Campaign Notes From SD4 & SD8
A couple quick campaign notes from the races in SD 4 and SD 8:
** In SD 8, a judge rejected Marshall Coleman’s challenge to the Democratic primary results from August. Russell Jolly was certified the winner, but Coleman protested on account of what he saw as voting irregularities that may have put him in a runoff with Jolly. Yesterday, Circuit Judge Ashley Hines granted Jolly’s motion to dismiss the challenge.
Jolly said this in a statement: “We are pleased that the Court followed the law and dismissed Mr. Coleman petition. We were confident that there was no merit to the contest and that the clear will of the voters could be ascertained through the August 2 election results. The circuit clerks and poll workers in Grenada, Chickasaw, Lee and Calhoun counties held a fair and clean election and should be commended. We are glad to have the election contest behind us and look forward to continuing to spread our message of job growth, improving public schools, and preserving conservative values.”
** Public school teachers in Corinth have been using their school email to set up a fundraiser for Democrat Eric Powell, which took place yesterday. Here is a copy of the email I received:
It was then forwarded on to about 60 other teachers, all also using their school email.
Earlier this year, Powell received a $500 contribution from MAE- the teacher’s union.
Is it legal to use your taxpayer provided school email for partisan political activity? Sure doesn’t seem right. But I will also say it doesn’t surprise me and I don’t what happened here is that isolated of an activity.
The Corinth School Dist. Superintendants office,AND Mr. Nippers,the middle School Principle have ALREADY been notified on this,and have promised swift action before the State Atty. Generals office,or the local D.A. are called.And yes,its unlawfull-notice the time stamp on email,–last Monday,DURING school hours.
Also,as of this AM,the County GOP has been notified,and they are moving on this too,plus the State Party is being notified by Jimmy Burrell,the Alcorn Cty. Rep.Party Chairman–
Hey Brett,who has whited out the last names on the emails?
I have the emails with the full names including who sent it originally and who it was forwarded to if somebody needed to see it, but like you said people there are aware of this. I just felt that for the blog the purpose of this was to show what was going on more so than who was behind it.
Brett,in the interest of being fair and balanced,why not call Rita Parks,powell’s opponent,and get her reaction ? this is about the Dems claiming Ms. Parks will try and take away their teachers pensions if elected–
Grizz, You are absolutely right about this. I have family in Corinth and my sister in law is a teacher. I talked to her yesterday and they are all worked up about the elimination of the 13th check. Eric Powell is stirring up a hornets nest in his speeches and targeting his opponent saying that Rita will vote to eliminate their pension.
Corinth teachers should be spending their time becoming educated about the candidates and not sending e-mails and having fundraisers. If they did they would see that Rita Parks will not vote against the pension and supports the teachers position on this issue.
I always thought Eric Powell was a nice and honest man even if I did disagee with his politics. Certainly have changed my mind now. He joins the ranks of many – when you are behind in the polls LIE ABOUT YOUR OPPONENT. Shame on him and on the teachers who are supposed to educate are children and who fail to educate themselves.
the Corinth middle school principle is moving on this immediately,as comments were made they don’t need the FBI walking into school questioning teachers over Fed.Election laws violations. BTW, i heard the Jamie in the emails is jamie Mills.
Wait, Teachers have enough disposable income to host a political fundraiser? Even after they were responsibly funded, which the MAE and Parent’s Campaign fought so hard against wanting more money with no reforms; the rhetoric they were throwing out there during the last legislative session sure wouldn’t allow you to see that.
Politics is about being elected, not about how you’re going to serve. Politicians will say what they have to and pander to whichever group is most likely to give them the most votes. Wonder what kind of turnout Mr. Powell had yesterday?
An old political hack once told me “a person campaigns the way they will govern.”
Hello, what about Republician Phil Bryant sending out campaign literature to the Rankin County School District computers to all faculty and staff? Of course, he is no longer doing this now, but my sister works within the Rankin County School District and received numerous e-mails from him, beginning last year, just after announcing his candidacy for govoner. By the way she was very mad that he chose to promote himself using the Rankin County School District computers. Was this an exception to the rule?
Jean,
Sending an email TO an official government email address doesn’t apply. Organizing and campaigning FROM an official government email address does. And it is especially distasteful when the time stamp indicates the person should have been working to receive their taxpayer funded check during the time they were organizing a political fundraiser. Can’t wait to hear this abused practice (and it is widely practiced and abused) defended when they start discussing the need to fully fund MAEP.
Keith,you are 100% correct-and action is being taken on this ongoing evolving story-
if he sent these from a state owned computer,using a state owned email address,on taxpayers time as a state employee,it was wrong-if he sent them from HIS computer using HIS email,on HIS time,no problem.there are obviously clear rules here,such as the complaints against Sarah palin using state computers and state email address sending out personal,or other than state business, emails–if your sister is so mad,tell her to follow thru and complain-
the emails involving THIS post,is that a school paid employee,using school owned property,on a school day,during school hours.using School dist. owned email addresses,sent out these mails for the benifit of a political party candidate–unlawfull–
Keith, thank’s for the clarification. While I don’t know where his campaign information was sent from, whether it be state-owned or private, in my opinion, it is distasteful to send anyone an email of this nature to their Rankin County School District issued school computer. A Political agenda of this nature should be pursued on personal time and state employees should not have to be subjected to this on their work computers. I realize this practice is highly abused, however, it still doesn’t make it any more ethical and certainly shows someone lack of consideration.
I do understand the difference regarding THIS post as opposed to the one I am referring to. Grizz, my sister is a teacher in the Rankin County school District. I realize that it’s not illegal to send literature from a personal computer to a state owned, my point is that the teachers were subjected to this during working hours on their state computers using their state – issued email addresses. Well, my sister erased the emails and unsubscribed as well. I am not trying to say anything was illegal regarding this, or that she should pursue filing a complaint, I just didn’t think it was in good taste.
Jean, was he sending out campaigning emails or was it official emails that have to do with the duty of his office as lt gov?
Just some thoughts, hopefully fair and balanced:
-Just about everybody uses their work email address for some non-work purposes. Teachers are no different. This doesn’t make it right, but let’s also keep our heads about it. (And teachers have breaks just alike anybody else does; so, the time stamp is of limited, if any, significance)
-This is a state election so has nothing to do with federal election law so the FBI is not going to get involved (see above about keeping our heads)
-Yes, Dems are milking pension fears all they can. Yes, this is shameful.
-Yes, this shouldn’t have been done and it’s good to shine sunlight about it. But let’s don’t go down the path of trying to crimiinalize it, even with comments. Teachers are voters too and we should be trying to reach out to them and gain their support, not continuing down the path of trying to ostracize them. Some in our party acts like it doesn’t give a damn about education way too often and that’s not good policy or politics.
-I agree that it would be good if Parks was asked to comment and keep the news cycle going on this for a little while. But all should be aware that there’s probably a teacher somewhere in the state that has probably done something similar for a Republican candidate at some time; so, let’s point out a wrong while also keeping perspective on the big picture.
your’re right,its a state election,and nothing had crossed state lines as far as can be known now.so its the MBI,not FBI–the law is the law–and state senator eric powell had been whiping up a firestorm of lies publicly to the teachers–shamefull.the teachers should have been intelligent enough to realize that retired teachers currently get their checks no problem,and it was a desperate attempt of a Dem. senator to stay in his little world of elite power.this is NOTHING compared to whats coming during the next year–the time stamp however,in this instance,has alot to do with it,perhaps,IF on a break,these mailings had been sent out from a PRIVATE email address,as oposed to a state one,and received by PRIVATE personal e-address,we wouldn’t be having this conversation.