Thursday, July 24, 2014

Update

Some quick notes from the True the Vote hearing.


1. It's going to be an all-day affair.
2. Mike Wallace destroyed the President of True the Vote on the stand.  Blame her lawyer, He did a really pitiful job of preparing her for the hearing.
3. She admitted on the stand that Gregg Phillips is a board member. That was interesting.
4. Judge Nancy Atlas. Can we trade three, any three federal judges in Mississippi for her?
5. I think she will rule against True the Vote.  Judge Atlas asked the True the Vote president (sorry, cannot remember her name) how the issues involving crossover votes, poll books, and absentee ballot applications could be reconciled with the National Voter Registration Act, which is concerned only with voter eligibility.   True the Vote gave a feeble answer that knowing someone voted absentee could be used to check voter eligibility on election day.

Post will be written later today as I head back to the courtroom.  You are in for a treat as JJ and WLBT commissioned a sketch artist to provide several drawings of the hearing. 

14 comments:

Jane said...

Mike Wallace is formidable.

Anonymous said...

True the Vote is an offshoot of a Tea Party movement from Texas. These people are frightening to look at and to listen to. They are mercenaries who will stop at nothing to get their way on their terms. Think Nazi zealots.

Anonymous said...

Mike Wallace is a MACHINE! I wish I could see him go after it in action. Get some sanctions and make sure these people use a little more discretion next time.

Anonymous said...

BTW, who is Gregg Phillips? Been keeping up, haven't heard that name.

Anonymous said...

3:42 google search burnt orange

John Pittman Hey said...

What is the significance of "admitting" that Gregg Phillips is on the TTV board? He's been tweeting about TTV for weeks now. I didn't know it was a secret.

Anonymous said...

3:42 here

That is interesting. JPH, it's interesting to me because most of us didn't know his past, which is sketchy.

This lawsuit has smelled like a fundraiser from the get-go with the added benefit of exposure, which has been raised in court, and seeing this guy involved kind of adds to that, don't you think? So yeah, it's interesting.

Anonymous said...

Re Gregg Phillips

Exclusive: State privatization champion gets contract to help clear up welfare mess

By ROBERT T. GARRETT / The Dallas Morning News rtgarrett@dallasnews.com
Published: 13 March 2010 11:59 AM
Updated: 26 November 2010 03:03 PM

AUSTIN - A former state official who played a major role in the state's biggest privatization fiasco is now making money trying to help Texas fix the problems that resulted.

Gregg Phillips was the state's No. 2 social services official several years ago, and he led a push to hire a private company to evaluate applications for public assistance.
Now his Austin-based company, AutoGov Inc., has received $207,500 since November to help the state eliminate errors in decidingg whether an applicant gets food stamps or other aid and how much recipients get. AutoGov was hired without other companies having a chance to bid for the work.
.
.
.

http://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/state-politics/20100313-Exclusive-State-privatization-champion-gets-1424.ece

Anonymous said...

Gregg Phillips
"conservative voice and big data innovator" (Teabagger/Grifter)

Austin, Texas

Chairman and CEO, AutoGov

Managing Director, Winning Our Future PAC

Founder of The Voters Trust

BFF & Confidante of "award-winning journalist", Chuck C. Johnson

Anonymous said...

John Pittman Hey, I noticed you said on Twitter that "True the Vote lawsuit oughta not mentioned cross-over voting as it's target - b/c you don't really need DOB to catch that."

If you don't need dates of birth to catch cross-over voting then what's the point of this lawsuit? The McDaniel allegations are about cross-over voting.

John Pittman Hey said...

Gregg Phillips was a state official under the Fordice administration in the 1990s. He was in the news a lot back then.

Anonymous said...

Gregg Phillips was involved in the Maximus privatization fiasco in MS during the Fordice administration. It was either DHS or Medicaid services. I heard at the time that PEER told him he would not be prosecuted for his role if he left the state for good.

Anonymous said...

I hope it wasn't dhs, because if so, history is about to repeat itself, dhs is privatizing child support and child support collections. It was a fiasco last time with the state losing money so Young Williams could make a bunch iof money. Now they are going to do it again so that Young Williams can make a bunch of money. And all the dhs attorneys are going to lose their jobs. They are already the lowest paid state attorneys ($30k after taxes) with the highest turn over rate. Way to poke them in the eye. Thanks legislature.

Anonymous said...

10:55 pm
Not to steer things off subject but out of curiosity, I looked info this DHS thing today. The statute that sets DHS attorney pay (43-19-47) basically says that every year, the personnel board "shall" survey the salaries of attorneys at the AG's office each year and "shall raise the start step of the staff and senior attorneys accordingly and the minimum shall never go below [$40k] for staff attorneys and [$50k] for senior attorneys."

So of course no review is conducted and the salary remains at the statutory minimum. Apparently, there have been several lawsuits over the years but they are thrown out on grounds of standing and sovereign immunity. There is actually an appeal pending before the Miss. Supreme Court now: 2014-0007


Recent Comments

Search Jackson Jambalaya

Subscribe to JJ's Youtube channel

Archives

Trollfest '09

Trollfest '07 was such a success that Jackson Jambalaya will once again host Trollfest '09. Catch this great event which will leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Othor Cain and his band, The Black Power Structure headline the night while Sonjay Poontang returns for an encore performance. Former Frank Melton bodyguard Marcus Wright makes his premier appearance at Trollfest singing "I'm a Sweet Transvestite" from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." Kamikaze will sing his new hit, “How I sold out to da Man.” Robbie Bell again performs: “Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be Bells” and “Any friend of Ed Peters is a friend of mine”. After the show, Ms. Bell will autograph copies of her mug shot photos. In a salute to “Dancing with the Stars”, Ms. Bell and Hinds County District Attorney Robert Smith will dance the Wango Tango.

Wrestling returns, except this time it will be a Battle Royal with Othor Cain, Ben Allen, Kim Wade, Haley Fisackerly, Alan Lange, and “Big Cat” Donna Ladd all in the ring at the same time. The Battle Royal will be in a steel cage, no time limit, no referee, and the losers must leave town. Marshand Crisler will be the honorary referee (as it gives him a title without actually having to do anything).


Meet KIM Waaaaaade at the Entergy Tent. For five pesos, Kim will sell you a chance to win a deed to a crack house on Ridgeway Street stuffed in the Howard Industries pinata. Don't worry if the pinata is beaten to shreds, as Mr. Wade has Jose, Emmanuel, and Carlos, all illegal immigrants, available as replacements for the it. Upon leaving the Entergy tent, fig leaves will be available in case Entergy literally takes everything you have as part of its Trollfest ticket price adjustment charge.

Donna Ladd of The Jackson Free Press will give several classes on learning how to write. Smearing, writing without factchecking, and reporting only one side of a story will be covered. A donation to pay their taxes will be accepted and she will be signing copies of their former federal tax liens. Ms. Ladd will give a dramatic reading of her two award-winning essays (They received The Jackson Free Press "Best Of" awards.) "Why everything is always about me" and "Why I cover murders better than anyone else in Jackson".

In the spirit of helping those who are less fortunate, Trollfest '09 adopts a cause for which a portion of the proceeds and donations will be donated: Keeping Frank Melton in his home. The “Keep Frank Melton From Being Homeless” booth will sell chances for five dollars to pin the tail on the jackass. John Reeves has graciously volunteered to be the jackass for this honorable excursion into saving Frank's ass. What's an ass between two friends after all? If Mr. Reeves is unable to um, perform, Speaker Billy McCoy has also volunteered as when the word “jackass” was mentioned he immediately ran as fast as he could to sign up.


In order to help clean up the legal profession, Adam Kilgore of the Mississippi Bar will be giving away free, round-trip plane tickets to the North Pole where they keep their bar complaint forms (which are NOT available online). If you don't want to go to the North Pole, you can enjoy Brant Brantley's (of the Mississippi Commission on Judicial Performance) free guided tours of the quicksand field over by High Street where all complaints against judges disappear. If for some reason you are unable to control yourself, never fear; Judge Houston Patton will operate his jail where no lawyers are needed or allowed as you just sit there for minutes... hours.... months...years until he decides he is tired of you sitting in his jail. Do not think Judge Patton is a bad judge however as he plans to serve free Mad Dog 20/20 to all inmates.

Trollfest '09 is a pet-friendly event as well. Feel free to bring your dog with you and do not worry if your pet gets hungry, as employees of the Jackson Zoo will be on hand to provide some of their animals as food when it gets to be feeding time for your little loved one.

Relax at the Fox News Tent. Since there are only three blonde reporters in Jackson (being blonde is a requirement for working at Fox News), Megan and Kathryn from WAPT and Wendy from WLBT will be on loan to Fox. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both and a torn-up Obama yard sign will entitle you to free drinks served by Megan, Wendy, and Kathryn. Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required. Just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '09 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.


Note: Security provided by INS.

Trollfest '07

Jackson Jambalaya is the home of Trollfest '07. Catch this great event which promises to leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Sonjay Poontang and his band headline the night with a special steel cage, no time limit "loser must leave town" bout between Alan Lange and "Big Cat"Donna Ladd following afterwards. Kamikaze will perform his new song F*** Bush, he's still a _____. Did I mention there was no referee? Dr. Heddy Matthias and Lori Gregory will face off in the undercard dueling with dangling participles and other um, devices. Robbie Bell will perform Her two latest songs: My Best Friends are in the Media and Mama's, Don't Let Your Babies Grow up to be George Bell. Sid Salter of The Clarion-Ledger will host "Pin the Tail on the Trial Lawyer", sponsored by State Farm.

There will be a hugging booth where in exchange for your young son, Frank Melton will give you a loooong hug. Trollfest will have a dunking booth where Muhammed the terrorist will curse you to Allah as you try to hit a target that will drop him into a vat of pig grease. However, in the true spirit of Separate But Equal, Don Imus and someone from NE Jackson will also sit in the dunking booth for an equal amount of time. Tom Head will give a reading for two hours on why he can't figure out who the hell he is. Cliff Cargill will give lessons with his .80 caliber desert eagle, using Frank Melton photos as targets. Tackleberry will be on hand for an autograph session. KIM Waaaaaade will be passing out free titles and deeds to crackhouses formerly owned by The Wood Street Players.

If you get tired come relax at the Fox News Tent. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both will entitle you to free drinks.Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required, just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '07 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.

Note: Security provided by INS
.