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Council Refuses To Foot Melton’s Legal Bill


Kenya Hudson
Jackson Mayor Frank Melton

by Adam Lynch
Oct. 7, 2008

The Jackson City Council voted down this morning an order authorizing payment of Mayor Frank Melton’s attorney fees incurred in his recent defense of federal charges stemming from the 2006 Ridgeway Street demolition. In a 3-3 vote, council members Charles Tillman, Frank Bluntson and Kenneth Stokes voted in favor of the order, while council members Marshand Crisler, Jeff Weill and Council President Leslie McLemore opposed. Councilwoman Margaret Barrett-Simon was absent.

“We’ll be going across the street now, and it won’t be pretty,” Melton said after the vote, suggesting he’d take the issue to court. “You’ve done this for officers who have been vindicated. This is a personality issue.”

 
posted by maggie on 10/07/08 at 10:47 AM. [printer-friendly version]   

COMMENTS

 

What does he mean that "it won't be pretty"? Sounds like something out of The Sopranos. :P

posted by L.W. on 10/07/08 at 11:03 AM

Why in the world should taxpayers pay for this? Remarkable that he'd ask us to.

posted by ladd on 10/07/08 at 11:14 AM

You are right, What in the Sam Hill is he talking about.... It's not a personality issue, it's a fiscal responsiblity issue.

posted by lanier77 on 10/07/08 at 12:08 PM

council members Charles Tillman, Frank Bluntson and Kenneth Stokes voted in favor of the order!!!

I am tired of those three c*ck suckers!!! That is a evil three headed monster and the only thing they are trying to do is cover themselves - because when Frank Melton goes down!!!

The ship will come down burning and sinking!

posted by baquan2000 on 10/07/08 at 03:58 PM

What the heck? The man sells his television station at a loss so as to run for mayor and help Jackson stop crime and be all it can be. He would have succeeded in his fight to totally stop crime if the people hadn't turned on him. Then the Council which enabled, sanctioned and permitted him to fight crime Frank-style turns around and won't pay his legal bill. I know why Kenneth, Bluntson and Tillman are mad. They held their end of the bargain. Crisler, Weil and McLemore ought to be ashamed of themselves for reneging. They're jealous of Frank and want his position and standing in the community.

posted by Walt on 10/09/08 at 03:46 PM

The man sells his television station at a loss so as to run for mayor and help Jackson stop crime and be all it can be. -Walt

Melton initially bragged about "his" 206 million windfall when he sold TV-3. He has also bragged about owning his own plane (even though he has been seen flying coach). During his campaign, he tried to embarass a woman who questioned his tax paying record by telling her that he pays more money in taxes than she makes in an entire year. IMO the council acted properly by not blowing money that city does not have.............thanks to Melton and his failed administrative practices. Let him use his own money, if he has any, to pay his legal bills.

posted by lance on 10/11/08 at 01:51 PM

In my opinion the council did exactly what it should have - protect the interests of the honest, hard-working, tax-paying citizens of Jackson. The actions of FM were so egregious that a person of less than average intelligence can see that he was coloring way outside the lines once he started his crime (fighting) campaign in Jackson. FM had no business trying to be a police officer, the chief of police, sheriff, dog catcher, or what ever he thought he was, and going around depriving citizens of their rights while "acting under color of law." If FM had just hired a strong, confident police chief, who shared his views on fighting crime and then supported the new chief 100%, then it would probably be a much different story and a successful one I would imagine. But no, FM was a wanna' be cop and instead he brought his lackey Pseudo-Chief, Shirlene Anderson allowed FM to run the police department and use and abuse the resources there of. FM has brought nothing but ridicule, contempt, unnecessary expense and a bad reputation to our beloved capitol city. No one made FM pin on a bogus badge, strap on a gun (illegally) and run rampant around Jackson, while under the influence of Wild Bird; destroying private property and terrorizing old ladies, among other things. No one is to blame here, but the man he sees in the mirror - an insecure, little man who was granted the power to rule, but lacked the strength of character to do so. If anyone has to pay these bills, it ought to be Frank Melton. Let's see if he can "man up," for just once, and do the right thing before he's (figuratively speaking) "run out of town on a rail."

posted by Jerimiah on 10/14/08 at 08:24 AM

Come on now, Jerimiah. Frank is good people and he put us on the national map, something no other mayor did since the 60s. I'm asked about him everywhere I go across the country. Unfortunately, they're usually grinning as they ask questions. What's up with that grin that precedes or comes along with the questions or comments about the mayor.

posted by Walt on 10/14/08 at 09:08 AM

Stokes and Bluntson should organize a fundraiser to help pay their buddy Frank's legal bills.

posted by jeff lucas on 10/14/08 at 11:12 AM

I'll give to that.

posted by Walt on 10/14/08 at 11:20 AM

Whaddya gonna give 'em, Walt? Monopoly money? LOL

posted by L.W. on 10/14/08 at 12:28 PM

Real money, LW. Frank deserves the best defense money can buy. The lawyers "be" charging him too much! Until we castigate other Mississippi embaraasments holding office just like we have Frank, I'm supporting Frank. Sure he promised the world and delivered hell instead, but what the hell, people were stupid for beliving a trash talker could deliver anything other than trash.

You spose to be sending or emailing me an address so I can send a donation to the group you're raising money for. I don't send money over the internet. People are just waiting to rob and send me back to the poor house. I just got out and don't plan to return.

posted by Walt on 10/14/08 at 12:39 PM

Whaddya gonna give 'em, Walt? Monopoly money? LOL-L.W.

Lehman Bros stock?

posted by HardTravelin on 10/14/08 at 12:43 PM

The Monopoly money is worth more.

posted by jeff lucas on 10/14/08 at 12:51 PM

With the way the council has treated Frank everyone is going to be scared to run but Frank. Meaning we got four more hilarious years of Frank!

posted by Walt on 10/14/08 at 12:53 PM

Lehman Brothers stock. Good one, Hard Travelin. :)

Walt, i don't have you email address any more, so here's the address where you can mail a check:

NAMI Mississippi
411 Briarwood Dr, Ste 401
Jackson, MS 39206

Make the check payable to NAMI Mississippi. Include a note saying that the donation goes to The Church Triumphant team so I can get credit for it. Thanks!

Better do a blog entry on this, too.

posted by L.W. on 10/14/08 at 01:00 PM

Alright, LW.

All this junk about Frank acting outside his duties is mumbo jumbo. Frank was the mayor, high sheriff and exalted ruler, at that time, just as we hired him to be. You can't take away bat man's mask or Superman's cape and expect them to beat the criminals down as usual.

It sacandulous how the big a__ federal government has scared Wright and Recio unto running like little girls for cover while Frank is being hung out to dry. Of Course, I urge Frank to keep pimping and don't let the haters get him down.

posted by Walt on 10/14/08 at 01:06 PM

The actions of certain City Council members is a joke. They should pay their own attorney fees! Recio and Wright worked for Big Money Melton then why hasn't he paid their legal bills he was the one that order them to break the law!!!. People fought and die for their Civil Rights and Frank Melton put himself above the rights of the citizens of this country. We have convict others who are in prison right to this day for violating the Civil Rights of our citizens. What make Frank Melton thinks he's above the law. I remember Melton stating that he was not going to accept a salary for serving as Mayor of the City of Jackson, I bet if you asked him to show that he has not received in salary during his tenure as Mayor he would lie and say he never said that! Use your salarly to pay all the legal bills for Recio and Wright and while you at it make sure you pay for their lost of income, the embrassment to their families. Melton created the problem and as always used his friends to take the fall for him. Melton, is a gutless liar and we all know it.

posted by Hot Sauce on 10/16/08 at 03:10 PM

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