[DA] Hinds Incumbent Faye Peterson Publishes ‘Tough on Crime’ PDF
Hinds County District Attorney Faye Peterson has posted a nine-page PDF of statistics and other information about her record in office.
Posted by ladd at 03:50 PM on 06/19/07. Discuss (0)
Action Alert: Comprehensive Legislation to Help Gulf Coast Communities and Families
Senator Chris Dodd, D-Conn., Chairman of the Senate Banking,
Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, and Senator Mary Landrieu, D-La.,
today
announced that they will introduce a comprehensive bill to help people and
families hard-hit by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita rebuild, strengthen and
preserve their communities, homes, and lives.
Posted by kate at 01:07 PM on 06/19/07. Discuss (0)
[Release]Statement on Hurricane Katrina Grant Program
Mississippi Democratic Party Chairman
Wayne Dowdy issued this statement following a news story in The
Clarion-Ledger looking at expenses related to the Mississippi Homeowners
Assistance Grant Program. Every Mississippian Ĉ especially those on the
Coast still trying hard to recover from Hurricane Katrina should be
appalled by the apparent questionable use of money that could have gone
directly to people suffering from the worst natural disaster in our
nationȂs history. Haley Barbour must be held responsible for this
reprehensible action. As the stateĂs chief executive officer, he has direct
control over the Mississippi Development Authority by appointing its
executive director and, therefore, is responsible for the pathetic way the
Homeowners Grant Program has been managed.
Posted by kate at 01:03 PM on 06/19/07. Discuss (0)
[Release]Eaves to address Mississippi Association of Supervisors
John Arthur Eaves Jr., leading Democratic
candidate for governor,
will address the Mississippi Association of Supervisors during their annual
meeting on
Wednesday, June 20, 2007, at the Gulf Coast Convention Center in Biloxi.
Eaves is scheduled
to speak at 11:10 a.m. during the candidates forum.
Posted by kate at 12:16 PM on 06/19/07. Discuss (0)
[M-P]Ross calls out Bryant regarding Partnership for a Healthy Mississippi
Republican candidate for Lt. Gov Charlie Ross has recently called out his Republican opponent State Auditor Phil Bryant to come forth with documents that show how he audited and dealt with the Partnership’s costs. Ross wants Bryant to prove that he did make the Partnership responsible for how it spent its $20 million every year.
Posted by kate at 10:32 AM on 06/19/07. Discuss (0)
[C-L]JPS will start out 2007-08 school year with $220 million balanced budget
The school board approved the budget on Monday night after giving a no-go to budget requests that included raises for non-teaching staff members. The primary reasons for the largest increases were benefits and mandated salary hikes, including a 3 percent salary increase for teachers.
Posted by kate at 10:20 AM on 06/19/07. Discuss (0)
[S-H]Miss. Supreme Court rules against diverting tobacco money to Partnership
The Mississippi Supreme Court ruled on Thursday that if Mississippi wants an anti-tobacco program, the Legislature must provide funding. Former Attorney General Mike Moore’s appeal of a 2006 order that decreased funding to the Partnership for a Healthy Mississippi was rejected by the justices in a 6-1 decision.
Posted by kate at 11:33 AM on 06/15/07. Discuss (1)
[C-L]Attorney General files suit against Barbour over youth grants
On Thursday, June 15, Attorney General Jim Hood filed suit against Gov. Haley Barbour for his decision to slice $5.5 million in grants for youth groups such as the state YMCA, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Mississippi and Boys and Girls Clubs of Mississippi. Barbour, who vetoed a bill back in April that would direct Hood’s office to spend the money on these groups, explained that the Department of Human Services should be who gives money to these youth groups. The Attorney General and Democratic legislators Sen. Gray Tollison of Oxford and Rep. Joe Warren of Mount Olive filed the lawsuit in the Hinds County Chancery Court. According to Hood and the legislators, the suit is about preserving a separation of power in the state government. However, Barbour’s spokesman Pete Smith was quoted in the article as saying, “He [Barbour] has always supported the work of the Boys and Girls Clubs and the YMCA.”
Posted by kate at 11:07 AM on 06/15/07. Discuss (0)
[C-L]Possible national push to fund cold civil rights cases in lieu of Seale trial
The Clarion-Ledger is reporting that Congress is currently considering funding cold cases from the civil rights era through the Justice Department. Kansas City civil rights activist Alvin Sykes believes there must coordinated and simultaneous investigations, which former U.S. Attorney Doug Jones agrees with wholeheartedly. Jones, who successfully prosecuted another civil rights case, is quoted in the article as saying that ”federal coordination is needed because the department has ‘all the files and all the resources. We have to come together before it’s too late.’” The push for prosecution of these old cases increased after the look back at the 1963 assassination of Mississippi NAACP leader Medgar Evers.
Posted by kate at 10:53 AM on 06/15/07. Discuss (0)
[Release]Attorney General Holds Statewide Conference on Domestic Violence
Attorney General Jim Hood and the Domestic Violence Division of
the Attorney Generals Office is sponsoring this week the first of two
statewide conferences on domestic violence. “Domestic Violence in our
Communities: Enhancing the Legal Response” is co-hosted by the Mississippi
Coalition Against Domestic Violence, and is targeted to law enforcement,
prosecutors, judges, court clerks, probation and parole officials and others
providing services to victims of domestic violence.
Posted by kate at 10:27 AM on 06/15/07. Discuss (0)
Anderson condemns Dale’s acceptance of campaign donations from insurance companies
According to mississippipolitics.com, Insurance Commissioner candidate Gary Anderson accused incumbent George Dale of accepting money from the insurance industry. Anderson vowed that he would not do the same.
Posted by kate at 10:51 AM on 06/12/07. Discuss (0)
[C-L]Even with violent crime up 42 percent last year, Melton convinced his crime plan is working
According to the Clarion Ledger, many Jacksonians are concerned about increasing crime, especially after Saturday afternoon’s armed robbery of Ward 7 Councilwoman Margaret Barrett-Simon. Melton, however, says that the many policemen he saw over the weekend is evidence that his crime plan, which includes a series of surveillance cameras, a more active SWAT team, enabling police overtime, recruiting officers and holding night court, is working. In light of a shortage of police officers and jail space, many are skeptical about the mayor’s optimism.
Posted by kate at 10:22 AM on 06/12/07. Discuss (0)
[C-L]Dems win court victory but pay a high price
Mississippi Democrats have won a court fight to close primaries to registered party voters. The Dems filed suit last year against the Mississippi Election Commission in an attempt to close primaries and allow only registered Democrats to cast ballots. While U.S. District Judge Allen Pepper granted the party its wish, he also ruled that voter identification must be required at the polls starting April 1, 2008. The judge then added that no 2008 party primaries will be held until the system is revamped and voter ID is required, which means that the presidential primaries in March 2008 could be affected. It looks like the Dems, who have been fighting against required voter ID, might have paid a high price for their court win.
Posted by kate at 10:09 AM on 06/12/07. Discuss (13)
[Release]AG Jim Hood Files Suit Against 2 Oil Companies
Attorney General Jim Hood today announced that he has filed
lawsuits against two companies for multiple violations of the Mississippi
Consumer Protection Act and the Price Gouging statute (75-24-5 and
ǧ75-24-25) in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. The lawsuits were filed
Friday, June 1 against Wilburn Oil in Tupelo (filed in Lee County Chancery
Court) and Fair Oil in Louisville (in Winston County Chancery Court).
Five petroleum distributors fully cooperated, gave us their documents,
paid a penalty to be used in part to develop a brochure explaining oil
pricing and to engage the Economics Department at Mississippi State to
conduct a market study to track todayӹs oil prices to help us detect fuel
price-fixing, said Attorney General Jim Hood. ҳIt is unfortunate that
Wilburn Oil and Fair Oil have refused to cooperate, even though they were
caught red-handed increasing their profits by over 25% during a time when
people were fleeing from a hurricane. I hope that the courts will severely
punish these despicable acts accordingly.
The defendants face maximum penalties of up to $10,000 per sale. The case
will be prosecuted by lawyers from the Consumer Protection Division of the
Office of Attorney General, which will also seek restitution and attorney
fees and costs. The brochure developed in conjunction with the Economics
Department at Mississippi State University is available at
http://www.agjimhood.com.
Posted by kate at 06:38 PM on 06/07/07. Discuss (0)
[C-L]Taxpayers to pay for Melton’s trial expenses?
According to the Clarion Ledger, the city attorney’s office maintains that Jackson taxpayers are responsible for reimbursing Frank Melton for the money he spent on legal fees during his trial. However, the City Council must approve the decision to make taxpayers pay for these costs. Melton was charged with felony malicious mischief, conspiracy, burglary and directing a minor to commit a felony but was found not guilty on all charges.
The trial cost taxpayers more than $18,000. The county spent $12,240.92 to feed and house the jury, Circuit Clerk Barbara Dunn calculated. Special Judge Joe Webster submitted about $4,200 in expenses to the state Supreme Court. The retired judge from Clarksdale was tapped to hear the case when Hinds County’s circuit judges removed themselves.
Also, it cost the city $2,500 to construct barricades around courthouse during the trial.
Four council members, including President Ben Allen, polled on Tuesday, said they needed lots of details before speculating on whether they would vote to pay the bills.
“I am not willing to say right now as one council member that we’re going to automatically pay the legal fees of the bodyguards because I personally have some questions about that,” said Councilman Leslie McLemore of Ward 2. “And I want to make sure that all of my questions are answered and fully explored.”
Posted by kate at 10:43 AM on 06/06/07. Discuss (0)
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