YP Daily Roundup 3/30/18

Andy Gipson resigns from MS House to take on Ag Commissioner

Attached is a copy of my House of Reps. resignation letter, submitted to Gov. and Speaker today. pic.twitter.com/FsK9TqPyVC

— Andy Gipson (@repandygipson) March 30, 2018

AP – Claim against incoming senator: Wandering horse caused wreck

An incoming U.S. senator from Mississippi and her husband are facing a lawsuit that claims one of their horses wandered onto a highway and caused a wreck.

The Daily Leader reports Cindy Hyde-Smith and Michael Smith, who are cattle farmers in Brookhaven, deny any negligence.

State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co. sued the couple in March 2016, seeking to recover just over $3,900 that the company paid to one of its customers for damage to a vehicle that hit a horse in 2015.

AG Hood says MS Senate leadership “bought and paid for” this session

STATEMENT ON #msleg: Unfortunately for MS taxpayers, Senate leadership was bought & paid for this session by giant corporations with little interest in the well-being of our citizens. For @tatereeves, one ex. is to the tune of nearly $200k Full remarks: https://t.co/RKTlvyF3o0 pic.twitter.com/H6jAR89OvC

— Jim Hood (@AGJimHood) March 29, 2018

WLOX – PSC charges 19 telemarketers for no-call violations

Public Service Commissioner Brandon Presley announced Thursday that the PSC has charged nineteen telemarketers for violating Mississippi’s No-Call law.

The PSC’s investigation found that these companies made 236 illegal calls to Mississippians. Should these entities be found to have violated the No-Call law, they are subject to a $5,000 per call fine; totaling $1,180,000.

SUNHERALD – Why the bill to get BP money to the Coast didn’t get passed

Gunn said the business community, in another poll question, overwhelmingly supported a 75/25 split if the spending was controlled by a local board of trustees.

“It appears the sticking point appears to be control,” Gunn said. “Our proposal involved the Legislature appropriating the funds, which I think is the role of the Legislature. But it appears there are some who want to have the Legislature give them the dollars and let them appropriate the funds. We see that as bad public policy, I don’t care where you live.”

And a Coast lawmaker said directing a fraction of the money to other areas of the state is the only way to secure votes to pass a BP bill in the House.

“At the end of the day, you have to have a plan that has the support of the Legislature,’ said Manly Barton, R-Moss Point. “There are compromises here that were made. I think we all would love to see all the money go to the Coast. But I don’t think we can get that and pass a comprehensive BP bill.”

WCBI – STATE LAWMAKERS DISCUSS WHY 2 PERCENT RESTAURANT TAX DIED

WLOX – Ocean Springs mayor calls KKK ‘racist, coward terrorists’

The mayor of Ocean Springs has responded after the KKK sent a video to a Gulf Coast civil rights group this week.

In a statement released Thursday morning, Mayor Shea Dobson said, “The KKK is a bunch of racist, coward terrorists. Their actions should be rebuked by everyone, regardless of party affiliation or political beliefs. This Gulf Coast community is made up of the most compassionate and loving people there is, regardless what others may say.”

Dobson’s comments come after a press conference was held on the steps of Ocean Springs City Hall Wednesday to address the video, which was sent to Mississippi Rising Coalition and targeted the civil rights group’s president Lea Campbell.

WDAM – Convicted felons file federal lawsuit to regain rights to vote in MS

Convicted felons are filing a federal lawsuit to regain their rights to vote in Mississippi. The Southern Poverty Law Center is representing six plaintiffs in the case. The 1890 constitution and the attorney general outlined those crimes and the felonies range from bigamy to timber larceny.

“Mississippi is clearly an outlier, clearly a state that in this regard at least is clinging to an 1890 vision of who should vote and who should not vote,” said attorney Jonathan Youngwood who is working with the Southern Poverty Law Center representing convicted felons who want to regain their voting rights.

The 1890 constitution lists 10 crimes.  A 2009 Attorney General’s opinion included 12 increasing the list to 22 disenfranchising crimes.

CLARION LEDGER – Is it about race? Pelahatchie mayor and aldermen in power struggle 

In the nearly nine months since Ryshonda Harper Beechem took office as mayor of Pelahatchie, the Board of Aldermen has cut her pay 75 percent without prior notice, given her access to the vault with the city’s books only if she agreed not take anything and approved her request for a fundraiser for a community project as long as she cleaned up afterward…

…The ongoing feud escalated at a recent meeting when the board — without warning — voted unanimously to cut Beechem’s pay by 75 percent, from $1,000 to $250 a month. The board unveiled the decision without consulting the mayor about it beforehand or putting it on the city agenda.

“I learned during the board meeting when they announced it. I had no clue,” she said.

#MSSen – Boyanton takes swing against Wicker, Republican Party

https://www.facebook.com/boyantonforsenate/videos/2079412815674624/