Sun Herald seeks contempt order against state auditor

Sun Herald seeks contempt order against state auditor

The Sun Herald has asked a judge to hold Mississippi State Auditor Stacey Pickering and his office in civil contempt of court for failing to turn over records requested by the newspaper.

The Sun Herald sued Pickering for access to records that his office had seized from the state Department of Marine Resources as part of an ongoing investigation of the agency.

Chancery Court Judge Jennifer Schloegel ruled last month that the records are public, but she didn’t immediately act on the newspaper’s request for a contempt order.

The newspaper reports Pickering has asked for the case before Schloegel to be stayed until the state Supreme Court can hear his appeal.

AP