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“Should auld acquaintance be forgot, and never brought to mind?”

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Attorney General Lynn Fitch no longer represents State Auditor Shad White in two defamation cases after determining his upcoming book about the welfare scandal would cast her office in a negative light.

Fitch learned about White’s tell-all, “Mississippi Swindle: Brett Favre and the Welfare Scandal that Shocked America,” while representing him in two defamation lawsuits brought by Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre and James Thomas, a University of Mississippi sociology professor.

The book, which is slated to be released in August 2024, became an issue in Favre’s defamation suit against White last month. A Dec. 29 filing in Hinds County Circuit Court from Favre’s counsel argued that “Mississippi Swindle” is proof White intended to defame Favre when he criticized the quarterback in media appearances. 

“White’s publication of this book — in which it is apparent he will continue his outrageous defamation campaign against Favre — provides even further confirmation that, when, as alleged in the complaint, White appeared on national and international media outlets to defame Favre, he was in no way acting within the scope of his official duties but instead to advance his personal political ambitions and, in the case of the book, make money,” the filing reads. 

Fitch’s office responded on Jan. 2 and asked the court to grant White’s motion to dismiss. 

But three days later, Fitch’s office sent White a letter notifying him of a conflict of interest, which Mississippi Today obtained from the auditor’s office. After reading an advanced copy of “Mississippi Swindle” and finding it contained multiple statements that called the integrity of the Attorney General into question, Fitch’s office decided it could no longer represent him. 

“As a fellow statewide elected official, the Attorney General must reserve the right to refute these statements publicly in due course,” the Jan. 5 letter reads. “This dynamic obviously creates a divergence of interests between you and the Attorney General that impedes her ability to further discharge her duties as your counsel in the pending personal defamation actions.” 

The letter further states Fitch’s office had previously advised White that any legal matters stemming from the publication of “Mississippi Swindle” would fall outside the scope of his office, so he would need to retain separate counsel. 

By Friday evening, White had already appointed in-office counsel to represent him in both defamation suits because, he wrote on social media, his statements were made as part of his office’s investigations into the welfare scandal and Thomas’ participation in a two-day event called a “Scholar Strike.”

Thomas’ case has seen no movement since a Hinds County Circuit Court judge denied White’s motion to dismiss in 2022. White had argued that as a state executive officer, he is entitled to a legal doctrine known as “absolute immunity” — the complete protection from liability for actions committed in the course of his official duties.

Debbee Hancock, a spokesperson for the attorney general’s office, wrote in a statement that Fitch’s representation in White’s defamation cases was “discretionary” and that Fitch would continue to work with the auditor’s office on other cases, including those arising from the welfare scandal. 

“We will continue to pursue our TANF civil suit with our partners at the Department of Human Services as well as any criminal wrongdoing that may come from our investigation, to the extent we can do so without stepping on the criminal case the Auditor chose to take to the District Attorney and U.S. Attorney for prosecution,” Hancock wrote. 

Hancock added that Michelle Williams, Fitch’s chief of staff, said she would not specify the statements in the book that question the attorney general’s integrity as Williams is “bound by the rules of professional conduct.”

According to a blurb for “Mississippi Swindle” on the publisher’s website, the book “reveals a lack of cooperation and outright opposition to the investigation by prosecutors, legislators and other powerful figures that was almost as maddening as the theft itself.”

Both Fitch and White have previously discussed with advisers the possibility of running for Mississippi governor. The next statewide election cycle is 2027.

The post AG Lynn Fitch drops Auditor Shad White in defamation suits after reading his welfare scandal book appeared first on Mississippi Today.

Jan. 6, 2021 

Amanda Gorman was trying to finish her poem on national unity when scenes burst upon the television of insurrectionists attacking the U.S. Capitol. 

The 22-year-old stayed up late, writing new lines into the night. Two weeks later, she became the youngest inaugural poet in U.S. history, joining a prestigious group that included Maya Angelou and Robert Frost. But few faced as difficult a task, searching for unity amid violence, a deadly pandemic and polarizing partisanship. 

She described herself as a “skinny Black girl, descended from slaves and raised by a single mother,” who can dream of being president one day, “only to find herself reciting for one.” 

She shared the words she wrote in the wake of the nation’s first attack on the Capitol in more than two centuries:

“We’ve seen a force that would shatter our nation

rather than share it

Would destroy our country if it meant delaying democracy

And this effort very nearly succeeded

But while democracy can be periodically delayed

It can never be permanently defeated.”

In the wake of the attack that resulted in five deaths and injuries to 138 officers, she penned that the nation would endure:

Somehow we’ve weathered and witnessed

a nation that isn’t broken

but simply unfinished

She reminded those present that “history has its eyes on us” and that this nation will indeed rise again:

“We will rebuild, reconcile and recover

And every known nook of our nation and

Every corner called our country,

Our people diverse and beautiful will emerge,

Battered and beautiful…

For there is always light,

If only we’re brave enough to see it

If only we’re brave enough to be it”

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A federal appeals court has allowed a separate court system to be created in Jackson, paving the way for state officials to appoint a judge and prosecutors to the new court. 

The Capitol Complex Improvement District Court is now live, several days after it was initially meant to go into effect. Its start date had been delayed by a temporary administrative stay granted by a panel of the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, but on Thursday the court vacated the stay. 

In a lawsuit brought by the NAACP on behalf of several Jackson residents, the plaintiffs asked for an injunction to stop the court appointments and creation of the court, but U.S. District Judge Henry Wingate denied it. The same day, Dec. 31, the plaintiffs appealed to the 5th Circuit. 

On Thursday, the 5th Circuit sided with Wingate and said the plaintiffs didn’t have standing for an injunction because they couldn’t prove imminent and actual risk of harm. 

“The NAACP is profoundly disappointed by today’s ruling,” Janette McCarthy Wallace, general counsel for the NAACP, said in a statement. “Despite any obstacles we may face, the fight continues. Our case will proceed, with more briefing and arguments to come. The NAACP remains committed to upholding democracy and putting power back in the hands of Jackson residents.”

House Bill 1020 was signed into law in April 2023. Many lawmakers said they supported it as a way to address violent crime and bolster public safety in Jackson, while those against the legislation saw it as state control over the local criminal justice system. 

Among the plaintiffs’ arguments was that the CCID court would dilute the vote of Jackson residents and take power away from local government. 

“Nothing has been taken away from Jackson’s local governing authority,” the 5th Circuit wrote in its order, noting that the argument was not based in fact. 

The ruling paves the way for white and Republican state officials to make appointments for the court in Jackson, which is predominately Black and Democratic. 

Supreme Court Chief Justice Michael Randolph will appoint one CCID court judge and Attorney General Lynn Fitch will appoint two prosecutors. As of Friday morning, those appointments have not been made. 

Under the law, Randolph also was required to appoint four temporary judges to the Hinds County Circuit Court to work alongside appointed judges – an effort to help with the court’s case backlog. 

In a separate lawsuit in state court, the Mississippi Supreme Court ruled that these appointments were unconstitutional.

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Deep South Today, the parent company for Mississippi Today and Verite News in New Orleans, is seeking a skilled Reader Revenue and Membership Strategist to lead the development of sustainable revenue models, focusing on membership and reader support initiatives for its network of local nonprofit newsrooms.

About the Team

At Deep South Today, we’re dedicated to reshaping the landscape of local journalism in the Deep South. Our DST Connect initiative is the driving force behind this mission, aiming to empower local newsrooms with innovative strategies and tools for sustainable growth. In this vital role, you’ll be a key member of the DST Connect team, where your work will directly impact our network of local newsrooms.

As our Reader Revenue and Membership Strategist, you will:

• Develop cutting-edge strategies to enhance reader revenue and membership
• Work in a dynamic environment where your creative marketing and audience engagement skills will drive financial support for quality journalism
• Collaborate closely with newsroom leaders to integrate innovative revenue strategies into their operations
• Utilize audience insights to craft membership programs that resonate with diverse readership segments

Job Overview:

The ideal candidate will be instrumental in developing innovative strategies to enhance reader revenue and membership for our growing network of local newsrooms, including Mississippi Today and Verite News in New Orleans. This role involves a blend of strategic planning, creative marketing, and a keen understanding of audience engagement to drive sustainable financial support for quality journalism.

Key Responsibilities:

• Strategy Development:
  • Design and implement effective reader revenue and membership models for local newsrooms
  • Develop tailored strategies for subscription, membership, and other reader-funded initiatives
• Collaboration and Training:
  • Work closely with newsroom leaders to integrate revenue strategies into their operations
  • Provide ongoing training and support to newsroom staff on best practices in reader revenue generation
• Audience Analysis:
  • Analyze audience data to identify potential revenue opportunities and trends
  • Use insights to tailor membership programs to meet the needs and interests of different reader segments
• Marketing and Promotion:
  • Develop and oversee marketing campaigns to promote subscriptions and memberships
  • Collaborate with marketing and communications teams to create compelling messaging and promotional materials
• Innovation and Adaptation:
  • Stay abreast of industry trends and emerging models in reader revenue
  • Continuously refine and adapt strategies to meet changing market and audience needs
• Performance Monitoring:
  • Track and report on the performance of reader revenue and membership initiatives
  • Utilize metrics and feedback to make data-driven decisions and adjustments

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in marketing, business, journalism, or a related field
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in revenue generation, preferably in a media or journalism setting
• Proven track record in developing and implementing successful membership or subscription models
• Strong analytical skills with experience in audience analysis and data-driven decision-making
• Excellent communication, presentation, and training skills
• Ability to collaborate effectively with diverse teams across multiple newsrooms
• Innovative thinker with a passion for journalism and community engagement

What We Offer:

• A dynamic role at the forefront of transforming local journalism
• The opportunity to work with a passionate team dedicated to making a difference in the communities we serve
• Competitive salary and benefits package
• Professional development and growth opportunities

How to Apply:

Deep South Today is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity at our company. We encourage applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of race, religion, national origin, gender, age, disability, or veteran status.

The post Job opening: Reader Revenue and Membership Strategist at Deep South Today appeared first on Mississippi Today.

When the five-member Hinds County Election Commission failed to provide enough ballots to voters in the state’s most populous county last November, it created intense frustration with voters and mass chaos on the night of a statewide election. 

But the incident has also renewed calls from candidates and local election officials for the state Legislature to pass a law creating early voting.

Sharon Moman, an unsuccessful Democratic candidate for a Hinds County legislative seat, told Mississippi Today that if the state had some form of early voting, it would assure voters that their vote would count and circumvent Election Day mistakes.

“The silver lining in this is hopefully we can champion early voting for the state of Mississippi,” Moman said.

Mississippi, along with Alabama and New Hampshire, is one of only three states that does not offer early voting or no-excuse absentee voting, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

To vote absentee in Mississippi, a voter must list one of one of about 10 legal excuses for why they cannot cast an in-person vote on the election date. For example, a voter can cast an absentee ballot if they plan to be out of town on Election Day or if they are a college student.

These stringent voting options mean that most Mississippians are forced to cast an in-person vote at polling precincts, making it critical for local election workers to conduct Election Day without errors.

READ MORE: Hinds County election officials say they sent wrong voter form to ballot-printing company

Members of the Hinds County commission, all of whom are elected Democrats, acknowledged in a meeting last month that they mistakenly sent the wrong type of voter file to the company they contracted with to print ballots.

The error caused some Hinds County voting precincts to run out of ballots throughout the day. The county is majority Black, Mississippi’s largest county and a Democratic Party stronghold.

People waited in line for hours to vote as local officials attempted to replenish ballots and deliver them to polling places. It’s unclear how many people left without voting or decided not to travel to polling precincts because of the confusion from the shortages.

Democratic Rep. Zakiya Summers of Jackson is a former Hinds County election commissioner, and she told Mississippi Today that regardless of how the county officials conducted the election, early voting should be a no-brainer in the Magnolia State. 

“It doesn’t matter which political party you’re part of,” Summers said. “This tool would give you the opportunity to vote when it’s convenient for you.” 

The Jackson lawmaker said if her colleagues oppose early voting, she thinks a viable alternative would be to enact no-excuse absentee voting. 

Neither House Speaker Jason White nor Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann, both Republicans, have appointed leaders of legislative committees, including the respective Election Committees. But efforts in prior legislative sessions to establish early voting or no-excuse absentee voting were unsuccessful.

Republican Secretary of State Michael Watson is responsible for administrating parts of the state’s elections and provides training to county election officials.

The secretary recently told Mississippi Today that every other county in the state conducted successful elections without early voting and reiterated to reporters on Wednesday that he is not proposing any major changes to the state’s election laws, including early voting. 

“As far as I’m aware we have a really good system here in Mississippi,” Watson said. 

White said he intends to finalize committee chair appointments by Jan. 12. Lawmakers have until Feb. 19 to file legislation.

The post Hinds County ballot shortage renews calls for early voting in Mississippi  appeared first on Mississippi Today.

Amid the delirium near the end of Washington’s heart-stopping 37-31 Sugar Bowl victory over Texas was one sobering moment with just under a minute to play. Huskies running back Dillon Johnson, a Greenville native, carried the ball into the line on a third down play. Johnson was swarmed and tackled for no gain. 

Afterward, Johnson could not get up. When finally helped to his feet, he could not put any weight on his right foot.

Johnson, who scored the game’s first two touchdowns, has led the Huskies with nearly 1,200 yards rushing. He leads the team in touchdowns with 16. He protects wunderkind quarterback Michael Penix from blitzing pass rushers with bone-jarring regularity. Put it this way: The Huskies would not be 14-0 and headed to Monday night’s national championship game without Dillon Johnson, who was helped off the field and finally carted to the locker room.

It surely looked as if Washington would be forced to play No. 1 ranked Michigan without one of its key players. But, as Lee Corso would say, “Not so fast my friend…”

Greenville dentist Gwen Moore, who treats inmates at the Mississippi State Prison at Parchman, knew better. She is Dillon Johnson’s mother and his biggest fan. “Dill has an amazing pain threshold,” she said by telephone Thursday. “If he’s in it, he’s in it to win it. When I talked to him yesterday, he said, ‘Don’t worry about me, Mama. I’ll be fine. I’ll be ready to play. You just worry about getting to Houston.’ Dill has played through injuries all his life. He has played hurt for the last couple months. He focuses on the task and not the pain.”

Washington coach Kellen DeBoer has said he expects Johnson to play. Greenville St. Joseph coach John Baker, Johnson’s high school coach, would be shocked if Johnson did not play.

“Dillon’s just special, always has been,” Baker said. “He has all the intangibles, including a competitiveness I have rarely seen. I mean, you can see it in his eyes. The thing about Dillon is he demands everybody around him play with the same intensity and toughness that he plays with.”

When Johnson was home over the Christmas holidays, he visited the St. Joe football facility for workouts and ice baths for his injured shoulder and foot. Said Baker, “He actually has a fractured bone in that right foot. He hurt it in the Oregon State game (Nov. 18).” 

But that didn’t keep him from running for 152 yards and two touchdowns in the Pac-12 Championship Game victory over Oregon two weeks later. Not bad — right? – 152 yards and two scores with a broken bone in his right foot.

Nothing Johnson achieves surprises Baker, who coached him from the seventh grade through his high school career. “I remember one game when he was in the eighth grade when he played every play at running back on offense and middle linebacker on defense,” Baker said. “He won the game by himself. I mean, he made every tackle on defense and scored every touchdown. We were out-manned everywhere else, but Dillon just took over and won it.”

Johnson moved to the varsity in the ninth grade and helped St. Joe to three straight state championships beginning his sophomore year. He played running back as a sophomore, quarterback as a junior and running back and quarterback as a senior.

“The thing a lot of people don’t realize about Dillon is he can really throw the ball, too,” Baker said. Indeed, Johnson completed both the passes he threw for Washington this season. One went for a touchdown.

Seems almost impossible to believe Baker had Dillon Johnson and Florida State star Trey Benson in the same backfield for two seasons at a tiny private school in the Mississippi Delta. He did. Joe Moorhead, then the head coach at Mississippi State, recruited both. He landed Johnson, but Benson went first to Oregon and then to FSU.

“None of what is happening with Dillon at Washington surprises me,” said Moorhead, now the head coach at Akron. “I’m incredibly happy for his success. It’s all well-deserved and the result of hard work, dedication and being a good person.”

There was nothing not to like about Johnson as a football player, Moorhead said before listing the superlatives. “Great size and length,” Moorhead said. “Tremendous speed and acceleration. Excellent change of direction. Very physical running the ball and in pass protection. Great basketball player, too.”

Moorhead went on: “As good as Dillon is as a player, he’s an equally good person, engaging and always had a smile on his face, incredibly positive. Very well respected by his coaches, teachers and classmates. He comes from a tremendous family. His mother Gwen was incredibly supportive throughout the recruiting process and you could tell she had a significant impact on Dillon as a young man.”

Moorhead never got to coach him at State. When he was fired, Mike Leach brought in his Air Raid offense, which ran the ball only as an occasional change of pace. In three seasons at State, Johnson ran for about as many yards as he did in one season at Washington. Yes, Johnson caught 149 passes over those three seasons, but what he really wanted was to run the football. So he entered the portal.

“Probably the hardest decision Dill ever made,” said his mother, Gwen Moore. “He had grown up wanting to be a Mississippi State Bulldog.”

Once in the portal, Johnson heard from many schools, Washington among them. “Washington probably recruited him hardest,” Moore said. “They had won 11 games and lost just two the year before and their pitch was that Dillon was the missing link, that he was what they needed to go win a national championship. He visited and really loved it.”

The rest is history. And now, he apparently will play for that national championship, broken foot or not, determined as ever.

The post Dillon Johnson promises his mother he will play in championship game appeared first on Mississippi Today.

Delbert Hosemann, moments after being sworn in for his second term as lieutenant governor, cited three issues he said must be addressed during the next four-year term for Mississippi to prosper.

Those issues are:

• Improving Mississippi’s workforce participation rate, which at 53.8% is the worst in the county.
• Ensuring the state’s public pension plan is financially viable.
• Addressing the state’s health care crisis. He said addressing the crisis in “a shotgun approach is not the answer. A comprehensive approach is.”

On Thursday afternoon during a joint session of the Mississippi Legislature, the seven statewide elected officials other than the governor were sworn in for a new four-year term. Gov. Tate Reeves, who attended the pomp and circumstance Thursday, will be sworn in Tuesday afternoon during another joint session on the grounds of the state Capitol.

It is tradition for the lieutenant governor to offer comments to the joint session after he is sworn in. Hosemann kept his remarks short, but used them to challenge legislators to tackle problems he cited. He said, based on their accomplishments during the past four years, that they could solve those problems.

He said Mississippi’s low workforce participation rate — people able to work who are not — is not economically sustainable. The key, he said, is educating people and imposing workforce skills.

“Economic development will wilt without an educated work force to sustain it,” Hosemann said. He said education must be adequately funded from pre-kindergarten up. He again proposed “the last dollar tuition program” that will ensure all students who meet a certain grade point average and other requirements will be able to attend community college tuition free.

Hosemann addressed education and health care, but made no direct comment on some of the big issues that could be debated during the legislative session – such as providing vouchers for students to attend private school or expanding Medicaid to provide health care for primarily the working poor.

But Hosemann did say that it was the responsibility of the Legislature to ensure the Public Employees Retirement System remains viable. PERS provides retirement benefits for most state and local government employees, including schoolteachers.

“This absolute obligation of the state will drive most of your decisions this year and in the future,” Hosemann told legislators. Providing more state funds for PERS is expected to be a major issue during the 2024 session.

In ending the joint assembly, Hosemann told legislators, “We have a bright future … It is just whether we are going to achieve it or not. I see in this room the ability to do that.”

Hosemann also reiterated his comments from four years ago, saying that too often in the past the rotunda has been a roadblock keeping the House and Senate from working together. He said four years ago there were walkways around that rotunda that go both ways.

“We will continue to use those walkways,” Hosemann said.

The other statewide officials sworn in were:

• Secretary of State Michael Watson
• Attorney General Lynn Fitch
• Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney
• Auditor Shad White
• Treasurer David McRae
• Agriculture Commissioner Andy Gipson

All eight elected statewide officials are incumbents.

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