Jackson Jambalaya

A supervisor told me the Hamer called him up for lunch, and then billed the county for the small talk. A little of that can cause an enormous loss of trust.

2 republicans and one democrat vote for a democrat over Dale Danks. Politics in Madison County requently defy logic

I would think Espy has better things to do.

I remember when Lott was running and quoted on this site as supporting Canton's lawsuit against Nissan (since thrown out of court by grown-ups). When his wife came to my door soliciting my vote she denied he said it and seemed shock a voter knew about it and took his stupidity seriously. I don't trust the guy but I'm stick with him.

Dang, I hate I missed the meeting tonight! That would have been some wonderful drama to eyeball!

BOS lawyers get a % of the bond business

"For The People."

Well, at least Espy has experience accepting "gifts" and getting away with it. Should fit in nicely.

You have to admit that Lott was a helluva cornerback with the 49ers.

I'm keeping an open mind. Saving money without sacrificing good representation is beneficial. Save money and don't raise taxes should be practiced by the entire board. Let's wait and see.

Choice was Danks, Espy, and a Montgomery apprentice. No way they would get Danks, has too much clout and could actually stand up to them. So it was either Espy or the Junior Sith Lord. Went with Espy. May not be a bad choice considering the options.

Wasn't Espy fired by the Claiborne County Board of Supervisors several months ago? Ronnie Lott is a friend of mine, but I am totally confused by some of his recent actions.

Re: 10:16 -- Dale Danks is a democrat. He was a D mayor of Jackson for multiple terms and lost in the D primary for Atty General in 1987. Espy is smart, connected, and has shown that he can take a conservative position when that position is right. Also, he openly endoursed Haley Barbour for Governor. Lott made a rational decision based on the available alternatives, as did the other Republican in the voting majority. The bigger question is why would Banks vote against Espy?

Bennie.

Espy is quite conservative for a Democrat.

I'm not sure getting fired by Claiborne is a bad thing.

KF:
Can you provide proof of what June 18, 11:06 is claiming? I read this blog daily, and I don't recall Lott EVER saying he supported the lawsuit against Nissan. Either I missed a day, or 11:06 is lying.

Someone once made that in a comment on one post. No proof or evidence of it being true. Just a comment someone made. I've seen nothing to tell me Lott supported the lawsuit.

11:06 here. KF - thanks for the clarification. I was not lying; I was reportedly (accurately, as it turned out) that I saw a claim to that effect on this site a month or two before last November's election.

What is Gerald Steen thinking... just a few weeks ago he was quoted in the newspaper saying that all Board of Supervisor actions should be on the AGENDA... then last night he cast the deciding vote on a HUGE DECISION that was not even on the agenda; and even voted against tabling it so it could be put on the AGENDA! This was Elvis's mode of operation! I thought STEEN and LOTT would steer clear of handling Madison County business by keeping it off the agenda! Must be a new era of secret backroom dealings!

11:06/10:23
If accuracy is what you're looking for, what you did was challenge Lott's wife with an unsubstantiated claim, then claimed that she seemed "in shock" that "a voter knew about it", then insulted Lott in your post.
All this because you were too stupid to know the difference between a posters claim and actual fact.
Asshole.

"I thought STEEN and LOTT would steer clear of handling Madison County business by keeping it off the agenda!"

Why did you think that?

The point of pushing D.I. off the Board of Supervisors was not to improve open government in Madison County. The contrary, I should think.

11:26 If you thought Gerald Steen was going to ever behave any differently, you were born yesterday. This is exactly the Gerald Steen I expected!

Kroger Boy was on the WLBT noon news saying that Espy was hired because he had relevant experience (skill set?) that the guy who was let go did not have. Oh yeah? What?

Perhaps they should have hired Crowley. At least since Elvis is gone Crowley would have continued an entertainment element of sorts.

Shadow
Interesting that the bag boy was on television supporting the hire. Unless I read incorrectly, KF reported that he was one of the two "no" votes. Claiming credit for something that he opposed. Nice.

Danks was a huge supporter of Melton. Melton was a terrible Mayor, to say the least. Makes me doubt Dank's judgement.

10:16, are you implying that Dale Danks is not a Democrat? WTF

Just because he is the tool of Queen Mary within The City, or the mouthpiece for that wonderful candidate David Landrum, doesn't make him anything other than the Dem that he is.

KF - comeon. Where do you get the gall to say that "Danks would have the clout to stand up to them"?

Further, the "choices" were those three, in that those were the three names presented. Actually a more accurate statement would be the choices were any one of thousands of lawyers licensed in Mississippi. These were the three names that were being thrown around by the BOS members. Frankly, as a long-standing Repub, I think the choice of Espy was by far the best from these three. Whether there was a fourth choice that would have been better is a question of whether a compromise choice could have been found.

I meant they couldn't exactly blackball him if it didn't work out and he has an established practice. He doesn't exactly need them if you know what I mean.

Wonder where the hell HEATH HALL is? Gerald's campaign manager and now the "spin doctor" who is supposed to be repairing and building a new image for Madison County at the cost of $2,500 a month! Let's see GERALD STEEN, and two cronies, have hired RUDY WARNOCK and now, MIKE ESPY; and neither hiring was on the agenda making it impossible for the public to be informed!

HEATH, get busy, do your job, and put a sweet smell on this turd!

No way to make this look good. Espy almost went to jail when he was run out of the Clinton administration.r

The main problem to me is that this vote was not on the agenda!!! The board just finished paying out #306,000.00 for one year of BOS attorney who by the way, does not appear to be the sharpest knife in the drawer, and they don't think its a significant enough decision to put on the agenda so that taxpayers know its coming up??? Furthermore, none of the options were ideal so why not look for another option!!

11:32 I don't know why your man-panties are in such a bunch. I said I did not trust him back in the fall, and yesterday's underhanded action shows I was right. Why you keep defending him is a puzzle.

2:27 - I totally agree sonething this important should have been on the agenda, and I agree with 1:56 that it's very suspicious that three names just happened to be ready to be proposed for an action that was not on the agenda.

Given the history of the MadCo BOS we taxpayers need to be very wary of all of them.

Crosby (aka bagboy, aka Krogerboy) wan't 'taking credit for' the hire. As president of the board, he was attempting (it seems) to explain it. Again, what vast, required experience does Espy have that Hamer did not have?

Hamer has never been indicted by a federal grand jury; Espy has that experience.

I have nothing against Espy or Hamer. However, I would not trust any one of the supervisors for anything! They are all there for "self-serving" reasons and the voting public "be damed"! This is a sad state of affairs for Madison County.

This comes out of the Mayor Truly play book. Fire one crook and hire another.

Da da da da...da da. It Hamertime! You could not write a better script than this. Was MCBOS Prez. a.k.a. "Kroger Bag Boy" busy juggling produce while all of this happened? With all the great attorney's in Madison County how did we end up with Mike Espy?

Krogerboy was too busy kissing Rudy Warnoc's butt and they slipped one by him

Why pick on John Bell? All the BOS are part time and he voted against Espy? Real qustion is why only those 3 being considered for a lawyer???

HEATH HALL, FINALLY AFTER THE FACT, DOES HIS SPIN DOCTOR ACT... CAN'T BELIEVE STACY PICKERING'S JUDGEMENT OF CHARACTER...

PRESS RELEASE:
Mike Espy Selected as Madison County Attorney

Madison County Administrator David Overby announced Monday that Mike Espy has been selected as the new county attorney. Espy's contract is effective July 1, 2012. Overby stated, "As the former County Attorney of Claiborne County, Mississippi, for five years, Espy is more than qualified for the position. While in the United States Congress and Secretary of Agriculture, he built relationships that could benefit Madison County for decades to come."

State Auditor Stacey Pickering stated, "As State Auditor, I have the privilege of working with local elected officials from across the State protecting Mississippi's reputation and integrity. I appreciate Secretary Espy's continued public service in his new role as attorney for the Madison County Board of Supervisors, and look forward to assisting the Board in any way as we work towards a common goal of transparency and efficiency in government."

Allen Burks, former President of the Claiborne County Board of Supervisors during much of Mr. Espy's tenure, stated, "Mike Espy was very helpful to this county. His best asset for us was his connections and having the right interactions in Mississippi and Washington D.C. When dealing with wetland issues holding up a road to the nuclear plant, Espy's connection with the Secretary of the Army helped to wave that cost."

After receiving this new position, Mike Espy said, "I'm honored to have been entrusted to serve as Board Attorney and will do my best to discharge my obligations to the Board of Supervisors. I'm looking forward to working with all of the county officials to help them better serve the citizens of Madison County."

Mike Espy is president of Mike Espy PLLC and AE Agritrade, Inc. He is the former County Attorney, Bond Attorney, Port Authority Attorney and Economic Development District Attorney of Claiborne County, MS. He also served as county liaison to Grand Gulf Nuclear Power Plant.

Mr. Espy and his family are long-time residents of Madison County.

Maybe Hall got Pickerings comment from him when he was meeting democrat bosses at Sonnys Barbque on Hwy 80--Some republicans like Sonnys too Stacey--

If the Madison County Republican Party takes this slap in the face I will be shocked!! Things are quite but I heard turmoil is brewing--Republicans are NOT happy with Stacey Pickering either!!!!

We'll take it and we'll like it. If there is an R next to their name, we disconnect our brains.

"as we work towards a common goal of transparency and efficiency in government"

Yes, I'm sure the att'y hired by the board in an off-agenda sneak play is ALL ABOUT transparency in gov't.

You can't make these people up.