Meet the man who is running against Jim Hood for Mississippi Attorney General

Stephen Simpson is the name. Bailing out wife beaters early is his game. Jerry Mitchell tells the story for the Clarion Ledger: (Hat Tweet Chris Vignes, Hat Tip Matt Eichelberger) 

Harrison County’s sheriff released a Gulfport businessman arrested for domestic abuse into the custody of Public Safety Commissioner Stephen Simpson despite a judge’s order to keep the man behind bars for a cooling off period….. 

Sheriff Melvin Brisolara responded, “I think this is something political, and I don’t like the smell of it.” 

We don’t like the smell of this either Mel. While we’re talking about smelling and the ol’ snozola, I think your nose grew several inches while you were lying to Jerry Mitchell as we continue: 

He denied there was any bond in place when he ordered John Ruble, president of the Home Builders Association in Gulfport, released on his personal recognizance into Simpson’s custody. “They couldn’t find the judge to set bond,” Brisolara said. 

The sheriff’s version contradicts investigators’ interviews with the arresting officer and judge. It also contradicts a May 29 jail custody report that reads: “Hold (Ruble) per judge. Do not allow to bond till 12 p.m.” 

Now this is getting good folks. And who was the perpetrator of this crime? Here is a hint, he was drinking heavily the night before with Stephen Simpson. 

According to the report, Ruble’s wife told investigators she and her husband had gone to the home of a friend, Greg Smith, for a cookout the night of May 28. Others there included Smith’s wife, and Simpson and his wife. 

Because her husband had too much to drink, they left, she said, and when they got home they got into an argument, the report says. 

The argument lead to a fight and it was evidently quite the one sided affair as Ruble used his wife’s face as a punching bag. The rest, as they say, is history.  There is lots more I could add as John Ruble maintains a very high profile in local residential construction circles but I’ll pass.  I will say despite this PR black eye the Rubles are the type of folks that add to the community. Hopefully they’ll get past this. 

Big Jim Simpson was a true political force here on the coast for years. Them 2 boys of his are mighty hollow though IMHO. Gotta be to belong to Boss Hogg’s team ’cause only one brain is allowed in that operation. 

sop