http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/index.php/jackblog/ en rlnave@jacksonfreepress.com Copyright 2012 2012-02-09T20:10:47+00:00 http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/index.php/site/comments/hollands_gulf_of_america_bill_sweeping_the_nation/ http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/index.php/site/comments/hollands_gulf_of_america_bill_sweeping_the_nation/#When:20:10:47Z To understand his bill to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America in state waters off the Mississippi coast, you have to understand that Holland is one of the most progressive and most eccentric members of the House. He's also one of the longest serving and most knowledgeable about the inner-workings of the Legislature. He's not exactly hid his disdain for the fact that Speaker Philip Gunn not only didn't give him a committee chairmanship but left him off the committees he's served on for two decades. In fact, Holland quipped to me yesterday that every member of the Legislature should be arrested for loitering on public property because they aren't doing "####."To understand his bill to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America in state waters off the Mississippi coast, you have to understand that Holland is one of the most progressive and most eccentric members of the House. He's also one of the longest serving and most knowledgeable about the inner-workings of the Legislature. He's not exactly hid his disdain for the fact that Speaker Philip Gunn not only didn't give him a committee chairmanship but left him off the committees he's served on for two decades. In fact, Holland quipped to me yesterday that every member of the Legislature should be arrested for loitering on public property because they "aren't doing ####." In short, Steve Holland is a jokester, not a racist. So it's been funny to see the reaction to Holland's bill -- which is now a trending topic on Twitter -- from people who have preconceived idea in their heads about Mississippi and the way Mississippians think because they watched Mississippi Burning in 6th Grade one time. An organization of Republicans who want America and the GOP to be more immigrant responded by posting an open letter to Holland on their website. "Apparently you don’t take your responsibilities seriously. Surely the State of Mississippi has more pressing matters to attend to than this. Did you stop to think of the expense of rewriting textbooks or changing maps?," wrote Bob Quasius, president of Cafe Con Leche. "For that matter, did you stop to think about what this bill would do to Mississippi’s reputation? If this bill passes the legislature and is signed into law, perhaps it is time to rename the Mississippi River. After all, sharing a name with a state that wants to rewrite maps out of disdain for Mexicans would be a disgrace to the rest of the nation." A few people do get the joke, it seems. "Does Rep. Holland secretly write for @theonion?," one person tweeted. Another: "My friend #steveholland and his Swiftian proposal are getting great national press! Huzzah!" Capitol 2012-02-09T20:10:47+00:00 http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/index.php/site/comments/hood_decries_sunshine_act/ http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/index.php/site/comments/hood_decries_sunshine_act/#When:23:10:01Z Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood cried foul this afternoon on the less-than-sunshiney manner in which the House Sunshine Act was introduced and passed out of committee in less than 18 hours. Hood said he didn't even get a chance to read the bill that would usurp some of his constitutional rights as the state's chief legal officer because he was up until 2 a.m. preparing briefs for the Thursday Supreme Court hearing about Pardongate.Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood cried foul this afternoon on the less-than-sunshiney manner in which the House Sunshine Act was introduced and passed out of committee in less than 18 hours. Hood said he didn't even get a chance to read the bill, which Speaker Philip Gunn sponsored, that would usurp some of his constitutional rights as the state's chief legal officer because he was up until 2 a.m. preparing briefs for the Thursday Supreme Court hearing about Pardongate. Here's the verbatim statement from Hood's office on the Sunshine Act: AG Warns New Bill Will Cause Chaos for State’s Legal Business February 7, 2012 Contact: Jan Schaefer Public Information Officer 601-359-2002 jscha@ago.state.ms.us Jackson, MS—Attorney General Jim Hood today is warning that House Bill 122 introduced last night under the cover of darkness and passed out of the House Judiciary A Committee early this morning by Speaker Philip Gunn of Clinton and Representative Mark Baker of Brandon violates the constitution which gives the Attorney General the sole authority to speak in court with one voice on behalf of the state. The bill would allow state officials, agencies, boards, commissions, departments or institutions to hire their own outside attorneys over the Attorney General. General Hood, who had a budget committee hearing this morning at 8:30 before the Senate, asked Mark Baker, Chairman of the House Judiciary A Committee, to give him a day to read the bill before he held a hearing on it, but Baker refused. When General Hood asked Baker to at least wait until he could finish his Senate budget hearing, Baker refused. When General Hood was allowed to leave the Senate Appropriations sub-committee hearing early, he went into the House hearing, but Baker refused to recognize General Hood so that he could advise the Committee members of the constitutional problems with the bill. General Hood stated, “The people elected Philip Gunn, Mark Baker and me to work together, regardless of party. The least they could have done would have been to give the Committee members an opportunity to hear from the people’s lawyer the truth about the bill. It is obvious that by the way they introduced this so-called “sunshine bill” under the cover of darkness last night and passed it out of committee at 8:30 this morning that they did not want the people to hear the truth. I hope the voters in Speaker Gunn’s district in Clinton and Chairman Baker’s district in Brandon will call them tonight and ask why they railroaded a bill through without even giving the people’s lawyer an opportunity to speak to the committee.” State law makes the Attorney General the Chief Legal Officer of the State intrusted with management of all legal affairs of the state, and prosecution of all suits, civil or criminal, in which the state is interested, having power to control and manage all litigation on behalf of the state, and to maintain all suits necessary for enforcement of state laws, preservation of order, and protection of public rights. Kennington-Saenger Theatres, Inc. v. State ex rel. District Att’y, 196 Miss. 841, 18 So. 2d 483 (1944). HB122 seeks to strip the Attorney General’s constitutional authority and amend several state statutes in the process. “The Attorney General is put in place to defend the state’s interests and to provide a unified voice to the state on all legal matters,” said Attorney General Hood. “If this bill passes, then agency heads with agendas and interests of their own will be allowed to pursue those interests on the taxpayers’ dime over the states interest as a whole with no oversight. We have had several cases where agency directors have been sued for sexual harassment. Their interests have been to spend money defending a losing case; whereas, the state’s interest was to settle the case and save money on lawyers.” Take for example, a recent case where the Department of Revenue hired their own lawyers who attempted to settle a case for approximately $3 million. The Attorney General pursued the same case and received $100 million for the state. Moreover, the $4 billion the state recovered from tobacco companies would have never occurred had this law been in place. “What you have here is nothing more than an attempt to weaken the power of the Attorney General and to create a “good ole boy” system of doing legal business in this state,” said Attorney General Hood. “I am so disappointed that I was not even allowed to address committee members, many of whom are newly elected lawmakers, to provide them with my perspective concerning the dangers of this bill,” said Attorney General Hood. “The chairman of today’s hearing refused to even allow me to testify.” The Attorney General added, “This bill creates a system ripe for cronyism, chaos, more government, duplication of services and is a severe waste of taxpayer dollars. It is not in the public interest or the way our constitution intended. Corporate wrongdoers and other criminals will celebrate if this bill passes. I hope lawmakers will see through this ludicrousness and do what is right.” ### Barbour, Capitol, Crime, hood, Issues, Justice, Politics, State 2012-02-07T23:10:01+00:00 http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/index.php/site/comments/metrocenter_cabling_on_agenda_today/ http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/index.php/site/comments/metrocenter_cabling_on_agenda_today/#When:17:59:35Z At a special meeting yesterday, Councilman Quentin Whitwell made an emergency motion for the city to get a supplemental lease at the Metrocenter Mall, an idea he shared with the Jackson Free Press last week. His motion died, but it comes before the council later today. valerie 2012-02-07T17:59:35+00:00 http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/index.php/site/comments/deuce_headed_back_to_ole_miss_reports_say_020212/ http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/index.php/site/comments/deuce_headed_back_to_ole_miss_reports_say_020212/#When:00:11:13Z Not, of course, that he'll be playing. (Although just imagine if he had a year of eligibility and wanted to get a Master's degree...) According to CoachingSearch.com via Sports Illustrated, Deuce McAllister, former Ole Miss and New Orleans Saint running back, will be headed to the coaching staff in a yet-to-be-determined capacity, although he will not be one of the nine official assistant coaches. todd 2012-02-03T00:11:13+00:00 http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/index.php/site/comments/ms_supreme_court_to_hear_pardongate/ http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/index.php/site/comments/ms_supreme_court_to_hear_pardongate/#When:23:59:07Z The hearing scheduled to take place this Friday, Feb. 3 on the constitutionality of the pardons and commutations granted by former Gov. Haley Barbour has been canceled and the Mississippi Supreme Court will take over, WLBT is reporting. Attorneys for four former inmates who lived and at worked at the governor's mansion asked that the case, previously in Hinds County Circuit Court, be moved to the state's high court. Justices will hear arguments on Thursday, Feb. 9The hearing scheduled to take place this Friday, Feb. 3 on the constitutionality of the pardons and commutations granted by former Gov. Haley Barbour has been canceled and the Mississippi Supreme Court will take over, WLBT is reporting. Attorneys for four former inmates who lived and at worked at the governor's mansion asked that the case, previously in Hinds County Circuit Court, be moved to the state's high court. Justices will hear arguments on Thursday, Feb. 9. Capitol, Justice, Politics, State 2012-02-01T23:59:07+00:00 http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/index.php/site/comments/facebook_is_going_public/ http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/index.php/site/comments/facebook_is_going_public/#When:21:56:52Z Facebook is going to have to adjust its privacy settings -- because they're finally going public. The Menlo Park, Calif.-based -media behemoth released its prospectus this afternoon, which contains the first tangible financial data on the company whose revenues have long been held under wraps. According to the S-1 filing to the US Securities Exchange Commission, revenues grew from 153 million in 2007 to 3.7 buh-buh-BILLION in 2011.Facebook is going to have to adjust its privacy settings -- because they're finally going public. The Menlo Park, Calif.-based social-media behemoth released its prospectus this afternoon, which contains the first tangible financial data on the company that has long kept how much money it makes under tight wraps. According to the S-1 filing to the U.S. Securities Exchange Commission, Facebook's revenues grew from $153 million in 2007 to $3.7 buh-buh-BILLION in 2011. The company names losing users and advertising revenue as its two biggest risk factors. In 2009, 2010, and 2011, advertising accounted for 98 percent, 95 percent and 85 percent, respectively, of the company's revenue. It could also be affected by ongoing litigation. Namely, a lawsuit that Paul D. Ceglia filed suit against Facebook and chief executive officer Mark Zuckerberg on or about June 30, 2010, in the Supreme Court of the State of New York for the County of Allegheny "claiming substantial ownership of our company based on a purported contract between Mr. Ceglia and Mr. Zuckerberg allegedly entered into in April 2003." The company's position is that "Ceglia is attempting to perpetrate a fraud on the court and we intend to continue to defend the case vigorously." The SEC's enforcement division has also been conducting an inquiry into secondary transactions involving the sale of private company securities as well as the number of our stockholders of record. Facebook believes it is in compliance with all federal securities laws. The document does not state how much money the company hopes to raise with the IPO but various media outlets are estimating the company hopes for a valuation of around $100 billion. business 2012-02-01T21:56:52+00:00 http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/index.php/site/comments/somebody_say_something/ http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/index.php/site/comments/somebody_say_something/#When:16:10:32Z This past month, I spent a lot of time reflecting on the fact that it has been 10 years since my suicide attempt. health care, wellness, willis, Wellness 2012-02-01T16:10:32+00:00 http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/index.php/site/comments/ag_trusty_ozment_found_in_wyoming/ http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/index.php/site/comments/ag_trusty_ozment_found_in_wyoming/#When:20:05:55Z After several weeks of trying to track down pardoned governor's mansion trusty Joseph Ozment, investigators from the Mississippi attorney general's office served Ozment with court papers last night in Laramie, Wy., AG Jim Hood said this afternoon. Hood said Ozment, convicted of killing a store clerk in DeSoto County in 1992, was driving his girlfriend's Mercedes-Benz when officers attempted to serve him. In the process of trying to avoid being served, Ozment bumped one of the investigators with his car, Hood said. Later, Ozment signed a receipt of service with the AG's investigators and two Laramie police officers.After several weeks of trying to track down pardoned governor's mansion inmate worker Joseph Ozment, investigators from the Mississippi attorney general's office served Ozment with court papers last night in Laramie, Wy., state AG Jim Hood said this afternoon. Hood said Ozment, convicted of killing a store clerk in DeSoto County in 1992, was driving his girlfriend's Mercedes-Benz when officers attempted to serve him. In the process of trying to avoid being served, Ozment bumped one of the investigators with his car, Hood said. Later, Ozment signed a receipt of service with the AG's investigators and two Laramie police officers. Hood also addressed statements former Gov. Haley Barbour to national media outlets about the role of an assistant attorney general working for the Mississippi Department of Corrections. Here is the verbatim statement from Hood's office. Statement from Attorney General Jim Hood RE: Former Governor Haley Barbour’s statements to national media regarding pardon issue It is unfortunate that former Governor Barbour has made some misrepresentations about the role of our attorney assigned to the Mississippi Department of Corrections. At no time did our Assistant Attorney General assigned to MDOC advise the Governor or any of his assistants that there was no requirement for publication. The comments by former Governor Barbour are a shameful attempt to deflect blame for his office’s failure to confirm that the requirements of the Constitution had been met. First, the special assistant attorney general, David Scott, who the governor has supposedly relied upon, has only one client, the DOC; he is housed there and works together daily with the Commissioner of Corrections, Chris Epps. He is the MDOC lawyer. Scott is not counsel to the Governor who had his own three staff attorneys advising him. On November 28, 2011, Scott texted Daryl Neely with the governor’s office and said, “please refer to Section 124 of Constitution regarding pardons and notice”. So, the governor and his staff and his attorneys were given the law at that time and had plenty of time to make sure publications were done properly before his term expired. So what did the governor and his staff do? Nothing. In fact, Daryl Neely told David Scott on November 29th that the governor’s staff had discussed the Constitutional publishing requirements and “decided it wasn’t necessary.” Not until December 6, after 5:03 p.m., (31 days before the pardons were issued), did Neely text back to David Scott that ““top guy” wants to go ahead and run notices” for mansion trusties, and a few minutes later provided a list of names. The next day, December 7, 30 days before the pardons were actually issued, David Scott confirmed for his client, MDOC, that MDOC would take care of publication for the in-custody inmates. David Scott’s job was to advise MDOC, and their job is to run prisons, not to issue pardons. Neither David Scott, nor the AG, nor any AG staff ever talked to an inmate or provided legal advice to an inmate. At the direction of DOC, David Scott did in fact refer the Governor’s Office to Section 124, which the Governor chose to ignore. Later, David Scott passed along the ‘Top Guy’s” last minute request that MDOC do the task of getting the publications done. Finally, the Constitution puts the duty on the convict to make the newspaper publication, saying “no pardon shall be granted until the applicant therefor shall have published for thirty days, in some newspaper in the county where the crime was committed…his petition for pardon….” The failure to comply cannot be excused because the governor took it upon himself and an agency he controls to do the required publications, then botched the job. And his attempt to shift the blame for his failure to a career staff attorney for MDOC, who advised him well in advance of the law’s requirements, is shameful . I am disappointed to see the former governor out in the national media making untrue statements. This is a sideshow by Tom Fortner and the former Governor to divert attention from the fact that the former Governor has loosed his favored murderers upon the public without any legal authority to do so. These untruths and mischaracterizations are indeed the sign of a desperate man. Barbour, Capitol, domestic violence, hood, Issues, Justice, Politics, State 2012-01-30T20:05:55+00:00 http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/index.php/site/comments/fox40_and_wlbt_coverage_of_best_of_jackson_2012/ http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/index.php/site/comments/fox40_and_wlbt_coverage_of_best_of_jackson_2012/#When:19:30:36Z Thanks to both Fox40 News and WLBT for coming out of the King Edward to help us celebrate the Best of Jackson with a few of our closest friends, tons of fabulous restaurants and some great music by Adib Sabir, DJ Phingaprint and Anderson United Methodist Church. Fox40 coverage: http://www.fox40tv.com/news/local/story/Best-of-Jackson/p2-zbsdeH0ufI0m7qH1QdA.cspx WLBT story: Shout out to the King Edward/Hilton Garden Inn for hosting, as well as sponsors Patty Peck Honda, Jackson Paper Company, Hotel & Restaurant Supply, plus Stephens Printing, Rock It Out! Scholarship Fund, Very Special Arts (VSA) and VA Patterson, Cathead Vodka, Capital City Beverage, Kats Wine & Spirits, Davaine Lighting, Nat Duncan Audio, Duane Smith (and his bartending crew), the Hinds County Sheriff's Department, JRA and the City of Jackson. todd 2012-01-30T19:30:36+00:00 http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/index.php/site/comments/this_is_what_ugly_looks_like_folks_012612/ http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/index.php/site/comments/this_is_what_ugly_looks_like_folks_012612/#When:21:39:15Z When I got in this morning, one of my writers had emailed me about a new Facebook page bashing the Jackson Free Press—apparently because the folks on it are sore for not winning Best of Jackson awards. That part is nothing new: Over the years, we've had various blogs obsess over us, especially due to our inclusiveness, and each year, a handful of people get angry and nasty because they didn't win Best of Jackson awards. (Most of them didn't vote, either, but hey.) So I forwarded the writer's email to Todd so he could glance over the page. Soon he appeared in my office, saying that the page had detailed lies on it about me, saying that I had acted badly at a domestic-abuse fundraiser—an event I haven't actually attended since 2009 because it coincides with Todd and my birthdays, and we go to Florida then. I went and looked at the page and couldn't believe the long, detailed story about me, all of which was an outright fabrication. Not to mention, right in the first sentence, the man who posted it ("Ray Dowdy") called me the "c*nt in chief" of the Jackson Free Press. He said that I threw my weight around at the last Heather's Tree event (I was in Florida with Todd), demanding that food be brought to me and my friends because we were the main sponsor of the event (we weren't). I acted so badly, he said, that Heather Spencer's mother (Linda Francomb) banned me and JFP folks from their future events. I was astounded that anyone would make up such outrageous lies about me, the mother of a murder victim and a wonderful event that raises money to help domestic-abuse victims. domestic violence, ladd 2012-01-26T21:39:15+00:00