Gov. Haley Barbour’s 2008 ‘State of the State’ Address
[verbatim] Governor Bryant; Speaker McCoy; ladies and gentlemen of the Legislature; and fellow Mississippians: This is the fifth time you have allowed Marsha and me to join you in this historic chamber to report on the State of our State. Were honored the people of Mississippi have allowed us this opportunity, and IҒm grateful and proud to have the best partner a man could have to help meet this challenge, Marsha.
It is appropriate we are again together for this occasion on Dr. Martin Luther King Day. Our state has the highest percentage African-American population; and the issues, with which we will deal, affect all Mississippians and should receive our best effort to serve the interests of all.
Posted by ladd at 06:12 PM on 01/21/08. Discuss (7)
Treasurer Tate Reeves: ‘No New Bonds in 2008’
Mississippi state Treasurer Tate Reeves released the following fiscal update today. Reprinted verbatim:
Jackson, Miss: (January 17, 2008) - State Treasurer Tate Reeves spoke to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee and other members of the House and Senate today at the annual fiscal briefing. In Reeves briefing, he made a recommendation that the Legislature withhold from authorizing the issuance of any new bonds in the 2008 session. According to Reeves, since 2003 the states debt has begun to level off, and in order for this positive trend to continue the Legislature must reduce the authorization of new bonds. ғWe have made great progress in the last few years reducing the overall debt burden on Mississippi taxpayers Reeves said. ԓGiven the budget challenges that face the Legislature this year, the only fiscally prudent approach to bonds is to forego the pressure and not authorize any new debt.
Posted by ladd at 11:49 AM on 01/17/08. Discuss (2)
Andy Taggart Fingering Moore … and Hood?
In a confusing post on the Ledger’s Red-Blue Blog, Republican pundit Andy Taggart complains that two of the attorneys now caught up in the Dickie Scruggs bribery scandal—Tim Balducci and Joey Langston—did not give back the settlement money from MCI-Worldcom that paid their attorney fees for recouping $108 million for the state:
A little over a year ago, then State Auditor Phil Bryant sent a demand letter to Joey Langston and the Langston Law Firm, where Tim Balducci used to practice, seeking recovery of the $14 million in attorneys fees improperly paid to Langston and Balducci in the MCI tax settlement case. Former Attorney General Mike Moore had represented MCI during the settlement.
The post seems designed to implicate former Attorney General Mike Moore (who played the odd role of representing MCI in the case) and current Attorney General Jim Hood, who awarded the contingency contract. What isn’t clear from this extremely partisan post is fourfold: (a) What did Moore know, and when did he know it? And did he know about anything illegal? (b) Ditto for Hood; same question, remembering that he and Moore are not necessarily joined at the brain. (c) What is the law that would have required them to give back the attorney’s fees that the company paid them? (d) Positing that those attorneys are now “known scumbags,” what exactly is the relevance of this to that case?
We’d really like some of the salivating pundits in the state to connect more dots for us, rather than deal in partisan innuendo. Maybe they know stuff they can’t tell us, or think they do. Time will tell.
Posted by ladd at 07:32 PM on 01/15/08. Discuss (3)
Haley Barbour’s 2008 Inaugural Address
[Verbatim/Jan. 15, 2008]
Mr. Chief Justice, Governor Bryant, Speaker McCoy, fellow state officials, Senator Cochran, Senator Wicker, Secretary Espy, members of the Congressional Delegation, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Legislature, other distinguished guests, family and friends: Four years ago Marsha and I were here to accept the highest honor the people of Mississippi can bestow on someone, and it was humbling, challenging and exhilarating all at once. It was an unbelievable day for Marsha, our sons and me. And today we are even more grateful for the confidence the voters have shown in us and for all the help so many of you gave us in the election. We also thank all of you who pray for us. We appreciate your prayers and need them.
No one deserves my thanks as much as Marsha, my helpmate for more than 36 years. As people on the Coast learned after Katrina, no one could have a better partner. Thank you, Marsha.
Looking back today it seems impossible that everything that has happened since that Inaugural Day could have taken place in only four years.
Posted by ladd at 01:57 PM on 01/15/08. Discuss (1)
AG Removes Langston from Lawsuit Against Eli Lilly
Attorney General has removed attorney Joey Langston from a state lawsuit against drugmaker Eli Lilly, according to Legal Newsline, a pro-tort reform Web site that is closely following the Dickie Scruggs bribery scandal. Langston has pled guilty to trying to bribe a judge. Langston was a contingency attorney who successfully sued Worldcom on behalf of Mississippi for back taxes. That case settled for about $108 million in money and property for the state, and the company had to pay Langston and other attorneys $14 million. The money did not come from state coffers, as anti-Hood pundits like to accuse. Hood’s Republican and pro-big-business critics are trying to link the attorney general to the scandal because, they say, Langston gave money to his campaign, and criticize him, as is apparent from the Legal Newsline article linked above, which complains that Hood “only” fired Langston, but doesn’t plan to prosecute the attorney himself.
Hood responded that it would be a conflict of interest for him to prosecute someone he worked closely with on the Worldcom lawsuit, but offered state resources to back up local prosecutions by district attorneys:
Since the matter is being handled by the federal government, it would be inappropriate for me to comment any further until all the facts are known,” Hood said.
“Due to Mr. Langston’s past representation of this office, it could create an appearance of impropriety for our office to participate in a potential state prosecution of this case. It will be up to the appropriate District Attorney(s) to handle any potential state case(s). The resources of my office will be available to them.
Posted by ladd at 08:10 PM on 01/14/08. Discuss (7)
Judge Rules That Barbour Wrong in Election Date
Hinds County Circuit Judge Bobby Delaughter ruled late today that Gov. Haley Barbour interpreted Mississippi statute incorrectly when he elected to schedule the election to fill Sen. Trent Lott’s vacant seat. Some political watchers believe that Barbour may run for that seat, but is just being inaugurated this week for his second term as governor. Delaughter ruled that the election should be held within 90 days. Delaughter ruled that the election should be held within 90 days of when Barbour declared a proclamation of writ of election on Dec. 20, 2007that is, on or before March 19, 2008.
Barbour released a statement saying he is confident that the Mississippi Supreme Court will back him up and reverse Delaughter:
When I set the special U.S. Senate election for November 4, 2008, I felt very strongly that it was the legal and appropriate action under the U.S. and Mississippi Constitutions and state law. Nothing in this decision by the Hinds County Circuit Court changes that belief. As I have said all along, the final decision in this case will be made by the Mississippi Supreme Court, and I look forward to that decision.
Posted by ladd at 07:39 PM on 01/14/08. Discuss (1)
Bryant Names Senate Committee Chairmen
By Adam Lynch
January 11, 2008
Lt. Gov. Phil Bryant appointed committee chairmen (PDF, 16 KB) in the Senate this morning. Heading the Appropriations Committee is Republican Alan Nunnelee, of Tupelo. Former Insurance Committee Chairman, Republican Dean Kirby, of Pearl, now chairs the Finance Committee. Bryant also appointed Republican Eugene Clarke, of Hollandale, over the Insurance Committee.
Posted by ladd at 04:52 PM on 01/11/08. Discuss (1)
DNA Exonerates Sunflower County Man of Rape … 15 Years Later
[Verbatim release from the Innocence Project] On Friday, January 4th, the Mississippi Supreme Court ordered the Sunflower County Circuit Court to determine whether Arthur Johnsons conviction fifteen years ago for rape and burglary should be set aside. Recent DNA testing shows conclusively that Mr. Johnson is not the source of biological evidence collected immediately after the offense. Should the conviction be set aside, Mr. JohnsonҒs exoneration would be the first in Mississippis history resulting from post-trial DNA testing.
Posted by ladd at 04:46 PM on 01/11/08. Discuss (13)
Steve Holland Will Run for U.S. Congress
The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal is reporting that the flamboyant state legislator, Rep. Steve Holland, plans to run for Roger Wicker’s seat. In addition: “Phone calls Thursday showed these people have qualified for the 1st District House of Representatives - Republicans - Greg Davis of Southaven and Glenn McCullough Jr. of Tupelo; and Democrats Travis Childers of Booneville and Brian Neely of Tupelo.”
Posted by ladd at 12:45 PM on 01/11/08. Discuss (1)
McCoy v. Barbour: Democrat Comes Out on Top … This Time
Read Adam Lynch’s coverage and analysis of the battle of wills that took place this week over the Mississippi speaker of the house:
Amid Tears, McCoy Keeps Seat, Jan. 9, 2008
2008 Legislative Preview: New Session, Old Problems, Jan. 2, 2008
Posted by ladd at 05:11 PM on 01/09/08. Discuss (1)
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