Jackson Free Press

Under state law, a violation of any candidate's campaign-finance disclosure requirement could result in the state withholding certification of nomination, withholding salary of office, and a misdemeanor conviction that carries up to six months in jail and a fine of up to $3,000.

But the city hasn't seemed interested in enforcing those election rules. Mayoral candidate Chokwe Lumumba was a month late on the 2012 report, and filed his pre-primary election report, due Tuesday, April 30, on Election Day, May 7.

Similarly, the Jackson 20/20 PAC, which is strongly backing Jonathan Lee, did not file its pre-primary report until the day before primary day, six days late.

Lumumba and the 20/20 PAC will get a shot at redemption tomorrow, when reports covering any money raised or spent by candidates from April 28 through May 11 are due by 5 p.m.

After that, the 48-hour reports should be pouring in.

Ward 2 Councilman-elect Melvin Priester, Jr. , Ward 7 Councilwoman Margaret Barrett-Simon and incumbent Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr. all filed 48-hour reports last week, but they were the only ones.

Under Mississippi Sunshine Laws, candidates seeking the nomination of a party in a municipal election must file a report with the city clerk if they receive any donations of $200 or more after the tenth day, but more than 48 hours before 12:01 a.m. on the day of the election.

In English, that means that if a candidate gets a single contribution of more than $200 (which both mayoral candidates in the runoff have received consistently) then they would have to notify the City Clerk's office within 48 hours of receiving the donation.

We're hopeful all this information will be readily available, and we're ready to update the site as we receive them. Another special thanks to the Jackson City Clerk's office, which has been professional and helpful from the start of this process back in January.

This week's regional picks and new releases...

The City Council in Columbus passed an ordinance this week banning sagging pants, the Clarion-Ledger reported.

Let's say a meteorite crashed to Earth and landed on the Jackson Free Press' offices, resulting in a broken pinky toe on my left foot. According to a new state law, it would be up to me to prove to my bosses that I wasn't high as a kite when said celestial projectile descended on Fondren.

The Human Rights Campaign this evening announced in a release that the Mississippi Manufacturers Association—a frequent contributor to conservative candidates and supporter of "pro-business" legislation in Mississippi—is calling on Governor Phil Bryant to veto HB 1523, which has passed both houses and awaits the Governor's response.

UPDATED Jan. 14: After a national firestorm and a No. 1 trend on Twitter, Biloxi Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich said the Biloxi City Council on Tuesday, the day after the holiday, should change the city’s Code of Ordinances" to reflect the official federal name of the holiday, 'Birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.,' commonly known as 'Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day.'”

“In my opinion,” Gilich said in a statement on the city's website, “that is the appropriate step to take, for the holiday to have the same name as the federal holiday.”

The statement also conflicts with what city workers put out in social media yesterday, blaming the State of Mississippi for making the city call King Day "Great American's Day."

"The name has since been traced back to a City Council on Dec. 23, 1985 to proclaim the third Monday of every January “to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. as well as other great Americans who have made important contributions to the birth, growth and evolution of this country.”

Presumably, among the other "great Americans" is Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee, who the State of Mississippi also honors the same day.

Did the State of Mississippi Rename MLK Day 'Great Americans Day'? Short answer: Not that we can figure out. The City of Biloxi apparently did rename the holiday, however, with local ordinance 15-2-2 declaring the third Monday of January as "Great American's Day. No sign of a state law, yet, however.

Still, the City of Biloxi is claiming that the State of Mississippi made 'em do it on its Facebook page (see image below), even as social media is starting to blow up nationally criticizing Biloxi, and maybe the whole state, for quietly changing the name of Martin Luther King Jr. Day to "Great Americans Day." Considering that Biloxi is the home of Jefferson Davis' museum-home, run by the Sons of Confederate Veterans, this does not completely surprise. (SCV are major opponents of changing the Mississippi flag).

The City of Biloxi posted this Friday: "Non-emergency municipal offices in Biloxi will be closed on Monday in observance of Great Americans Day, a state-named holiday.""

When challenged under the post, the unnamed Biloxi employee double-downed that this name came down from above: "The City of Biloxi did not declare nor name this holiday. The holiday was declared and named by the state Legislature. The city, in fact, as it has done for years, touted our upcoming MLK celebration in a Bmail and on the city website this afternoon."

The problem is that, so far, we have not found evidence that the state Legislature officially changed the name of the holiday, and lawmakers we've reached say they have no idea about it, either. Rep. Jay Hughes, D-Oxford, said on the Facebook page of Lea Campbell of the Mississippi Rising Coalition that the "Great Americans" name applies to a different holiday altogether: "Great Americans Day is a combination of all presidents days, …

Well, I just received my first piece of journalism hate mail, and it is certainly one for the record books. Filled with personal attacks against my intelligence and appearance (among other things) and a condescending tone to boot, it alleges that I am "confused" and filled with "self-hatred."

As a reminder, here is the editor's note that the author is responding to. To read the letter, click on the image or see the uploaded PDF here.

On the advice of such a notable clinical psychologist as M. Jane Williams, I have re-examined the argument in my editor's note. And I don't take back a word.

http://jacksonfreepress.com/users/photos/2012/sep/10/8222/

In the immortal words of Ice Cube's Doughboy: Either they don't know, don't show or don't care about what's going on with circus elephants in the Tupelo, Miss. 'hood.

The Associated Press reports that a Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus elephant was hit by a bullet in an apparent drive-by shooting in Tupelo. Circus spokeswoman Melinda Hartline says the elephant, named Carol, was not seriously hurt and that no other animals were harmed.

Tupelo Police Chief Tony Carleton said a vehicle drove past the arena about 2 a.m. and fired into the area, AP reported.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals has offered a $5,000 reward for information leading to an arrest. Former U.S. Rep. Travis Childers also offered a $250 reward.

http://jacksonfreepress.com/users/photos/2013/apr/09/11413/

After dropping the opening game of the best-of-three College World Series Championship at Omaha, Neb. Monday night, Mississippi State will need to win two games in a row to capture the school's first national championship.

The Bulldogs (51-19) will face the UCLA Bruins (48-17) in Game 2 tonight at 7 p.m. on ESPN.

UCLA starting pitcher Adam Plutko lifted the Bruins, scattering four hits over six innings of work before he left the game with the 3-1 lead. Including Monday night's win, the Bruins have only allowed seven runs in their past seven games combined.

Mississippi State will have to break that streak by getting some key hits, a feat they struggled with Monday night. The Bulldogs were sluggish out of the gate, and Plutko retired the first 10 hitters before Alex Detz singled with one out in the fourth inning.

4 Democrats

2 Seats.

The Hinds Count Democratic Party is preparing for what it's billing as a showdown for the District 2 and District 4 races tomorrow night at Metrocenter.

Here's a the full release:

JACKSON-On the evening of Thursday, October 3 at 6:00 PM at Center Court at the Metrocenter Mall, the Hinds County Democratic Party and Metrocenter Mall will host a public forum for the Democratic runoff candidates in supervisor districts two and four to appear and answer questions from a panel and from the public. The event is free and open to all.

In Supervisor District Two, Darrell McQuirter and Willie Earl Robinson will be the two candidates vying for the Democratic nomination in the runoff on October 8. In Supervisor District Four, the October 8 runoff will feature James “Lap” Baker and Michael Maldonado, due to the withdrawal of the September 24 second place finisher Jerry Hopkins.

Mississippi Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney announced a deal in an ongoing dispute between Hospital Management Associates and BlueCross & BlueShield of Mississippi. Here's Chaney's statement:

"I am very pleased that Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi moved forward today October 21, 2013 to recognize four HMA hospitals for network benefits. Three of the HMA hospitals are located in Amory, Batesville and Clarksdale, rural areas of the state. The fourth, Women’s Hospital in Flowood provides specialty medical service for women.

I would emphasis that the hospitals were not put back into the network of BCBS, but will be recognized as network providers and BCBS will provide in-network rates to its members that receive medical service at these hospitals.

Even with this action by BCBS, my office will continue to conduct an in-depth statewide network adequacy review to ensure compliance with market standards and statutory provisions.”

Last week, Forbes Magazine ran an interesting Q&A with HOPE Enterprise Corp.'s chief-executive officer Bill Bynum.

Bynum told interviewer Willy Foote that the population HOPE serves through its credit union is similar to a developing nation and talked about why HOPE is successful, saying:

"It’s certainly not easy but it doesn’t require rocket science. The tools are by and large the same ones that the banks use. Our difference is that we add a commitment to serving these markets. It’s a matter of will. We are very committed to making sure people have access to capital regardless of who their parents were, or where they live or what they look like. "

Read the rest of the interview here.

Jackson City Council met today to announce that an election for the Ward 6 City Council seat, which was made available by Tony Yarber's election to mayor, will be held June 17, 2014. The qualifying deadline for the election is May 28.

Both Tyrone Hendrix, a longtime Democratic operative, and Robert Amos, who competed in the 2013 Democratic primary for Jackson mayor, have both confirmed that they are considering running for the Ward 6 position: http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/news/2014/may/01/hendrix-amos-among-ward-6-possibles/.

Hendrix helped manage Jonathan Lee's campaign for mayor in 2013 and worked with Regina Quinn during the recent special election for mayor. Amos ran for mayor of Jackson in 2009 and for a seat on the Hinds County Board of Supervisors in 2011.

A runoff election, should it be in order, is set for July 1.

Sadly, it was only a matter of time before it happened here in Mississippi--a black man was killed by a white cop amid mysterious circumstances and officials are trying to keep tensions from simmering.

It happened on late Wednesday night in tiny Stonewall when, according to various media outlets, a 39-year-old black man named Jonathan Sanders had some sort of altercation with a white officer named Kevin Herrington.

Stewart Parrish, an attorney Sanders had once hired to represent him on a case, told Meridian television WTOK that Sanders was riding in a buggy exercising his horses when Herrington stopped Sanders, initiating an altercation that ended in Sanders' death, reportedly by choking.

The exact details are, of course, muddy. Early reports suggested that Herrington used a flashlight to subdue Sanders. Stonewall Police Chief Michael Street denied those reports, but hasn't gone into much detail about the incident that happened between 10:30 and 11 o'clock at night, citing his department's ongoing investigation. The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation is handling the case.

"We just ask that the citizens allow that to take place, not to try to take anything out in the streets. Our door is open," Street told WTOK.

Street's comments are an obvious reference to protests sparked by the deaths of African American men by--often white--police officers in the past year. Sanders' death is hauntingly similar to that of Eric Garner in New York City last summer. Like Garner, Sanders reportedly told Herrington that he couldn't breathe in the moments before he died, Parrish told the media.

The Guardian reported that Chief Street said "Sanders had no active warrants against him and that Harrington did not know who he was when the confrontation took place."

However, that didn't stop Jackson's local daily newspaper, the Clarion-Ledger, from using Sanders' mugshot (most other media outlets chose a picture of the victim warmly smiling with family members or with his horses; see below) and devoted the end of its story to talking about his rap sheet, writing:

"Sanders had crossed paths with authorities before. Circuit Clerk Beth Jordan said Sanders was out on bond from an April arrest for possession of cocaine, and that he had been convicted on charges of sale of cocaine in 2003."

The paper went on to point out: "MDOC Communications Director Grace Fisher said Sanders was given five years to serve with five years probation. He was released on May 23, 2007. Sanders' arrest record also shows arrests dating back to 2001 for disturbance of the family peace, sale of a counterfeit substance, domestic violence, and some traffic violations.

Several dozen commenters took the paper to task. Said one woman in the comments section: "Never fails; the weaponless dead victim is always prosecuted in the media to deflect how they ended up dead at the hands of police. Shame on the Clarion-Ledger."

As for the officer, the C-L made a point of noting that Herrington, according to Chief Street, "has never received any complaints of …

In what could be seen as a win for Jackson Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr., the Jackson City Council voted this afternoon to approve his proposed $12 million bond to repave major thoroughfares throughout the city.

The city council voted 3-1 in favor of the measure, with Ward 2 Councilman and mayoral candidate Chokwe Lumumba casting the lone vote against. Ward 1 Councilman Quintin Whitwell, Ward 6 Councilman and Council President Tony Yarber, and Ward 7 Councilwoman Margaret Barrett-Simon all voted in favor.

Ward 3 Councilwoman LaRita Cooper-Stokes, Ward 4 Councilman and mayoral candidate Frank Bluntson, and Ward 5 Councilman Charles Tillman were not present.

The mayor's plan calls for at least $1 million to spend on road and street resurfacing in each of Jackson's seven wards, as well as sidewalk, bridge, and culvert improvement and repair.

More details at JFPDaily.com tomorrow.

When it comes to who has been elected mayor of Hattiesburg, the votes are in, but the results are not. After failing to find a clear winner in the first go-round in June, the Hub City is trying again - and failing miserably.

Absentee ballot counting continues late Wednesday afternoon following Tuesday's special election, which was monitored by representatives from the Department of Justice and Mississippi Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann's office.

The good news is that Hattiesburg isn't alone in its futility. Apparently the whole world is following along, as #haelex is currently the third-highest trending topic on Twitter.

Challenger Dave Ware, an independent, led incumbent Democrat and former gubernatorial candidate Johnny Dupree by 32 votes when the absentee counting began this morning. Political cartoonist Marshall Ramsey has already chimed in.

Just got the press alert, verbatim. (OK, they didn't say "McDaniel" below, but you know.)

MEDIA ALERT: TEA PARTY EXPRESS TO MAKE MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT ON MISSISSIPPI'S U.S. SENATE RACE TOMORROW

SACRAMENTO, CA – Tea Party Express, the nation’s largest Tea Party political action committee, will hold a press conference in Jackson, Mississippi, Tuesday, November 5th at 11:00AM at the State Capital to announce its endorsement in Mississippi's U.S. Senate race. Tea Party Express chairman Amy Kremer will be on hand with the endorsed candidate to make the official announcement.

DETAILS: WHAT: Mississippi U.S. Senate candidate endorsement announcement WHERE: State Capital steps, 400 High Street, Jackson, MS WHEN: Tuesday, November 5, 2013 at 11:00 a.m.

SPEAKER: Tea Party Express chairman Amy Kremer

Here are the election-night parties we know are happening. If you hear about of any others, please let us know. Polls close at 7 p.m.

Gov. Phil Bryant Tonight at 7:30 PM at the Mississippi Republican Party Headquarters (415 Yazoo St, Jackson)

Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves will speak to supporters and members of the media at 9 p.m. Tuesday at Parlor Market, 115 W. Capitol St. in Jackson.

Vicki Slater, Democratic candidate for governor Hal & Mal's 200 Commerce St., Jackson

Sheriff Tyrone Lewis Lewis Campaign Headquarters 4255 Robinson Road

Victor Mason, candidate for Hinds County sheriff The campaign headquarters are located at 955 I-20 South Frontage Road, on top of the hill at the Gallatin Street Exit.

Stanley Alexander, candidate for Hinds County district attorney Martin's 214 South State Street Jackson, MS

"Church protection" would come with firearms if a House bill passes through the Legislature this session. Rep. Andy Gipson, R-Braxton, introduced the "Mississippi Church Protection Act" this week which would give churches legislative permission to create a "security program" that would designate certain members to carry weapons at church.

The bill would establish requirements for members of a church's security program. Members of a security program would be required to have firearms permits and go through an "instructional course in the safe handling and use of firearms." Any member of a church's security program would be immune from civil liability for any action taken while serving on the program.

The bill, HB786, was referred to the House Judiciary B Committee, which is chaired by Rep. Gipson.

In a move that I wouldn't be surprised to see repeated in the near future in the Magnolia State, Governor Rick Perry of Texas declared today that he [won't be implementing Obamacare][1] in Texas. Specifically, he says the state will not increase its Medicaid roles to cover additional working poor with the program, and the state will not set up the state exchange that's required in the law.

Perry's office sent a letter to U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius on Monday morning asserting his opposition, both to accepting more than a hundred million federal dollars over the next several years to put more poor Texas adults onto Medicaid, and to creating an Orbitz-style online insurance marketplace for consumers.marketplace for consumers.

The story notes that the insurance exchange isn't optional, and that the Federal government will set up a "one size fits all" exchange for the state.

“If anyone was in doubt, we in Texas have no intention to implement so-called state exchanges or to expand Medicaid under Obamacare," Perry said in a statement. "I will not be party to socializing healthcare and bankrupting my state in direct contradiction to our Constitution and our founding principles of limited government."

Texas, according to the story, has the country's highest percentage of uninsured residents.

But Dan Stultz, president and CEO of the Texas Hospital Association, said without the expansion, "many will remain uninsured, seeking care in emergency rooms, shifting costs to the privately insured, and increasing uncompensated care to health care providers."

And for folks who think the current ACA is a "socialist" expansion, does anyone find it curious that conservative leaders would leave their state exchanges to the Federal government to set up? It seems you would want a hand in there, making sure free market principles reign and such.

Although I guess stamping your feet and say "No! No! No!" feels like better politics to Governor Perry.

[1]: http://www.texastribune.org/texas-health-resources/medicaid/perry-tx-wont-implement-key-elements-health-reform/marketplace for consumers.