Sunday, August 4, 2013

Fund-raiser raises eyebrows

The Sun-Herald raised a little bit of cane over the state auditor's upcoming fund-raiser.  It seems it will be held at the home of a sub-contractor for DMR:

Pickering will attend a fund-raiser at the Ocean Springs home of local GOP politico and consultant Joe Cloyd. Organizers are expecting several hundred people to show up and pay the $200 attendance fee, or cough up donations of up to $5,000, which could yield as much as $100,000 for the candidate.

The host committee listed on the invitation has many familiar names -- Southern District Public Service Commissioner Leonard Bentz, State Rep. Casey Eure, R-Biloxi, Harrison County Supervisor Windy Swetman, and others. There's also Victor Mavar, Alwyn and Jeanne Luckey, Frank Genzer, Jerry and Joann St. Pé and William Yates, among others. Pickering may wind up being considered a "South Mississippi" candidate and he appears to be establishing a strong Coast network.

The event seems questionable though, given that the guest of honor, Pickering, is currently investigating the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources' activities under previous Director Bill Walker, who was fired in January.

The host, Cloyd, is a co-owner of Frontier Gulf Coast, which was formed earlier this year. Cloyd's company recently did work for the DMR on the agency's 60-day review, which was initiated by new DMR Director Jamie Miller. Cloyd's company was paid by HORNE, LLP for its portion of HORNE's job. It's interesting Cloyd would host a fund-raiser for the man who is auditing the agency he's been working at, while the investigation of that agency is ongoing.

The timing of the big fundraiser here in the backyard of DMR is also interesting, given Pickering has said recently he hopes the DMR investigation is winding down.

How the auditor handles the investigation will go a long way in determining his political future and he'll surely have to answer questions about it.

The auditor will have to answer up for the fact that the last time DMR was audited before this investigation was in 2002. Gov. Phil Bryant, a political ally of Pickering's, served as auditor the last time DMR got the state review, but he left office in 2008, then Pickering took over. The agency went almost five years without an audit under Pickering's watch.
Rest of editorial

Meanwhile Slabbed had a conniption over the fund-raiser

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

Frontier Gulf Coast is also co-owned by Josh Gregory (as in Frontier Strategies as in Phil Bryant's campaign for Lt. Governor & Governor) Also closely connected to Lynn Fitch - she gave him a contract for MPACT, which shut down last year, but they were paid anyway - for what, no one knows. Pickering, Bryant, Fitch - who's next to be connected with the DMR scandel.

Anonymous said...

This isn't really about Pickering, he's finished with politics above where he is right now. Gregory is bad trying to find a horse post Phil. Fitch is clearly out now (she's done everything again bad they covered up in 2011 but Tate knows all)and maybe they are checking Pickerings "oil". If this is the best the republican revolution brought us, I'll go for the D's again. They at least know how to get things done.

Anonymous said...

Rumor on the coast is that the FEDS are very interested in who attends this "fundraiser" - wonder if Josh will fly down for it and bring Bryant?

Anonymous said...

Please go to the Sunherald editorial on Sunday along with the opinion by Michael Newsom on the same day and read all of the comments about what is going on with Pickering and Gulf Coast Frontier which is owned by Josh Gregory and Joe Cloyd. Also visit Slabbed.org for an excellent post on the 4th about Stacey Pickering's Coastal meltdown . We need help from Jackson to get the word out about how the taxpayers are getting ripped off by this group of DMR thugs in cooperation with Pickering's office.Help somebody. AG Hood where are you?

Anonymous said...

Hood has his own ripoffs

Anonymous said...

Josh does know his horse has one last lap, then he is done, unless he gets Harper!!

Anonymous said...

We the people are organizing a peaceful protest on the beach in front of the Frontier Gulf Coast headquarters at the same time this fundraiser is going on. Would love to have anybody who is tired of political corruption to attend. Getting quite a response. They have stirred up the people on the Coast up and we plan to let them know

Anonymous said...

12:09

Where is the Frontier Guld Coast Office and what time tomorrow? I think WLOX and Michael Newsom ought to be there to cover this! I'll bring a couple of people with me and try to get it going via telephone this afternoon. Count me in!

Anonymous said...

Is Lynn Fitch's name on the invitation and will she be there for Josh?

Anonymous said...

Her name does not appear on the invite but less than a year ago they held a FUNraiser for her next door to the Frontier Gulf Coast headquarters. This event at the home of Scott Walker had a lot of the same sponsors and planned guests some that are now under investigation by State and federal authorities.I have been told by a very reliable source that Fitch has been trying to wash her hands of this group at least in public for some time.

Anonymous said...

The FUNraiser is being held at 433 East Beach Blvd, Ocean Springs, Ms. from 5:30 to 8 on Tuesday August6,(tomorrow)

Anonymous said...

Maybe I missed it, but would like to emphasize that Cloyd lives next door to Scotty Walker (who gave the Fitch fundraiser). Two millionaire mansions on the beach, separated only by a common propensity to hands in the till.

Anonymous said...

Yes it was posted earlier that they are neighbors and REPUB BUDS. If you go to Google Earth and look at these to houses they are only about 10 feet apart. I wonder what Joe thought when the FBI and State law enforcement kicked the door in and raided Scott's house a few weeks back? I bet he thought "This is not good".That underwear exchange program could have been misunderstood. Hey, but then he got Josh to tell Phil his friend Jamie Miller was the new man at DMR and before you know it Frontier Gulf Coast was formed and a few days later they got their first job and I will be damned it wasn't at the Ms.DMR helping Miller spin a good yarn for the Public. Now ain't that special? Next up we want to know how Cloyd got miilions in CDBG funding through an entity formed to build workforce housing and ended up with a 55 plus age restricted retirement community. This project is hardly what the CDBG money was initially provided for. But hey, who is looking? We are now.

Anonymous said...

Aug 5, was this done during Haley's term??

Anonymous said...

Which Aug.5?

Anonymous said...

Protest Rally forming at 5.Security is tight. We all want Pickering that it is a conflict to have a fundraiser in the home of someone who has a contract to do work at an agency you are investigating the misuse of millions of dollars. Joe and Josh are you listening?

Anonymous said...

Hey Josh, might be time to cut this Joe Cloyd loose.He is dragging you down into the DMR mudhole. You are gonna get dirty. This news is breaking and you,my friend, are taking a hit. STANLEY

Anonymous said...

I've heard a guy named Malvaney is tied to Josh, Cloyd, and Lynn Fitch and was one of guys behind the fundraiser. All this goes back to DMR - we need to clean house and get the crooks out! What about it Jim Hood - we haven't heard a peep out of your office. Oh - that's right, someone might bring up Langston and Scruggs. Let's get rid os all of the scumbags now!

Anonymous said...

Even in Jackson most involved know George Malvaney who workedat DEQ for many years.He was the man for USES during the oil spill and has been seen around town with Trudy Fisher with DEQ.I was also told by a close friend he is pushing Fitch to run against Tatter for Lt. Gov. They say he loves to remind folks that at one time he was a proud member of the KKK. Rehabbed he is I guess just like old Robert Byrd.I was also told he was in the consulting business with Gregory and Cloyd down on the Coast. This house of crooked cards has got to be collapsed. Remember they are Bryant's boys, every one of them.

Anonymous said...

The Sun-Herald raised a little bit of cane over the state auditor's upcoming fund-raiser. It seems it will be held at the home of a sub-contractor for DMR:

Pickering will attend a fund-raiser at the Ocean Springs home of local GOP politico and consultant Joe Cloyd. Organizers are expecting several hundred people to show up and pay the $200 attendance fee, or cough up donations of up to $5,000, which could yield as much as $100,000 for the candidate.

The host committee listed on the invitation has many familiar names -- Southern District Public Service Commissioner Leonard Bentz, State Rep. Casey Eure, R-Biloxi, Harrison County Supervisor Windy Swetman


Update: Biloxi police say Harrison County constable was passed out before his arrest on DUI refusal charge

By ROBIN FITZGERALD — rfitzgerald@sunherald.com

BILOXI -- Harrison County District 1 Constable Windy Swetman Sr., a former public safety director for Biloxi, was arrested over the weekend on a charge of DUI refusal...

...Swetman was passed out in the driver's seat when officers first arrived and he appeared to be intoxicated, Assistant Police Chief Rodney McGilvary said. No damages were noted to his vehicle or the street.

Officials declined to say if they obtained a court order to draw Swetman's blood to test for possible alcohol consumption.


Probably the reporter is not the only one wondering about whether or not that test was properly administered so as not to be thrown out of court. Not to mention the possibility that some other mistake has been or is about to be made.


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