Dozens of Mississippi officials skirt records law
SKIRTING THE LAW: Several representatives and senators from the Mississippi Legislature have not filed their annual Statements of Economic Interest with the Mississippi Ethics Commission.
By Steve Wilson | Mississippi Watchdog
Some politicians in Mississippi are skirting the law when it comes to filing their personal economic statements.
Each year, all elected officials, school board members, executive directors of state agencies, presidents and trustees of state-supported-colleges and candidates for office must file with the Mississippi Ethics Commission a Statement of Economic Interest, disclosing outside personal and business interests.
Those who don’t file on time — May 1 is the annual deadline for incumbents — or who fail to disclose information can be fined up to $10,000, according to the ethic commission’s website.
Calls for comment from the ethics commission were not returned.
An SEI shows the official and their family’s business ties, earnings from those businesses and their control or ownership of a company.
Among the officials who haven’t filed their 2013 SEI form include four mayors:
- Biloxi Mayor A.J. Holloway, who last submitted his SEI with the ethics commission in 2010.
- Three-term Ocean Springs Mayor Connie Moran hasn’t submitted an SEI since 2010, either.
- A pair of former members of the state House — Vicksburg Mayor George Flaggs and Moss Point Mayor Billy Broomfield.
Ten members of the state Senate haven’t filed their 2013 SEI form, including:
- Albert Butler, D-Port Gibson, who represents Senate District 36.
- Nancy Adams Collins, R-Tupelo, who represents Senate District 6.
- Deborah Dawkins, D-Pass Christian, who represents Senate District 48.
- Sally Doty, R-Brookhaven, who represents Senate District 39.
- Steve Hale, D-Senatobia, who represents Senate District 10.
- John Horhn, D-Jackson, who represents Senate District 26.
- Gary Jackson, R-French Camp, who represents Senate District 15.
- Robert L. Jackson, D-Marks, who represents Senate District 11.
- Will Longwitz, R-Madison, who represents Senate District 25.
- Willie Simmons, D-Cleveland. who represents Senate District 12.
Ten members of the state House haven’t filed their 2013 SEI form:
- Alex Monsour, R-Vicksburg, who represents House District 54.
- Kevin Horan, D-Grenada, who represents House District 24.
- Becky Currie, R-Brookhaven, who represents House District 92.
- William T. Arnold, R-Booneville, who represents House District 3.
- David Baria, D-Bay St. Louis, who represents House District 122.
- Jim Beckett, R-Bruce, who represents House District 23.
- Randy P. Boyd, R-Mantachie, who represents House District 19.
- Chris Brown, R-Aberdeen, who represents House District 20.
- Hank Lott, R-Sumrall, who represents House District 101.
- Brad Oberhousen, D-Byram, hasn’t filed since 2011 and represents District 73,
Contact Steve Wilson at swilson@watchdog.org
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