Stay up-to-date on what’s in the news with the Y’all Politics Daily Roundup.
YP – Mask efficacy like masking guidance is uneven at best
As the debate rages on about handling COVID from a public health perspective, and Delta-related infections have grown substantially in recent weeks, there is now a full-on effort from public health officials to push masking, particularly in educational settings as a means to slow the spread.
So we’re left with a couple of major questions – how effective is masking particularly given that there’s an ENORMOUS variation of masks? And, how consistent is the guidance even from public health officials…
…But public health officials dealing with millions of people are now trying to put the onus on vaccinated people to protect the unvaccinated, which doesn’t pass the straight face test.
Layer that fact on top of the fact pattern that EVERYONE – EVERYONE – is a hypocrite on this masking thing. Even Dr. Thomas Dobbs on Friday night at Jackson State spoke masked up when talking to a group of student athletes. But when it was time for a grip and grin shot with a NFL Hall of Famer, the mask came off.
MSDH COVID-19 Reporting – For 3 Days
Today MSDH is reporting 6,912 more cases of COVID-19 in Mississippi, 28 deaths, and 153 ongoing outbreaks in long-term care facilities. State #covid19 totals: 365,061 cases, 7,649 deaths, and 1,048,917 persons fully vaccinated. Full information: https://t.co/YCv9xPyJDk pic.twitter.com/LfEdUIXbmG
— Mississippi State Department of Health (@msdh) August 9, 2021
Governor Reeves: Talk to your doctor… Do the right thing for you.
It was recently said nationally that the Delta variant was becoming a “pandemic of the unvaccinated.”
The most recent data from Mississippi suggest the same.
Talk to your doctor.
Assess the risk.
Do the right thing for you.
Do the right thing for your family. https://t.co/bjMrAzn6vN— Governor Tate Reeves (@tatereeves) August 9, 2021
YP – MS Ethics Commission hits City of Jackson with largest fine ever for failing to provide public records
On Friday, the Mississippi Ethics Commission issued its largest fine in state history to the City of Jackson.
The Ethics Commission is requiring the City of Jackson to pay $170,397.50 to reimburse the legal expenses for WLBT’s parent company Gray Television. It is also mandating that Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba implement accountability measures so the city does not violate the Public Records Act in the future. In addition, the city must pay $900 in a civil penalty to the state of Mississippi for violating the public records law.
The order comes after more than two years since WLBT’s reporter C.J. LeMaster made seven requests for public records to the Jackson Police Department related to comp time, crime reports, departmental memos, and more. Gray Televison filed the ethics complaint in October 2019.
YP – Auditor’s Audit Exceptions Report shows nearly 400% increase in misspent or stolen funds during FY21 over FY20
In the Auditor’s office Audit Exceptions Report for FY2021 they found nearly 400% more stolen or misspent taxpayer dollars in that year than the one before. This comes in addition to the $55.5 million a pharmacy benefit management company has agreed to pay the state after being investigated by the Auditor’s office.
The report also showed the Auditor’s office returned nearly $900,000 to taxpayers during the last fiscal year.
“I want to thank the investigators and auditors for their tireless work this year,” said Auditor White. “Every ounce of credit for the work you read about in this report goes to them.”
YP – Second redistricting hearing in the books for Tupelo
YP – NFIB announces 100 MS Legislators reach 100% in voting records
The National Federation of Independent Business shared that 100 Mississippi Legislators achieved 100% NFIB voting record for 2020-2021.
NFIB State Director Dawn McVea, made the announcement on Monday. She said the total was comprised of 30 senators and 70 representatives.
“Our members really appreciate the work these legislators do to support small business,” McVea said. “Many of these legislators are small business owners themselves, so they really understand the challenges our members face in these trying times.”
YP – AG Lynn Fitch seeks better protection for consumers from illegal robocalls
A bipartisan coalition of over fifty Attorneys General joined together to urge the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to accelerate the implementation of caller ID technology which would protect consumers from illegal robocalls.
Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch calls robocalls “disruptive” and “scams.” She urges the FCC in a tweet to control companies that are acting in bad faith to spam families, facilitate fraud, and evade detection.
“The flood of robocalls is disruptive to our daily lives and is often used to perpetrate scams. The TRACED Act, and the STIR/SHAKEN technology that it required, are meant to put an end to illegal robocalls and caller ID spoofing that bad actors use to harm consumers,” stated Fitch. “I urge the FCC to rein in the companies that are acting in bad faith to spam families, facilitate fraud, and evade detection.”
YP – Wicker, Hyde-Smith split on ending debate over Infrastructure bill
“It has been a long day, but we have plowed through, as I have intended, and the cloture motion on the final bill has passed by a very handsome, overwhelming vote and now we will continue to move forward,” Schumer said. “We will move forward to wrap this up as expeditiously as possible and then move on to the budget resolution.”
The Congressional Budget Office estimates that the infrastructure bill will add $256 billion the nation’s deficit. Supporters argue the bill will pay for itself and is much needed.
In a rare scene, Mississippi Senators Roger Wicker and Cindy Hyde-Smith, both Republicans, split their votes on the infrastructure spending bill, with Wicker voting in favor of ending debate on the package and Hyde-Smith voting against.
Hyde-Smith calls out Democrats’ spending package
Well, Dems finally released the text of their $3.5 TRILLION (that’s $3,500,000,000,000) reckless tax-and-spending spree. It’s chock full of more taxes, more inflation, & more national debt, with permanent welfare & amnesty for illegal immigrants sprinkled in. pic.twitter.com/PYuecYCGai
— U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (@SenHydeSmith) August 9, 2021
YP – Digital Learning Coaches Deployed to Schools Statewide
The Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) will deploy digital learning coaches to 62 schools across the state to help build the capacity of teachers and administrators to use educational technology to improve student outcomes.
The coaches are part of the Mississippi Connects initiative, which provides every public-school student in Mississippi with the technology to learn. The selected schools are in the 29 school districts that submitted applications to MDE for digital learning coaching support. Schools were selected based on the highest level of need and the expertise and the proximity of coaches.
MDE’s digital learning coaches will work with school leadership to select a cohort of four to six teachers to receive individualized coaching support throughout the 2021-22 school year.
Congressman Guest continues push for Biden to address border
Under the Biden Admin, a person can enter the United States illegally, regardless of COVID status, & be given a cross-country plane ticket to their final destination.
The Biden Administration caters to those who break our laws at the expense of law-abiding migrants & citizens. pic.twitter.com/3ettY4DVaC
— Congressman Michael Guest (@RepMichaelGuest) August 9, 2021
Magnolia Tribune
Republicans on House Ethics reject for now releasing report on Matt Gaetz
