Reeves kicks off gubernatorial campaign; Bryant proud for Reeves as “next Governor”
Proud to see this great event for my friend and next Governor Tate Reeves. https://t.co/yQK6onM7W9
— Phil Bryant (@PhilBryantMS) April 9, 2019
WJTV – Reeves takes on Hood, ‘liberals’ in campaign kickoff
Hood swipes at Reeves over Entergy campaign donations
NEWS: We’re calling on Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves to disclose all emails, correspondence, call logs, records of meetings, and documents exchanged between Reeves and Entergy to shed light on the more than $50K in campaign contributions that Reeves took from the utility giant. pic.twitter.com/H44eBLtBcs
— Jim Hood (@HoodForGovernor) April 8, 2019
WTOK – Mississippi requests new hearing in redistricting lawsuit
Attorneys for Gov. Phil Bryant and Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann filed papers Monday asking the entire 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to hear arguments in a redistricting lawsuit filed by black plaintiffs.
The lawsuit challenges the drawing of a Senate district, which stretches from mostly black and poor parts of the rural Delta into mostly white and affluent suburbs outside Jackson. The district has a 51% black voting age population and a white Republican senator.
WTVA – MS Attorney General Republican candidates speak about their campaigns
HATTIESBURG AMERICAN – Mississippi flag: Young people don’t want to live here, AG hopeful says, change it
A Republican candidate for attorney general wants to change Mississippi’s state flag.
Too many young people are leaving the state, Andy Taggart said, and that’s because Mississippi is stuck looking to its past.
It may be a symbolic change, Taggart said, but designing a new state flag — one that does not include the Confederate battle flag — will show people Mississippi is looking ahead, toward the future.
According to Taggart, the flag acts like a “snapshot” of Mississippi, and the current snapshot is about the Civil War, which was driven by slavery.
NATIONAL REVIEW – GOP Legislatures, throw down the gauntlet – pass heartbeat bills
But if a movement is truly pro-life, and a majority of the state’s voters want to protect and foster a culture of life, then it’s time — it’s time to throw down the gauntlet, declare to the world (and to the Court) that the era of incrementalism is over, and show that the people are ready to embrace life. It’s time for more GOP legislatures to pass heartbeat bills, bring them to the Supreme Court, look the justices in the eye, and ask them to correct one of the Court’s most dreadful and consequential mistakes.
Yesterday — on the eve of the enactment of the Mississippi bill — the New York Times published an editorial condemning the fact that heartbeat bills have been introduced in a dozen states. Its critique contains a seed of truth: Heartbeat bills are different in kind from the abortion restrictions that have thus far dominated red-state lawmaking. Rather than merely regulate the practice, they would “make it all but impossible for nearly all women to get the procedure.” The only way to uphold a heartbeat bill is to overturn Roe and Casey.
MSPOLICY – Gunn remains opposed to Medicaid expansion
House Speaker Philip Gunn said Monday that the best accomplishments of the legislature this session included criminal justice reform, rural broadband, and human trafficking legislation.
House Speaker Philip Gunn said Monday that the best accomplishments of the legislature this session included criminal justice reform, rural broadband, and human trafficking legislation.He also doesn’t favor expanding Medicaid and also mentioned that the next legislature will have a tough task ahead when it redraws the state’s legislative districts after the 2020 U.S. Census.
Gunn made the remarks at the Stennis Capitol Press Forum about the session, which ended March 29.
Louisiana and Arkansas have expanded Medicaid for able-bodied adults under the Affordable Care Act, but Gunn said that such a decision should be left to the next legislature.
Bryant to speak on Ed Policy at Reagan Institute
CONFIRMED – Governor @PhilBryantMS is joining us at the Welcome Reception on Wednesday evening for #RISE2019. He will be joined in conversation with @ECS_Anderson of @EdCommission to discuss #StatesLeading the way in #EdPolicy reform @ReaganEdSummit @ronaldreagan40 pic.twitter.com/phPeWuf8Zd
— Reagan Institute (@ReaganInstitute) April 8, 2019
MSNBC – Homeland Security Committee Chairman reacts to Kirstjen Nielsen’s departure
Senator Wicker promotes ocean development and conservation
Mississippi is a leader when it comes to the Blue Economy. Read how our state is advancing the sustainable use of our ocean resources for economic growth and development. #WickerReport https://t.co/Qk2xafSkl3
— Senator Roger Wicker (@SenatorWicker) April 8, 2019
AMMOLAND – Interview: Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith talks hunting, guns and working with Dems
John: Why do you think the majority of Democrats in Congress oppose gun rights as vigorously as they do?
Sen. Hyde-Smith: I think a lot of the opposition to gun rights on the left is optics, mostly to appeal to their liberal base. However, there are some out there who genuinely don’t believe Americans should have the right to bear arms, or that America would be a safer place if we enacted stricter gun laws, which would merely result in law-abiding citizens getting rid of their guns while criminals and terrorists kept theirs. I’ve never understood it – never will.
John: It seems like the new Democrats in Congress are very left-leaning. Most of these new members are in the House, and you are in the Senate. Have you worked with any of these members yet, and if so, how difficult is it to work with people with the complete opposite view as you?
Sen. Hyde-Smith: I haven’t had the pleasure of working with too many House members yet, but I have had to work with Senate Democrats on the Appropriations and Agriculture committees. I don’t think a responsible lawmaker can rule out working with anyone if you share a common goal. That said, I’ll stick to my guns when it comes to upholding my conservative principles and doing what’s best for my state and the country.
John: Some of your colleagues want a new “assault weapons” ban. Even the Clinton era Justice Department said that the last ban was ineffective. Why do you think they are so insistent on a new ban when the old one didn’t work?
Sen. Hyde-Smith: Again, optics mostly…to appeal to their liberal base. But, how would “assault weapons” be defined? To me, it sounds like a disguised attempt to chip away at the Second Amendment slowly. Start going down that path, in a few years liberal Democrats will want to call a single shot 20-gage an “assault rifle.”
WTOK – New lawmaker takes oath, but might never get to vote
The winner of a special election has been sworn in to the Mississippi House of Representatives. But, he will get to vote as a lawmaker only if there’s a special session before the term ends in January.
Republican Rep. Kent McCarty of Lamar County took his oath Monday for House District 101, which is entirely in the county. He succeeds former Republican Rep. Brad Touchstone, who is now in a nonpartisan role as a Lamar County Judge.
Congratulations to our newest House member, Rep. McCarty, District 101. #msleg pic.twitter.com/cFGt8PlNND
— Philip Gunn (@PhilipGunnMS) April 8, 2019
WCBI – Mississippi judge faces public reprimand for delayed hearings
The Mississippi Supreme Court said a local judge will be publicly reprimanded for failing to handle cases in a timely manner and for issuing a judgment in a civil case without holding a hearing.
The high court said Alcorn County Justice Court Judge Jimmy McGee must appear in circuit court for the reprimand during the next circuit court term, which begins July 15. McGee is also being fined $1,683. He has been a justice court judge 18 years.
Magnolia Tribune
