Speaker Ryan thanks Congressman Harper for Sexual Harassment Reform
Today, the House unanimously passed landmark legislation that improves accountability and transparency while addressing allegations of sexual harassment in Congress, and protects victims. pic.twitter.com/qUtcAt7Hi6
— Paul Ryan (@SpeakerRyan) December 13, 2018
MBJ – Analysis: Top 2 GOP counties could split in governor primary
The road to the Republican nomination for statewide offices in Mississippi runs through a few conservative communities. In a largely rural state of just under 3 million residents, Republican candidates’ strategy is usually to seek support in a short list of vote-rich counties and to pad out a winning margin with additional votes from counties with smaller populations.
Two of the Republicans running for governor in 2019 come from the strongest GOP counties. Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves is from Rankin County in the central part of the state, and state Rep. Robert Foster is from DeSoto County up north.
There’s no guarantee each will win the place he lives, but home turf is an advantage. Foster’s presence in the race will force Reeves to spend money and energy in northern Mississippi while also trying to line up support in GOP strongholds along the Gulf Coast.
WTOK – Auditor demands more than $200,000 from Chancery Clerk
Mississippi’s state auditor is demanding that a southwest Mississippi official repay more than $200,000 to county government.
The Daily Leader of Brookhaven reports State Auditor Shad White on Thursday released a report saying Lincoln County Chancery Clerk Tillmon Bishop needs to repay the money.
Auditors contend Bishop improperly paid eight employees with $163,000 in county money instead of fees collected by the chancery clerk’s office. They also say Bishop improperly paid $53,000 in salary and expenses after the end of the 2017 budget year.
CLARION LEDGER – Mac Gordon: Mississippi needs more progressive candidates “to erase clouds of bigotry”
Smith’s hold on the chair formerly held by Thad Cochran was certainly strengthened in the Nov. 27 runoff, but in no way is she guaranteed a decades-long grip on it. Espy and other state Democrats are already digging in for another stab at her position two years from now.
Surely some of the Republican hierarchy are also looking for a primary opponent for Hyde-Smith after her less-than-stellar campaign. State Sen. Chris McDaniel, after his dismal Senate campaign, likely will not make that list, but perhaps one of the three Republican members of the U.S. House of Representatives — Trent Kelly of the 1st District, Gregg Harper of the 3rd and Steven Palazzo of the 4th, along with the 3rd’s-to-be, Michael Guest — will look seriously at the seat…
…Like it or not, and there are many of us who grieve daily over our image, Mississippi is still Mississippi with all of its history and racial baggage. Photos of Hyde-Smith in Confederate regalia didn’t help that picture. This state has journeyed a long way in race relations, but when a candidate for public office brings connotations of race into a run for public office, then clearly and sadly it gives that person an advantage at the ballot boxes. It has been proven time and again.
CLARION LEDGER – Will Cindy Hyde-Smith honor campaign refund requests? Probably not.
Newly elected Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith has refunded $5,000 to Major League Baseball, after the organization requested its money back due to controversy surrounding Hyde-Smith’s comments about attending a public hanging.
But the prospects of Hyde-Smith’s campaign returning money to other concerned donors remains uncertain.
The New York Times reported Friday that at least seven other companies, including Walmart, AT&T, Pfizer and Aetna have not received donations back.
When a reporter asked Hyde-Smith about the status of returning the donations, the senator responded: “I don’t even have a list.”
MSGOP comment on refund requests
Do companies ever ask for their donations to be returned when Democrats support late-term abortion? https://t.co/q7LVJxvAHl
— Mississippi GOP (@MSGOP) December 15, 2018
Former AG Mike Moore on ’60 Minutes’ for opioid lawsuits
Will drug manufacturers and distributors be held accountable for the opioid crisis? Attorney Mike Moore thinks so. The man who helped hold big tobacco accountable says he has new evidence that will cost the opioid industry billions. https://t.co/2UAjopJ6zl pic.twitter.com/M8rAn1Q9Yr
— 60 Minutes (@60Minutes) December 17, 2018
WLOX – Look ahead to the 2019 MS Legislative Session
State Sen. Michael Watson and State Rep. Scott Delano talk about their priorities. Click link for video.
WLBT – Two Mississippi journalism legends to leave Clarion Ledger
Investigative reporter Jerry Mitchell, who’s been at the paper since 1986 and editorial cartoonist Marshall Ramsey, who’s been there since 1996.
Mitchell wrote that he’s leaving to focus on the “Mississippi Center for Investigative Reporting,” a non-profit that he co-founded…
…Ramsey is taking a job at “Mississippi Today,” a non-profit web-based news service, where he says he will continue drawing his cartoons.
Magnolia Tribune
