Lawyer: Legislators don’t have to give up documents in suit
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Mississippi legislators are telling a federal judge that they shouldn’t have to turn over documents about their 2016 vote to shift control of Jackson’s airports to a new board mostly appointed by state officials.
Mike Wallace, an attorney for eight lawmakers, on Monday argued before U.S. Magistrate Judge Keith Ball that his clients are protected from having to turn over any documents by a principle known as legislative privilege. That means lawmakers can’t be hauled into court for anything they do in the normal flow of passing laws.
In this case, Wallace said that extends to any correspondence or text messages legislators might have exchanged with anyone about the law. Otherwise, he said “you threaten to cut off lines of communication that are important to legislators.”
Meridian Star
11/6/17
Magnolia Tribune
