The organization 42 For Better Schools recently sought all communications regarding Initiative 42 and Initiative 42-A from Speaker of the House Philip Gunn and Lieutenant Governor Tate Reeves. Gunn and Reeves referred the request to the appropriate legislative committees. The House committee has not met but the Senate committee denied the request under Senate rules. The Lieutenant Governor’s duties include both legislative and executive functions; his role relating to Initiative 42-A would have been legislative.
The request for information from Reeves and Gunn was filed by Michael Rejebian, who according to a story from The Hechlinger Report, “leads much of the effort” at the headquarters of 42 For Better Schools. Rejebian, a former Clarion Ledger reporter and current Democratic operative is a partner at the firm Huffman & Rejebian. He and his business partner Alan Huffman wrote a memoir on their exploits in the world of opposition research titled, “We’re With Nobody: Two Insiders Reveal the Dark Side of American Politics.” Short to say, Rejebian understands civics, politics and the press.
I doubt he was surprised the request was denied. I suspect the purpose of the request was not to actually get any correspondence (which would have been a bonus), but to use the denial as a press hit to build a broader message.
Madison County Journal
9/2/15
