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Reddit AMA recap: Rankin County Sheriff’s Department’s ‘Goon Squad’ with Brian Howey and Nate Rosenfield

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Brian Howey and Nate Rosenfield, Mississippi Center of Investigative Reporting at Mississippi Today fellows, answered your questions on Reddit about the Rankin County Sheriff's Department's “Goon Squad,” a loose band of deputies who allegedly tortured residents for years.

Read their answers below and visit this page for more investigations on Mississippi sheriffs.

Some questions have been edited for length and clarity.

Q: Do you think that there are likely other Goon Squads across the state? And if so, how can we uncover them?

Click for Nate Rosenfield's answer.

Great question! That's definitely been on our minds as well. It's hard for us to say at this point whether there are other ‘Goon Squads' across the state. We've heard about similar allegations of abuse in other departments. We haven't looked into whether any of these are related yet.

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It was clear from the start with the Michael Jenkins and Eddie Parker case that the “Goon Squad” wasn't limited to the Rankin County Sheriff's Department. One of the men was a Richland PD officer. But we don't know the full extent of this overlap between departments or even how involved this one officer was in other incidents.

To find out more we're going to use the same old shoe leather reporting methods. Talk to people who say they've experienced this type of conduct, file records requests with the departments and pursue these questions doggedly until we find answers.

Q: How could someone without a journalism degree (but a degree nonetheless) get involved with work like this?

Click for Nate Rosenfield's answer.

Do you mean doing investigative work? I would throw out a little bit of caution there. One thing to consider is the sensitivity and danger of this case for so many of the people involved. Our investigation was backed by a whole team of editors, lawyers and investigative reporters and the New York Times and Mississippi Today with decades of experience in pursing investigations following ethical and legal guidelines.

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But there are aspects of this that anyone can pursue. Any citizen can file public records requests with these departments that abide by Mississippi's public records laws. You can attend county board of supervisor meetings and local protests and press conferences where leaders and activists are discussing this issue to learn more. And you can try to talk with public officials about their conduct and what they're doing to prevent these kinds of abuses.

It's so important for everyone to be engaged, informed, curious and invested in these issues.

Q: What is the state of FOIA law(s) in Mississippi, as compared to other states, and are head sheriffs in Mississippi an elected or appointed position? If elected, did that in any way play a role in the, for lack of a better phrase, culture of lawlessness that developed in that office?

Click for Nate Rosenfield's answer.

The FOIA laws here are similar to other states. Actually the time span in which agencies have to respond is pretty quick here—only seven days. But like with all states, the reality is that responsiveness is going to vary by agency. Each agency has their own resources and cultures around facilitating public access to records. And there are specific provisions of the law that apply to different agencies and circumstances. I'm going to shout out Robert Wentworth at the MS Department of Public Safety as one of the most considerate, professional and swift public records administrators I've ever worked with. If you have specific questions about the laws, I'm happy to try to dig around and learn more for you.

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Sheriffs are elected positions. One important aspect of how the role operates is that Sheriff's don't have other offices that they are beholden too. For instance, local departments are usually overseen by municipal governments, which typically have the ability to fire department leaders. But that's not true for Sheriff's. Their departments can be investigated by other law enforcement agencies like MBI and the FBI for criminal conduct. And their budgetary decisions have to be approved by the county board of supervisors. But it's really hard to fire a sheriff for doing a bad job. They really have to be deposed through elections for the most part.

Whether that accounts for the lawlessness in the department, I can't say. But I would point out that Sheriff's typically have a lot power politically and legally within the counties they oversee. Our investigative series is trying to explore what kinds of abuses can occur in these departments with the current state of oversight.

Q: What consequences do you reasonably expect them to face for their actions? What consequences are you hoping for?

Click for Nate Rosenfield's answer.

Our job as reporters is to try to get the truth out there. What happens after that is best left up to the public.

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I can say that the sentencing guidelines for the crimes the six indicted this summer are currently facing are steep. They could be serving decades in prison. And that's just for those two incidents.

Q: How do we stop this happening again? Can the law be changed to prevent it being set up by other people? If so, who is stopping that from happening?

Click for Nate Rosenfield's answer.

As a reporter I might not have the best answer for this question.

I think it's important to consider all the things that went right in this situation and helped bring the truth forward as a model for how to prevent similar abuse in the future.

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A few years ago, a state law was introduced that mandated that MBI look into any officer involved shootings in Mississippi. That's what got them on the scene right away when Michael Jenkins was shot. And it's our understanding that MBI began to see signs of wrongdoing and that's when the Feds were brought in.

In all of the cases we looked into, no one was shot.

Also, the justice department conducted an incredibly swift and thorough investigation and provided a lot of detail to the public about what they found. The criminal information that was produced during the officers' indictment gave a detailed walk through of everything they did that night. This helped bring clarity and attention to the issue.

What we see in both cases is outside agencies with mandates to investigate wrongdoing by law enforcement agencies acting swiftly and informing the public.

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Whether this should have happened sooner and what checks and balances to put in place to ensure that it will in the future is a bigger question it might be best to ask your local congressional leaders.

I'll add that accountability in policing is a massive issue nationally with a long history. If you're looking for an introduction into the legal frameworks for holding police accountable I'd personally recommend this book: https://www.amazon.com/Shielded-How-Police-Became-Untouchable/dp/0593299361 It's definitely got an argument it's putting forward, but it's also a really comprehensive look at the legal frameworks currently in place and how they came to be.

Q: Is the justice department still investigating the department or other officers?

Click for Brian Howey's answer.

Yes, the Justice Department is still investigating the Rankin County Sheriff's Department. A days after our story published, the DoJ published this press release, asking for anyone who'd experienced abuse at the hands of Rankin deputies to contact them as soon as possible.

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Q: A couple of months ago, an attorney with the Rankin SO resigned (I think his last name was Holly), what can you tell us about his resignation? Also, I read where there were 6,000 write in votes opposing Sheriff Bailey, which lead me to wonder, what are the legal/political mechanisms available to Rankin county voters to remove Sheriff Bailey?

Click for Nate Rosenfield's answer.

Paul Holley was the department's lawyer. He then briefly became undersheriff before resigning in Oct. We're not sure exactly why he resigned. He made a public statement that didn't explain exactly why he left. We found department records that showed Holley was present at one on of the incidents we reported on. We don't know what if any involvement he had though. He's working for the 's office now I believe.

The most direct and powerful legal mechanism voters have to remove Bailey is to vote during the next election. Also there needs to be organizing to rally a contender. He ran unopposed this year.

Q: Have you taken a look at how many people Christian Dedmon has shot (or how many officer involved shootings he has been present for) vs any other officer at a different agency? because i think that could be interesting.

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Click for Brian Howey's answer.

Thanks for this question! In addition to the shooting of Michael Jenkins, we know that Christian Dedmon was present during the fatal shootings of Pierre Woods and Shawn Fondren, and that he fired his weapon during the incident involving Shawn Fondren. How that compares to officers at other agencies depends on which agency and which officer you're looking at. Many police officers go their entire careers without firing their weapons in the line of duty. A few have been involved in several shootings. As a deputy who was present for at least three shootings, Mr. Dedmon appears to fit somewhere in the middle of those two poles.

Q: Could y'all speak a little about the areas of Rankin that a lot of these incidents took place and did anything about the locations in particular facilitate officers ability to get away with unethical behavior?

Click for Brian Howey's answer.

This is a great question. Based on the incidents we reviewed, the majority of these alleged torture cases occurred in low-income neighborhoods in Rankin County. Many of these local residents described near-nightly raids in their communities. Certain neighborhoods, such as the Robinhood community in Brandon, Miss., were especially popular areas for the deputies. So yes, location was a factor, but it's more complicated than that…

Nearly all of the people targeted by the deputies were suspected drug users or small-time dealers. Combine their income with their drug use, and you have a group of people who are unlikely to be believed by authority figures. And that's exactly what we saw: even in cases where people lodged complaints, filed lawsuits, and fought their criminal charges, even when they showed up to court visibly , there doesn't appear to have been any serious investigation conducted by anyone with the authority to do so. I hope that answers your question!

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Q: Is there a federal investigation into RCSO?

Click for Brian Howey's answer.

Yes, the Justice Department has investigated the incident involving Michael Jenkins and Eddie Parker and filed charged against 5 deputies and a local police officer for their roles in that incident. Those six officers also face state charges for the same incident. The DoJ's investigation is ongoing, and shortly after we published our investigation, the department requested more information from anyone who'd experienced abuse at the hands of Rankin deputies.

Q: Are there any additional members to the goon squad that were not present for this incident? Or is good squad use to describe the entire RCSO?

Click for Brian Howey's answer.

It's difficult to say who was officially a “member” of the Goon Squad, which was a night shift of patrol deputies at the Rankin County Sheriff's Department. What we can say is that we used department incident reports, dispatch records and Taser logs to identify 20 deputies who were listed as present during the additional alleged torture incidents we uncovered. Five of those deputies are currently facing criminal charges. What role those additional 15 deputies played in these incidents is hard to determine, but we were able to identify several deputies who have so far eluded criminal charges and who appear to have triggered their Tasers during several of these alleged torture incidents.

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Q: Has the county leader commented on any of this? Gains, Cross? Have you attempted to talk with them?

Click for Brian Howey's answer.

We asked for comments from several local leaders before we published our story, they either declined to comment or did not respond. We will continue to ask!

Q: Do you know of any recall efforts or protest?

Click for Brian Howey's answer.

There have been several protests at the Rankin County Sheriff's Office and other locations around county, as well as numerous calls for Sheriff Bailey to resign. We've been told there are additional protests in the works as well.

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Q: We're being told time and again about this kind of behavior from law enforcement. What realistically can change, even with more and more reports from outlets like yourselves, and what defense do you have against cops with a vendetta against your media, a la Kansas's Marion County Record raid?

Click for Brian Howey's answer.

I think these would make for great questions for your local, state and national lawmakers, who have the power to implement stronger accountability mechanisms for law enforcement agencies, something we've seen happen across the country in the wake of George Floyd's murder. One thing our and our colleagues' reporting has exposed is the general lack of effective accountability mechanisms for sheriff's departments, especially in Mississippi. That this extreme level of alleged misconduct could continue for nearly 20 years before triggering a serious investigation by a higher authority is astounding. This can change, but that change requires action by local, state and national representatives. As journalists, all we can do is deliver the truth and hope that voters and lawmakers put that information to good use.

As reporters, our best defenses against anyone that seeks to quash the of the press are the First Amendment and voters. We're extremely lucky to enjoy constitutional protections that enshrine our ability to do our work with little fear of reprisals. But we've never seen a greater threat to press freedoms than we are seeing today. We rely on the public and elected officials to hold accountable anyone who seeks to infringe on those rights and protect our ability to do hard-nosed reporting. We also rely on readers who good journalism, especially local journalism! So if you want to keep reading investigative reporting like Nate's and my deep-dive into the Goon Squad, make sure to support your local news outlet!

Q: Have you had to make changes to your own lifestyle out of safety / have you ever feared for your own safety after all of this? With how insane these accounts are, I'm concerned for you all.

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Click for Nate Rosenfield's answer.

I really appreciate this question and your concern for us. We definitely had to manage safety issues throughout the reporting process. We have a whole team at the Times devoted to this that we consulted with. We had to think a lot about how to protect ourselves and our sources. Fortunately, everything's worked out fine so far. But it's definitely been a stressful part of this process.

Q: Have you looked into other areas of Mississippi for similar corruption and/or scandals?

Click for Nate Rosenfield's answer.

Jerry Mitchell and Ilyssa Daly, two amazing reporters on our team, did incredible investigations into the Clay County Sheriff's Department and the Noxubee County Sheriff's Department. You should definitely check them out!

Q: Do you truly believe the Sheriff wasn't aware like he is saying?

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Click for Nate Rosenfield's answer.

I think we found some compelling evidence that the Sheriff had been alerted that there was a problem. Multiple sources told us they filed complaints, wrote letters, sent facebook messages to the sheriff directly or called him on the phone to talk about the abuse of these same deputies.

Q: Have you guys heard of the Pasco Sheriff FL squad of deputies that would target and harass citizens? You guys should look into it. They are being sued but rumor is it is still ongoing. No physical torture but definitely psychological. I wonder how similar these groups operated.

Click for Nate Rosenfield's answer.

Yeah! There was a great investigation on this by the Tampa Bay Times. Truly insane. It seems like that was a case where official department policy went haywire, leading to potentially unconstitutional conduct rather than a group of officers engaging in explicitly criminal conduct and covering up their actions, like what's been alleged here. But there are definitely some important overlaps, good point!

Q: Are you guys going to do an investigation into the city police departments within Rankin County? like Pearl Brandon or Richland? I read where the Pearl Police Chief was involved in at least one of the incidents. Will he be investigated? Do you think that he should be allowed to lead a force if he was apart of the Goon Squad?

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Click for Nate Rosenfield's answer.

Great question! We're still looking into the level of involvement of officers at other departments. One Richland PD officer was involved in the Michael Jenkins and Eddie Parker case. And we reported that the current Pearl Police Chief, Dean Scott was present at least one of the incidents in our story when he was a Rankin Sheriff's Deputy. Whether that raises questions about his fitness for office is for the community and their representatives to decide. But it's an important question!

Q: It amazes me that these people, Baltimore's infamous gun trace task force, LAs ‘gang', all operate for years before doing something stupid and getting caught. You'd think with social media, these folks would tend to gravitate together. Were you able to find any social media ties between this bunch and officers at other departments that would be outside their locale?

Click for Nate Rosenfield's answer.

Great question! We found that some of the these deputies had social media contacts with officers at other departments. That alone doesn't say much, but it's definitely a lead. We haven't spotted anything overt about collaboration in misconduct on social media though.

Q: Were they gooning for someone bigger than the sheriff?

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Click for Nate Rosenfield's answer.

That's a big question. We're hoping to find the answer. Still very unclear at this point but if we find anything you'll know about it. Stay posted.

Q: What is the likelihood other such “gangs” are operating across Mississippi LEOs? I believe this kind of thing is an off-shoot of the militarization of local police — in the Jackson metro area, how many SWAT teams, response teams, drug task forces, etc., are there? Probably a mind-blowing number of teams, and they probably all share the same 25-50 personnel.

Click for Nate Rosenfield's answer.

We're definitely looking into similar conduct across different departments. We didn't find that the events we reported on in Rankin had to do with any militarization of the department. But we haven't looked into that issue in the area. Definitely worth further exploration. Great questions!

Q: Have any of the accused made a statement about their alleged actions?

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Click for Nate Rosenfield's answer.

Not yet. We expect that the officers who've been indicted will speak at their sentencing in January. And others may come forward with time. But so far we've been met with silence.

Q: How much support does the goon squad have from locals and other citizens of Mississippi? How many, cops or otherwise, wish they could get away what those guys did? Do you believe a majority of Mississippi citizens agree that a person's civil rights are forfeit as soon as they're accused of a crime?

Click for Nate Rosenfield's answer.

I know that the mood in Rankin County shifted a lot after the federal indictment came down this summer and after our story dropped last month. A few months ago we heard a fair amount of skepticism about what was going on in the department. Now we're hearing pretty unanimous outrage.

I can't speak for cops or the majority of . But I can say that most of what we've heard from community members in the area in the past few weeks—including people involved in law enforcement—has been condemnation of these deputies's actions.

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Q: Do you know if they could possibly be charged for sexual assault since they apparently used a sex toy during the torture.

Click for Nate Rosenfield's answer.

The Federal case against the officers were related to constitutional violations, not criminal charges. The state cases against the 6 officers in August were criminal. They were mostly related to covering up evidence. Hunter Elward, who fired the gun in Michael Jenkins mouth, was charged with assault. There were no charges related to the sexual violence. That doesn't mean state prosecutors couldn't have pursued those charges or won't in other cases, but so far that hasn't been their strategy.

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

Did you miss our previous article…
https://www.biloxinewsevents.com/?p=313608

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Mississippi Today

PSC axes solar programs in light of EPA funds, advocates file lawsuit

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mississippitoday.org – Alex Rozier – 2024-05-15 12:10:31

Advocates from some of the 's conservation groups — such as Audubon Delta, Mississippi Sierra Club and Steps Coalition — spoke out Wednesday against a recent decision by the Mississippi Public Service Commission to suspend several solar programs, “Solar for Schools,” less than two years after the previous commission put them in place.

“This is particularly disappointing because the need for these incentives in the state of Mississippi is significant,” said Jonathan Green, executive director of Steps Coalition. “Energy costs in the South, and in particular the region known as the Black Belt, are higher than those in other parts of the country for a number of reasons. These regions tend to have older energy generation infrastructure, and housing that has not been weatherproofed to modern standards. For many low- to moderate-income residents in the state of Mississippi, energy burden and energy insecurity represent real daily economic challenges.”

The PSC voted 2-1 at its April docket meeting to do away with the programs, reasoning in part that new funds through the Inflation Reduction Act would be available to the state. About 10 days later, the Environmental Protection Agency awarded $62 million to the state, through the Hope Enterprise Corporation, to help low-income afford adding solar power to their homes. The funds are part of the Biden Administration's Solar for All program, one of the several recent federal initiatives aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

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The PSC decision ended three programs the previous commission put in place to encourage wider adoption of solar power through the two power companies it regulates, Entergy Mississippi and Mississippi Power: “Solar for Schools,” which allowed school districts to essentially build solar panels for free in exchange for tax credits, as well as incentives for low-income customers and battery storage.

Last Friday, the Sierra Club filed lawsuits in chancery courts in Hinds and Harrison counties against the commission, arguing the PSC broke state law by not providing sufficient reasoning or public notice before making the changes. Advocates also argued that new going to Hope Enterprise won't go as far without the PSC's low-income incentives.

The programs were part of a 2022 addition to the state's net metering rule, a system that allows homeowners to generate their own solar power and earn credits for excess energy on their electric bills. Mississippi's version is less beneficial to participants than net metering in most states, though, because it doesn't reimburse users at the full retail cost. Mississippi's net metering program itself is still in tact.

Northern District Commissioner Chris Brown said that, while he supported efforts to expand solar power, he didn't think programs that offer incentives from energy companies were fair to other .

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Solar panels on the roof of the performing arts center at North Forrest High School. Credit: Mike Papas / Forrest County School District

“It's the subsidy that we take issue with,” Brown said at the meeting. “It's not the solar, it's not the helping the schools. We just don't think it's good policy to spread that to the rest of the ratepayers.”

Brown and Southern District Commissioner Carr voted to end the programs, while Central District Commissioner De'Keither Stamps voted against the motion. All three are in their first terms on the PSC. Brown's position is in line with what the power companies as well as Gov. Tate Reeves have argued, which is that programs like net metering forces non-participants to subsidize those who participate.

Robert Wiygul, an attorney for the Mississippi Sierra Club, countered that argument during Wednesday's press conference, saying that net metering actually helps non-participants by adding more power to the grid and reducing the strain on the power companies' other infrastructure. Moreover, he said, the PSC hasn't offered actual numbers showing that non-participants are subsidizing the program.

“Look, if the commission wants to talk about that, we are ready to talk about it,” Wiygul said. “But what we got here is a situation where these two commissioners just decided they were going to do this. We don't even know what that claim is really based on because it hasn't been through the public notice and hasn't been through the public comment .”

While no schools had officially enrolled in “Solar for Schools,” which went into effect in January of last year, Stamps told that there were places in his district getting ready to participate in the very programs the PSC voted to suspend.

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Mississippi Public Service Central District Commissioner De'Keither Stamps, discusses current agency operations across the state during an interview at district headquarters, Friday, Feb. 23, 2024, in Jackson. Credit: Vickie D. King/Mississippi Today

“My issue was we should have talked to the entities that were going through the process to (understand what they were doing) to participate in the programs before you eliminate the programs,” he said.

Several school districts in the state are already using solar panels thanks to funding from a past settlement with Mississippi Power. Officials there told Mississippi Today that the extra power generated from the panels has freed up spending for other educational needs. During the public comment period for the 2022 net metering , about a dozen school district superintendents from around the state wrote in to support the initiative. Ninety-five school districts in the state would have been eligible for the program because they receive power from Entergy Mississippi or Mississippi Power.

Former commissioner Brent Bailey, who lost a close reelection bid in November to Stamps, was an advocate for the schools program that the PSC created while he was there. At the April docket meeting, he pleaded with the new commission to reconsider, arguing that the new federal funding won't have the same impact without those programs.

“My ask is to at least give this program a chance, see where it goes, and hear from stakeholders that have participated,” Bailey said. The solar programs, he added, weren't just about expanding renewable energy, but taking advantage of a growing economy around solar power as well: “We can just stand by and watch it go by, or we can participate in this and bring economic to the state.”

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

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Crooked Letter Sports Podcast

Podcast: In or out (of the NCAA Tournament)?

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College 's regular season is in its last , which means baseball bracketology is a popular activity. needs to finish strong to become a Regional host. Southern Miss probably has already punched its ticket as a 2- or 3-seed. , playing its best baseball presently, needs victories, period. Meanwhile, the State High School softball tournament is this week in Hattiesburg, and the state baseball tournament to Trustmark Park in Pearl next week.

Stream all episodes here.


This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

Did you miss our previous article…
https://www.biloxinewsevents.com/?p=358148

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Mississippi Today

Reeves again blocks funds for LeFleur’s Bluff project in Jackson

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mississippitoday.org – Bobby Harrison – 2024-05-15 10:02:34

For the third consecutive year legislative efforts to direct state money to renovate LeFleur's Bluff in have been stymied, thanks in large part to Gov. Tate Reeves.

Earlier this , the Republican governor vetoed a portion of a bill that directed $14 million to the office of Secretary of State Michael Watson for work on developing and improving a nature trail connecting parks and museums and making other -related improvements in the LeFleur's Bluff area.

It is not clear whether the Legislature could take up the veto during the 2025 , which begins in January, though, that's not likely. The Legislature had the option to return to Jackson Tuesday to take up any veto, but chose not to do so.

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Of the project, Watson said, “Our office was approached late in the session about helping with a project to revitalize LeFleur's Bluff. As Mississippi's state commissioner, I was more than happy to lead this effort not just because it's a natural fit for our office, but also because I believe Mississippi needs a thriving capital city to retain our best and brightest. Investing state funds in state property on a project to enhance the quality of life in Jackson makes good sense.

“Unfortunately, some only support it when it equates to campaign contributions. Sadly, through the line-item veto of the appropriation, will once again wait another year for the opportunity to benefit from state investments for the greater public good.”

READ MORE: Gov. Reeves warns Mississippi: Challenge my vetoes, and it could jeopardize hundreds of projects

Various groups, such as representatives of the Mississippi Children's Museum and many other community leaders have been working on the project for years. The area already is the home of the Children's Museum, Museum of Natural History, Mississippi Hall of Fame and Museum and a state park.

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The issues with LeFleur's Bluff first arose in 2022 when Reeves vetoed a $14 million appropriation that in part was designed to redesign and create a new golf course in the area. Previously, there had been a nine-hole, state-owned golf course operated by the Department of Wildlife, at LeFleur's Bluff State Park.

In 2022, the LeFleur's Bluff project was one of literally hundreds of projects funded by the Legislature – many of which was tourism projects like LeFleur's Bluff. The governor only vetoed a handful of those projects.

When issuing the LeFleur's  Bluff veto, Reeves said the state should not be involved in funding golf courses.

Then last year $13 million was directed to the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks to spend on the LeFleur's Bluff project. But legislative leaders said state money would not go toward a golf course.

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Lawmakers opted to transfer the project to the Secretary of State's office late in the 2024 session, apparently in part because they felt the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks had not made enough of an effort to begin the project.

Lynn Posey, executive director of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks, said that before moving forward with the project, “We felt like we needed to do engineering work and see what the situation was. We never got a chance to move forward” because the Legislature redirected the money.

Posey said an engineer's report was needed because “it is a unique piece of land.” He said much of the land is prone to flooding.

He said before that work could begin the Legislature switched the authority to the Secretary of State's office. Posey was appointed to his current position by Reeves, whose office had no comment on the veto.

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Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann said after the governor's veto, “Projects like the LeFleur's Bluff development are critical to the Capital City, the wider metropolitan area, and our state. Public parks add to the quality of life for our citizens. I am hopeful the individuals involved in this project, including those at the Mississippi Children's Museum, will continue their work to improve this state asset.” 

While the Constitution instructs the governor to to the Legislature a reason for any veto, Reeves did not do so this year when vetoing the money going to the Secretary of State's office.

On Monday, the governor also vetoed a portion of another bill dealing with appropriations for specific projects. But in this case, the veto was more of a technicality. The bill was making corrections to language passed in previous sessions. In that language were five projects the governor vetoed in 2022.

The language, as it was written, would not have revived those previously vetoed projects, the governor said. But Reeves said he vetoed the five projects out of caution. He did the same in 2023 when those five projects, which included money appropriated in 2022 for the Russell C. Davis Planetarium in Jackson, were carried forward in a bill also making corrections to previously passed legislation.

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This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

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