Jackson Jambalaya

He was both a Chairman and a Vice Chairman. What happened?

Here is the article from the Desoto Times Tribune:

OLIVE BRANCH — State Sen. Merle Flowers, R-Olive Branch is resigning from the Senate effective July 11 in order to spend more time with his family.

In a letter to Gov. Phil Bryant, Flowers expressed his appreciation to constituents who have twice elected him to office.

"It has been an honor to serve the citizens of District 19 for the past nine years," Flowers said in his letter to Bryant. "We enjoyed many successes over the years in the Senate from helping to get Methodist Hospital in Olive Branch to securing a third Senate seat for DeSoto County during redistricting to balancing our state's budget, to fighting against tax increases."

Flowers and his wife Stacey are the parents of four children. Flowers said the toll taken on his family during his time away has been great.

"Stacey and our four children need me, and I need them," Flowers said. "It is time for me to come home."

Flowers said he will always be appreciative to the residents of DeSoto County.

"I will forever be grateful to the citizens of DeSoto County to have had the opportunity to serve them in the Mississippi Legislature," Flowers said. "May God lead us all in the path He has chosen for us, and may we arrive there, safely."

So what is the REAL story?

Yeah, there's story there somewhere....hmmm

What's the real story? Te real story is " Stacey and their four children need him, and he needs them." Flowers said. "It was time for him to go home." Read the article. Don't be so cynical.

Talked to several people since it broke this morning. All say the same thing. He is leaving the legislature for the reasons stated in the story above. Wish him the best and I hope in 10-15 years we are reading about how he and his wife are celebrating a nice anniversary after they went through the bumps of life.

Emily Wagster Pettus is quoting him as saying that he and his wife are trying to withdraw a divorce petition. If he's leaving the Legislature to save his marriage, you can't fault him for that.

http://www.sunherald.com/2012/05/24/3968265/flowers-of-southaven-resigning.html

This family and especially the children deserve the right to be left alone. While i'm not a fan of KF, I do commend him for his handling of this story and i hope all of his readers will follow suit.

I will be willing to bet that he runs for mayor of Southhaven next year.

Good for Merle. Choosing your family is always the right choice.

It's tough working for the Legislature or the Miss. Supreme Court and having to spend so much time away from the spouse & kids. Wish him the best.

Anderson works for the Miss. Supreme Court?

Of course Kingfish is protecting the real story. If he called any of those lobbyist he mentioned last week, they would tell him the history. Merle is a Tate guy and we all know how KF feels about Tate.

Don't expect Jackson JambaTaterSkins to cover the real story on this one.

Because I really don't care. Y'all want to act like white trash, go ahead. We are not sticking his family life up here. They filed for divorce, everyone knows that. they apparently withdrew the petition. This isn't Sherry and Claiborne Frazier airing their dirty laundry in public or in court. Don't like it, deal with it.

Lobbying just got a little more difficult for a few.

Can't figure why he chose a date in July. Surely he knows his 13th check will eventually be significantly impacted by not resigning prior to July 1. However, SLRP will make up the difference.

Shadow, resigning and retiring aren't the same thing. You don't get a 13th check for resigning.

Even if he's in SLRP, he's still got to have 25 years or be 60 to retire. When that happens, I'm sure the June vs. July issue will be more important to him.

"Anderson works for the Miss. Supreme Court?"

Nope. Used to though, and observed it could be quite hard for justices from the coast or north Miss., who generally had to get a pied-a-terre here and be separated from their families.

I can't help but think the "story" would be a little different here if ol' Merle were a democrat (i.e. Steve Holland, etc.).

All one has to do during the legislative session is visit a few of the restaurants and watering holes on an average weeknight and you will see many happily married legislators drinking heavily, laughing, boasting, etc.

Anon 8:47; perhaps you should study up on the special privilege the legislature voted itself regarding full retirement after four. The thirteenth check doesn't kick in until the december following a full fiscal year's retirement ~ meaning if he retires during the month of July, he has pissed away what amounts to an entire 13th check. If he has resigned, there would be no percentage in NOT going ahead and applying for state benefits.

We should all be thankful that Merle didn't resign because he suffered a near-stroke.