tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20228702338288006312024-03-05T00:12:08.329-06:00Jim Craig's World is moving to . . . Ipse Blogit"Because We Blogged It" -- a view of law, life, and after, from the keyboards of Jim and Matt, two guys who don't have any compunction about telling anyone at all what we think.Jim Craighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13414789047570011778noreply@blogger.comBlogger174125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2022870233828800631.post-29478449729139738772009-06-29T14:36:00.000-05:002009-06-29T14:37:39.637-05:00Rep. Mayo's Report on the Special Session<!-- Converted from text/plain format --> <P><FONT SIZE=2>We just came back from a recess that started at 12:30. We came in a two, it is now 2:15 and we are taking a break til 4:30. <BR> <BR> The House passed its half of the general fund appropriation bills this afternoon and we are awaiting the senate's half of the appropriations.<BR> <BR> The Speaker also announced that when we come back at 4 we may have word on a Medicaid solution shortly after that.<BR> <BR> The House passed the Education funding bill which included full funding of MAEP as well as the teacher incentives.<BR> <BR> Here is the location of the whole bill with an amendment that was added on the Floor<BR> <BR> Bill<BR> <BR> <A HREF="http://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/20092E/pdf/HB/0001-0099/HB0049IN.pdf">http://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/20092E/pdf/HB/0001-0099/HB0049IN.pdf</A><BR> <BR> Amendment<BR> <BR> <A HREF="http://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/20092E/pdf/ham/HB0049_H_Amend_01.pdf">http://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/20092E/pdf/ham/HB0049_H_Amend_01.pdf</A><BR> <BR> Unless the governor extends the session to Medicaid we will probably be gone sometime tonight.<BR> <BR> John<BR> </FONT> </P> Jim Craighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13414789047570011778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2022870233828800631.post-26716175266308820932009-06-29T08:03:00.001-05:002009-06-29T08:03:10.313-05:00Just a Little Bit Nervous . . .<!-- Converted from text/plain format --> <P><FONT SIZE=2>I suppose I was the only person in America who didn't know that Billy May's death was the day after a rocky landing on a US Air flight to Tampa. Of course, I learned that while reading today's paper on board . . . a US Air flight. Wonderful way to start the week.<BR> </FONT> </P> Jim Craighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13414789047570011778noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2022870233828800631.post-51551711986819395502009-06-22T17:23:00.002-05:002009-06-22T17:25:30.018-05:00Moving Day<span style="color:#cc0000;">We're moving this blog to </span><a href="http://ipseblogit.blogspot.com/"><span style="color:#3366ff;">http://ipseblogit.blogspot.com/</span></a><span style="color:#cc0000;">, which we hope will make it easier for new readers to find.<br /><br />So please join us at the new </span><a href="http://ipseblogit.blogspot.com/"><span style="color:#3366ff;"><strong>Ipse Blogit</strong></span></a><span style="color:#cc0000;"> -- and tell your friends!</span><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;"></span><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;">Followers, I think you have to re-register at the new site. Sorry!</span>Jim Craighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13414789047570011778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2022870233828800631.post-7134126476968091112009-06-22T16:19:00.002-05:002009-06-22T16:22:18.467-05:00"Significant federal indictment"According to the Jackson Free Press Twitter feed, "Acting U.S. Attorney Stan Harris announcing 'a significant federal indictment' Tuesday at 3 p.m. in Jackson."<br /><br />Anybody know anything?<br /><br />Tip of the hat to the Jackson Free Press, obviously, and to Rep. Greg Snowden for the "re-tweet."Matt Eichelbergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03518932804450447938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2022870233828800631.post-88379528956434074232009-06-22T12:44:00.003-05:002009-06-22T12:48:28.969-05:00Anchors Aweigh!<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Ab0FNdJ_Q14/Sj_DDtRUmgI/AAAAAAAAAKw/Du41YGnu7YI/s1600-h/Mabus+Takes+Office"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350209350798711298" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 267px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Ab0FNdJ_Q14/Sj_DDtRUmgI/AAAAAAAAAKw/Du41YGnu7YI/s400/Mabus+Takes+Office" border="0" /></a><span style="color:#3366ff;">WASHINGTON (June 18, 2009) Secretary of the Defense the Honorable Robert Gates, left, administers the Oath of Office to Secretary of the Navy the Honorable Ray <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Mabus</span> during a ceremony at the Naval Support Activity Washington-Washington Navy Yard. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Mabus</span>, the former governor of Mississippi, is the 75<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">th</span> Secretary of the Navy. (U.S. Navy photo by Joseph P. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Cirone</span>/Released) (www.navy.mil)</span><br /><p><span style="color:#3366ff;">h/t Dorsey Carson via Facebook</p><br /><br /></span>Jim Craighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13414789047570011778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2022870233828800631.post-52988568346078257532009-06-22T11:40:00.002-05:002009-06-22T11:46:42.805-05:00"I'm Not Dead Yet" -- Section 5 of Voting Rights Act Survives Attack<span style="color:#cc0000;">The authoritative SCOTUSblog has an excellent, brief summary of the Supreme Court's ruling today in the Voting Rights Act case that presented the issue, among others, of whether Section 5 of the Act should be "nullified." SCOTUSblog <a href="http://www.scotusblog.com/wp/section-5-survives-2"><strong>reports</strong></a>:</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;">With only one Justice voting to strike down Congress’s 25-year extension of the Voting Rights Act’s controversial Section 5, the Supreme Court on Monday interpreted the law in a way that saves it. The Court said that all local units of government must be given the option to bail out of the requirement that they get Washington approval for any changes in their election laws or methods.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;">Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr., writing for an eight-member majority in Northwest Austin Municipal Utility District v. Holder (08-322), said that Section 5 has achieved “historic accomplishments,” but “now raises serious constitutional concerns.”</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;">And, he said, while the Court would not shrink from its duty to apply the Constitution to block “legislative encroachments,” the Court also was obliged to decide a case by interpreting the scope of legislation if that route is available as an alternative to striking down the law altogether. That is the option it chose.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;">My two cents: I can't agree with his assessment of "serious constitutional concerns," but Chief Justice Roberts kept his word on this one. If he continues to follow Justice Brandeis's version of judicial restraint, which requires the Court to give Congress the benefit of the doubt by interpreting laws so that they can be upheld under the Constitution, then the Obama Era will not be threatened by the Bush v Gore Court. </span>Jim Craighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13414789047570011778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2022870233828800631.post-60221727680658684182009-06-22T11:08:00.002-05:002009-06-22T11:55:38.155-05:00Did someone forget to tell the Governor that the Legislature has reached an agreement on a budget?Normally, one would travel from the State Capitol to the Clarion-Ledger building by walking right past the Governor's Mansion:<br /><br /><iframe width="425" height="350" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=N+Congress+St&daddr=201+s.+congress,+jackson,+ms&hl=en&geocode=FZTm7AEdeO2f-g%3B&mra=dme&mrcr=0&mrsp=0&sz=16&sll=32.301585,-90.18122&sspn=0.008198,0.013819&ie=UTF8&ll=32.301335,-90.181875&spn=0.008198,0.013819&t=h&output=embed"></iframe><br /><small><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=embed&saddr=N+Congress+St&daddr=201+s.+congress,+jackson,+ms&hl=en&geocode=FZTm7AEdeO2f-g%3B&mra=dme&mrcr=0&mrsp=0&sz=16&sll=32.301585,-90.18122&sspn=0.008198,0.013819&ie=UTF8&ll=32.301335,-90.181875&spn=0.008198,0.013819&t=h" style="color:#0000FF;text-align:left">View Larger Map</a></small><br /><br />But if we're to believe <a href="https://twitter.com/snowlaw">what we're hearing from Haley's foot soldiers</a>, the <a href="http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20090622/NEWS010504/906220331/+5B+budget+deal+reached">news of a budget deal</a> must have followed this route:<br /><br /><iframe width="425" height="350" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=N+Congress+St&daddr=32.300301,-90.18018+to:201+s.+congress,+jackson,+ms&hl=en&geocode=FZTm7AEdeO2f-g%3B%3B&mra=dpe&mrcr=0&mrsp=1&sz=16&via=1&sll=32.300954,-90.182079&sspn=0.008198,0.013819&ie=UTF8&t=h&ll=32.300954,-90.182079&spn=0.008198,0.013819&output=embed"></iframe><br /><small><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=embed&saddr=N+Congress+St&daddr=32.300301,-90.18018+to:201+s.+congress,+jackson,+ms&hl=en&geocode=FZTm7AEdeO2f-g%3B%3B&mra=dpe&mrcr=0&mrsp=1&sz=16&via=1&sll=32.300954,-90.182079&sspn=0.008198,0.013819&ie=UTF8&t=h&ll=32.300954,-90.182079&spn=0.008198,0.013819" style="color:#0000FF;text-align:left">View Larger Map</a></small><br /><br />In short, it appears as though Haley is going to attempt to deny the existence of a deal in an effort to avoid having to take responsibility for a looming state government shutdown. In all honesty, Barbour <span style="font-style:italic;">wants</span> the budget negotiations to fail, as he sees it as a way to amass power. According to Barbour, <a href="http://yallpolitics.com/index.php/yp/post/16798/">he can run state government via his fiat in the event a budget is not passed</a>. <br /><br />Barbour should know better. This game of budgetary chicken didn't work out well for the GOP during the Clinton Administration, and it won't work this time. Here's why: The general public, on a very instinctive level, views Democrats as the ones who support government services and Republicans as the ones who oppose them. As a result, the public can't envision Democrats willingly shutting the government down and ending state services. They can, however, see Republicans doing so. After all, Republicans get elected to office railing against "big government" and touting private sector alternatives. It's truly that simple.<br /><br />And if Phil Bryant and Alan Nunnelee aren't careful, they're going to wind up the real casualties of this debacle. Barbour doesn't have to go before the voters of this state again. Bryant's running for Governor, and Nunnelee is setting up a Congressional run. The voters will not look favorably upon a government shutdown on their watch.Matt Eichelbergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03518932804450447938noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2022870233828800631.post-88900404980934425542009-06-22T11:05:00.004-05:002009-06-22T11:37:16.451-05:00Pennsylvania Prosecutor Goes Too Far<span style="color:#cc0000;">Someone needs to tell former DA and former (unsuccessful) candidate for Pennsylvania Attorney General Bruce Castor, Jr., that the Senate does not, and should not, ask judicial nominees how they will vote in specific cases coming before the court for which they are nominated.<br /><br />We are, of course, talking about Judge Sonya <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Sotomayor</span>, the President's nominee for the seat on the United States Supreme Court vacated by retiring justice David <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Souter</span>.<br /><br />In a </span><a href="http://www.pennlive.com/editorials/index.ssf/2009/06/obamas_supreme_court_nominee_r.html"><strong><span style="color:#3366ff;">guest editorial</span></strong></a><span style="color:#cc0000;"> written for the Philadelphia Inquirer, Mr. Castor says that "the United States Supreme Court will be reviewing a case of one of the commonwealth's worst." He is referring to Joseph <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Kindler</span>, who was denied an appeal by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court because he had escaped after his conviction and during the time the conviction and sentence should have been appealed.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;">The Supreme Court long ago made clear that the right to appeal is an important guarantee that the death penalty is not arbitrarily imposed. So it's no surprise that they've granted review of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Kindler's</span> case. Even if <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Kindler</span> wins, all he gets is a new appeal. He doesn't get set free. He doesn't even automatically get a new trial.</span><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;"></span><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;">But Mr. Castor is concerned about the memo Judge <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Sotomayor</span> co-authored (before her 17 years as a judge) as a member of the litigation committee of New York's <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Puerto</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Rican</span> Legal Defense and Education Fund (you can read about the memo <a href="http://jimcraigsworld.blogspot.com/2009/05/nyt-certifies-shes-real-thing.html"><strong>here</strong></a>, and the memo itself is <a href="http://jimcraigsworld.blogspot.com/2009/06/just-in-from-jim.html"><strong>here</strong></a>).</span><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;"></span><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;">The Pennsylvania Prosecutor (and doubtless, a potential GOP candidate for some statewide job in the future) says that Judge <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Sotomayor</span> should be asked specifically how she will rule in the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Kindler</span> case:</span><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;"></span><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;"></span><span style="color:#3366ff;">"What is not clear is how Judge <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Sotomayor</span> will side on the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Kindler</span> case this fall should she be confirmed. </span><br /><br /><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;">Would Judge <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Sotomayor</span> side with the Pennsylvania jury, Pennsylvania law enforcement and courts that took a stand against a violent criminal and clear escape risk? Or, will she side against Pennsylvanians and allow a federal court to take a murderous criminal off death row where Pennsylvanians decided he belonged?"<br /></span><span style="color:#cc0000;"></span><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;">How soon they forget. Does anyone remember when Samuel <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Alito</span> was nominated? He had written a memo in 1985 for the Reagan Justice Department that said <em>Roe v. Wade</em> was wrongly decided. I guess maybe Republicans conceded that this disqualified him? </span><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;"></span><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Ooops</span>, no. The archives (January 2006) of the Christian Science Monitor <a href="http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0106/p01s04-usju.html"><span style="color:#3366ff;"><strong>report</strong></span></a>: </span><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;"></span><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;">For the past two months journalists and legal analysts have been poring over hundreds of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">Alito</span> decisions issued during his 15 years as a judge on the Philadelphia-based Third US Circuit Court of Appeals. They have also examined memos and letters he wrote while working as a Justice Department lawyer during the Reagan administration. "I am particularly proud of my contribution in recent cases in which the government has argued in the Supreme Court that racial and ethnic quotas should not be allowed and that the Constitution does not protect a right to an abortion," <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">Alito</span> wrote in one letter.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;">In a 1985 memo, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">Alito</span> made clear his legal judgment that the landmark abortion case, <em>Roe v. Wade</em>, should at some point be overturned. But he said in the memo that the 1985 case then before the high court was not the right time to push for it. Instead, he counseled his Reagan administration colleagues to urge the court to cut back on abortion protections.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;"><strong>Some <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">Alito</span> supporters have downplayed the papers, saying they were produced 20 years ago when <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">Alito</span> was a young lawyer, and not yet a judge. They urge senators to focus instead on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">Alito's</span> work as an appeals court judge.</strong></span><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;"></span><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;">A later Christian Science Monitor <a href="http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0112/p01s01-uspo.html"><strong>story</strong></a> highlights how and why then-Judge <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">Alito</span> did not give more specifics about cases that might present potential constitutional issues:</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;">"He is saying as little as he needs to be confirmed and hasn't made many mistakes that trouble a majority of senators whose votes he needs," says Carl Tobias, a professor at the University of Richmond Law School.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;">But unlike Chief Justice John Roberts, Mr. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">Alito</span> did not default to refusing to answer a question because "the issue is likely to come before the Court," he adds. "He has tried to wade in and engage the questions. <strong>The answers aren't always as specific as the senators would like, but he can't go too far, either. He'd have to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">recuse</span> himself."</strong></span><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;"></span><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;">Maybe Mr. Castor should bone up on constitutional law before he runs his mouth (or for office) in the future. But he probably won't take my advice. Oh well.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;">P.S.: The Pennsylvania ruling <strong>should</strong> be reversed by the Supreme Court.</span> <br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;"></span>Jim Craighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13414789047570011778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2022870233828800631.post-16010872471344372932009-06-22T10:49:00.002-05:002009-06-22T11:03:15.523-05:00Gerald Holland Appeals From Kafka-esque Hearing<span style="color:#cc0000;">The Associated Press is reporting today the background of the death penalty <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">habeas</span> corpus appeal in Gerald Holland's case. Holland was convicted of capital murder and sentenced to death, but the sentence was reversed because the jury reached their decision in favor of the death penalty before the sentencing phase of the trial began. (They sent a note to the judge during the break between the phases that said, "We, the jury, sentence Gerald James Holland to death." A bit hard for Holland to re-open their minds at that point.)</span><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;"></span><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;">The case went back to Circuit Court for a jury to consider only the sentence to be imposed on Holland. The State reintroduced the facts of the crime, and Holland's lawyers tried to rebut this evidence. The defense said that the State had misrepresented the facts. But the trial judge said that the State could have, in essence, a "free shot." They could re-prove their case, but Holland couldn't try to rebut or undermine the presentation made by the State.</span><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;"></span><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;">The case in now in Federal court on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">habeas</span> corpus appeal, and the US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit asked specifically for briefing on that issue. The Fifth Circuit said: </span><span style="color:#3366ff;">"The lack of rebuttal evidence makes it much more likely that a jury would find that the state met its burden with respect to that aggravating circumstance. We believe reasonable jurists would find the resolution of this argument debatable."</span><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;"></span><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;">The AP story, as reported by the Commercial Appeal, is <a href="http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2009/jun/22/death-penalty-under-scrutiny"><strong>here</strong></a>.</span><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;"></span><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;">Y'all Politics (<a href="http://yallpolitics.com/index.php/yp/post/16816"><strong>here</strong></a>) and State Street Posts (<a href="http://www.statestreetposts.com/2009/06/jim-craig-on-states-death-penalty-law.html"><strong>here</strong></a>) were nice enough to give this blogger headline credit for the two cents I gave the AP on the issue. </span><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;"></span><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;">As the AP (correctly) quoted me:</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;">Jim Craig, a Jackson attorney and blogger who has handled dozens of death penalty appeals, said Mississippi jurors in death penalty cases weigh aggravating factors against mitigating factors to choose between life without parole and the death penalty.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;">"When the state reintroduced details about the crime as aggravating facts in Gerald Holland's sentencing case, simple fairness demanded that Mr. Holland have the opportunity to rebut those facts," Craig said.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;">He said while a sentencing jury can't undo a conviction, "they could decide that the state's narrative of the crime wasn't totally true, and that would have affected their sentencing decision."</span><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;"></span><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;"></span>Jim Craighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13414789047570011778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2022870233828800631.post-59161304421523438752009-06-20T23:30:00.001-05:002009-06-20T23:30:16.714-05:00Budget agreement reached?Medicaid agreement reached. <br>Sent via BlackBerry by AT&TMatt Eichelbergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03518932804450447938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2022870233828800631.post-36734140247533764382009-06-19T17:01:00.000-05:002009-06-19T17:10:04.678-05:00Rep. Brandon Jones reports progress on wind pool, budgetJust got this in. Maybe we won't see a government shutdown after all:<br /><br /><br />June 19, 2009 <br /><br />Dear Friends,<br /><br /> Moments ago, residents of the Mississippi Gulf Coast got some much needed good news. In his remarks to the Jackson press corps this afternoon, Governor Barbour announced that he has decided to add the additional $20 million Wind Pool appropriation to his budget. As a co-sponsor of the original bill, I can tell you that this has been a long process but after months of debate, both chambers of the Legislature and now the Governor have agreed to re-up their investment in the Gulf Coast. I have already passed along my thanks to the Governor’s office. <br /><br /> The rest of the budget picture may also be coming into focus. After months of wrangling, some major concessions are being made and conferees report that an overall agreement could be in the offing. <br /><br /> Yesterday, conferees reported substantial agreements on the General Fund portion of the budget. Today, those same conferees appear to be getting closer to an agreement on Medicaid.<br /><br /> Despite the progress report coming out of Jackson, this is no time for victory laps. The people of Mississippi deserve a budget yesterday and until one is delivered, there is work to be done. <br /><br />Twitter<br /><br /> Yesterday, I started using the networking service Twitter to send brief real time updates of legislative business. This will enable me to provide updates from the floor of the House and to pass along information that becomes available between the posting of my e-mail updates. For those of you who are already using Twitter, my user name is “brandoncjones”. If you haven’t heard of Twitter, you can check out my page at http://twitter.com/brandoncjones or by following the link on my website.Matt Eichelbergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03518932804450447938noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2022870233828800631.post-51152561245510712982009-06-19T13:08:00.002-05:002009-06-19T13:16:17.005-05:00Too Much Reality Is Never a Good Thing<span style="color:#cc0000;">The Jackson Free Press and WLBT </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/ext/share.php?sid=89881014265&h=1emr8&u=p90DM&ref=nf"><span style="color:#000066;"><strong>report</strong></span></a><span style="color:#cc0000;"><span style="color:#000066;"><strong> </strong></span>that Mayor-elect Harvey Johnson, Jr., opposes the participation of the Jackson Police Department on the "reality" show "First 48." </span><br /><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;">The JFP story quotes the incoming Mayor:</span> "<span style="color:#3366ff;">There are a number of things we can spotlight rather than homicides." </span><br /><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;">I agree with Mayor Johnson, but not so much for the reasons he states. In my opinion, a show dedicated to showing the "first 48" hours of a homicide investigation is virtually begging the police to find a suspect -- any suspect -- in that artificial time frame. The inevitable result? Pressured false confessions, false arrests, lives and reputations ruined, the Constitution shredded.</span><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;"></span><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;">Now, if we want transparency, let's DO put cameras on our police cruisers and in our detective's hands, and make the record -- start to finish -- the interrogation of any subject. THAT would promote transparency and aid judges and juries in deciding whether a suspect's statement is . . . suspect. </span>Jim Craighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13414789047570011778noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2022870233828800631.post-11493603843391596922009-06-19T11:58:00.003-05:002009-06-19T12:09:16.134-05:00Uneeda BiscuitHere's a New Orleans photo, as promised in comments. It's of an old <a href="http://freepages.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~bradytrilogy/memories/images/bibliography/na-bis-co/nabisco-history.html">Uneeda Biscuit</a> advertisement as viewed from Bourbon. Click to enlarge:<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU8LkXlsQ4OrorZZuEOnPbkGl442PHoIQD5AzuS5ejENIV_heYilgUfDsBUj-TyfU_89VVeKNfEVqzA3NzYnUrjmRB00kdabRWl8s58u4AIor-nK85f0ZmTAw0lEHuBv1feqIkLOXUdj5C/s1600-h/New+Orleans+and+Sunset+028a.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU8LkXlsQ4OrorZZuEOnPbkGl442PHoIQD5AzuS5ejENIV_heYilgUfDsBUj-TyfU_89VVeKNfEVqzA3NzYnUrjmRB00kdabRWl8s58u4AIor-nK85f0ZmTAw0lEHuBv1feqIkLOXUdj5C/s320/New+Orleans+and+Sunset+028a.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5349086627813729698" /></a>Matt Eichelbergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03518932804450447938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2022870233828800631.post-50493195732808424612009-06-18T16:40:00.002-05:002009-06-18T16:49:20.924-05:00Legislators on TwitterWith a budget fight rolling along, some of you may want to follow the tweets of our legislators. I've found the following legislators on Twitter:<br /><br />Rep. Brandon Jones at brandoncjones<br />Rep. Greg Snowden at snowlaw<br />Rep. Becky Currie at becelayne<br /><br />Anyone know of others? I didn't find any senators at all.Matt Eichelbergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03518932804450447938noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2022870233828800631.post-9886043669118830632009-06-18T16:34:00.003-05:002009-06-18T16:40:12.508-05:00NightfallClick to enlarge:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjemN89Xwa_ktYL3j5OpZzJFppKBsvKudmJVKoQq3uisUwCYUe_XGYWcP4iDluFHsH5g6FrtIQIluJndzbU7jj6wM7meYt8O6uzOixJHZ6vbOwlGOGTP59OLByUO7xh9pIGl5DdR9b8E7f0/s1600-h/New+Orleans+and+Sunset+053a.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjemN89Xwa_ktYL3j5OpZzJFppKBsvKudmJVKoQq3uisUwCYUe_XGYWcP4iDluFHsH5g6FrtIQIluJndzbU7jj6wM7meYt8O6uzOixJHZ6vbOwlGOGTP59OLByUO7xh9pIGl5DdR9b8E7f0/s320/New+Orleans+and+Sunset+053a.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348785392443261202" border="0" /></a>Matt Eichelbergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03518932804450447938noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2022870233828800631.post-59725836714270895582009-06-18T11:26:00.003-05:002009-06-18T11:30:15.437-05:00Huffington Post calls on DOJ to Concede Error in US v Paul Minor<span style="color:#cc0000;">Just in case our readers don't regularly follow the HP, here's their </span><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/brendan-demelle/elusive-justice-overdue-i_b_217213.html"><span style="color:#000066;"><strong>latest</strong></span></a><span style="color:#cc0000;"> on the Paul Minor appeal. I'm not wild about calling Paul a "political prisoner," but I do think the Government overreached Federal jurisdiction in prosecuting an alleged State crime, and I also think the evidence of a quid pro quo was entirely speculative. </span>Jim Craighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13414789047570011778noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2022870233828800631.post-17331302265931709152009-06-18T11:12:00.002-05:002009-06-18T11:16:21.839-05:00Three Cheers for Hispanic Immigrants to Mississippi!<span style="color:#cc0000;">U.S. Representative Gregg Harper (R-Miss) has issued the following press release. Does anyone doubt that there are large numbers of Hispanic workers in the poultry industry here? What this proves to me is (as The Economist magazine documented in January 2008) that immigration is a win-win proposition. The immigrants CREATE wealth, and in turn they earn a living. Immigration is not a zero-sum game.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;">FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE</span><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;"></span><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;">June 17,2009</span><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;"></span><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;">WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Representative Gregg Harper (R–Miss.) joined the Mississippi Poultry Association to announce that Mississippi’s Third Congressional District leads the nation in poultry production, according to recently released data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s 2007 Census of Agriculture.</span><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;"></span><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;">“Mississippi’s poultry producers should be proud to lead the nation’s competitive agriculture industry,” said Congressman Gregg Harper. “Poultry production provides the Third Congressional District and the State of Mississippi with firm jobs and a steady source of revenue.”</span><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;"></span><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;">The Third Congressional District, stretching from Woodville to Starkville, includes the bulk of the state’s poultry producing areas generating $1.78 billion in poultry and egg sales. Five additional congressional districts from Alabama, Arkansas, and Georgia topped $1 billion in poultry farm sales.Poultry is Mississippi’s largest agricultural product with $2.44 billion in poultry and egg farm sales. The industry employs approximately 20,000 people on farms, feed mills, hatcheries, processing plants and other related industries with a total $6 billion impact on the state’s economy.</span>Jim Craighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13414789047570011778noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2022870233828800631.post-21690042764301849532009-06-17T18:27:00.000-05:002009-06-17T18:30:59.243-05:00Settlement in Irby civil case?Just heard a rumor that Stuart Irby settled the civil suit stemming from the wreck for a total of $70M. Can anyone confirm or deny?Matt Eichelbergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03518932804450447938noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2022870233828800631.post-77503008418045566362009-06-16T19:29:00.000-05:002009-06-16T19:37:45.342-05:00Malcolm McMillin for Lt. Governor in 2011?I'm hearing whispers around town that Malcolm McMillin is considering a run for Lt. Governor in 2011 on the Democratic ticket. Thoughts?Matt Eichelbergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03518932804450447938noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2022870233828800631.post-89568058095877117942009-06-16T14:18:00.000-05:002009-06-16T14:21:43.753-05:00Drive-By Truckers live at Hal & Mal's on August 8th!<!-- Converted from text/plain format --> <P><FONT SIZE=2>Just got word that Alabama rockers Drive-By Truckers will be playing a show at Hal & Mal's on August 8th. No word yet on when tickets go on sale.<BR> <BR> As far as my musical tastes are concerned, this is the biggest show there since the Strokes played around 7 years ago.</FONT> </P> <!--[object_id=#co.hinds.ms.us#]--><P><FONT color=#ff0000>This E-mail may contain legally privileged and/or confidential information intended only for the individual or entity named in the message. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient, or the agent responsible to deliver it to the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any review, dissemination, distribution or copying of this communication is prohibited. If this communication was received in error, please notify us by reply E-mail and delete the original message.</FONT></P> <P> <BR></P>Matt Eichelbergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03518932804450447938noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2022870233828800631.post-66705206072356164562009-06-16T13:45:00.002-05:002009-06-16T13:50:14.285-05:00What Rule of Evidence Governs This?<span style="color:#cc0000;">This week's TIME magazine has an excellent and entertaining </span><a href="http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1904147,00.html"><span style="color:#000066;"><strong>piece</strong></span></a><span style="color:#cc0000;"> called "Facebook and Divorce: Airing the Dirty Laundry." </span><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;"></span><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;">Among other things, the article says:</span><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;"></span><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;">For those who want to connect or reconnect with others, social-networking sites are a huge, glorious honeypot. But for those who are disconnecting, they can make things quite sticky. And as the age of online-social-network users creeps up, it overlaps more with the age of divorce-lawyer users, resulting in the kind of semipublic laundry-airing that can turn aggrieved spouses into enraged ones and friends into embarrassed spectators. </span><br /><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;">Lawyers, however, love these sites, which can be evidentiary gold mines. Did your husband's new girlfriend Twitter about getting a piece of jewelry? The court might regard that as marital assets being disbursed to a third party. Did your wife tell the court she's incapable of getting a job? Then your lawyer should ask why she's pursuing job interviews through LinkedIn.</span><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;"></span><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;">Having represented a divorcing spouse who was able to force a settlement because her partner was a bit too "candid" on MySpace, I concur wholeheartedly in the article's warnings. Be careful out there in cyberspace . . .</span>Jim Craighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13414789047570011778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2022870233828800631.post-5388431985396520082009-06-16T12:38:00.002-05:002009-06-16T13:50:48.241-05:00The Law of Unintended Consequences<p><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-size:100%;color:#cc0000;">A phenomenon noticed while driving at noon: a front license plate that is meant to read "USM" becomes, in one's rear-view mirror, "MSU" (with the "S" reversed).<br /></span><br /></span></p>Jim Craighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13414789047570011778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2022870233828800631.post-3018505361968302292009-06-15T15:30:00.003-05:002009-06-15T15:34:36.143-05:00Our New NameCongratulations to "Graham" (I think I know who you are, but maybe not) for suggesting "Ipse Dixit" as the new name for our blog. In his contest entry, Graham explains: "I have always thought that if I started a blog I would call it "ipse dixit" (Latin legal term for "because I say so," for those scoring at home).<br /><br />Matt and I adapted the name to "Ipse Blogit" -- "because I (we) blogged so" -- but we are still going to give Graham the "prize" of an evening drinking at the Plaza. <br /><br />Thanks Graham!<br /><br />Until we figure out how to change the url, you can still reach IB at <a href="http://jimcraigsworld.blogspot.com/">http://jimcraigsworld.blogspot.com</a>Jim Craighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13414789047570011778noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2022870233828800631.post-71029608097340562432009-06-15T12:10:00.005-05:002009-06-15T12:31:20.905-05:00Interesting census projection analysis by Dr. Marty WisemanI just found a fascinating blog dubbed <a href="http://mississippicensus.blogspot.com/">Mississippi: Census 2010</a>. I now follow it every way possible and highly recommend it to anyone interested in the upcoming census and what it will mean for politics in Mississippi going forward.<br /><br />Today, they've posted a <a href="http://mississippicensus.blogspot.com/2009/06/census-analysis-population-shifts-could.html">piece</a> from MSU's political guru (and father of Starkville mayor-elect Parker Wiseman) Dr. Marty Wiseman. Dr. Wiseman figures that, since the population of the Delta is down, and the populations of GOP stronghold counties like Rankin, DeSoto, and Madison have increased, that the MSGOP will benefit:<br /><br /><blockquote>So, at this point, what do these numbers mean? First the lines are already being drawn in the battle of the respective parties to save seats for the partisan debates ahead. The Democrats by virtue of their majority position should have somewhat the upper hand, at least as far as the House is concerned. But the census numbers are clearly working against the Democrats on their home turf. The 44% population increase in DeSoto County makes it the 32nd fastest growing county in the nation, and in Mississippi that is seemingly a big gain for the Republicans. Thus, as things currently appear the numbers alone would portend a shift in several districts from Democratic leaning to Republican leaning.</blockquote><br /><br />The problem with Dr. Wiseman's idea is that population growth in historically GOP-leaning counties doesn't <span style="font-style:italic;">automatically</span> equal more Republican voters in those counties. I don't have any numbers to support this, and perhaps Dr. Wiseman does, but from my personal observations, the areas of Rankin and Madison that were once havens for white flight (and thereby GOP voters) are now substantially more demographically complex.<br /><br />There is one area where Dr. Wiseman is dead-on, however:<br /><br /><blockquote>If the current philosophical battles over the budget are any indication, the war to come over the partisan makeup of the legislature for the decade of 2011 to 2021 will be one for the ages.</blockquote><br /><br />Amen.Matt Eichelbergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03518932804450447938noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2022870233828800631.post-62990885318364523712009-06-14T22:01:00.001-05:002009-06-15T15:36:43.274-05:00Kobe Grows Up<p><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color:#cc0000;">Congratulations to Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers for their impressive NBA Finals performance. It is especially good to see Bryant's maturity as a team leader and professional. The long journey he travelled to get to this point -- including his excessive ego-promotion and his poor judgment with the messeuse in Colorado -- evinces the moral bankruptcy of the NBA policy allowing youngsters to skip college or any minor league development and collect millions of dollars before they turn 20. The policy has since been changed to require one year of college, which (as any parent of a collegian can tell you) is no real difference.<br /><br />But in any event, Kobe Bryant has proved that he has what it takes to provide leadership in the NBA. Congrats to him and the Lakers.<br /></span><br /></span></p>Jim Craighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13414789047570011778noreply@blogger.com0