Mississippi News
Rep. Thompson’s Mississippi colleagues have no comment on his Jan. 6 hearings
Rep. Bennie Thompson's Mississippi colleagues have no comment on his Jan. 6 hearings
Even though a record number of Americans are watching U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson lead the committee investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection, his Mississippi congressional colleagues do not appear to be interested in his efforts.
None of Mississippi's other five members of Congress — Sens. Roger Wicker and Cindy Hyde-Smith, and Reps. Trent Kelly, Michael Guest and Steven Palazzo — responded to questions from Mississippi Today asking for their thoughts on the often bombshell testimony that has come out of the Jan. 6 committee hearings.
The bipartisan committee was formed to investigate the events surrounding the Jan. 6, 2021, attacks on the U.S. Capitol by President Trump's supporters to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. Thompson, Mississippi's sole Democrat in Washington, was tapped by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi to chair the special committee.
The testimony is slated to continue tonight in primetime. One of the focuses of tonight's hearing will be the 187 minutes that expired between when Trump urged his supporters during a Jan. 6 speech in Washington to march to the Capitol “to fight like hell” and when he finally asked his supporters who were ransacking the Capitol to go home. The hearings also come as it was announced that there will be a criminal investigation into missing U.S. Secret Service texts related to Jan. 6.
READ MORE: Rep. Bennie Thompson tells the world what happened on Jan. 6, 2021
While the congressional delegation did not respond to questions from Mississippi Today, Rep. Trent Kelly of the 1st Congressional District recently said of the hearings on the SuperTalk radio network: “Very little. I try not to. It infuriates me to watch. It is a joke. It is a stage show. It is almost like a TV trial show. They are showing one side of the evidence…
“This is just a witch hunt,” Kelly continued. “They are just trying to make sure President Trump doesn't run again in 2024. This whole Jan. 6 thing is a sham as far as I am concerned. We have already had the investigation. It was bad that day.”
Though their staffs wouldn't acknowledge Mississippi Today's questions, both Sens. Wicker and Hyde-Smith brushed off questions about the Jan. 6 committee when asked by congressional reporter Matt Laslo in Washington in recent weeks.
Wicker, when asked if he was watching the hearings, told Laslo: “I'm headed to this classified briefing. I have seven minutes, so let's have a conversation later on about this.”
When Laslo caught up with Wicker less than an hour later, Wicker responded: “I'm actually not doing interviews today.”
When Laslo asked Hyde-Smith if she was watching the committee hearings, she repeated a typical refrain of hers at the Capitol: “I don't do the hallway interviews.” Since she was elected in 2018 and again in 2020, Hyde-Smith has rarely participated in interviews of any nature.
READ MORE: Rep. Bennie Thompson, leading the public Jan. 6 hearings, has long worked to protect democracy
All five members of Mississippi's U.S. congressional delegation other than Thompson are Republicans. Wicker was the only member of the state's Republican congressional delegation not to cast votes on Jan. 6 challenging the election outcome. And all other than Guest opposed a plan to establish a bipartisan commission led by non-politicians to investigate the events of Jan. 6 and of efforts by Trump and his supporters to throw out votes and overturn the election.
When Senate Republicans, including Mississippi's Wicker and Hyde-Smith, blocked efforts to establish a Jan. 6 commission, House Democrats formed the special committee comprised of House members. Thompson, the state's only African American member of the Mississippi delegation, heads the special committee as chair. The vice chair of the committee is Rep. Liz Cheney, a Republican from Wyoming.
Thompson is expected to miss tonight's hearing because he recently was diagnosed with COVID-19.
None of Mississippi's five Republican members responded to questions about recent bipartisan efforts to put safeguards in place to make it more difficult for those attempting to throw out election results.
This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
Mississippi News
A warm, breezy, and muggy Tuesday – Home – WCBI TV
SUMMARY: Warm and humid conditions will persist for the next few days, with an increased chance of storms on Wednesday night. Today will be warm, muggy, and breezy with the possibility of isolated showers or storms in the afternoon, some of which could be severe. Tomorrow will be another warm day with highs in the upper 80s to possibly 90 degrees, and the chance of storms will increase on Wednesday night. By Friday and the weekend, the weather should improve with clearing skies and drier air, and temperatures returning to the mid to upper 70s.
The post A warm, breezy, and muggy Tuesday – Home – WCBI TV appeared first on www.wcbi.com
Mississippi News
Manhunt underway in Warren County for Texas murder suspect
SUMMARY: A manhunt is underway in Warren County, Mississippi for a Texas murder suspect. The Warren County Sheriff's office received a call about a vehicle registered to a homicide victim in Webster, Texas. Authorities are searching a woody area for the suspect, described as a white male who is 6'1″ to 6'2″ tall, weighs 200 pounds, and has a low haircut. The suspect is believed to be on foot and is considered armed and dangerous. Residents in the area are urged to be cautious as the search continues.
The post Manhunt underway in Warren County for Texas murder suspect appeared first on www.wjtv.com
Mississippi News
Hinds County secures funds for courthouse renovations
SUMMARY: Renovations are set to begin at the Hinds County Courthouse in Jackson after securing $3 million for repairs, particularly on the roof. County officials are working with vendors to address any potential hazardous materials in the building, ensuring that the historical courtroom is safe for visitors. Supervisor Robert Graham emphasized the need for upgrades to prevent issues like mold, mildew, and leaky roofs. Supervisor Wanda Evers also proposed testing the courthouse paint for lead and asbestos to ensure the building's safety for all occupants. The goal is to work with the Department of Archives and History to renovate the courthouse properly.
The post Hinds County secures funds for courthouse renovations appeared first on www.wjtv.com
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