The Office of the State Auditor just issued the following press release:
"(Jackson, Miss.) Special agents with the State Auditor’s Office served a demand today against Robert Graham, a member of the Hinds County Board of Supervisors and former City of Jackson employee, for $45,736.05 for wages he received from the City of Jackson while conducting dispatcher certification classes. The courses were taught during regular work hours when Graham indicated on his City of Jackson timesheets that he had been at work. Attendees for the classes paid fees to a private company, Professional Dispatch Management, owned by Robert Graham, to earn certifications and re-certifications through the National Emergency Communications Institute. The actions took place from 2004 – 2007 when Graham was certified to teach for the National Emergency Communications Institute. NECI has since revoked his certification and no longer allows Graham to administer its programs.
“Our investigation began on this case in 2008 when our office received the first complaint,” said State Auditor Stacey Pickering. “The investigation indicated Graham’s time and expenses to recreate training material were paid by the City of Jackson when Graham was clearly not doing City business. This case has been turned over to the District Attorney for review.”
During the investigation, the State Auditor’s Office also received allegations that Supervisor Robert Graham used his position to influence Jimmy Lewis, director of emergency operations for Hinds County, to hire his brother Charles Graham for the assistant director with the emergency operations center for Hinds County. This issue was investigated, and it was determined that the Auditor’s Office did not have jurisdiction over this matter; however, the State Auditor provided a copy of the telephone recording of this conversation to the proper authority for review and possible action."
18 comments:
Ooooooo, I wanna hear the conversation!
What a piece of shit slimeball.
Hopefully this crook will get what is coming to him. Now it is clear why he has been so silent on the Radio flap with Byram!
Maybe the Attorney General should interview former Hinds EOC employees for some insight into Stowers and Hargrove
Caught with his hand in the cookie jar!
Robert Graham has been a fraud for years. By marketing himself as a Lt. with the JPD for years. At no time was he a sworn law officer for the city, county or state. When he goes to jail, maybe the other inmates will think of him as a police officer.
Very disappointed. This is very similar to what Tyrone Lewis was doing while at the JPD training center, isn't it? If Lewis gets elected Sheriff and Graham stays in his supervisors job, what more can these two do?
I'm all for putting cheats behind bars, but why did it take Pickering three freakin' years to move forward with a case that seems pretty cut and dry?
Did he conduct classes on xyz dates? Yes. What do his timecards show? That he worked for JPD on xyz dates. Therefore, he double dipped.
See, so easy even a caveman can do it.
Who has jurisdiction on the issue with Charles Graham getting hired at the EOC? Thought illegal hiring practices would be an issue that the Auditor's Office could do something about...
Probably the state ethics commission?
HAT'S OFF, to Stacey Pickering.
One elected official who takes his
job seriously.
& is looking out for the TaxPayer.
Thank You !!!
It's a republican conspiracy! (well, according to him anyway)
When can we expect him to step down? Or will he wait until after he is sentenced?
I think it's pathetic he is blaming politics. Do you really think the auditor cares about a little supervisor district? I'm sure EVERYONE Pickering investigates says the SAME thing. Only Graham is dumb enough to try to bring the race card in... That says A LOT about his innocence...
Stacey is a joke, if he had a primary nothing would have happened.
I never saw were Graham denied doing it. he just said it was political.
Congrats Kingfish ,
Great Journalism. Best in the area !
This was the Lead-in on WLBT tonight.
I only wish that your buddy, the beautiful Monica Hernandez , could have broken the story.
Investigate Graham some more. I had no idea that he wasn't a real Police Officer.
Damn. I want to be a pretend Officer just like him.
I had no idea JPD "reservists" received such pretty uniforms.
Someone needs to explain "conflict of interest" to the HC Supervisors. The last three stories I read have imbedded references to someone connected to the board having hired their husband, brother, etc. to be paid by the county. I've never seen such blatant disregard for propriety in my life. Thanks go to Kingfish and WLBT for shining the light on all of this.
If one cannot serve with honor and integrity - please don't run for office!! That seems to be the crux of what is wrong in civil society today.
Seems that someone needs to explain the meaning of "conflict of interest" to the HC Bd of Supes. The last three stories I've read on them all refer to a husband, brother or some other relative being hired and paid with county money for "services". I've rarely seen such blatent disregard for propriety. If one cannot serve with integrity in a public position - they should NOT be there.
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