Hood Launches False and Negative Attack on Al Hopkins’ Military Experience
This morning Attorney General Jim Hood launched a false and negative attack on retired Major General Al Hopkins’ military experience in an effort to hide the way he appears to have sold state contingency fee contracts to his campaign contributors. In a press forum sponsored by the Stennis Institute, Hopkins documented the ways Hood repeatedly received campaign contributions in close proximity to state contracts he awarded to the contributors’ firms.
“Jim Hood’s false and negative attack on my military service is a ludicrous smokescreen by a man who is desperate to hide the way he appears to be selling state contracts to his political contributors,” stated Hopkins. “Sadly, Mr. Hood has a pattern of behavior that creates the unhealthy perception that Mississippi’s Attorney General’s office is for sale. The timing of his campaign contributions and the contracts he awarded to attorneys suggests the connection is no coincidence-it suggests Jim Hood’s version of justice is ‘Pay to Play’. We don’t know if he’s actually selling state contracts for campaign contributions, or just exercising horrendously bad judgment, but Mississippi deserves better in her Attorney General.”
Desperate to save his political career, Hood falsely accused Hopkins’ of “padding his resume” when in fact Hopkins was appointed Chief Judge of the Mississippi Court of Military Appeals by Governor Kirk Fordice in 1996 and reappointed by Governor Haley Barbour in 2004 after a lifetime career in the military. Hopkins began his military service as an enlisted man in 1965 in the 31st Infantry Division and retired as a Major General, after serving his final four years as Assistant Adjutant General for the State of Mississippi. He is a graduate of the Judges Advocate General’s Career Course and General Staff School of the United States Army, University of Virginia School of Law, Charlottesville, Virginia. He served as Staff Judge Advocate for Mississippi Emergency Operations Headquarters; Command and Control Headquarters; Det. 1 STARC and Special Staff Judge Advocate to the Adjutant General of the State of Mississippi.
Documentation:
On November 15, 2005, Jim Hood received $15,000 from an attorney with Bernstein Liebhard & Lifshitz of New York. Their firm received a state contract 3 months later on February 16, 2006. In return, they contributed to Hood another 15,000 dollars a week after they received the contract (February 23).
After receiving $25,000 from partners with Bernstein, Litowitz, Berger & Grossman of New York on February 14, 16, & 17th, Jim Hood signed over to them 3 separate state contracts a week later on February 21 and March 14, 2006. The same firm then gave another series of contributions on April 16, 24, 25, & 26, which followed with another contract soon thereafter on May 17, 2006.
Jim Hood received contributions of $11,500 to his campaign from Schiffrin, Barroway, Topaz & Kessler of Pennsylvania in February 2006, which led to contingency fee contracts immediately following in March and April.
Likewise, Wolf Popper of New York contributed $15,000 to Jim Hood on February 22, 2006 and received a contingency fee contract just a few weeks later on March 23, 2006.
On September 19, 2005 Jim Hood signed Baron & Budd of Texas to a contingency fee state contract, which soon led to another $19,200 for Hood’s campaign on November 7 & 8.
Summary:
Law Firms of Contributors to Jim Hood receiving contracts for legal work
(sorted alphabetically, DAGA Contributions not included)
Firm (if provided) City State Contrib. Date Amount
Zimmerman Reed Wyzata MN 07/06/07 $1,000.00
Zimmerman Reed Alexandria LA 07/07/07 $1,000.00
Langston Law Firm Booneville MS 07/01/03 $2,500.00
Schiffrin & Barroway Radnor PA 02/22/06 $5,000.00
Schiffrin & Barroway Radnor PA 07/09/07 $12,500.00
Wolfe Popper New York NY 02/22/06 $15,000.00
Bernstein Litowitz Berger & Grossman New York NY 02/16/06 $5,000.00
Blair & Bondurant Brandon MS 05/29/06 $500.00
Bossier & Kitchens Jackson MS 08/28/03 $1,000.00
Bossier & Kitchens Jackson MS 10/19/04 $1,000.00
Lundy & Davis Madison MS 08/12/05 $1,000.00
Barron & Budd Dallas TX 11/07/05 $5,000.00
Barron & Budd Dallas TX 11/07/05 $5,000.00
Lundy & Davis Lake Charles LA 08/11/05 $1,650.00
Krebs Farley Jackson MS 05/15/03 $1,000.00
Krebs Farley Jackson MS 07/07/03 $150.00
Krebs Farley Jackson MS 12/04/03 $170.00
Krebs Farley Jackson MS 12/11/03 $250.00
Krebs Farley Jackson MS 06/15/06 $500.00
Krebs Farley Jackson MS 02/27/07 $250.00
Bernstein Litowitz Berger & Grossman Bronxville NY 02/17/06 $5,000.00
Danny E. Cupit Law Offices Jackson MS 07/16/03 $1,000.00
Danny E. Cupit Law Offices Jackson MS 01/19/07 $5,000.00
Lundy & Davis Lake Charles LA 08/10/05 $5,000.00
Lundy & Davis Madison MS 08/11/05 $1,000.00
Baker Donaldson Flowood MS 03/19/03 $2,500.00
Baker Donaldson Flowood MS 09/04/03 $2,500.00
Baker Donaldson Flowood MS 08/01/05 $1,500.00
Baker Donaldson Jackson MS 06/01/06 $273.00
Baker Donaldson Jackson MS 12/28/06 $1,700.00
Baker Donaldson Flowood MS 06/05/07 $1,750.00
Bernstein Litowitz Berger & Grossman New Orleans LA 02/17/06 $5,000.00
Bernstein Litowitz Berger & Grossman New York NY 04/25/07 $1,000.00
Zimmerman Reed Long Lake MN 07/06/07 $1,000.00
Bernstein Litowitz Berger & Grossman New York NY 04/25/07 $1,000.00
Schiffrin & Barroway Radnor PA 02/22/06 $500.00
The Langston Law Firm Booneville MS 06/20/03 $15,964.59
The Langston Law Firm Booneville MS 06/30/03 $5,000.00
The Langston Law Firm Booneville MS 07/04/03 $875.00
The Langston Law Firm Booneville MS 10/01/03 $10,000.00
The Langston Law Firm Booneville MS 06/04/04 $25,000.00
The Langston Law Firm Booneville MS 08/11/05 $7,000.00
The Langston Law Firm Booneville MS 09/30/05 $14,000.00
The Langston Law Firm Booneville MS 10/05/05 $4,500.00
The Langston Law Firm Booneville MS 11/03/05 $4,500.00
The Langston Law Firm Booneville MS 11/10/05 $2,625.00
The Langston Law Firm Booneville MS 05/14/07 $5,250.00
The Langston Law Firm Booneville MS 06/06/07 $15,000.00
Baron & Budd Baton Rouge LA 11/07/05 $2,300.00
Baron & Budd Baton Rouge LA 11/07/05 $5,000.00
Baron & Budd Baton Rouge LA 11/08/05 $1,900.00
Bernstein Liebhard & Lifshitz New York NY 11/15/05 $15,000.00
Liston & Lancaster Winona MS 04/01/03 $5,000.00
Liston & Lancaster Winona MS 09/23/03 $5,000.00
Liston & Lancaster Winona MS 01/10/07 $5,000.00
Lundy & Davis Houston TX 08/11/05 $5,000.00
Lundy & Davis Lake Charles LA 08/11/05 $5,000.00
Maxey Wann Jackson MS 03/11/03 $1,000.00
Maxey Wann Jackson MS 08/02/03 $1,000.00
Maxey Wann Jackson MS 08/28/03 $200.00
Maxey Wann Jackson MS 10/21/03 $1,000.00
Maxey Wann Jackson MS 12/11/03 $1,000.00
Maxey Wann Jackson MS 02/27/07 $1,000.00
Bernstein Litowitz Berger & Grossman Bronxville NY 02/14/06 $5,000.00
David Nutt & Associates Jackson MS 03/12/03 $500.00
David Nutt & Associates Ridgeland MS 08/12/04 $35,000.00
David Nutt & Associates Ridgeland MS 05/17/07 $552.00
David Nutt & Associates Ridgeland MS 06/06/07 $25,000.00
Lundy & Davis Houston TX 08/11/05 $1,275.00
Pittman Germany Roberts & Welsh Jackson MS 06/01/06 $195.00
Pittman Germany Roberts & Welsh Jackson MS 06/15/06 $2,500.00
Pittman Germany Roberts & Welsh Jackson MS 12/01/06 $375.00
Pittman Germany Roberts & Welsh Jackson MS 03/12/03 $500.00
Pittman Germany Roberts & Welsh Jackson MS 03/12/03 $500.00
Pittman Germany Roberts & Welsh Jackson MS 07/10/03 $5,000.00
Pittman Germany Roberts & Welsh Jackson MS 10/01/03 $4,500.00
Pittman Germany Roberts & Welsh Jackson MS 06/28/04 $15,000.00
Pittman Germany Roberts & Welsh Jackson MS 05/08/07 $10,000.00
Pittman Germany Roberts & Welsh Jackson MS 05/08/07 $10,000.00
Schiffrin & Barroway Radnor PA 02/22/06 $500.00
Schiffrin & Barroway Radnor PA 07/14/06 $522.12
Schiffrin & Barroway Radnor PA 07/14/06 $508.13
Lundy & Davis Brandon MS 08/11/05 $3,000.00
Schiffrin & Barroway Radnor PA 02/21/06 $5,000.00
Schiffrin & Barroway Radnor PA 07/09/07 $12,500.00
Bernstein Litowitz Berger & Grossman Rancho Santa CA 02/16/06 $5,000.00
Bernstein Litowitz Berger & Grossman New York NY 04/16/07 $1,000.00
Bernstein Litowitz Berger & Grossman New York NY 04/26/07 $1,000.00
Bernstein Litowitz Berger & Grossman New York NY 04/24/07 $2,500.00
Bernstein Liebhard &Lifshitz New York NY 02/23/06 $15,000.00
Schiffrin & Barroway Radnor PA 02/21/06 $500.00
Wolf Popper New York NY 10/10/03 $1,000.00
Lee Young Law Firm Moss Point MS 08/18/03 $500.00
Daniel Corker Horton & Bell Jackson MS 06/01/06 $200.00
Total $423,934.84
Outside Counsel Contracts (sorted alphabetically by firm)
Subject of Contract Law Firm Contract Date
Visteon Corporation Baron & Budd 09/19/05
Cigna Corporation Bernstein Liebhard & Lifshitz 02/16/06
Merck & Co. Bernstein Litowitz Berger & Grossman 11/12/05
Delphi Corp Bernstein Litowitz Berger & Grossman 02/21/06
Converium Holdings AG Bernstein Litowitz Berger & Grossman 02/26/06
Mills Corporation Bernstein Litowitz Berger & Grossman 03/14/06
UnitedHealth Group Inc. Bernstein Litowitz Berger & Grossman 05/17/06
Pursue Energy Corporation Blair & Bondurant 02/13/96
Merck/Vioxx Bossier & Kitchens 03/04/05
Johson-McAdams Firm Burr & Forman/Krebs Farley 04/24/07
Facility Holdings Corp Burr & Forman/Krebs Farley 04/25/07
Average Wholesale Price/Medicaid Claims Copeland Cook Taylor & Bush 02/28/05
City of Memphis/Memphis Light Gas & Water Daniel Coker Horton & Bell 01/01/05
Third parties/natural resources Davidson Bowie & Sims 07/25/06
Olivia Y et al vs Haley Barbour et al Edds, Stephen 07/21/04
Robert Marie et al v Gaylord Paper Manufacturer et al Furnish & Associates 01/19/04
Kmart/Sears Holding Corporation Grant & Eisenhofer 08/01/06
Microsoft Corporation Hazzard Law LLC 08/09/04
BASF and other pharma Hazzard Law LLC 08/09/04
WorldCom/KPMG Langston Law Firm 09/29/04
Various Pharma Langston Law Firm 07/21/06
Brown and Williamson Co Lee Young Law Firm 05/01/06
EEOC Maxey Wann 01/01/06
Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc Schiffrin & Barroway 03/30/06
Coca Cola Enterprise, Inc Schiffrin & Barroway 04/10/06
Viacom, Inc. Schiffrin & Barroway 09/13/06
Dell Inc Schiffrin & Barroway 11/07/06
Caremark RX Inc. Various 12/12/06
State Farm and Casualty Company Various 05/28/07
Freidman Billings Ramsey Group, Inc Wolf Popper 08/10/05
Sonus Networks, Inc Wolf Popper 03/23/06
Boston Scientific Corporation Zimmerman Reed PLLP 01/03/07
Al Hopkins Campaign Release
9/25/7
Magnolia Tribune
