Hardball: Democrat using DMR investigation against GOP opponent in Ocean Springs mayors race.

During an April 16 press conference in Biloxi, (Auditor Stacey) Pickering responded to a question about public officials using the Dept. of Marine Resources boats at taxpayer cost. At the time, Pickering said if any public officials were found to have “violated the public trust, they will be held accountable.”

(Ocean Springs mayoral candidate John) McKay told The Mississippi Press that same day he was upset with Pickering’s statement and was innocent of any wrongdoing, suggesting he and others had been mislead by Walker.

“We stood by a mud hole and we got splattered,” he said at the time and has repeated several times since.

It was later learned the person who asked Pickering the question during the news conference was a campaign worker of Mckay’s opponent, incumbent Democrat Mayor Connie Moran.

McKay alluded to that fact in his press release last week, stating “This was a phony issue to begin with started by an employee of Mayor Moran’s campaign…”

Monday, (Pickering spokesman Brett) Kittredge gave no indication that any statement from Pickering would be forthcoming prior to the June 4 election.

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Immigration Reform in Mississippi-An Interview with MFIRE’s Dr. Rodney Hunt

BY: B. Keith Plunkett

Mississippians For Immigration Reform and Enforcement (MFIRE) was begun by Dr. Rodney Hunt in 2005 following a very personal moment that convinced him to become involved. Since that time, he has met with public officials across Mississippi and the U.S. to convince them of the need for reform.

In this interview, Dr. Hunt discusses the recent executive order by President Obama, the unexpected fight in the Mississippi Senate brought on by Lt. Governor Tate Reeves unfavorable committee assignment, and lessons Mississippi can learn from Alabama.

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Overkill on AG’s powers may backfire

Either the voters don’t know about the issue – which would be hard to imagine, given the attention it’s gotten – or they’ve decided it’s OK with them.

That’s what makes the effort this legislative session to take others of Hood’s powers, including allowing state agencies to hire outside counsel when they don’t think the AG’s office will adequately represent them, look a bit like political overkill. Such a bill was killed on a rule technicality last week, but it’s likely to be back before the House quickly.

The attorney general’s office is designated as the legal representative for state agencies. Taking that role away from the AG clearly risks unnecessary additional expense and overlap of responsibilities. It has the clear markings of a politically punitive move around a duly elected constitutional officer of the state, who happens to be the only statewide Democratic elected official amid a sea of Republicans.

Hood isn’t above politics, of course. Few would argue that. But the new Republican majority, which is entitled to push its own program, should consider the other side of this particular question: That Hood, whose powers they seek to eviscerate, was elected three times by the voters as well.

via djournal.com – OUR OPINION: Overkill on AG’s powers may backfire.

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Schools: Reeves talks consolidation after using issue against primary opponent in election

Haley Barbour consults with Lt. Governor Tate Reeves

Proposals to consolidate school districts get a lot of political talk, but when it comes to actually doing it, elected officials usually run and hide.

School consolidation is politically tricky and can set off firestorms of controversy in local communities. Everything from race to sports to historic community rivalries come into play.

But consolidation and the equally controversial “school choice” ideas got limited nods this week from Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves and state Superintendent of Education Tom Burnham.

A lot of hot rhetoric has surrounded the issue. Some may see it as irony that Reeves is bringing it up after using the consolidation issue against his opponent last summer in the Republican primary.

via Schools: Consolidation gets minor nod | The Clarion-Ledger | clarionledger.com.

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