Alternative New Media for the Gulf South
Nope he couldn’t. Our readers may remember our coverage of the Sun Herald editorial calling out Senate Finance Committee Chairman Eugene “Buck” Clarke and criticizing him for caring more about insurance company profits than the citizens of this state. Was the Op-ed spot on? See for yourself.
I suspect the loss of the brain cells naturally followed after Mr Clarke left his head up Ed Rust’s hiney too long. Has anyone see Lieutenant Governor Bryant????
sop
It’s been a long time coming – but over on the left sidebar, you will find USA v Delaughter filed under Legal (Other).
Believe it our not; but, my last check of the PACER Sytem’s Case Index produced these results a little over an hour ago:
0 Total Party matches for selection DELAUGHTER, BOBBY for Mississippi Northern
Search Complete Thu Feb 12 19:02:14 2009 No Matches Found1 Total Party match for selection SCRUGGS, RICHARD for Mississippi Northern
Search Complete Thu Feb 12 19:14:51 2009
However, digging in the background, I found dockets last updated on the 10th and the resulting documents are now in the SLABBED case file.
Updates will be posted as documents become available – and, as time permits, I’ll move related case files for easy reference.
The former prosecutor who made a worldwide name for himself for putting Klansman Byron De La Beckwith behind bars pleaded not guilty today to a five-count indictment in court, accused of ruling in favor of the former lawyer once called Mississippi’s “king of torts.”
An April 6 trial was set for Hinds County Circuit Judge Bobby DeLaughter in federal court in Oxford on a charge he was influenced to rule in favor of former high-profile lawyer Dickie Scruggs, who was sentenced this week to seven years in prison in the case.
DeLaughter was released on a $10,000 unsecured bond.Assistant U.S. Attorney Bob Norman shook DeLaughter’s hand in the courtroom and said, “I’m sorry we even have to be here.”
DeLaughter has maintained his innocence, saying he followed the law in ruling largely in Scruggs’ favor in a legal-fees lawsuit brought by Scruggs’ former law partner, Bob Wilson… h/t Clarion Ledger
After writing the oft quoted phrase, In this world of sin and sorrow, H. L. Mencken continued with there is always something to be thankful for…and my “something” is the courtroom conduct of Assistant USA, Bob Norman. As the official representative of we the people, his public expression of sorrow sets an example for the court of public opinion contrary to the gleeful response that followed the indictment of Dick Scruggs.
The Clarion-Ledger points out that “luck of the draw,” so to speak, handed Judge Delaughter the Wilson case. However, Scruggs had three attorneys working with him on asbestos cases that later filed suit.
In sharp contrast to the highly publicized cases filed by Wilson and Luckey, there is little to no recognition of Jowett v Scruggs – or the insight the case provides on the events culminating in the indictment of Judge DeLaughter today. Continue reading “In this world of sin and sorrow – USA v DeLaughter”
Given the forecast – no pun intended – it appears Senator Vitter will need more than an umbrella as the Storm front showing in Sop’s post moves in.
Hey, Sop, have you checked with CLS to see if cat bonds will cover Vitter’s stormy weather?
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Well Nowdy it looks to me Ms Daniels has the right qualifications to be Senator. 😳 Continue reading “Hubada hubada hubada. Stormy Daniels Welcome to Slabbed”
H/T Steve. Anyone else interested in Ed Rust’s political affiliation or religion? I suspect a person so interested could waste days on this interactive map. Mr CLS added the lyrics:
Now I understand
What you tried to say to me
How you suffered for your sanity
How you tried to set them free
They would not listen they did not how
Perhaps they’ll listen nowThey did not listen they’re not listening still
Perhaps they never will.
Our related post from the archives. Continue reading “A tangled web we weave….”
As I observed in my post yesterday on this topic, the experience of flooding out with Katrina, and then twice three years later with Ike and Gustav has taken the starch out of local popular opposition to allowing swamps and marshlands to remain in development. Our own Rep Gene Taylor was taking no chances however making sure the message the proposed ACE buyouts are voluntary has been heard loud and clear. The Sun Herald has the story:
U.S. Rep. Gene Taylor said Wednesday that South Mississippians shouldn’t panic over a proposed federal private property buyout plan that’s moving toward Congress for funding.
In fact, Taylor, D-Bay St. Louis, said that the Mississippi Coastal Improvements Plan has some excellent aspects, such as restoration of the barrier islands. And even though the plan has shrunk somewhat in scope since its origin, it is “still a very, very ambitious project,” he added.
Taylor said he has told officials in the corps’ top echelon that any property buyouts must be voluntary on the part of the sellers, and any mandatory buyout by the government will not fly. “Given the sensitivities, there was a very high level of concern. They got the message,” he said Continue reading “Gene Taylor on the New Army Corp of Engineer’s Buyout Proposal”
Can tell us exactly what in the heck is going on over at the LSBME. Double dealing with HCA perhaps? Sex lies and audiotapes? We don’t know yet if we’ll cover this (lord knows our plate is full) but dang you boys get around.
The email addy is on the right sidebar.
sop
Thursday, February 12th, 2009
New Orleans, Louisiana
SEN. DAVID VITTER AND THE STIMULUS PACKAGE
Louisiana’s US Sen. David Vitter seems to be leading the charge of Republican opposition to the proposed stimulus package. Let’s get things straight. We are talking here about the federal government stimulus package, not the stimulus being offered by Baton Rouge porn star stormy Daniels, who says she is running against the incumbent senator in his reelection effort next year. Vitter has been in the forefront of opposing virtually every major plank of the President’s proposals.
Just last week in the Senate chamber, Sen. Vitter took the mike and became almost incredulous over what he perceived to be massive wasteful spending. He was perfectly abuzz over the sum of $150 million that, according to the Senator, would pay for “honey bee insurance.” Vitter called out to his fellow senators challenging “any member to come and explain what this provision was.”
But if one reads the proposed legislation, the provision that raised the shackles of the Senator was a disaster insurance program for all livestock producers. Beekeepers no doubt would be minor beneficiaries. Proposals before Congress now simply continue a program put in place by Congress last year, overriding a veto by President Bush. Continue reading “Jim Brown on Senator David Vitter and his need for stimulation”
Judging by what I’ve read today, with at least one additional indictment expected this week, there is confusion about the exposure those with plea agreements in USA v Scruggs have to “other charges” following the recent plea of Dick Scruggs.
The Plea Agreements of Zach Scruggs, Tim Balducci, and Steve Patterson contain terms that specifically address the possibility of other charges with similar, if not identical, language:
OTHER CHARGES: The United States agrees not to charge the defendant with any other offenses arising from or related to the charges in the indictment.
Only the Plea Agreement of Dick Scruggs did not contain this exclusion; but, reportedly, Scruggs entered his plea this week under a Plea Agreement that excludes other charges from any testimony he gives on a case. It should also be noted that, while his name has not been mentioned in conjunction with the attempt to influence Judge DeLaughter, Sid Backstrom’s Plea Agreement contained language on “other charges” similar to that found in the agreements of Zach Scruggs, Balducci and Patterson.
Joey Langston however, managed to come up with what one might call “a sweetheart of a deal” in his Plea Agreement:
OTHER CHARGES: The United States agrees not to charge the defendant with any other offenses, related or unrelated, as of the date of this Agreement.
Because it seems appropriate, I’ll add that there are many in Hinds County who hold Judge Delaughter in high regard similar to that reserved for Judge Lackey in Lafayette County.