, Miss., that they needed to return public-safety equipment purchased with the funds that went unused. The list of questioned gear apparently accumulating dust included tanks for oxygen masks, four-wheelers, search-and-rescue tools and even “heavy-duty trucks,” according to one local news account.

What did that news account neglect to mention? Hinds County is represented by Democratic Congressman Bennie Thompson, chair of the powerful House Homeland Security Committee. Thompson doesn’t just back the $33 billion Congress has handed out in readiness grants to states and local communities since 2002. He’s chided FEMA for trying to implement a policy that would have required grantees to use their own money for maintaining equipment they’d already bought.

Obama: What, Me Worry?

2010-10-11T07:19:00.001-05:00

Unemployment Up

Economy Down

War in Foreign Lands

His Democratic Party headed for electoral defeat

Obama hits links for 52nd golf day

Gene Taylor All Smiles For Nancy Pelosi

2010-10-10T10:41:00.001-05:00

The Mississippi Republican Party (hattip Majority) has posted a CSPAN clip showing how happy Gene Taylor was to vote for Nancy Pelosi. It speaks for itself. NotMyRep.com

Tea Party Goes Digital on Childers, Thompson

2010-10-09T10:11:00.001-05:00

The Mississippi Tea Party now has digital billboards up. One with Travis Childers and Nancy Pelosi asks, "Do They speak for YOU?" we hear are up in Corinth, Columbus, and Tupelo.

Another features Bennie Thompson and Bill Marcy. This one in Greenville says "15 million out of work! VOTE Nov.2, You might be next." Next to Thompson it says "We're doing alright" and next to Marcy "We deserve better."

Childers launches district wide working tour

2010-10-08T06:11:00.000-05:00

From WDAM: "Congressman Childers to launch district wide working tour"

This of course begs the question, what has he been doing before now?

Childers says

"I've been working full-time since I was 16 years old. Serving the people of North Mississippi is the most important job I've had. Today, North Mississippi families are struggling to makes ends meet. I've been fighting to create and save jobs and improve our economy, protect seniors' Social Security savings, and provide our children with the quality education they need to succeed. It's important to me to hear from the people of the First District about these issues. That's why I've been in all 24 counties since day one. I look forward to continuing to put North Mississippi first by talking directly with voters about the real issues that matter to them."

How can anyone be in all 24 counties since day one? Did he visit all counties on day one? Does he spend every day visiting all 24 counties? And when was day one? Was "day one" on Tuesday when he launched this tour? And if not, why do you tour some place where you already are and have been? Maybe tomorrow morning when each of us wake up, we should tour our own homes.

Look, we know what Childers is trying to say; but it isn't what he is saying. But why is that any different from the rest of his leadership?

Sun Herald - Khan for Congress

2010-10-07T06:01:00.001-05:00

Who knew the Sun Herald had actually endorsed a Ricardo Montalbán character for Congress?

Tanned and open-collared, ~~Taylor~~ Khan embodies the Coast wherever he goes, from Bay St. Louis to Afghanistan.

But times have been tough.

Yet his face has lost that boyish look. Partly, no doubt, because he just turned 57. But probably more so because he lost almost everything but life to ~~Katrina~~ Ceti Alpha V, an experience that aged us all.

The Sun Herald says he is for a strong national defense. Kirk agrees, "You have a tendency to express ideas in military terms, Mister Khan."

The Sun Herald says he is for a "smaller national debt that does not endanger our future with debilitating interest payments." Khan says, "We offered the world order!!"

The Sun Herald says Khan will fix the insurance problems, unfortunately, he replies, "You are in a position to demand nothing, sir. I, on the other hand, am in a position to grant nothing."

While we do not agree with him on everything, ~~Gene Taylor~~ Khan Noonien Singh has never given us reason to think that he has anything but the best interests of his constituents at heart. Such loyalty deserves our support.

In the words of Khan, "Save your strength, ~~Captain~~ Palazzo, these people have sworn to live and die at my command ~~two hundred~~ twenty years before you were ~~born~~ a candidate.

Respond Mississippi respectfully disagrees with the Sun Herald. As Captain Kirk said to Spock, "We can be against him and admire him all at the same time."

Mississippi Tea Party Billboards - Childers, Pelosi, Thompson

2010-10-06T06:26:00.003-05:00

The Mississippi Tea Party has billboards up connecting Travis Childers, Nancy Pelosi, and Bennie Thompson. It is a pleasant thing to see when traveling up and down the highway.

Government Motors Contributes to Bennie Thompson

2010-09-28T06:58:00.000-05:00

Taxpayers own 60% of GM. Are you happy they are giving campaign dollars to Bennie Thompson?

Change That Matters

2010-09-18T07:40:00.000-05:00

From the clever IMAO

The Democrats unveiled their fancy new logo today:Didn’t take long for me to figure out what it looked like:Just needs a new slogan to go with it.

“Crap that splatters”, maybe?

Clever.

Will Mississippi be sued over voting fraud?

2010-09-17T06:53:00.000-05:00

The Washington Times had an interesting editorial suggesting Mississippi might be one of the states targeted by a private lawsuit over potential voter fraud.

The dead voters may be forced back into their graves.

16 states will start receiving official "notice letters" from [whistleblowing former U.S. Department of Justice attorney J. Christian Adams] warning of coming private-action lawsuits to compel them to enforce these particular provisions of the law. This appears to mean that the Justice Department is refusing to make states comply with federal voter-verification laws - which is why the task will fall to Mr. Adams, helping represent private citizens whose legal votes otherwise would be diluted in value by fraudulent votes.

The evidence adduced by Mr. Adams, who resigned in protest from the Obama Justice Department, is so stark as to beg the question of how the department could miss it other than by deliberately, lawlessly ignoring it.

Mr. Adams' notice letters report that South Dakota, for example, has 17 counties with more registered voters than there are citizens of voting age living there. Mississippi has 17 such counties. Alabama has seven, and Indiana, Kentucky and Texas have 12 each. Most of the states threatened with suits have reported no cleaning of their voter lists for years.

Along those lines, Mr. Adams' missives also include Freedom of Information Act requests for the lists of federal felony convictions that the federal "motor voter" law requires the Justice Department to provide to election officials in each state. The direct intent of the requirement is to enable states that ban felon voting to scrub those names from their registration lists. The implication from Mr. Adams is that the Justice Department is ignoring that part of the law, too.

Butch Brown Trial November 18

2010-09-10T08:46:00.002-05:00

The Sun Herald updates us on Butch Brown, executive director of the Mississippi Department of ~~Tourism~~Transportation, and his Beau Rivage adventure.

Mississippi Department of Transportation Director Larry L. “Butch” Brown has pleaded not guilty to a public intoxication charge and is set to stand trial Nov. 18.

The charge stems from Brown’s arrest in July at Beau Rivage casino. Biloxi police records say Brown was “intoxicated and unconscious” at a slot machine at 5:43 a.m. Brown has maintained his innocence in the case, but didn’t return a phone call seeking comment Thursday.

Casino security placed Brown under citizen’s arrest until Biloxi police arrived. He was booked into the Harrison County jail, where he later posted a $480 bond. Brown’s disorderly conduct charge was dropped at the casino’s request. Biloxi police filed the public intoxication charge against Brown, for which he will stand trial before one of Biloxi’s two municipal judges.

Speight to prison in BioFlop

2010-09-09T07:37:00.000-05:00

Patsy Brumfield has updates on the Nettleton BioFlop.

First this

H. Max Speight, who admitted he defrauded a federal biofuels program, was sentenced Thursday to 26 months in prison. Senior U.S. District Judge Glen H. Davidson's sentence was more than the probation urged by defense attorney Kevin Payne, who cited his client's "substantial cooperation" with prosecutors and his status as an "ideal candidate" for probation. Susan Bradley, assistant U.S. attorney, supported the government's motion for a reduced sentence. Speight, 67, will report to prison Oct. 11. The judge also ordered him to repay $2.88 million to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

And on Speight's partner

His new attorneys have appealed his conviction, saying he is innocent – that Speight took the money – and that Tacker’s trial attorneys failed to put on an effective defense.

Remember that those attorneys are Oliver Diaz and Chuck McRae.

Also Patsy tells about Brandon Presley's visit to the plant, a more sober assessment than when he was mayor.

Public Service Commissioner Brandon Presley drove by the idle plant a few days ago. He was the town's mayor when BMI rolled into town with big promises and big dreams. "Nothing's happened at the property," Presley reported as he looked at the locked gate at 128 Biodiesel Drive.

I Want Your Money

2010-08-31T18:45:00.001-05:00

A Liberal Praises Haley Barbour

2010-08-30T19:05:00.002-05:00

Ellen Ratner calls Haley Barbour a Katrina Hero

As one of the almost million volunteers who went to help after Hurricane Katrina (about one out of every 230 adults in the United States) I have seen the devastation and recovery first hand. At first it seemed totally unbelievable, as if the country had moved from first world status to third world status in twenty-four hours. Basics such as clean water and soap, luxuries in places like poverty ridden Sudan were not available. People were stuck in the Superdome without a way out. This, I thought could not be America.

What we learned from Hurricane Katrina is that good leaders become great leaders and others are shown to be empty suits. It also became clear that government has a job to do but only local communities can implement those tasks. Locals know who needs what and how to cut through the bureaucracy. They also can hinder response (such as zoning out housing solutions) but in general it is the best line of action and defense.

I have written about Gov. Haley Barbour several times but I really can't write enough about what he did after the storm. I knew Barbour from his days as RNC Chair and to say that our politics are different would be an understatement. However, he ran the storm response like FDR ran the recovery from the Great Depression. Mrs. Barbour went out all over the state without saying a word that she was the governor's wife and reported who needed what every night. Gov. Barbour responded by making sure local needs were being being met.

There were no political calculations on his part, it was just helping as needed. He has moved around the Gulf Coast as if he was just the good neighbor from across the street. I've been around politicians for 19 years as a reporter and Barbour is a master of being totally present to his citizens. It is a rare gift.

No, Barbara Blackmon is handicapped

2010-08-23T10:32:00.002-05:00

WLBT following up on Jackson Jambalaya's post reported it was lobbyist and former state senator Barbara Blackmon driving the car parked in the handicapped spot. She faxed in a handicapped placard to WLBT but would not discuss it. JJ also has a shot of the car at the Hilton in a handicapped spot.

Ed Blackmon Handicapped?

2010-08-21T12:31:00.000-05:00

We have been critical of Ed Blackmon when he failed to pay his taxes, and when he killed open meetings reform, when he championed secrecy, and generally as he has led the Party of No even when it comes to school bus safety for children.

But our prayers go out to him now because apparently he has been in an accident. That would be the only explanation we could think of for him stealing a handicapped parking spot from those who actually need it. Jackson Jambalaya has the photos of Blackmon's BMW (with his legislative tag clearly seen) parked in a handicapped spot at Bravo's on Friday. Of course, maybe it was someone else driving Ed Blackmon's car. Or even, someone else's car with Ed Blackmon's license plate. Or maybe its a plot of the vast right wing conspiracy.

Oppose the Ground Zero Mosque? Nancy Pelosi is looking for you.

2010-08-18T14:26:00.003-05:00

Remember when the White House wanted Americans to snitch on each other and forward to flag@whitehouse.gov materials that opposed President Obama's health care plan?

Remember how "evil" to President George W. Bush were the terrorists on 9/11; but "evil" to Senator Harry Reid was questioning congressmen at town hall meetings?

Well, the latest attack on political dissent comes from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi:

"There is no question there is a concerted effort to make this a political issue by some. And I join those who have called for looking into how is this opposition to the mosque is being funded."

Roll Call: Black Caucus’ Institute attempts better ethics in Tunica this year

2010-08-17T14:43:00.003-05:00

As we have blogged previously, The New York Times reported on the Congressional Black Caucus 2008 event in Tunica:

House rules, which prohibit lawmakers from taking multiday trips “planned, organized, requested or arranged by a lobbyist.”

It takes a little digging to find the role big companies with lobbyists played in sponsoring the Congressional Black Caucus’s four-day 2008 conference at a casino resort in Tunica, Miss.

Each of the 14 House members submitted a detailed agenda for approval to the ethics committee. It listed social events like a golf outing, but it also included serious topics like health care and global warming.

But there is something missing from the agenda sent to the ethics committee.

A different copy handed out to the caucus members is much the same — except for the line under each event that names a corporate sponsor. A workshop focused on health care included the words “Sponsored by Eli Lily,” the big drug company with a huge stake in health care legislation. Edison Electric Institute, an association of power plant owners, hosted the global warming seminar. Wal-Mart sponsored a clinic to teach lawmakers and other attendees how to skeet shoot; after the lessons came a competition sponsored by the International Longshoremen’s Association.

The NYT then said in an editorial:

Representative Zoe Lofgren, who leads the ethics panel, said that if nonprofit groups are being used “as a pass through” for corporate players, then “that is a fraud.” It looks that way to us.

Without admitting it did wrong, the Congressional Black Caucus and members of Congress were more careful this month in Tunica. Roll Call reports:

The Congressional Black Caucus Political Education & Leadership Institute took extra steps to ensure its annual policy conference in Mississippi last week complied with House ethics rules, according to Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) and an institute board member.

The effort comes a year after the nonprofit ran into criticism over corporate sponsorships listed on its itinerary and for giving free space to the American Gaming Association to host an industry forum.

Thompson, chairman of the CBC Institute board, received approval from the ethics committee for the event Aug. 9, two days before the conference started and nearly a month after he submitted forms seeking approval.

Thompson said the ethics approval process has become so arduous it requires Members to seek legal counsel to ensure compliance. And more lawmakers are picking up the tab for their own travel rather than having to interact with the ethics committee. Thompson estimated that about half of the Members who attended the policy conference opted to pay for their own travel.

“More and more Members will say, ‘I’m coming, but I’ll pick up my own expenses. I won’t go through this constant badgering by ethics,’” Thompson said.

Thompson was one of six CBC members who had to reimburse the government for the costs of two trips to the Caribbean. After an investigation, the committee found that the trips were largely paid for by for-profit corporations.

“There’s a reluctance to rely on ethics for advice anymore, and when Members of Congress have reluctance to rely on Congress for advice, that undermines the whole process,” Thompson said.

In order to get the ethics committee’s approval this year, the institute made sure to demonstrate that corporations and trade associations that contributed to the group did not control the agenda of the three-day event.

Roll Call reported in October 2009 on the forms a dozen CBC members filed with the House ethics committee in 2008 and 2009 seeking approval of their travel to the annual conference. The copy of the 2008 itinerary listed corporate sponsors for every aspect of the conference.

Capital City Young Republicans Kick-Off with Senator Roger Wicker

2010-08-16T21:14:00.001-05:00

The Capital Area Young Republicans filed their national charter papers and kicked-off the club's activities with a visit by U.S. Senator Roger Wicker at Hal & Mal's in Jackson. Mississipp Republican Party Chairman Brad White introduced Wicker at the event.

The group "will foster active participation in the political process for conservatives ages 18 through 40 from Hinds, Madison, and Rankin Counties."

“I am pleased to announce the official establishment of the Capital Area Young Republicans, which will provide young adults with an opportunity to network with like-minded individuals in the Metro Area,” said Matt Allen, CAYR chairman. “As a young conservative, I realize the importance of engaging our elected leaders on issues that affect all of us, no matter what age. CAYR will provide a forum for individuals to come together to learn more about the Republican Party, candidates, and relevant news.”

According to its governing charter, the Capital Area Young Republicans will promote and encourage support for and participation in the Republican Party at the local, state, and national level; provide information about news, elections, candidates, and activity updates; and foster active participation in the political process, particularly among young adult in the tri-county area.

Jim Hood Doesn't Like The Topix(.com)

2010-08-09T15:41:00.002-05:00

WTVA reports

Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood has joined attorneys general in several other states in a joint statement to Topix.com.

It focuses on how the internet message board handles posts that are considered abusive and inappropriate.

In a statement released Monday, Attorney General Hood said, "we are concerned about derogatory posts that are personal in nature."

I wonder if he means this one?

Topix.com: MS AG Jim Hood's Office Ignoring Crimes by Gov't and Clergy!

Or maybe this one?

Topix.com: AG pulled into Scruggs fray

Charlie Rangel: Mr. Tax-Law-Writing-Tax-Evader

2010-08-02T11:00:00.001-05:00

Butch Brown Court Date - September 13

2010-07-26T14:17:00.004-05:00

The Beau Rivage dropped the "disorderly conduct" charge against MDOT Executive Director Butch Brown, but he still faces the public intoxication charge and his court date was set for September 13, according to WAPT.

Biloxi police said Mississippi Department of Transportation Director Larry “Butch” Brown is expected in court Sept. 13 in connection with a misdemeanor public intoxication charge he faces as a result of his arrest Friday morning at the Beau Rivage Casino.

Police described Brown as belligerent and combative. He was arrested and charged with public intoxication and disorderly conduct, police said. Brown was released on $480 bond, police said.

Biloxi police said the misdemeanor public intoxication charge still stands.

Even Brown admits to the Associated Press he was drinking that night

"I was playing, of all things, a penny slot machine," Brown said with a chuckle during a telephone interview...Brown, 67, said he'd had wine with dinner and "a couple of whatever they serve" as drinks in the casino. He said the incident was "embarrassing."

Obama Administration - Same As It Ever Was

2010-07-24T07:24:00.001-05:00

Busting Ass, Butch Brown Style

2010-07-23T18:08:00.004-05:00

“We still have to wade through the murky bullshit of the Biloxi Sun Herald doing articles just like this, while we’re out there busting our ass to make something good happen for you." - MDOT Executive Director Butch Brown (Biloxi Sun Herald, June 5, 2010)

That's right, man. Butch Brown is a hard working civil servant. Get off his ass. He is out there, bustin' it hard, just trying to make sure Mississippi has paved roads. You know? He gets no respect, no respect for his hard work. People always criticizing him. Come on. He is just a blue collar guy.

And sometimes he needs a littl R&R.

From the AP:

Authorities say Butch Brown, executive director of the Mississippi Department of Transportation, was arrested at a Biloxi casino early today and charged with disorderly conduct and public intoxication.

Both are misdemeanors.

Harrison County Sheriff Melvin Brisolara says Brown was released from jail on $480 bond.

According to the Clarion Ledger, the "charges have been dropped". According to the Natchez Democrat, "The Biloxi Police Department says the case is 'pending action of the Biloxi Municipal Court.'" According to the Mississippi Business Journal (which called on Butch Brown to resign), Butch Brown "didn’t just publicly embarrass himself and disgrace the state of Mississippi. He followed his misdemeanor with lying to an MBJ reporter, denying that the incident occurred."

More on this to come, we're sure.

Obama Breaks Promise with Tanning Tax

2010-07-20T13:33:00.002-05:00

"I can make a firm pledge. Under my plan, no family making less than $250,000 a year will see any form of tax increase. Not your income tax, not your payroll tax, not your capital gains taxes, not any of your taxes." - Barack Obama, September 12, 2008, Dover, New Hampshire.

Another broken tax promise from Barack Obama:

Those wishing to cloak themselves in tanning-bed bronze are paying more for the service these days, thanks to a new federal tax that proprietors began collecting this month.

Money collected from the tax goes to help fund the nation's new healthcare program, an effort to provide health insurance for all.

About 18,000 mom-and-pop businesses across the country will have to collect the tax.

"This tax is a on group of people who are not big wage earners," said Overstreet "This is a recession. People are already hurting and cutting back on things like that."

In addition to having to charge their customers the tax or pay it themselves, those small businesses will have the burden of preparing the paperwork and will already have taken on the additional expense of updating their accounting process.

According to ITA, the Internal Revenue Service will collect $2.7 billion over the next 10 years with this tax.

Oh, but this is for healthcare. Still a broken promise:

His detailed campaign plan stated that his proposed improvement in health insurance and health technology "is more than covered" by raising taxes on the wealthy alone.

Bioflop generates 60 months prison for Tacker; McRae & Diaz to appeal

2010-07-19T16:36:00.003-05:00

Tommy Tacker was sentenced today for his role in the bioflop and has hired former Mississippi Supreme Court Justices Chuck McRae and Oliver Diaz to handle his appeal, Patsy Brumfield reports.

Biodiesel entrepreneur William T. “Tommy” Tacker II of Okolona today was sentenced to 60 months in prison after his conviction to a federal fraud case.

In February, a jury found him guilty on 10 counts in a $2.88 million scheme to defraud a biofuels subsidy program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Co-defendent, disbarred Tennessee attorney Max Speight, 67, pleaded guilty to one count shortly before they were to go on trial. The prosecution’s key witness at Tacker’s trial, he hasn’t been sentenced.

...he has hired new attorneys for his appeal, former Mississippi Supreme Court justices Oliver Diaz and Chuck McRae.

Tacker built a plant to produce biodiesel from soybean oil in Nettleton in 2006.

Mitchell praises reporting on Jackson council, MDOT

2010-07-15T17:03:00.000-05:00

Charlie Mitchell of the Vicksburg Post rightfully praises reporting by Michael Newsom of the Sun Herald and Chris Joyner of the Clarion Ledger. Newsom has reported on the lavish trips taken by Department of Transportation officials while Joyner has questioned the value of taxpayer paid trip by Jackson City Councilman Kenneth Stokes. Both deserve praise for their investigative journalism.

Jussely advocates internet for Canton sunshine

2010-07-15T15:58:00.000-05:00

Edd Jussely has the perfect solution for Canton's sunshine troubles in a letter to the Clarion Ledger.

The solution is simple.

The Open Records Act was enacted before something called the Internet came to be. Canton should put all its records on the Internet and there would be no cost for copies or labor. All levels of Mississippi government should put their records on the Internet. And, yes, that includes salaries of public employees, FuelMan records, travel expenses, hotel expenses, etc.

The Legislature should repeal the clause that allows government entities to charge for information and require all public documents to be available on the Internet.

Bravo!

Obama Needs a Mulligan in the Gulf

2010-07-13T15:02:00.003-05:00

Majority in Mississippi notes that while President Obama urges Americans to visit and vacation on the Gulf Coast, it is all too much of do what I say not what I do. He is going to Maine: 1750 miles away.

GOP.com invites Republicans to use a widget to list their personal choices for "The Top 5 Most Ridiculous Things Obama Has Done Since the Oil Spill." The choices at Play Golf or Save the Gulf:

Instead of attending a memorial service for the eleven workers killed, Obama flew to California to raise funds for Barbara Boxer

Obama went golfing ten times since the explosion in the Gulf

Obama turned down 13 countries that offered to help us clean up the Gulf

President Obama has refused to return BP's contributions; he is the largest recipient of their campaign donations over the past twenty years

Obama announced a job-killing drilling moratorium that could cost Louisiana $2.97 billion in revenue and 7,590 jobs directly related to the oil industry

Obama repeatedly denied requests from Gulf Coast lawmakers for necessary cleanup items like oil-blocking booms and skimmers

Obama originally denied Louisiana officials permission to build up barrier islands between the coast's marshes and the gulf

Obama let 10 days pass before sending any Cabinet-level officials to Louisiana's coast

Obama's Interior Department Chief of Staff rafted with wife on "work-focused" trip in Grand Canyon during the spill

Obama said that the Gulf disaster "echoes 9/11"

Obama attended private concerts by Paul McCartney and Kelly ClarksonObama took two vacations (one to his hometown Chicago and one to Asheville, North Carolina)
The liberal think tank Center for American Progress appears to have more influence on spill policy than the president's in-house advisers

Bye Bye Bennie dot com

2010-07-13T08:39:00.002-05:00

Tea Party activists opposed to Congressman Bennie Thompson and fans of Republican Bill Marcy's campaign against him this November have launched ByeByeBennie.com in a sign that things will continue to get interesting in this Second District race.

Bennie Thompson argues against voting for Joel Gill

2010-07-08T16:01:00.004-05:00

The Democratic nominee for Congress in Mississippi's Third Congressional District is Joel Gill of Pickens, who does not live in the Third District. What would Mississippi's Second Congressional District incumbent Democratic Congressman Bennie Thompson say about that?

"Now, how in the world is somebody going to come into this district and say I want you to vote for me, even though I can't vote for myself?"

Joel, with friends like Bennie, who needs Republicans?

(HT: Majority in Miss)

Bennie Thompson Agrees with Rudy Giuliani

2010-07-08T15:44:00.005-05:00

A few months ago, the left attacked Rudy Giuliani for claiming that after 9/11, the United States experienced no domestic terrorists attack under President George W. Bush.

Last night House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson (D-MS) announced to a crowd in Greenwood, Mississippi:

"I'm happy to report to you that since the 9/11 incident, we have not had one major breach in this country."

I wonder what the left will say about that?

Listen for the crickets.)

(HT: Majority in Miss)

Connecticut Conservatives for Johnny Dupree?

2010-07-07T10:37:00.004-05:00

No, we get it, its a stock photo. But still, we find it at least worth sharing. Here are portions of screen grabs from www.JohnnyDupree.com and www.CTmajority.org.

In his race for governor "everyone counts" - even Connecticut conservatives.

Bill Luckett sponsors fundraiser for Democrats; where is Johnny Dupree?

2010-07-06T17:19:00.002-05:00

Johnny Dupree needs deep pockets if he is going to keep Bill Luckett from buying the Democratic nomination for governor in 2011.

Canton opposes voluminous sunshine

2010-06-30T14:56:00.002-05:00

Outrageous. A group in Canton wants to know how taxpayers' dollars are spent. This includes - gasp - how much public employees are paid! Can you imagine that a government be accountable to taxpayers? I mean really, that is "ridiculous and stupid."

Two residents are questioning Canton's public records policy after receiving a combined $600 bill for requested copies of the city budget and bank statements.

Susan Coulange and James Cockrell, top officers in a grass-roots Canton government watchdog group, allege the charges do not reflect actual costs and likely were meant to dissuade their inquiry.

Mayor William Truly vehemently defends the fees and characterizes the request for bank statements - because they contain employee salary information - as "mean" and "ridiculous and stupid."

"I could understand how a group would want to know what elected officials are doing, but why would you want to know what ordinary employees are paid? That's mean," Truly said. "It is the most ridiculous and stupid request of which I am aware."

Cockrell said the purpose of the records requests made on June 8 is to track how taxpayer money is spent.

Truly acknowledged the city often waives fees for small-scale records requests, but the mayor said it was necessary to charge for nearly 650 copies and more than nine hours of labor needed to research and copy the city's budget and bank statements from January to June.

If only someone would invent something that could put all 650 copies on one computer file that would cost nothing. Imagine that.

"When you have such a voluminous request that takes them (city employees) away from their customary duty to prepare this voluminous amount of material, it disrupts their work day," Truly said.

Truly described the records probe as an "attack" and a way to "target" his administration and employees.

Bill Luckett's Hilton Penthouse

2010-06-24T06:17:00.002-05:00

We suppose they chose the Penthouse to keep the mule headed farmers out.

If Barbour had listened to Democrats, we wouldn't have today's announcement from Toyota

2010-06-17T14:38:00.003-05:00

What a great announcement from Toyota for Mississippi today. If Mississippi Democrats had their way, our state would have acted in such a way that might have prevented this day from coming.

Mississippi Democratic Party Executive Director Sam Hall, just under two months ago, criticized Mississippi's policies toward Toyota and suggested Toyota was years away from coming to Mississippi, "if ever".

Even in the case of Toyota, who has failed to hold up their end of the bargain and who look like they are years away from coming to the state, if ever. Nonetheless, we continue to pay on their debt services. - Sam Hall: April 23, 2010

These comments echoed the criticisms of Mississippi Democratic Party Chairman Jamie Franks earlier this year.

In the meantime, the State of Mississippi is hurting, and we are continuing to pay the debt services on a deal Gov. Barbour struck with Toyota despite the automakers’ failure to fulfill their obligations. Recalls for Camry’s have dominated the news. Now comes another round of recalls, which is a harbinger of more fiscal woes for the company. These recalls affect the Prius, the model expected to be built in Mississippi. The longer Toyota struggles financially, the longer it will be before they open the Mississippi plant. And the longer Mississippians will continue to throw their tax dollars at an empty site in North Mississippi. Gov. Barbour needs to go back to Toyota and tell them that they should pay their own debt services until the time they can open the Mississippi plant. - Jamie Franks: February 8, 2010

Franks had said the same a couple of months before that.

Today, we’re spending tens of millions of tax dollars on debt services for Toyota, and we have not one job to show for it. None of this is smart fiscal policy, and it obviously isn’t effective job creation policy either. - Jamie Franks: December, 11, 2009

Today is a day to celebrate. First that more jobs are coming to Mississippi. And second that Republican Haley Barbour is in charge, and not Democrats who would have cut and run and cost us the deal they could not have even attracted to begin with. Jamie...it IS effective job creation policy.

More space in Democrat's tiny tent as switchers head to MSGOP

2010-06-17T13:55:00.000-05:00

At least those Democrats still inside the tiny tent have more space to move around now.

Three more elected Democrats have joined the GOP: #11, #12, #13 – Three more Mississippi Dems switch to GOP (hattip Right of Mississippi)

One of the switchers, Supervisor Randy Dyess, told the Marion County Informer:

“I don’t feel like I left the party; I feel like it left me,” referring to recent national issues he disagrees with including health care and cap-and-trade. “I just can’t support some of the national policies,” Dyess said.

He said his decision to switch parties is not solely based on President Obama but more so on Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Democrat Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and the “party as whole.”

He noted that taxpayers are going to have to foot the bill for the programs advocated by the Democrats. “I don’t like the direction the country is going in,” said Dyess. “Somebody’s got to pay for these projects.”

Tar Balls in Starkville?

2010-06-17T08:28:00.003-05:00

We appreciate your poetics President Obama, but unless there are tar balls washing up in Starkville and Ackerman, we would not call Ray Mabus a "son of the Gulf Coast."

List of $200+ hotels used by MDOT officials

2010-06-17T08:11:00.000-05:00

The Sun Herald has a list of hotels and resorts costing more than $200 a night used by MDOT officials.

Democrats - Party of the Little Tent

2010-06-16T14:33:00.002-05:00

The Mississippi Democratic Party sent out an email today (HT Majority in Mississippi) announcing they are coordinating their campaign efforts with "Organizing for America" (formerly "Obama for America") to help out Travis Childers, Gene Taylor, and Bennie Thompson.

The email arrogantly portrays elections as theft ("The Republican Party desires to steal our three Democratic seats"). We guess their incumbents feel entitled to those seats, as if they own them, and the very idea that the voters of Mississippi might think otherwise outrages them. Can you believe the voters want to "steal" the seats of their representatives? Apparently the voters have been led to believe those elected officials represent them, when the Democrats know these incumbents run the show and the voters should just fall in line.

But, hilariously, the email also describes the Democrats as "the party of the Big Tent". Right. Unless you are a conservative, in which case you don't really belong in their party and in fact, you're a "liar". Or, unless you are a white in Noxubee County, in which case you should be blocked from even voting. Or, unless you don't fall in lock step with the orders of the "leadership". Or, unless the Democrats question your "loyalty."

Feds teach Bill Minor colors during MDOTourism travel

2010-06-16T06:36:00.001-05:00

So what have we learned about MDOTourism this year? Read this story from the Sun Herald and you'll see that Bill Minor learns his colors at conference, Butch Brown thinks open government is bullshit, and Wayne Brown is planning a tax payer funded trip to Cuba.

Even as many other government agencies and businesses are cutting back on travel in the weak economy, records show Mississippi’s top four transportation officials are spending more to go to conferences and other shindigs.

Mississippi Department of Transportation Director Larry L. “Butch” Brown, Southern District Transportation Commissioner Wayne Brown (no relation), Central Commissioner Dick Hall and Northern Commissioner Bill Minor spent a combined $56,045 on travel in 2009.

The Sun Herald recently searched travel records for Sept. 30, 2008, through March 12, 2010. The documents show trips to places including Boston; Vail, Colo.; New Orleans; Destin, Fla.; Hot Springs, Ark.; Pigeon Forge, Tenn.; and many Washington, D.C., trips. The records also show receipts from expensive hotels such as the Ritz-Carlton, Hyatt Regency and the Washington Court Hotel. They stayed a combined 52 nights in hotel rooms costing more than $200 a night in the last 18 months.

Wayne Brown, who laments the lack of cheap rooms in the Beltway, booked the most expensive stay, according to the 2009 records. He paid $385 for one night at the Ritz-Carlton in Arlington, Va., for a conference. He said some events have to be held at hotels that can accommodate large conventions.

If only there was hotel near the Ritz-Carlton that was cheaper. Maybe like the Doubletree, the Crowne Plaza, the Holiday Inn, the Best Western, or the Days Inn. All of which are less than two miles away from the Ritz-Carlton (some just a few blocks) and all of which can be booked for under a hundred dollars a night (according to hotels.com).

“The taxpayers are spending almost $1 billion a year on roads in Mississippi and they need people leading that charge that are knowledgeable and involved,” Wayne Brown said.

By that logic, there is no need to elect an incumbent. The whole reason to reelect someone is because they have experience. But what Wayne Brown is saying is whether you've been there for years or just got there, you still have to go to these conferences. Apparently, incumbents like Brown don't retain much information as they have to go every year.

According to Bill Minor, these conferences teach the commissioners their colors, which might qualify any kindergartner to be a commissioner.

“We know reds mean stop, green means go,” Minor said. “We are talking about … ‘Go Orange’ to make people slow down. Orange means slow down in these places where we are working on the roads because there could be a big bulldozer pull out in front of you, or somebody could walk out in front of you and be killed. These are things we’ve learned when we go because the feds are there teaching us.”

And if it is anything the feds are good at, its teaching.

According to the state Department of Finance and Administration, of the combined $56,045 the four spent on travel in 2009, MDOT Director Butch Brown spent $20,921. Wayne Brown spent $19,225. Minor spent $12,552 and Hall, who lives closest to Jackson, where Transportation Commission meetings are held twice a month, spent considerably less than the others, at $3,347.

MDOT’s annual budget includes $3 million for travel.

Butch Brown said he believes, given MDOT’s size and responsibilities, the expenses are reasonable. He’s been critical of the Sun Herald for reporting his agency’s travel spending.

“We still have to wade through the murky bullshit of the Biloxi Sun Herald doing articles just like this, while we’re out there busting our ass to make something good happen for you,” Brown said.

“I am never told who went,” Hall said. “I never see those expenses. That is all made by the executive director. Yes, I think too many people go to some meetings, but that’s about all I can say about it. I don’t control it.”

So I guess when Wayne Brown wants to take his next foreign trip, all he has to do is get it cleared with Butch Brown.

“I think we need to do considerably more overseas travel,” Wayne Brown said. He said he’d like to visit Cuba because that country would be advantageous as a hub for massive container ships, which could be downloaded and their cargo placed on smaller ships bound for Mobile, New Orleans, Gulfport and other Gulf Coast cities. He said work could be finished faster in Cuba because of less-stringent environmental regulations. “I think Cuba holds a great key to our ports,” Wayne Brown said. “With this Panama Canal widening and those ships coming in there, you have to download those somewhere. The most favorable place to download them is Cuba, for Mississippi, because if they go on out further, then they will transship them to Savannah and places like that.”

MDOTourism: Tax Payers Picking Up The Tab

2010-06-15T07:49:00.005-05:00

Good news and bad news from the Sun Herald on MDOTourism.

The good news:

Top highway officials said they stopped letting the road-building industry pay for their trips to meetings at luxury hotels in tourist hot spots — a change lawmakers and the state’s top ethics official applaud.

The bad news:

Taxpayers now pick up the tab

Not everyone can afford a Florida vacation this summer. But don't worry, some of your tax dollars are going to pay for MDOT officials to have their own Florida vacations.

A set of travel records the Sun Herald recently requested, from September 2008 until March, showed trips to Destin, Fla., for separate conferences — one by the MRBA and one by the American Council of Engineering Companies. Taxpayers covered the tab, which included rooms at top-drawer resort hotels.

At one ACEC meeting in February 2009, Wayne Brown was reimbursed $385 for one night’s stay at the Ritz-Carlton in Pentagon City outside Washington. He also attended the Mississippi Asphalt Pavement Association meetings in Fairhope, Ala., in March 2009. Expense reports showed he paid $252.56 a night for the four nights he stayed there, with an overall tab of $1,165.

Wayne Brown, Minor and Hall attended meetings of the MRBA in Destin, Fla., paying $247 a night at the Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort. Wayne Brown stayed three nights, paying $866.41, Hall stayed three nights, paying $909, Minor stayed two nights, paying $745, for all expenses. Wayne Brown found himself at the same Sandestin hotel a couple of months later, when he spent four nights for an ACEC conference. Each night was $247, for a trip totaling $1,145.

Wayne Brown also attended an Alabama Society of Professional Land Surveyors meeting in Montgomery, Ala., in February 2009, which cost taxpayers $707.76.

So what then is the alternative? Obviously, don't travel so much. In case they couldn't see it from their Jackson tower, there is a recession on and Mississippi families have to cut their vacation plans. Use the money on a road, not a road trip.

Bennie Thompson would hide ethics complaints from public

2010-06-14T19:43:00.004-05:00

The Ethics Committee ordered Bennie Thompson to repay the cost of his Caribbean trips that were found to violate House Ethics Rules, but said they could not prove he knew corporate funding was behind it so they didn't punish him otherwise.

But we still don't know if there will be any decision on the other items pending against Thompson.

1) Allegation he used a House Homeland Security Committee hearing to shake down lobbyists for campaign contributions
2) Whether as Chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus Institute, Thompson used the organization as a pass through to hide corporate sponsorships of congressional junket in Tunica
3) Is there anything wrong with corporate lobbyists paying a member of Thompson's staff money to throw a party that honors Thompson at which the lobbyist/sponsors will attend and get access to Thompson?

And if Bennie Thompson had his way, we might never know. Last week Peter Flaherty from the National Legal and Policy Center spoke on "On Deadline with Sid Salter" about the efforts of several accused or investigated congressmen to shut down some of the new ethics procedures to keep allegations and investigations from the public arena. Brian Perry wrote in the Madison County Journal that one of these congressmen was actually goodtime Bennie Thompson.

The national press is talking about this story as well, including the Washington Post.

The newly created Office of Congressional Ethics, an independent watchdog set up to review and, if warranted, forward ethics complaints to the official House ethics committee for further action, has taken its mission seriously. Too seriously, it seems, for the comfort of some lawmakers. Rep. Marcia Fudge (D-Ohio), joined by 19 other members of the Congressional Black Caucus, last week introduced a resolution that would essentially neuter the ethics board, making it more difficult for OCE to launch investigations and inform the public of its findings.

Ms. Fudge said in a statement that she acted to make the process fairer; OCE, she said, "is currently the accuser, judge and jury." It's not too hard to imagine other motivations for Ms. Fudge's concerns. Her chief of staff, Dawn Kelly Mobley, was admonished by the ethics committee for her role in helping a group of Black Caucus members improperly obtain an all-expenses-paid trip to the Caribbean -- this when Ms. Mobley was the ethics lawyer for Ms. Fudge's predecessor, the late Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones, and Ms. Tubbs Jones was chairing the ethics committee. Four of the lawmakers who went on the Caribbean trip signed on to Ms. Fudge's resolution: Reps. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), Yvette Clarke (D-N.Y.), Donald Payne (D-N.J.) and Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick (D-Mich.).

Undercutting OCE's authority would be backsliding. This change would have prevented release of OCE's findings in the Caribbean trip. That Ms. Fudge and friends fear their power to launch an investigation says less about the new ethics office than it does about the sponsors of this misguided resolution.

MDOT's Butch Brown to Sun Herald: stop "kicking our ass"

2010-06-14T16:30:00.004-05:00

"I think you ought to back off of MDOT and start saying thank you instead of kicking our ass." MDOT Executive Director Butch Brown to the Sun Herald.

Butch Brown apparently thinks the press should only do public relations and not hold government accountable.

Well, we'll thank-you. Thank-you Mr. Brown for taking our tax payer dollars and buildling new offices. Thank-you Mr. Brown for using my tax money on trips around the world. Thank-you Mr. Brown for planning to rip-up Church Street in Port Gibson because you don't want to do a bypass. Thank-you so much, Mr. Brown, for running MDOT for us because really, we could never find anyone else to do it for us.

The Sun Herald shares MDOT's attempt to counter the sunshine the press puts on how MDOT spends our money.

The Mississippi Department of Transportation recently charged the Sun Herald nearly $1 a page for travel-expense reports for four state highway officials, compared with 25 cents a page for the same kind of records in 2008.

The newspaper was billed a total of $511 for the records, which included a 25 cent per page charge to copy the 538 pages. The total, officials said, also included paying a software consultant $250 to "develop a program" for identifying the records.

Really? To develop a program to identify the records? So until the Sun Herald asked for it, MDOT had no idea how much they were spending on travel! They couldn't because they didn't have a system to answer that question. That sounds like bad management to us.

There was also a $90 charge for a clerk to pull and copy the documents, and $36 for an auditor to review the records. MDOT said the auditor worked for an hour looking for missing receipts and documentation.

Hold on. They charged for an auditor to find "missing receipts and documentation." So MDOT has a practice of paying for travel without receipts or documentation. That appears to be the process because otherwise, they wouldn't have to look for them. And apparently, MDOT's auditors don't get receipts or documentation as part of their normal job activities or else they wouldn't need to charge the Sun Herald for doing it. So tack on bad auditing to bad management, or it could be just part of it.

The Sun Herald made a request for travel records in late 2008, in which MDOT was asked for travel-expense reports for about four years' worth of travel records for the same four officials.

MDOT turned over the four years' worth of documents for the officials, but charged only 25 cents a page for nearly 1,700 pages of records. There was no additional charge for computer software, clerks and auditors in the records released in 2008.

So that means in the past two years, MDOT has actually gotten LESS effective. It costs four times as much to make a copy, not to mention paying someone to write software as well as clerks and auditors to do what it seems like they should be doing already.

Director Butch Brown said he doesn't believe the Sun Herald should be looking into the travel costs for him and the commission

I wonder why?

Obama's Change: Teens Face Worst Summer Job Market in 41 Years

2010-06-08T17:48:00.000-05:00

Once again, young people voted for change with Obama, we've certainly gotten it. From CNBC:

Employment among 16-to 19-year olds in May grew by just 6,000, the smallest increase since 1969, when teen jobs fell by 14,000, according to government data analyzed by employment firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas. In May 2008 and 2009, teen employment grew by over 110,000.