YP – More dot connecting on Jim Hood and Mike Moore

Jim Hood recently has re-initiated hostilities with State Farm. This would seem to be counter to his agreement that he signed in early 2007 saying that he would no longer pursue criminal investigations or subsequent charges against State Farm. By the way, remember that Hood as part of that deal negotiated $5,000,000 in “investigative fees” to be paid by State Farm to the AG’s office.

Subsequent efforts from Jim Hood have prompted State Farm to file an additional complaint in September 2007. After doing some digging through that complaint, there are some fascinating revelations about Moore’s relationship to SKG and back again to Hood’s efforts.

Mike Moore had been doing Jim Hood’s bidding from an outside “resolution counsel” perspective, while still appearing in SKG matters. (paragraph 35 of the complaint). A Harrison County Court ordered Hood to erect a “Chinese Wall” to make sure these efforts were seperated, but Moore seems to be the connective tissue between the two efforts.

Then in February 2007, Hood expresses his continued displeasure that the Renfroe case has not been settled (paragraph 42).

According to the complaint, in a February 6 email to State Farm’s attorneys, Mike Moore (who was acting on Hood’s behalf) said, “can we get renfroe settled, its holding up progress on my end” (paragraph 43). Then two days later, Moore told State Farm’s lawyers, “I am told that the Renfroe lawyers made unreasonable demands resolving the issues on the Rigsby sisters issue today . . . I am going to wait til tomorrow to report to the Attorney General what they are up to because the response will not be pretty”.

I’m not a lawyer, but it’s hard to read this and not interpret this as “Do what I want or else the State of Mississippi will come after you (again)”.

Then Dickie Scruggs pipes up two weeks later and tells State Farm the “lack of resolve in securing dismissal of the Renfroe matter” will not be “without consequences”. Now remember that Scruggs has an interest in the Rigsby’s sisters’ defense (he actually indemnified them), they are also paid consultants of his, and he has a huge interest in SKG litigation. Having Renfroe vs Rigsby dismissed would be a huge shot in the arm to SKG’s efforts.

Though only one side of the argument, it seems consistent with other public documents such as the sworn testimony of Lee Harrell and others that this civil/criminal attack had some coordination.