Category: Releases
Judicial Races Turn Ugly With Push Polls
According to the Clarion-Ledger, Attorney General Jim Hood is investigating several “push polls,” political smears that masquerade as telephone opinion polls, targeting Mississippi Supreme Court candidates. Third-party organizations have conducted push polls on Justice Chuck Easley, Justice Oliver Diaz and Crystal Springs laywer Jim Kitchens, who is vying for Chief Justice Jim Smith’s seat.
Posted by Ward Schaefer at 02:00 PM on 09/23/08. Discuss (2)
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)
[Release]Eaves joins crusade to avoid insurance industry influence
Speaking from Biloxi today, John Arthur Eaves Jr., leading Democratic candidate for Governor, signed a pledge to refuse to take campaign contributions from the insurance industry, including insurance companies, insurance PACs and executives of insurance companies.
Posted by kate at 06:02 PM on 06/21/07. Discuss (1)
[Release]Under fire, Bryant does U-turn on Partnership
Under fire for his involvement in Mike Moore’s unlawful Partnership for a Healthy Mississippi, State Auditor Phil Bryant seemed to do an about-face on Wednesday.
Posted by kate at 01:00 PM on 06/21/07. Discuss (4)
[Release]Gulf Coasters endorse Ross
Today Senator Charlie Ross, the conservative candidate for lieutenant governor, received the endorsements of State Senator Billy Hewes [R-Gulfport], State Representative Jim Simpson [R-Gulfport], State Representative Michael Janus [R-Biloxi], Chancery Clerk John McAdams [R-Harrison County], Tax Assessor Tal Flurry [R-Harrison County], Supervisor Marlin Ladner [R-Board President, Harrison County], and Supervisor Connie Rocko [R-Harrison County], in his bid for the state’s second highest office.
Posted by kate at 10:20 AM on 06/20/07. Discuss (0)
[Release]Bryant refuses to produce Partnership records
Friends of Charlie Ross released this today:
State Auditor Phil Bryant claims he served alongside former Democratic Attorney General Mike Moore on the board of the Partnership for a Healthy Mississippi in order to bring accountability to the controversial $20 million per year agency. To date, Bryant has never produced proof that he did that and yesterday, his stonewall continued.
Posted by kate at 10:15 AM on 06/20/07. 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 (1)
[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)
[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)
[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)
[Release]Eaves’ supporters say Barbour is not doing enough for crime prevention
With new FBI numbers released today
showing an increase of 42 percent in violent crime in the capital city, John
Arthur Eaves Jr., Democratic candidate for governor, is calling Gov. Haley
Barbour’s crime prevention plan an empty promise.
“Haley Barbour accused his opponent in 2003 of allowing a crime wave to
sweep the state,” Eaves said. “Today’s report indicates that in the capital
city, we have fallen even further behind. This governor is clearly
out-of-touch with the importance of protecting our citizens from crime.”
“This governor has cut funding for YMCAs, Boys & Girls Clubs, Big Brothers
Big Sisters of Mississippi - programs that keep kids off the streets and out
of trouble. We should be investing more in these youth because that is a
direct way to prevent future crime,” Eaves said.
In a recent interview with The Clarion-Ledger, Barbour said he was hesitant
to put any more resources into crime-fighting efforts in Jackson. While
mentioning that an investment in security for state-owned buildings might
help free up local law enforcement resources in Jackson, that has not been
done.
“Violent crime threatens the sanctity of every community, and this dramatic
increase threatens the viability and economic development of our capital
city,” Eaves said. “The current gubernatorial administration has done
nothing to protect our citizens. Under my administration, citizens can
expect more investment in youth programs, and the law enforcement community
can expect help addressing the mental health and addiction problems of
criminals.”
While Jackson experienced a 42 percent increase in violent crime during
2006, the national average for similar crimes was only 1.3 percent.
Posted by kate at 10:16 AM on 06/05/07. Discuss (1)
[Release]Statement from Ross’s Campaign Manager
"On May 18th, a Jackson television reporter reported that Phil Bryant
supported the pending federal immigration compromise legislation driven by
Ted Kennedy and John McCain. Three days later, Bryant sought to ‘clarify’
his position-saying he now opposed this Kennedy-McCain legislation. Mr.
Bryant objects to the Ross campaign’s publication of the fact that Bryant’s
position on this legislation seemed to change overnight, according to these
press reports. I hope every Mississippi voter will read the two articles and
let the facts speak for themselves. Mississippi needs a lieutenant governor
who stands firm-Charlie Ross opposes the bill backed by Kennedy and McCain
and will do so consistently.”
Posted by kate at 10:14 AM on 06/05/07. Discuss (0)
Hood, AGs Across the Nation Announce Settlement with ChoicePoint
[Verbatim statement from AG Jim Hood] Attorney General Jim Hood along with the attorneys general of 43 other states, today announced a settlement with ChoicePoint to resolve allegations that the company failed to adequately maintain the privacy and security of consumers personal information in its control. As part of this settlement, ChoicePoint will pay $500,000 to the states. Mississippi will receive $5,500 of this payment to fund consumer education and enforcement of the consumer protection laws.
Posted by kate at 11:44 AM on 05/31/07. Discuss (8)
[Release] Charlie Ross Supporters Say Bryant Must Debate for Benefit of the Public
A group of Ross supporters called Friends of Charlie Ross issued a release today accusing Bryant of refusing to debate issues because he believes that debating might hurt his lead in the race. Ross and his enthusiasts maintain that candidates must not debate for their own benefit but for the benefit of the public and that Bryant’s choice not to debate is to the detriment of voters:
Bryant was quoted in the Meridian Star over the weekend as saying:
“I’m not going to debate perhaps where he wants us to because of a lot of different features. One of the things I’ve always believed is that when you are ahead in a race, you try to stay ahead. We think that what we are doing is going to keep us ahead in the race.”
Senator Ross has consistently called for the two candidates to meet face-to-face in a wide-open Republican primary debate to discuss the issues affecting Mississippians.
“Phil Bryant has it wrong—debates are not about what’s good for candidates, they are about what’s good for voters.”
Posted by kate at 11:07 AM on 05/31/07. Discuss (1)
[Release]Barbour Announces Major Economic Development Project in Northeast Mississippi
Governor Haley Barbour; Scott C. Donnelly, President and CEO of General Electric Aviation; and other officials will hold a press conference on Tuesday, May 29, 2007, to announce a major economic development project in Northwest Mississippi. The press conference will be held at the Batesville Civic Center (290 Civic Center Drive, Batesville 38606) at 2:30 p.m.
Posted by kate at 10:30 AM on 05/29/07. Discuss (4)
