WLBT – Guv luv: Poll shows Gov. Phil Bryant approval tops even Trump
An NBC/SurveyMonkey poll, in collaboration with Mississippi Today, found that 67 percent of Mississippi respondents said they “strongly” or “somewhat” approve of the way Gov. Phil Bryant is handling his job.
That’s a better showing in the state than President Donald Trump, who scored 10 percentage points lower, at 57 percent approval. However, more Mississippi respondents polled “strongly” approve of Trump (35 percent) than Bryant (27 percent).
US Chamber backs Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith in news ad: Effective Conservative
Hyde-Smith holds fundraiser in Pascagoula
https://www.facebook.com/mark.cumbest/posts/10216013056620317
CLARION LEDGER – Geoff Pender: Is it ethical? Government officials wrestle with side jobs, hiring relatives, gift cards
I like to occasionally peruse advisory opinions by the state Ethics Commission because they give great insight into the dilemmas government officials and employees face and because I have no social life outside of deer season.
Officials struggling with issues such as giving their no-good brother in law a government job or taking a side job with a company that contracts with their government can, anonymously to the public, seek an ethics opinion. They don’t have to follow the advice, but doing so can provide some legal cover if the need arises.
DAILY JOURNAL – Bills seeking to reduce levels of incarceration becoming law
Two bills designed to prevent people from being incarcerated because they are too poor to pay their criminal fees and fines passed during the recently completed 2018 legislative session.
One of those bills has been signed into law by Gov. Phil Bryant and the other is pending his signature. They are part of bipartisan efforts to make changes to the state’s criminal justice system in an effort to reduce the levels of incarceration – particularly for non-violent offenders.
WAPT – 12 Mississippi hospitals owed $2 million
The Mississippi Supreme Court is ordering the state’s Medicaid program to pay back $2 million to 12 hospitals, saying the agency improperly skimped on reimbursement for services.
The Thursday decision upholds a suit the hospitals filed saying the state-federal health insurance program had illegally changed its payment formula for radiology and laboratory services.
Congressman Palazzo tweets on US pork imports to Argentina
Today Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced the government of Argentina will allow U.S. pork to be imported into Argentina for the 1st time since 1992. Great to have an Administration that is committed to America’s farmers & seeking fairer trade for U.S. products! pic.twitter.com/jwaJGLWuwJ
— Cong. Steven Palazzo (@CongPalazzo) April 13, 2018
WTOK – Democratic lawmakers weigh in on transportation funding issues
DAILY JOURNAL – Democrats advocate stopping 2016 tax cut to provide transportation funds
Legislative Democrats on Friday advocated delaying the enactment of 2016 tax cuts – the largest in history – as a possible new source of revenue to pay for infrastructure needs.
They, like many of their Republican colleagues who hold substantial majorities in both chambers of the Legislature, seemed reluctant to advocate an increase in the gasoline tax to pay for what most agree is a deteriorating transportation infrastructure system.
State Rep. David Baria of Bay St. Louis, the House minority leader, said working Mississippians would be asking, “Why should I have to pay more at the pump when you just gave a tax break…to out-of-state corporations? I think that is a fair question.”
Palazzo Commends President on U.S. Air Strikes in Syria
Congressman Steven Palazzo (MS-4) issued the following statement after President Trump ordered U.S. forces to launch air strikes against chemical weapons facilities in Syria.
“The Syrian people, including women and children have been subjected to heinous attacks using chemical weapons. Perhaps worst of all, these atrocities are being carried out by their own president and defended by Vladimir Putin and his gang of thugs. The U.S. cannot be the world’s police force, but we also cannot sit idly by and allow these cowardly and evil acts to be committed right before our very eyes.
“I commend the president for doing what the previous administration wouldn’t do. Trump has acted on the “line in the sand”. If Obama had acted when Assad had first used chemical weapons against his own people we could have prevented the years of blood shed and unnecessary suffering at the hands of these cowards.”
Gov. Bryant supports POTUS Syrian strikes
President @realDonaldTrump has been clear since he took office: the United States will not tolerate the use of chemical weapons in Syria or anywhere else.
— Phil Bryant (@PhilBryantMS) April 14, 2018
Sen. Wicker comments on Syrian air strikes
.@realDonaldTrump took decisive action against the Syrian regime. The president’s measured and proportional response demonstrates to Syrian President Bashar Al Assad and his allies that the U.S. will not tolerate the continued use of chemical weapons. https://t.co/JKASRRH6cg pic.twitter.com/W9dSf08icS
— Senator Roger Wicker (@SenatorWicker) April 14, 2018
