Same ole story as MCI… Moore “representing” MCI, Langston “representing” Mississippi… both pulling Hood’s strings, but it’s all about the money they’ll bank for themselves afterward, not the actual merits of the case… and which they will then donate to Hood and/or DAGA to forward to Hood.

I’m so sick of it all

Two Cents:

Please explain how the MCI settlement was not related to the merits of the case.  If you can’t, please admit such.

"but it’s all about the money they’ll bank for themselves afterward, not the actual merits of the case”

Meaning… their motivations for being involved in the case in the first place… all three of them.  Do you truly think that any in this cozy lot were seeking the best for their own client?  As per usual, their client in any situation is themselves--what each can best garner for their own wallet, ego or advancement---or all three.

Do you truly think that a case of Mississippi V. (that stands for VERSUS) MCI with Moore on one side, Langston on the other and Hood in the middle, is anything more than laughable?  That sounds more like a weekend getaway for the boys than a case on behalf of the citizens of Mississippi.

"Do you truly think that a case of Mississippi V. (that stands for VERSUS) MCI with Moore on one side, Langston on the other and Hood in the middle, is anything more than laughable? “

Why yes, I do believe it to be more than laughable.  The facts and law of the case illustrate that the recovery in the MCI action was wonderful for the State. 

You forget, or possibly never knew, Mike Moore was not MCI’s only lawyer in that case.  The Company initially represented itself through its in house legal department and offered $0.  Then it hired John Corlew and Frank Hunger and offered $20 million.  Then it fired those lawyers and hired Mike Moore.  Within a couple of weeks, Moore convinced the Company to pay 110% of what it owed plus attorneys fees.  You should thank him for talking sense into MCI.

Amen to that Two Cents.  The levels of conflicts of interest in these cases is astounding.  First year law students know better than this, but these guys are so arrogant they just do whatever they want.  At least until now.

Guys,
You realize that companies hire Moore to NOT go to trial.  He doesn’t try cases.  I hear that some mortgage company has hired as national counsel to monitor the sub prime situation.  I don’t even know what that is, but the companies that hire Moore hire him more for his name and negotiation ability than for his litigation ability.  You dont see MCI suing him for conspiracy or malpractice? He was hired so the Verizon deal could go through.  If it wasn’t for the verizon deal the MCI case would still be in litigation.

T. Frank… as I do recall you to be one of Hood’s biggest cheerleaders re: the MCI case, refusing to admit/acknowledge/consent, whatever, that MCI in fact owed Mississippi a Billion (that’s with a B, remember) dollars… as I seem to recall the desire to choke when you suggested I be grateful for Hood showering my state with a mere 100 million instead.  If memory also serves, I had to prove it to you then with Hood’s very own words in a quote stating as much.  Now, do we really wanna go back down this road? 

T. Frankly, I don’t

Two cents:  On no occasion have you or anyone else ever offered facts and/or law to support the conclusion that the state was owed $1 B.  You cannot.

By contrast, I have offered time and again both facts and law to support the conclusion that the state was offered $95 million in tax, yet it recovered far more than that.  Moreover, I have even explained why $1 B was requested in the first place.

You and those like you are so blinded by your hatred for Hood and Moore that you refuse to undertake any understanding or appreciation for the actual merits of the case.  Without support of the facts and law, your opinion is worth far less than the “two cents” referenced in your handle.

"By contrast, I have offered time and again both facts and law to support the conclusion that the state was offered $95 million in tax....”

“offered” should read “owed”.  Typographical error.

Let’s get rid of Hood!

I wondered what became of Frank Hunger. He’s the old boy from Greenville who found himself in a nice leather jair up in the DC Justice Department a few years back. His brother in law, Al Gore, sort of greased the skids for that gig.

And, secondly; getridofag, don’t you think you should hyphenate your handle? I’ve been trying to figure out
for weeks what the adjective ‘getrido’ is. Sorry.

in a nice leather jair...should read ‘chair’. None of us does a proper job of proofreading.

"You and those like you are so blinded by your hatred for Hood and Moore that you refuse to undertake any understanding or appreciation for the actual merits of the case.”

I think you, once again, are confused.  You’re putting the cart before the horse T.  “Those like me” whose “hatred for Hood and Moore” I can only imagine would be overstating the case.  I expect honesty and competence at the very least from my elected officials.  As that has not been the case, utter dissatisfaction with the both of them is the RESULT---not the other way around.

And I’m no math-whiz, but it could be that “two cents” is also some sort of “on the dollar” amount that Mississippi received in the MCI settlement.

Furthermore, as you have no idea my own personal or professional experiences with Hood or Moore, you have absolutely no foundation whatsoever to assume that my “hatred,” were that to even be the best description, is not merited without even consideration of the MCI case---or any other case.  You simply don’t know what you’re talking about… again.

And once AGAIN, I’ll offer:
“Mr. Hood said that the $100 million would cover some of the $1 billion in back taxes, including corporate income taxes, owed to the state from 1998 to 2002.” New York Times

“Hood claimed MCI owed the state about $1 billion.  At a settlement conference in 2005, Hood, Langston and William Quin of the Lundy firm bargained the state’s claim down to $100 million.” Southeast Texas Record

“Mississippi originally wanted as much as $1 billion from the long-distance telephone company according to state officials. The claim related to a royalty programme that allowed MCI to reduce its state taxes.” International Tax Review

And a couple of my favorites… straight from the Langston Law Firm website:

“Despite the State Tax Commission’s assertion that only $3 million in franchise taxes was owed, Billy Quin, then a partner with the law firm of Lundy & Davis, and now, Langston’s law partner, developed three alternative legal theories showing that MCI could owe the state (1) $95 million (WorldCom income classified as dividends), (2) an unspecified amount that tax transfer pricing experts would need to determine (WorldCom income classified as partial service fees), or (3) possibly as much as $1 billion (WorldCom income classified as service fees). “

“Hood filed an amended claim for $1 billion a week after the Tax Commssion sued for only $3 million--- the $1 billion figure representing the largest amount the State could be owed pursuant to the attorneys’ case theories.”

Two cents:  On no occasion have you or anyone else ever offered facts and/or law to support the conclusion that the state was owed $1 B.  You cannot.

Is Mr. Frank still in the room? Test. Test. Mr. Frank?

Unsuprisingly, nowhere have you offered an analysis of the facts and law.  Moreover, your quotations are mis-cited and taken out of context. 

If you read the ENTIRE article off of LLF’s website, you will see that only $95 M was owed because the payments were disguised dividends.  Proof of WorldCom’s fraud was that it successfully lobbied the MS Legislature to obtain an exemption from gross income of dividend payments made from subsidiary corporations to their parents.  Thus, whereas it was assumed that $20 B was taxable income when the proof of claim was filed, it was discovered in the case that only $1.9 B was taxable.  That point is made clear in the very article you cite.

With regard to the other quotations, they only serve to make the obvious point: The original proof of claim was for $1 B.  No one has denied that point, but that is not the question.  The question is what is owed under the facts and the law once all necessary information was made available.  The answer is $95 M in tax.

Finally, your hatred of Hood and Moore is obvious and a self-fulfilling prophecy.  You pick an event, fictionalize about it, then offer your fiction as support for your hatred.

I’m all in favor of keeping dangerous weapons out of the hands of fools. Let’s start with typewriters.
~ Frank Lloyd Wright

With all due credit to FLW, I would add computers to that as well.

"I’m all in favor of keeping dangerous weapons out of the hands of fools. Let’s start with typewriters.
~ Frank Lloyd Wright

With all due credit to FLW, I would add computers to that as well.”

Touche’

I asked two days ago if anyone has heard a peep from, about or out of Backstrom........dead silence.

Just me: good catch. i’ve been too busy doubled over every time the SF posse sends moore mail over to phelps.

two cents:  is that you behind the pulpit thumping the rest of us with your self-righteousness?  save it, dude. it’s just thursday.  beg pardon if it wasn’t your sermon.

Barfly, I’ll continue to ignore you since I’ve yet to understand a word you write and now have no understanding of what you’re referring to.  Curious as to how you came to the conclusion (again, I believe) that I’m a um… “dude?” Did you learn that terminology in law school along with the other incomprehensive things I’ve seen from you here?

Just me:  I had the same reaction that you did when I saw Trapp’s name on an early motion.  Very surprised that a Phelps atty would be representing any of these defendents at all.  Yes, Moore is with Moore Law Firm exclusively and is no longer affiliated with Phelps.

Cents; lighten up on The Fly. He’s here to participate and have a good time just like I am. Can’t speak for anybody else. Everybody has their own brand of posting. We can’t all be as intelligent and centered as yourself. Peace.

2 cents: touchy. bad day at the office?

“incomprehensive” —d’ya miss the preview button on that one?

donn:  subliminal “above the fray” suggestion?  moore like “in your face.”

Donn..........I heard you refer to the Fly with the Pronoun ‘he’. Have we determined beyond a reasonable doubt (through the process of ‘due process’the gender of the Fly? For whatever reason, I was of doubt.

<<<hearing that Twilight Zone theme song again, must be deja vu...or else they are still talking about who’s who and what are they for the last 48 hours.

Jman:  the fly is androgenous and prefers to go by “it.” 2cents, now there’s you a girlie-girl.

culver, donn, jman, 2 cents:  HEAR ME OUT TO THE END, PLEASE.  Did any of you catch the front page teaser in today’s SunHerald?  Seems Hood’s been over at the capitol looking to get some major wire-tapping authority. He’s wanting to get to the bottom of this integrity problem in his state’s courtrooms and all.  STOP RIGHT HERE AND PAUSE.  Is it just me, or are we watching a man unravel before our eyes?  Here’s a relatively young man with young family and all.  Putting aside what he may or may not have done, what would make him any different than the rest of us who all have that breaking point when the stress level, day in, day out, becomes unbearable. I’m struggling with even saying this, because it’s just dawning on me.  Am I in solo here?  I am sincerely asking for some feedback.

Fly: Almost EVERYONE, no matter how bad they turn out, starts out as a dreamer. “Nothing is so common-place as to wish to be remarkable.” OWH Sr.

I would that the young man is returning to what I hope his original aspirations were; to be one remarkable in word, thought and deed with all virtues intact (forget the political viewpoint perspective)...and is now departing on a journey to reclaim his “first love,” seeking Truth and Justice...whether subject is friend or foe.

One can only hope he’s familiar with Vince Lombardi’s, “It’s not whether you get knocked down, it’s whether you get up. “

But then I may just be a tired old dreamer.............time will tell.

How much did Hood get in contributions from lawyers that received these contingency fee lawsuits for the state? Is there a link to a list or a total? thanks.

Would that be the list that Hopkins put out, KF?

http://yallpolitics.com/index.php/yp/post/hopkins_accuses_hood_of_pay_for_play_and_provides_his_evidence/

no scruggs?

I know Scruggs has given

Oh, Fly............a/c d/c clearly has it advantages. Regarding Hood; he is holding a heavy load in each hand of which he can not let go just yet. The load will eventually be too much and he will self destruct politically. Being a Democrat though, he will hold out till all his trust and respect is erased.

Well Donn.............I looked once and it all looked the same when I got under the skirt. Right after that I was brought up on sexual harrassment charges so, I ceased my study. I do know they ‘do it’ a lot in the summer. I was once like that myself.

jmann, shaver, donn:  but for a kobe bryant moment, donn was wishin’ peace and good will to every one but o. bin laden, and the fly got caught up in thoughts of compassion and the like.  but that was yesterday and fly don’t live in the past, period.

Still looking for the impeach jim hood site to be up anyday now....how about it Alan, any clues....

Fly, I had the same reaction as you.  Jim Hood’s advocating for wiretapping authority and complaining about PAC money in elections?  His campaign finance reports are replete with PAC contributions, and for him to be talking about needing wiretapping authority.  Sheer stupidity.

Hood has his mind on protective custody and such. Rational is not the ‘word of the day’.

out of the clinton playbook. When in facing legal trouble, you get busy and make it look like you are doing the people’s work and they are keeping you from doing so.

oh, and i hear the impeachjimhood site will be up soon

EC said - “oh, and i hear the impeachjimhood site will be up soon”......It won’t matter. The 30 or 40 people on this site won’t make as big a difference as the 99.999999% of the other Mississippians who are totally clueless about this whole ordeal are still in the majority. Sounds cynical - yes, but that is how our state is and has been for years. That’s why we have the mess that we have.

Brought to you by Mullets Ltd.

That’s why we had 58 - 42.  I hate that you’re right HR

Looks like Mullets Ltd. is off to a slow but promising start.

http://www.impeachjimhood.com/

culver:  i’m backin’ you to get that “impound” petition filed STAT.  the stepfords within don’t know sh** from shinola.  i guarantee some sweaty palms are giving the pocket thessaurus a work out as we speak.  Your more astute and learned commentators singled that bunch out from day-one.  Once you sniff out the Roget wannabes, you’ve got you a couple of good billable hours left in the day.