Yes.  Follow the money and see that Mr. Scruggs has given as much, if not more, in campaign contributions to GOP candidates and causes over the years.  You really ought to think about going into writing keen political who-done-its, Alan. You’ve started a good story line here.

RUMOR ALERT!  There is a rumor of a sealed indictment in this case.  That’s usually only reserved for public officials.

Hood’s been awful quiet.  Could that be on the advice of counsel?

I’m not buying that Hood is involved in the issues that the individuals are currently indicted for.  So if there is a sealed indictment, I doubt it would be meant for him.  If there is one and it involves him, I’d be surprised.

That’s not to say that Hood is in the clear altogether.  I think the points that Alan raises regarding the orchestrated use of the threat of criminal investigation as a means of extorting a settlement, and the issue of intentionally colluding with Scruggs to violate a court order, should be of concern to the feds. 

We’ll just have to see.

(high-fives Alan and ReadyForAChange, runs away before y’all find out a dang liberal’s been in here, heh)

And yet another day has passed . . . Where is Jim Hood?

Y’allpolitics cited on the issue of Hood’s “disapperance” here:

http://www.legalnewsline.com/news/204955-hood-tells-lnl-little-in-wake-of-scruggs-indictment

Question.
If Scruggs is found guilty in the court, can the tobacco companies make motions to reopen their cases to determine if any inappropriate actions occured between the judges involved and Scruggs?

What about Diaz, Teel, and the others?  They took money from Scruggs.  Do we need to revisit the cases that came before them that involved Scruggs to look for inproprieties?

Am I off base here or are these legitimate concerns?

F

Another two days have passed.  WHERE IS JIM HOOD?

Interesting where the money went this summer with $250,000 going to from Scruggs to a PAC to run smear ads against George Dale.  Given the circumstances that have come to light this makes George Dale look extremely well.

I still have to think that with all of the recordings that have been made, perhaps Trent Lott heard more than a Baptist preacher speak to help him make his decision to step down two days before his brother in law took the big hit.

All of this is a good example of why Mississippians are not well served by our system of electing everybody in the executive branch and judicial branch rather than having the Governor appoint some of them.

When who the Insurance Commissioner is, and what he does, is just the result of a contest between tort lawyers and insurance companies, as to who can get their man elected, there is one group that is left out.  The poor saps trying to get their homes and property reliably and reasonably insured.

When we force judges,or insurance commissioners, or attorneys general to raise money for regular elections, where do we expect them to get it from?  It’s a built in flaw when we expect these officials who have to take huge sums of money from people trying to influence them, to shut the door in their faces when they do show up trying to influence them.  When it comes to raising money, there is only one group that doesn’t contribute in large amounts, and therefore doesn’t have access or influence in Mississippi, the average citizen.

All of these indictments involving our judiciary, all of these lawsuits involving insurance, tobacco, fee splittling, and everything else are symptoms of the problem rather than being the problem themselves.

With more positions being appointed by the Governor, you still have the problem of wealthy individuals and groups trying to buy their own set of rules.  But, at least, it is concentrated in one place where, one, their money is somewhat negated by the fact that there are many different interests competing against each other, and two, you have one place and individual to watch and regulate, rather than hundreds of places and individuals.

But, if we ever do try and change to a system of executive and judicial appointments, wait and watch all of the people who are benefiting the most from this present system of built in corruptive influences to come mightily to the defense of our right to vote for every position in government.

Where is that public integrity division from Hood’s office?