Classic Marshall Ramsey cartoon ties together last couple of Cottonmouth posts

The old saw is that a picture is worth a thousand words.  Well, Marshall Ramsey's cartoons are often worth so much more.  The last two posts on this blog have been "Republican leadership: "'Vote for charter schools or lose your district'" and "Charter schools bill not brought up in House; signal that Republican leadership does not have the votes."  Today's Ramsey cartoon put it better than I could:

Very well done, Mr. Ramsey!

Charter schools bill not brought up in House; signal that Republican leadership does not have the votes

The new charter schools language inserted into HB 1152 by Sen. Gray Tollison (R - Oxford) sits on the House calendar for a vote on concurrence.  It was not brought up today, which means the House Republican leadership doesn't have the votes to pass it.  While today is a deadline day, this bill will not die until April 26, as it is a general bill on for concurrence.  (See timetable for processing legislation.)

Now here's the interesting part: the new redistricting maps have to be announced 15 days prior to sine die, which is before the deadline to vote on concurrence.  That means it may be difficult to continue to twist arms on the charter schools bill via redistricting.

Republican leadership: "Vote for charter schools or lose your district"

During last year's redistricting battle, Governor Bryant and other Republicans admonished legislators that the "gentleman's agreement," that one chamber would not interfere with another chamber's redistricting maps, was a violation of a member's oath of office because it was improper to vote for one bill in exchange for a vote on another.  Count that among the many "principled" stands that have become suddenly inconvenient with Republicans in charge. 

Cottonmouth has received word from several House members that members are being told that they will jeopardize their chances of having a "good" district if they don't vote to pass the charter school bill.

A vote on House Bill 1152, a measure that was amended to include the "Mississippi Public Charter Schools Act of 2012" by Senator Gray Tollison (R-Oxford) earlier today, is likely to come up for a vote in the House on Thursday. 

EMCL - A look into the proposed rules of Mississippi Criminal Procedure (first in a series of many)

I took some time today over on the other blog to post the first in what will be a long series about the proposed Mississippi Rules of Criminal Procedure.  This particular post touches briefly on separation of powers questions that will arise throughout the series.  In today's post, I discuss the terminology used for charging instruments in Mississippi courts, where it came from, and how proposed Rule 2.1 would change it.

Without further adieu, here's EMCL - A look into the proposed Mississippi Rules of Criminal Procedure (first in a series of many).

***Rep. Andy Gipson (R - Braxton) attempting to revive forced transvaginal ultrasounds***

The debate is over SB 2771, which Rep. Andy Gipson (R - Braxton) amended in committee to include language forcing women to undergo transvaginal ultrasounds prior to any abortion procedure.  (Including abortions performed for the reasons of rape, incest, or to save the life of the mother.)  Follow along live here.

***Correction - Gipson has offered an amendment to SB 2771 that would create an exception for rape, incest, or life of the mother cases.

Largest Barbour supporter worked closely with Barbour's lobbyist partners while Barbour in office; linked to efforts to profit from Iraq War

The story behind a whopping $100,000.00 contribution to former Governor Haley Barbour (R - Mississippi) through Barbour's Georgia-based PAC is going to be an interesting one.

It turns out that Jamal Daniel, the contributor, has worked closely with Barbour's former-and-once-again lobbying partners, Lanny Griffith and Ed Rogers.  (The "G" and the "R" in BGR Group.)  In fact, as Barbour was campaigning for Governor in 2003 Daniel, Griffith, and Rogers joined with others to form a company called "New Bridge Strategies", which sought to make a buck off of the reconstruction of Iraq. The introduction to a story about the formation of New Bridge Strategies in the New York Times reads:

A group of businessmen linked by their close ties to President Bush, his family and his administration have set up a consulting firm to advise companies that want to do business in Iraq, including those seeking pieces of taxpayer-financed reconstruction projects.

It's hard to tell if New Bridge Strategies was a success or not.  It appears that New Bridge Strategies, of which Daniel was an "advisory board member", is no longer a going concern.  Its former website, for example, now contains some rather odd writing about "finding love."  More to come....

Found: A $100,000 campaign contribution to Haley Barbour in 2010

Yes, you read the title correctly.  Syrian-born millionaire Jamal Daniel gave then-Gov. Haley Barbour a $100,000 campaign contribution in 2010.  Barbour put the money in his Georgia political action committee, where there are no limits on contributions.  From my review, it is the largest of Barbour's contributions, at least to his Georgia PAC.

Here's the report showing the contribution.  You can find it on page 4.

***BREAKING*** - Senate sends Sunshine Act to conference

With most (if not all) Democrats voting no, the Senate sends the Sunshine Act to a conference committee after a brief debate.

***BREAKING*** - HB 211, the "Sunshine" Act, is before the Senate

Sen. Briggs Hopson, III (R - Vicksburg) is presenting HB 211 to the Senate at the moment.  This is the bill that would allow agencies to hire their own outside counsel.  This bill has been discussed here before.  Oh yeah, this bill had its genesis in ALEC.

A closer look at the Republican war on Mississippi workers

This week, Republicans in the legislature will continue their offensive against Mississippi workers as Senate Bill 2576 returns home to the Senate.  The "Workers' Compensation Destruction Act," as it's known on these pages, hurts hard working Mississippians at a time when their job security and economic well-being are most at risk. 

Hammering workers in a bad economy is almost always bad political strategy but SB 2576 also fails as a matter of sound public policy for the following reasons:

• Current law already prevents intoxicated workers from receiving benefits;
• 80% of all workers age 40 and over have some pre-existing medical condition.  Under SB 2576, these pre-existing conditions can be used to reduce or deny workers compensation benefits even if the pre-existing condition has no effect on work performance;
• Every health insurance plan allows its members to get a second opinion from a doctor of their own choosing.  SB 2576 eliminates access to second opinions, and eliminates choice of doctors under certain circumstances;
• SB 2576 will provide little rate relief.  Mississippi already has one of the lowest workers' compensation rates in the country (rated 31st and 50th among 50 states);
• Mississippi currently has the lowest payment schedules for work-related injuries in the United States.  SB 2576 does very little to enhance benefits and will not bring Mississippi off of the bottom;
• The PEER Committee criticized the current workers' compensation system and suggested major changes to the Commission.  None of these proposed changes are addressed in SB 2576;
• The Chairman of the Workers' Compensation Commission recently described the system as "fair."  Reports indicating that he has changed his opinion and supports SB 2576 are false; and
• The Workers' Compensation section of the Mississippi Bar, composed of lawyers who represent employees and employers, opposes SB 2576.