Some of you may remember the 2008 Southern District Supreme Court race between then-Justice Oliver Diaz and then-Chancery Judge Randy "Bubba" Pierce. Late in the race, an ad appeared that accused Justice Diaz of voting "for" baby rapers and other assorted awful characters. The ad was paid for by the Law Enforcement Alliance of America PAC.
Well, that PAC just bought $356,000.00 worth of north Mississippi TV time to run ads against Flip Phillips before next month's elections.
The local media roundly condemned the 2008 LEAA ad, and FactCheck.org picked it apart mercilessly. The Special Committee on Judicial Election Campaign Intervention, formed by the Mississippi Supreme Court, even sent a letter to Judge Pierce demanding that he advise them whether he was responsible for the ad, and if not, to ask LEAA to cease and desist.
Knowing what we now know about the LEAA and their tactics, the Mississippi Supreme Court's Special Committee on Judicial Election Campaign Intervention should be proactive in preserving the integrity of our Supreme Court elections. They should immediately demand to know the extent of the Josiah Coleman campaign's involvement in the coming ads. Waiting until the Mississippi electorate is again subjected to the handiwork of widely-criticized hatchet men would bring to mind an old saying: "Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice...."
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Showing posts with label Flip Phillips. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Flip Phillips. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
***BREAKING - Strongly-criticized "stealth" PAC buys $356,000.00 worth of ads against Flip Phillips***
The stealth PAC "Law Enforcement Alliance of America" has just purchased $356,000 worth of television advertising time in the Northern District Supreme Court race to use against Batesville attorney Flip Phillips. This is the same group criticized by both the Hattiesburg American and the Clarion-Ledger in the 2008 judicial election cycle. More to come...
Monday, October 22, 2012
Jack Dunbar comes out in support of Flip Phillips for Supreme Court
Here's the text of an email from highly-respected Mississippi attorney Jack Dunbar, weighing in on the Northern District Supreme Court race:
Friends:
We have an important election on November 6th to fill a vacancy on our State Supreme Court. I ask you to consider the candidacy of Richard "Flip" Phillips for the following reasons:
1) A seat on the Court should not be filled by someone who is there for "on the job training." There may be no other profession where experience is so important. Flip is 65 years old and has practiced for 40 years, at all levels of our judicial system. He has been lead counsel and argued many cases on appeal before the Supreme Court , and tried even more cases. His opponent has never been lead, or head counsel in any case in any Court. (See article on the candidates in the Tupelo paper, Oct 22, 2012.)
2) Flip has written definitive text books on legal issues used as reference sources by lawyers and judges. He has often shared his experience and knowledge with lawyers and judges as a panelist
at legal seminars. He is highly regarded in the profession.
3) He has been professionally successful and does not need the job for the salary. He has stated a self imposed term limit; that is, he will serve for one eight year term if elected, to cap off his legal career and in my judgment give something back to the profession which respects him.
4) His opposition has cast him as a "plaintiff's" lawyer, as if there were something wrong with representing anyone with a meritorious claim.
Flip has been primarily a lawyer who tried cases for claimants, but also for defendants. In my career, I was most often on the other side of the table from Flip. I have been primarily a civil defense lawyer, representing doctors, hospitals, manufacturers of products, and corporate interests. I have tried many cases against Flip. I won the cases I should have, and so did he, but never did I feel he took a "frivolous" case or one without merit. He always played it straight, and by the rules. There are many other "defense" lawyers like me, supporting his candidacy because we all agree that he is a lawyer of integrity who will "call it like it is" as a judge on our Supreme Court.
I urge you to discuss his candidacy with your own lawyer, or lawyer friends. I believe they will share my views. I hope you will give Flip your vote and support, because it is in the interest
of all of us to have experienced, competent and fair judges, in a respected judicial system.
Jack F. Dunbar
Friends:
We have an important election on November 6th to fill a vacancy on our State Supreme Court. I ask you to consider the candidacy of Richard "Flip" Phillips for the following reasons:
1) A seat on the Court should not be filled by someone who is there for "on the job training." There may be no other profession where experience is so important. Flip is 65 years old and has practiced for 40 years, at all levels of our judicial system. He has been lead counsel and argued many cases on appeal before the Supreme Court , and tried even more cases. His opponent has never been lead, or head counsel in any case in any Court. (See article on the candidates in the Tupelo paper, Oct 22, 2012.)
2) Flip has written definitive text books on legal issues used as reference sources by lawyers and judges. He has often shared his experience and knowledge with lawyers and judges as a panelist
at legal seminars. He is highly regarded in the profession.
3) He has been professionally successful and does not need the job for the salary. He has stated a self imposed term limit; that is, he will serve for one eight year term if elected, to cap off his legal career and in my judgment give something back to the profession which respects him.
4) His opposition has cast him as a "plaintiff's" lawyer, as if there were something wrong with representing anyone with a meritorious claim.
Flip has been primarily a lawyer who tried cases for claimants, but also for defendants. In my career, I was most often on the other side of the table from Flip. I have been primarily a civil defense lawyer, representing doctors, hospitals, manufacturers of products, and corporate interests. I have tried many cases against Flip. I won the cases I should have, and so did he, but never did I feel he took a "frivolous" case or one without merit. He always played it straight, and by the rules. There are many other "defense" lawyers like me, supporting his candidacy because we all agree that he is a lawyer of integrity who will "call it like it is" as a judge on our Supreme Court.
I urge you to discuss his candidacy with your own lawyer, or lawyer friends. I believe they will share my views. I hope you will give Flip your vote and support, because it is in the interest
of all of us to have experienced, competent and fair judges, in a respected judicial system.
Jack F. Dunbar
Saturday, October 6, 2012
Flip Phillips releases video ad
Here's Flip Phillips' new video ad:
Labels:
Flip Phillips,
Mississippi Supreme Court
Friday, September 14, 2012
Phillips vs. Coleman - Analysis of the Northern District Supreme Court race
In the first part of a series of articles intended to educate voters on the appellate judges races in November, I present the following analysis of the Northern District race between Richard “Flip” Phillips and Josiah Coleman. This article includes original research as well as the response to a media inquiry to the candidates focused exclusively on legal experience. The analysis below will roughly follow the five inquiries posed to the candidates. It should be noted that Mr. Coleman failed to respond to repeated email requests for answers. This article is quite long for a blog post, so click below to read it.
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
A heavyweight enters the race to replace Mississippi Supreme Court Justice George Carlson
It has been confirmed that Batesville attorney, Richard “Flip” Phillips, has qualified to run for the Supreme Court position currently held by Justice George Carlson. Carlson has announced he will retire after his term is complete. The election will take place in November of this year. It is rumored that Phillips was very close to being appointed to the position when Governor Musgrove decided on Carlson. Carlson and Phillips, from the same geographic region, are said to be good friends.
Phillips, age 64, will be an imposing figure in the race and may even deter others from entering the Secretary of State’s office to qualify. Phillips is reputed to have substantial personal wealth derived from his successful law practice and other business ventures. He has financially supported numerous political candidates from both parties, with more recent involvement tilting Republican. The judicial race will be non-partisan. Just as Republican Congressman Gregg Harper was, Phillips was a trial lawyer years ago, but began representing primarily manufacturers, banks and local governments in the last decade. This will give him great appeal on both sides of the civil trial bar. He also has not been involved in the criminal law field - a fact that should minimize some of the ridiculous third party attacks we have seen in recent judicial elections.
Judges are not allowed to solicit or receive contributions to their campaign this year until March 11, which will give Phillips an enormous advantage. He can spend his own money getting organized, printing materials, hiring the best campaign minds in the district, before the others (if there are any) can even hold a fundraising reception.
Phillips, and wife Vera, have grandchildren in the Jackson area, making the trip back and forth to Jackson a pleasure rather than a burden. The grind of the trip from north Mississippi to Jackson is often cited as a reason for potential candidates to pass on the race (particularly if they have young families) and is rumored to be the reason appellate Judge Jimmy Maxwell and Chancery Judge Robert “Bobby” Chamberlain passed on the opportunity, keeping their powder dry for another day.
It is not often that the money, the enthusiasm, the resume, the politics, the family ties and the mojo so quickly line up in a Supreme Court race. This could be a one horse contest.
Phillips, age 64, will be an imposing figure in the race and may even deter others from entering the Secretary of State’s office to qualify. Phillips is reputed to have substantial personal wealth derived from his successful law practice and other business ventures. He has financially supported numerous political candidates from both parties, with more recent involvement tilting Republican. The judicial race will be non-partisan. Just as Republican Congressman Gregg Harper was, Phillips was a trial lawyer years ago, but began representing primarily manufacturers, banks and local governments in the last decade. This will give him great appeal on both sides of the civil trial bar. He also has not been involved in the criminal law field - a fact that should minimize some of the ridiculous third party attacks we have seen in recent judicial elections.
Judges are not allowed to solicit or receive contributions to their campaign this year until March 11, which will give Phillips an enormous advantage. He can spend his own money getting organized, printing materials, hiring the best campaign minds in the district, before the others (if there are any) can even hold a fundraising reception.
Phillips, and wife Vera, have grandchildren in the Jackson area, making the trip back and forth to Jackson a pleasure rather than a burden. The grind of the trip from north Mississippi to Jackson is often cited as a reason for potential candidates to pass on the race (particularly if they have young families) and is rumored to be the reason appellate Judge Jimmy Maxwell and Chancery Judge Robert “Bobby” Chamberlain passed on the opportunity, keeping their powder dry for another day.
It is not often that the money, the enthusiasm, the resume, the politics, the family ties and the mojo so quickly line up in a Supreme Court race. This could be a one horse contest.
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