EDITORIAL/Judicial activism in schools
Last week, the State Board of Election Commissioners met to review candidate qualifications and approve the ballot. Two of the members – Gov. Phil Bryant and Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann – met in Jackson, the third member – Attorney General Jim Hood – called in to the meeting. Hood suggested on the phone that the Commission change its rules to allow voting over the phone. They didn’t, but in this case it didn’t matter because Hood doesn’t get a vote on the ballot. It is created by the Secretary of State with approval from the Governor.
The ballot for the initiative and the alternative contains the ballot title, how the Constitution will read if changed and a fiscal analysis by the Legislative Budget Office. Proponents of Initiative-42 complained it contained too much information. Perhaps they don’t like educated voters.
But now, the I-42 proponents are suing yet again. Now they want to add more information to the ballots. Leading the lawsuit against Gov. Bryant and Secretary Hosemann are two members of Attorney General Jim Hood’s campaign staff: Jonathan Compretta and Michael Rejebian.
This shouldn’t come as a surprise, Hood told the Stennis Institute Capitol Press Corps on Monday he supports Initiative 42. “You can bet there’s going to be a lot of litigation over it if it passes,” Hood said.
Neshoba Democrat Editorial
9/16/15
