CLARION LEDGER – Will Rep. Andy Gipson replace Cindy Hyde-Smith as the next agriculture commissioner?
A spokesman for Gov. Phil Bryant on Tuesday night confirmed the governor will likely name someone next week to become interim state agriculture commissioner to replace Cindy Hyde-Smith, the governor’s choice to replace retiring U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran.
The governor’s office has declined to say who the appointment will be, but numerous sources believe it will be Rep. Andy Gipson, R-Braxton. Gipson is an attorney, Baptist preacher and farmer who is a close ally of Bryant’s.
Rep. Gipson named “Conservative Legislator of the Year”
2018 Mississippi Legislative Conservative Coalition “Conservative Legislator of the Year.” This award is going above my gun cabinet for now. pic.twitter.com/21U0MKMTBZ
— Andy Gipson (@repandygipson) March 28, 2018
WTOK – Mississippi lawmakers revise some Medicaid services
Mississippi lawmakers are updating the state’s Medicaid program, allocating nearly $1 billion in state funds for the program that insures 1 in 4 residents.
Senate Bill 2836 was approved Tuesday by the House and Senate and sent to Gov. Phil Bryant for his approval or veto.
It would establish funding for addiction treatment and remove the previous limit on the number of doctors’ visits and prescriptions.
The bill was agreed to after negotiations that focused on an effort by a group of Mississippi hospitals to obtain part of the managed care insurance business from the state agency.
CLARION LEDGER – Neighborhoods press Tate Reeves for vote on community improvement
Neighborhood associations banded together with Downtown Jackson Partners Tuesday to ask why Lt. Gov Tate Reeves isn’t supporting a bill that allows neighborhoods to raise property taxes…
…Downtown Jackson Partners sent a letter to Reeves in early March, reiterating their belief in the need for Community Improvement Districts.
“Allowing a community to have control over its destiny is simply the right thing to do,” the letter stated. “This is not an increase in taxes but simply a democratic expression of a community, by super majority vote to improve the neighborhoods in which they live.”
WJTV – House of Representatives recognizes U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran
DAILY JOURNAL – Budget work completed, session nearing end
The Mississippi Legislature finished work Tuesday on its $6.1 billion budget when legislation passed both chambers to set parameters on the state’s Medicaid program.
With the budget completed, only a few items remain to be finished during the 2018 session, which could end as early as today.
MERIDIAN STAR – New law lets Mississippi invest in bonds issued by Israel
A new Mississippi law will allow the state treasury to invest up to $20 million in bonds issued by Israel.
Republican Gov. Phil Bryant, who has traveled to Israel several times, signed Senate Bill 2051Tuesday.
The law takes effect July 1. It will authorize Mississippi to use excess general funds to invest in Israeli bonds. Investments must be made in U.S. currency.
WJTV – Mississippi governor signs law meant to cut jail population
Sen. Wicker speaks at Mississippi Legislative Conservative Coalition Banquet
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McDaniel Campaign Files Complaint with IRS for Non-Profit Violations
Jackson, MS – Today, Friends of Chris McDaniel filed a complaint with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) charging Campaign Legal Center (CLC), a non-profit funded by anti-First Amendment advocate George Soros with illegally engaging in political activity prohibited by IRS regulations. Among other things, the CLC, which was formed by anti-political speech advocates, uses it non-profit status as a front to engage in political actively for the express purpose of defeating political candidates for public office who disagree with their radical anti-speech views.
“I’d like to say that I’ve never seen a non-profit take the brazen step of expressly engaging in political activities but CLC is well-known for using its status as a non-profit as a cover for directly trying to influence the outcome of elections,” said Chris McDaniel, candidate for US Senate.
CLC routinely files FEC complaints but it has a reputation for engaging in what many experts consider an overt political effort to affect the outcome of Federal elections to meet its political objectives.
“Campaigns, PACs and other outside groups including non-profits use frivolous FEC complaints as a political smear tactic to influence elections. It’s political activity – plain and simple,” said McDaniel. “This political tactic has been tolerated for too long and CLC has gotten away with violating IRS regulations long enough. If the IRS takes the status on non-profits seriously, it should strip CLC of it’s non-profit status.”
Filing a false complaint with the FEC is perjury which carries a severe penalty.
The McDaniel campaign says that in its latest frivolous FEC complaint, CLC blatantly ignored the law pertaining to SuperPACs and took advantage of the media’s and public’s lack of understanding of the law.
The McDaniel campaign consulted legal counsel and followed FEC guidance when McDaniel attended several SuperPAC-sponsored events. A candidate’s participation in such events is clearly allowable by law and far from being “unprecedented”, it is routine.
Moreover, the event briefing document produced by the campaign and reviewed by the candidate before appearing at the event clearly states that the event is “not a fund-raiser” and not to ask for donations. Moreover, CLC falsely claims that the SuperPAC contributed to the McDaniel campaign without offering a shred of proof. The fact is no contribution was made.
“Non-profits are categorically prohibited from engaging in political activities,” said McDaniel. “The IRS should investigate CLC for its illegal political activities and strip the front group of its status as a non-profit, which appears to have been obtained under false pretenses, and it should force CLC to inform its donors that their contributions are retroactively taxable so as to deter others from violating this bright-line rule in the future.”
CLC is funded by millionaires and billionaire including George Soros who personally spends millions, if not billions of dollars through a vast network of dark-money organizations to influence elections. CLC publicly acknowledges their relationship with Soros’ organizations on their website.
