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Ratepayers, Beware
The Mississippi Public Service Commission will begin the first round of hearings Oct. 5 to determine the feasibility of an expensive, new coal-burning plant in Kemper County.
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Senator Says Intel Chief Was Not Forthcoming
One of the staunchest critics of government surveillance programs said Tuesday that the national intelligence director did not give him a straight answer last March when he asked whether the …
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What's in a Label?
When food shopping, how do you know what you're buying? You may be surprised at the misleading information on labels.
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Blues Heritage as a Way to Boost the Economy
A new Mississippi Blues Trail marker was unveiled Wednesday to commemorate Jackson's contributions to American culture. The marker is in front of the King Edward Hotel, formerly known as the …
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Health Care
Court Upholds 'Obamacare'
In a 5-4 decision with Chief Justice John Roberts as the "swing" vote and author of the decision, the 2010 Affordable Care Act was upheld, including the controversial insurance "mandate," …
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Politics
Medical Marijuana Bill Passes, Heads to Mississipi Governor
Mississippi lawmakers are sending their governor a bill that would create a medical marijuana program for people with serious medical conditions.
Entry
Media Buying Firm Places Ads for Two Pro-Cochran Super PACS; Affiliated with Firm Paid by NRSC
By AnnaWolfeAll Citizens for Mississippi, the super PAC created by Bishop Ronnie Crudup of New Horizon Church International, bought radio advertisements at Jackson stations WKXI, WJMI, WOAD on June 20 to air June 21-24. The ads encouraged black voters to turn out to the polls in support of Sen. Thad Cochran and suggested Sen. Chris McDaniel, if elected, would hurt race relations in Mississippi.
The super PAC bought 52 radio spots for each of these stations, which cater to black audiences, amounting to $9,825. Bishop Crudup told The Clarion-Ledger he helped raise nearly $200,000 for All Citizens for Mississippi, which was mostly spent on campaign advertisements for Cochran.
Federal law permits super PACs to raise and spend unlimited sums of money, but they cannot give directly to candidates' fundraising committees nor coordinate with campaigns and must report their activities each month or quarter. For any expenditures over $1,000 from June 4 though June 23, including for advertising, Crudup's PAC was also required to file 24-hour reports with the FEC. A search of federal campaign-finance records yields no filings by All Citizens for Mississippi. Federal law requires the PAC to file a report with the FEC by July 15, detailing all donors to the PAC. The paperwork to set up the PAC, signed by Vann, indicated that it was filled out May 30, 2014, and not received and stamped by the FEC on June 6.
The All Citizens for Mississippi ads were placed by the media buying firm, American Media Advocacy Group, which also placed ads at WLBT for the super PAC Mississippi Conservatives, another campaign group in support of Cochran.
Jon Ferrell, a buyer from National Media Research Planning & Placement, bought the ads through American Media Advocacy Group for both Jackson TV and radio stations.
The National Republican Senatorial Committee filed $175,000 with the Federal Elections Commission on June 19 to the payee National Media Research Planning & Placement for the purpose of phone calls and media supporting Cochran; however, we have found no advertisements in Mississippi that are attributed to the NRSC or the media-buying firm they gave money to.
Checks from American Media Advocacy Group, signed by Ferrell, to Jackson’s radio stations show the same address as National Media Research Planning & Placement.
Sales orders for Cochran’s candidate fundraising committee, Citizens for Cochran, were not found in Jackson’s black radio stations' political public files. Citizens for Cochran did advertise in The Clarion-Ledger and distributed doorknob hangers in whiter parts of Jackson.
Calls to National Media were not returned. Read more here.
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[Kamikaze] You Got This One Right
I have been a staunch supporter of Ward 6 Councilman Marshand Crisler's "Buy Jackson" campaign. Based on the fact that I helped spearhead a movement to get folks to better …
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Health Care
CDC Study Examines Potential Link Between COVID-19 and Pediatric Diabetes, As Experts Warned
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The iTodd's Gift Guide
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A New Front for Gun Background Checks: The Ballot
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Health Care
Why Healthcare.gov Broke: Two Competing Story Lines
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Obama's Fiscal Cliff Strategy is Tricky Balance
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Biz Roundup
Yappy Hour at Char, Fair Trade Green Moving and UnitedHealthcare Laptop Donation
Char Restaurant will celebrate the opening of its new outdoor patio with an event called "Yappy Hour" on Saturday, Aug. 18, from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.
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Often-Split Court Agrees Your Privacy Matters
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Theater
‘One Man, Two Guvnors’: Controlled Mayhem
Before the actors hit the boards for an early "stumble-through" rehearsal of "One Man, Two Guvnors" at New Stage Theatre, Joe Frost straps on knee and elbow pads and uses …
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State
Former Mississippi First Lady Elise Winter Dies at 95
Elise Winter, the wife of former Mississippi Gov. William Winter, was surrounded by loved ones when she died Saturday at her home in Jackson, said Dick Molpus, a longtime family …
