Jackson Jambalaya

You need a "like" button

Look at where this is coming from. This is the revenge of Chris McDaniel and Jones County tea party. Tiffany Parrish was heavy McDaniel, so was Ryan Walters. They are taking the lead here and Mary Hawkins Butler is using them, like she uses people.

To 7:50 am---Astonishing revelation---The Jones County tea party forced Pickering to buy Parrish's BMW with campaign cash and then used it against him-----So did he buy the BMW or not ??

If you don't do anything wrong, you don't have to worry about "Mary" coming after you. Surround yourself with Mimi's and Lisa Shoemakers, and this is what happens...

We need to quit worrying about the messenger and look at the message. Did he use campaign money for personal expenses without claiming it as income and paying the taxes? It doesn't matter whether Mary or Chris or Richard Nixon is talking about it. The evidence is there. He either did it or he didn't do it. Figure it out, FBI, and let us know, preferably before August 4.

No the messenger is important. If Tiffany Parrish calls the FBI and the guy is at lunch, and he calls her back, what can she say? She can say she's been contacted by the FBI on this matter. Same with Butler. But it's not the truth.

Pickering is caught using his campaign funds as personal income. He knows it and he knows how bad it truly is. His story on the BMW alone has changed 3 times in the past 36 hours. Only the tip of Pickering's iceberg has been exposed and he is desperately in damage control mode. C'mon, Bert Case?

Where are the police reports Pickering filed after each of the multiple break-ins of his house in Laurel and his vehicles? Which of the vehicles were broken into? Surely the State Auditor -- knowing the importance of doing so -- called the police and filed reports after each incident especially if he felt that, as he alludes, he was being targeted. Did State Auditor Pickering, feeling that he was being targeted, report his concerns to MBI or to Jim Hood or to any law enforcement agency at all in Mississippi? Did he seek any sort of protection for his family? Did he file any insurance claims after those break-ins of his house and vehicles?

All this flailing about who is and who is not behind the story is hilarious. Pickering is stuck and the MSGOPe way is to hide the lies and misdirect away from the truths. Difference this time is while members of the MSGOP Poliboro circled its wagons around Senator Pork Barrel who is coming to Pickering's rescue beyond the butt nuggets at Y'allMSGOPOnline? Will the MSGOP radio mouthpiece-on-retainer Galtelli, er, Gallo be called on to fight the fire on Monday morning? Will former Governor Clown Show be asked to save the day?

I quit reading Y'all Politics long ago. What a joke. Bert's report seemed to be produced by my 5th grader.

I just wonder if this will reach the masses. Hope so. Want one know anything about the democratic challenger? This may be a gift from heaven. Mary's not electable. A good mayor for Madison but that label doesn't play well in most of MS.

Pickering must resign immediately for the good of the party. He's embarassing himself and the GOP.

In Mississippi, it is not illegal to use campaign money for personal expenses. This has been done for decades and continues to this day. Pickering has not committed a crime here. If there is a tax evasion issue, the IRS will conduct an investigation based on the FBI's findings and that will take at least eight or nine months. Pickering is guilty of using bad judgement and being too broke to hold office without tapping into his campaign account to pay his personal bills. The real need is for the Legislature to address this issue in January and change the law. This of course recognizes the fact that legislators also use their campaign or PAC funds for personal expenses, and thus may not want to upset that apple cart.

What difference does it make if Tiffany Parrish called the FBi or not. The issue is Pickering's campaign money spending.

Mary Hawkins is a vicious she devil. If she get in office she will make Nixon look like a saint.

kingfish- thanks for the solid reporting on this issue. It is important both sides are heard. Have you been able to find any information where other staffers are being investigated? Former campaign workers? There is a certain association executive director (Cable Asc--cough, cough) that, rumor is, is being investigated by the FBI. A fat con artist about to be caught?

Look at this crap Butler's lackeys are spinning: Don't look at the source, don't worry about whether anything illegal happened, and he MUST drop out now because Butler isn't electable! They know Butler is going to get beat in the primary. They also know Butler would beat any Democrat in the general but they know she'll never make it to the general unless Pickering drops out. Look for the resignation wails and rants to increase and all "for the good of the party" this woman is a joke. Pickering is not going to resign.

Mary Mary quite contrary.... If she is elected will anyone be safe from her vendettas? Over a fully used up BMW? Where's the beef? This is grasping by a dangerous control freak. I've seen enough. I'm just an observing voter with no ties to either camp. Don't know either candidate. I do think Stacey should have kept his appointment with the CL as he could more effectively answered there. But voting for Pickering over the ruthless, arbitrary smear artist and control freak.

Pickering can end our doubt if he will produce receipts and tax statements. But he can't.

http://mississippiconservativedaily.com/2015/07/24/state-auditor-stacey-pickerings-statement-doesnt-square-with-the-facts/

THE FBI IS INVOLVED--- you think Mary has that much power to get the FBI involved if there isn't anything rotten in the cotton?

On another note, LS- we all know you took the money under the table.

This is the election year secrets we love coming out!!!

To 10:18

"Over a fully used up BMW? Where's the beef" Obviously dishonesty does not bother you----You should not be allowed to vote !!!

Mary is wacky. Stacey looks like a thief. Who do we choose ??!! All Pickering needs to do is produce the receipts for the huge amounts of travel and show what the reoccurring monthly bank payments are for. He says he paid taxes on the garage door. Is he talking about sales tax? Show me the money...justification.

KF, it is still there. They're keeping it out of the index. Grab a screen shot first before saying anything.

Until he shows his tax returns to prove that the money was treated properly, then we must assume that he is hiding something.

THE GIG IS UP

But his wife, as a columnist on the Disney Parks Moms Panel, wrote that after the family purchased an RV, "We now consider Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort & campground our second home," raising further questions of whether the RV is mainly for campaign or personal use.
.....
Whitney Pickering:
Until 10 years ago, my only experience was a few day trips to Epcot. My first trip to the Magic Kingdom – and with family – was as an adult when my employer held a convention on property. I took the opportunity to add a few days to my stay and brought my family along. We were hooked! Since then, I've been to Disney with grandparents, business associates, just my hubby, just my girlfriends, just the three older children (who knew you could cover so much ground without a stroller?!), JUST ME, over Spring Break, Easter weekend, at Halloween and for Christmas with a family reunion of 19 – most trips planned by me. You'd think I would have experienced it all ... until we purchased an RV. We now consider Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground our "second home" and take just as many trips to enjoy all of the activities outside of the parks as those in the parks.

Time to resign Pickering. You are a flat-out liar.

Take screenshots KF before gone.

Nail this one down.

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Whitney Pickering:
Our family likes to arrive at our site with all that we'll need for the week. We usually stop at a grocery store on our way. The Meadows Trading Post and The Settlement Trading Post have essentials along with a freezer case, but they're similar to a curb-side mini-mart for selection (and price). I wouldn't recommend you doing your shopping there.

We keep a copy of the book The Next Exit in the RV [note: she means the "mobile campaign office" LMAO] which tells us what stores are at which exits along the way and usually stop near Gainesville to get our groceries. However, if you're coming to Disney via the toll road SR 429, another option is the Publix at the Hwy 192 exit.

If they paid taxes on the personal use of the RV, which he says he did, then what is the problem?

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Whitney Pickering:
Granted, our RV is only a 29-footer, but we often head to the parks on our last day at Disney. It's really no more complicated to park than if your parents were going to Wal-Mart: they'll simply take up two spaces.

Whitney Pickering:
Hello to fellow RVer!

Whitney Pickering:
Our family owns an RV and we look forward to every trip to Fort Wilderness at Disney World!

Pickering has been caught breaking the law and is now lying to cover it up. All of those who have paid him protection money are rushing to his defense. Are you listening Rudy Warnock? The Madison County Board of Supervisors, Rudy Warnock, Mike Espy and Ronnie Lott are worried. Very worried.

Pickering should just do the right thing and resign. He will be forced out eventually anyway.

Mary Hawkins is as evil and dangerous as they come. As you see in 1105 above, you cross her, and you are going to be persecuted and cast into outer darkness. You are either with Mary, or you are going to be personally and politically destroyed. Do not fall for this, Mississippi. The sun is about to shine in her past. A vote for her is a vote you will live to regret.

Whitney Pickering:
Our family considers Fort Wilderness our home away from home. We've stayed here (I'm answering your question right now in my RV at the fort) so many times I've lost count. It sounds like you are a regular camper if you own an RV, and I can tell you that camping at Disney is nothing like any other campground experience you'll have.

Have to click each question asked to view the answer, and then internet archive each question separately. There are probably a few more interesting comments and answers. Give these folks the same level of scrutiny Frauditor Pickering does to a low level employee he suspects he can make an example of.

I'm already on it!

Obvious that Pickering is living a lifestyle far beyond the means provided by the State Auditor's $90,000 gross salary. There are major problems here.

Please send pepto...getting sicker and sicker the more I read.

9:13: Mary will win the general if she is the nominee for the GOP. An open lesbian Democrat will not a statewide election in Mississippi.

Send in the Calvary .... Where are Austin and Henry Barbour to defend our state frauditor?

Interesting little tidbit.

http://wjtv.com/2015/04/30/state-auditor-stacey-pickering-responds-to-madison-mayors-claims-against-him/

1:23. It is CAVALRY, douchebag. Calvary is a hill. Good Lord.

The solution is simple. Pickering needs to release his tax returns.

Release tax returns, credit card statements and receipts! Or leave office.

Back in January the Clarion-Ledger featured Whitney Pickering as a Disney expert.

12:17 Is that you Stacey?

You should be locked up (pun intended) with your legal team at Butler Snow. Maybe they will give you a family discount and you and Warnock can split the balance. If the feds take the BMW for evidence, I am sure Rudy will give you a ride to court in his new Bentley.

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Back in January the Clarion-Ledger featured Whitney Pickering as a Disney expert.

The budget-priced Disney vacation will come in at about $1,500 for a family of four, Pickering estimated, putting it in the same ballpark as a trip to the beach or the mountains.

However, if you have saved up to take your Disney dream vacation, "then, trust me," she said. "Disney will help you spend your money."


http://www.clarionledger.com/story/life/2015/01/03/disney-world-plan-trip/21233581/

Maybe the rv explains why he's almost never in Jackson office

It seems there are a few people who feel the state auditor is never allowed to take his family to Disney World.

Is EVERY year a campaign year?

I vote for the most qualified candidate. If Pickering turns out to be guilty, he can resign and we'll elect another one. But to vote for Mary for State Auditor is an insult to anybody that understands what the auditor does. Innocent until proven guilty. How would you like that crazy woman to win and then after the fact find out that Pickering was absolved of any wrong doing?

Even if he is guilty (I am not saying he is. I am not studying the matter that closely and I am going to say why.) Even if he is guilty, the best thing would be to reelect him and let the FBI, IRS, whoever take him out. Mayor Mary clearly wants the job only to settle old political scores. She has not a clue how to do that job. Moreover, she has not a clue that 85% of Mississippians have never heard of her and when they find out about her 90% of those will consider her to be a person who caters to the wealthy. The fact the she would even run shows how clueless she is.

This reminds me of the time Bill Allain ran for and was elected for governor. Lawyer Bill Spell came out with some totally awful, nasty, outlandish crap in the final hours before the election, out of desperation. Well, it guaranteed the election of Allain, but also damaged his reputation (and his personal ego) so badly that it was hard to overcome and nearly destroyed his life, needlessly.

Of course, knowing Mary, I would not expect her to take the moral high ground. She wouldn't even recognize it if she saw it. She didn't have the political clout (or the sense) to destroy Rudy Warnock legally, so she decides to run for Auditor so she can go after him herself, regardless of the merits. Geez, just what we need in the Auditor's office, somebody with the power to wage personal vendetta's! Lord help us if she wins with this "hell Mary" pass.

Mary Hawkins Butler running for State Auditor is the biggest joke in the 2015 Mississippi General Election. I can't imagine in my wildest dreams what could possibly make her feel that she is even remotely qualified to hold this office. It's a long, long way from being Mayor of Madison to being in charge of a state-wide office, especially the Office of State Auditor. Also, she is about to get another wake-up call in finding out that 95% of the people in the State of Mississippi have no idea who she is and the other 5% either do not give a damn, do not care or do know her and do not like what they know. Most of us also know that she could care less about the people of this state and their interest. As someone above stated, this is simply a personal vendetta to get back at office holders who disagree with her. My vote will go to Stacey Pickering. I, too, believe that he is innocent until proven guilty. If he is guilty, that will be handled through the courts at a later time; not simply because some disgruntled primadonna has decided that she wants the position he currently holds.

Mary has stood against corruption in Madison Cty. Thats a fact. However, Pickering hasnt broken any laws so far as we know. The tax matters are the only laws he might have broken. Nothing says he cant use campaign vehicles for personal use. It is done by many every cycle and has been forever. If I were Pickering, I would declare that he will wait for any tax investigation before assessing his future. Such an investigation will come, but not soon. That would leave it to the GOP voters to decide his political fate one week from Tuesday. He will probably beat Mary even with this, but he should be thanking God that he doesnt have a more popular opponent or a third candidate.

I left the Stacey Pickering support camp after the DMR debacle and especially when he returned shortly thereafter for a fund raiser just before the Feds stepped in.

Austin Barbour!

https://twitter.com/austin_barbour/status/572081580807729153

"@StaceyPickering is a willing partner w/Feds to fight public corruption while our Atty General does nothing... http://www.sunherald.com/2015/02/28/6096639/analysis-corruption-sweeps-mississippi.html …"

Let's face it, we Mississippians have blown it by letting this situation happen. When the dust settles we'll have a terrible state auditor.

Where are the good candidates hiding? Bueller? Bueller?

1:13 PM I would not rule out Joce defeating Mayor Mary. There would be no end to the uproar Mayor Mary could cause in 4 years.

Mrs. Pickering did have a job that made very good money as in six figures. If I'm not mistaken, she either worked for Disney or had a job connected to Disney.

After looking at this situation and finding peculiarities, the one thing I've noticed, is that Mary doesn't have an official campaign website.
If it exists, I can't find it: only a Facebook page.
Strange isn't it?
Stacey Pickering has one.
Joce Pritchett has one.
However, no official campaign site for Mary.

If I was serious about running for office, then I would have a campaign website apart from Facebook. She's vested in and promoting a website for Madison County, but no campaign website for herself that's easily findable if it's there at all. Wikipedia page. Facebook page. Yet, no campaign website for 'State Auditor'. It's not that expensive for a campaign domain. Madsion is certainly tech friendly. So, that's not an excuse.
Why, oh why, does MHB not have a campaign website in this day and age?

6:04 I do not think this article or its circumstances is about Butler as it is about Pickering. Mr. Pickering needs to lay out those tax returns, if there is nothing to hide they should clear him and shut this "investigation" down.

A quick review of State Auditor Pickering's spending in Mississippi's online transparency website reveals that he is equally secretive about his agency's spending. Of the $11.3 million his agency spent last fiscal year, 94.6 % is hidden in unnamed payee and confidential categories. And you think he's going to turn over his tax returns?

Show tax returns or get out of race!!!!!!!!!!

7:32pm: agreed!

6:04 maryforms.com Mary Hawkins Bulter website

Pickering used his contacts around the state along with the power center in Jackson to cut off her campaign contributions. He is no angel.

The power is in Pickering's hands to make this all go away. The questions remain, even today, because he can't afford to tell the truth. Seriously doubt Kingfish that a grant writer for the City of Laurel is a former six figure anything.

Settle down everyone. There are plenty of Mississippians at Disney on a given day. I'm sure Stacie was simply campaigning in Cousin Eddie's RV.

Hey, KF, are you a crack enough investigative reporter to discover the same thing over on your buddy Longwitz's campaign finance reports? You got scooped by Weidie, but you could still say something.

Once upon a time children, campaign contributions were used to pay for campaigning for office. They were not used as family income.

While you have been gullible enough to fall for bogus conspiracies , political propaganda and personal smears, the politicians you did elect have managed to make stealing from you legal . You have entirely missed that your political donations should not be allowed to line any politician's personal pockets. THAT is what should outrage you!

You should have spent your time reading about how government actually should function, what the laws actually are, what bills actually say and determining what is a fact and what is imaginative biased speculation.

Instead, you " choose up sides" before having any factual details whatsoever.

If the FBI is investigating, they will either find fraud or not and proceed accordingly. Mary Butler is not so powerful as to influence the outcome of an FBI investigation. That is simply nonsense.

Mr. Pickering should be able to produce records to prove that he followed the law , especially given how weak the law currently is. If he didn't keep good records of his campaign spending, why on earth would you want him to hold a job where being well organized, efficient and detailed is no small part of the job? And, Mr. Pickering doesn't have to be all that efficient given that you all have had misplaced outrage.

10:23...that is a great idea but I doubt you'll hear much about that on KF's blog. Fair and investigative reporting is not what JJ is about.

I bet WL is sweating bullets over this revelation uncovered by Weidie. Yes, it is very typical of what we see of career politicians. No one has to worry about that with his opponent, he's too old for one thing but he also is one of the biggest contributors to the MS Republican Party. He puts his money where his mouth is, not the other way around.

Why is nobody at all interested in Mary Hawkins own money problems? For months, she was shopping the line that she had $1 million committed from donors. Those donors, she told people, were David Nutt and the tobacco lawyers, who had a beef with Pickering. Which is worse: that she was begging for their money and advertising her trial lawyer support, or that they bailed on her in the end?

I think we will learn in the coming weeks that Stacey Pickering was running his Mickey Mouse show from Orlando and the lake most of the time from his mobile command center. This small motor home that was not anywhere near as nice as Chris McDaniel's real campaign coach will be proven to be a lot more illegal. He got caught misusing the money honest people were donating to him because they thought he was something he is not. I think he is a pathetic fraud and should have the balls to try to prove me wrong or go back to Jones County, get a tent and start a life as a revival preacher. He can take the donations from that and continue to live beyond his means. I just hope he is proud of himself for doing his part in keeping us the number one most corrupt state in the USA.

It seems the Sunday School teacher has overlooked a proverb. The good book tells us in Proverbs 16:18 "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall." Let the Church say amen.

YOU IDIOTS ARE SO EASILY DISTRACTED! How many millions upon millions has Porkbelly Cochran handed in direct payments to his cronies??? Weak minded fools!!!

The only man who can clean up after Stacy Pickering's mess is Michael Watson.

3:35 you and the rest of the Tea Baggers are the idiots. The old fart outsmarted you, it's over, he won, unfair and unsquare, but won nonetheless. You idiots can't get over it and continue to obsess. We love getting under your skin.

Now regarding SP, the state auditor hopefully will have backup receipts for any and all transactions regarding cash, goods, RVs, whatever, as he of all people knows better. Praying for him and his family, although I don't know them.

The most embarrassing part of this is that the pickerings admit voluntarily going to disney for couples' and other non-children vacations. That's sort of twisted considering the alternatives. I've run into these disney adults before. You're just going along, minding your business in America and then you find out about these strange subcultures existing and it keeps you up at night. I see that he is a church deacon and his wife is on the disney rv council. Is this really what the illuminati do with their spare time??

7:04 AM I seem to remember that the FBI has been investigating since March. This is the end of July. That's a long time to be looking for receipts and tax returns.

You should pray for the future of our state with these RINOS at the wheel. Just throw them out and PASS TERM LIMIT!!!

Sam R. Hall is saying that they've known at the C-L about the allegations for a long time but only began looking deeply into the matter only after they learned that the FBI was also.

That is some damn bang up journalism! Bang up Journalism!

That exhaustive no-stone-left-unturned nationwide search for a new Exec Editor is paying off big time. LOL

Ok, for the cheap seats what's the WL & Weidie thing?

My mother has a friend that works for the advertising department for a Gannet owned Nashville newspaper.
When journalism started to slip into ratings, it went the way of the do do bird.
Now we have 'click bait journalism' for ratings in order to sell ads on the Internet.
You can't do a true in depth report without stepping on someone's toes and them getting offended. If you do, you have to walk a fine line so as to not make your advertisers want to pull out.
Most citizens aren't concerned about real issues. They just want high adrenaline journalism . America has been dumbed down and thus the news papers.
At the end of the day, the consumer decides what gets published ( Bc of ratings).
When they made the switch to the Internet, Gannet told everyone that they were in for a long ride.
To further this dilemma, we now have media coordinators that are there to respond to queries for just about every politician.
Also, if you want to get stories from polticians, it's not too wise to write anything bad about them.
Because of corporate owned newspapers ( and lawsuits), we'll never have what we used to.
I'm not here as an apologist for Ganett or the C-L. I'm just telling you the reality.
The likely hood of us seeing 'tube rippers' like back in the Nixon days are very slim.

@6:12. Don't be so lazy, just Google it.

Sorry to distress you 8:56. Was hoping for a friendly bullet point to justify "quaking in boots".

Have a great evening.

@9:26, here's some bullets:

There isn't an AMEX exception. Longwitz has to disclose who he gave credit card authorizations and who the credit card company paid on Longwitz's behalf.

Mississippi Code 23-15-801(f)(i) says you gotta disclose anyone given "anything of value," like say a credit card authorization. Also 25-15-897(d)(ii)(2) says if anybody pays anything on behalf of a candidate, like say AMEX, the candidate has gotta disclose who received those payments too.

If Delbert says he has no enforcement authority, that's bunk. He fined Melanie Sojourner. And penalties can include disqualification from the primary or general election, fines and whatnot. That's just state law, that's not including federal tax and money laundering laws.

Based on what I've seen on the campaign finance reports, Longwitz has concealed about $15,000 in these type of payments just in the last few months or so.

Longwitz is hiding SOMETHING behind those AMEX payments. Any guesses?

Kingfish suggests Miz Pikering 'had a six figure job with Disney'. Are you kidding or do you just think we are plum stupid. Where is the backup for that suggestion. Six figures for writing an occasional column supporting Disney. Get outa here!

I too would like to know how a $90,000 salary supports such a lavish lifestyle.

I have no idea how much money Rudy has slipped to Pickering, but I do know a little about the plain envelopes he passes around north of Hinds County.

Everyone has missed the REALLY scary part of all this RV stuff. Pickering supporters are about to vote for a man who, along with his sorta ditzy wife, thinks that going to the same Disney RV park in a "small Class B RV" with 3-4 kids, one a sorority chick at Ole Miss, year after year after year is a vacation worth repeating. I'd rather be euthanized with a croquet mallet. What is it about rednecks and Disney? I can see a family going even 3-4 times over 3-4 kids' growing-up years, but good god, people! Not only that, but Stacey and Whitney go !!! by themselves !!!, too? And brag about it on the internet?!?!?!?!

I'd have a hell of a lot more respect for both him and the wife if they were breaking the law, oops, having clerical errors, to do something like take the kids to Paris, London or even DC or Manhattan, fer christsakes. Have these kids ever been to the Smithsonian? The Met/MMOA? Seen a ballet or been to an opera [no, not the Opry)? Trust me on this, Whitney: if you can tell other rednecks which aisle the friggin' Spaghetti-Os are on in every grocery in Orlando, you are not providing a better-than-you-had life for your children.

Look, I have no reason to doubt that y'all love your kids. Hey, you guys are evading taxes, oops, sorry, making clerical errors to take them to Disney every 6 weeks. If that's not redneck parental devotion, nothing is. But here's an idea: Stacey's days at the trough might be numbered, so "clerical error" away enough to take the family to something besides Disney. Maybe 2 weeks at the Waldorf and admission to museums and plays, with some actual fine dining. Maybe the Mayflower Hotel and some culture in DC. Sure, ol' Haley might not be excited about playing tour guide for y'all, what with recent events considered and all, but I bet he'd send an intern or something. Or go big and do a couple of weeks in Europe. There's this town called Paris and another one they built right by the airport called London. Maybe stick with London on the first trip. They speak what you always thought you spoke. Either way, both have all sorts of non-Disney things that might help a kid learn and have a good time. Allow your kids to see that there are other, er, "cultural" activities besides seeing a hillbilly bear jamboree for the 58th time. If anyone asks, just say y'all were helping Stacey investigate auditing practices in [insert bullshit here]. Lastly, before some wiseass pipes up, yes, there is a "EuroDisney" near that Paris place. Fight the temptation, Whitney! Fight it like someone is proposing better education in Mississippi! Fight it like someone is suggesting that Mississippi need not be last in everything but corruption, racism, homophobia and stupidity! Fight it like an FBI investigation! Besides, do you have any idea how many Euros it would take to fill up even a small Class B RV in Paris...oh, wait, no, you wouldn't even know which aisle the Froot Loops are on over there.

It just seems it would be a shame to be reminiscing with Stacey and the kids on the monthly visits to Eglin and have nothing but dozens of trips to Disney [and Publix and Walmart] in a small Class B RV to remember.

Whitney Pickering worked for Southern Living magazine and helped start Southern Living at Home. In recent years, she has fought breast cancer. While she does advise Disney, she does not make a tremendous amount of money. I believe she serves on an "advisory board" for families. What we don't need, is Queen Mary in that office! God help us!

1:26 pm Ethics and moral codes are not limited to religions and certainly not to Christianity. Organizational structure and function is not about religion. Our laws are not based solely on religion. Political propaganda isn't about religion other than to use your religious beliefs to stir up your emotions.

It is not about pride to observe that the money we spend on campaigns ( it is likely the Presidential candidate that wins will have spent a billion) could be better spent on our crumbling roads and bridges.

It's not about pride to point out that we are supposed to be a Nation of laws and we used to know that being " innocent until proven guilty" was a good thing. Nor is it pride to point out that no one paid to hear Lincoln and Douglas or any other politician speak or debate until the 1980s. Politicians spoke and if you wanted to give them money, you could.

It's not pride to point out that Congress has passed many laws that have gone unnoticed while we've been at each other's throats. My most recent favorite is removing information from food so you won't know whether your hamburger came from China or Argentina.

Did you know that Mississippi is not the state with the worst roads and bridges? It's ( drum roll) California.

So you just keep on making this about who you like and personal smears and killing the messenger rather than thinking about the message and whether it's accurate or not. I know you feel better about yourself attacking others and quoting the Bible rather than looking in the mirror.

But, this isn't about me or you. This is about our Nation being in trouble.

I'm not asking you to be a good Christian, though there's nothing wrong with that. I'm asking you to be a responsible citizen instead of the town gossip.

Just show you have paid your income tax and move on .

It really is as simple as 8:04 AM suggest. Release the tax returns and put the matter to rest. But Pickering won't because he is caught.

First, this:

http://www.jcjc.edu/news/article.php?newsID=1045

Then, somewhat in response to July 27 at 7:35am, above, and somewhat in response to the article cited above, which says she "gained the title of millionaire in 2007." That seems like an odd way to say someone was what most people think of when they hear someone is "a millionaire." Maybe it is some title in that direct sales company or ??? But whether she was making 90-100K a year, or "a millionaire," why would she and Stacey not play it safe rather than have his campaign fund pay for "their" RV, their garage door, the BMW, etc.

It seems clear she is/was interested in making money, hence showing a bunch of junior college kids a 7 year old check stub - WTF is up with that? But, according to the article, she left all of that previous money and opportunity for "a new career in consulting," which seems to be being a grant writer for the city of Laurel and some sort of Disney RV park promoter. I don't know anything more about her or Stacey Pickering that what I read in the papers, but none of this sounds right or good. On the other hand, a relatively young woman with 4 kids and a breast cancer diagnosis making some personal career choices is understandable and reasonable. But this isn't about her career choices, it is about her husband's choices because he is the one who is asking Mississippians to re-elect him as State Auditor. In my opinion, she doesn't have to explain her career or financial choices, but he certainly does, especially since he is asking to be the person who oversees the propriety of other people's financial choices.


There may be a perfectly reasonable explanation for the RV, the BMW, the garage door, etc. And like nearly everyone but the koolaid drinkers, as a Mississippi taxpayer and voter, I'd sure as heck love to hear it from Stacey Pickering in a clear and direct fashion.

That is what it was. The part about Southern Living is correct. She did suffer from cancer over the last two years. She did lose that job in the last year so that explains the Laurel position. She's been through hell and she is not the office holder. Feel free to beat up on her. It is what some of you do best.

The Queen Mary appears to have two objectives. The obvious - to get at Warnock because she wants to stomp her feet and cry, cry, cry because she didn't get her way. IMO - the other angle is the fact of how many governors have made the jump from state auditor. A look at the Madison County supervisor candidates as well looks like a bunch of Stepford/younger Queen Mary's that have been set up by her to run so that she can get her digs further into Madison County.
The only qualification I can think she would have for auditor is that she knows how to spot corruption based on being married to someone that duped an old woman into selling land far below market value so he could develop Highland Colony Parkway.

To 8:57 AM
Which soon to be eliminated supervisor are you ???

Kingfish, again, does the two-step, as only he can ever-so-lightly do. Nobody has chosen to 'beat up on her'. She is part of this argument and key to this situation/discussion. I'm sure you know that. One of the points of discussion is how he/they can afford such a lifestyle on a 90k salary. It is you, Kingfish, who claimed that she had a six figure income (see timeline stamp 7/25 @ 6:04). Therefore, it is only natural that some of us might pursue that.

Some of us can't wait for you to throw your overcoat over the mud puddle for her and proclaim mention of her and her finances off limits. You've already laid the foundation for it by verifying (playing the sympathy card) a previous physical condition, of which we have no need to know, or discuss.

She's part and participle to the problem Kingfish. Nobody is taking anything away from her courageous battle with cancer. But, she hails from a astute political family. Politics runs in her veins. Considering her intelligence, previous success, attention to detail, encyclopedic memory and cultish need to live virtually full-time in a Disney world it's implausible that she was not fully aware they were playing fast and loose with the law in order to make ends meet that can't be met on $90,000 annually. With every day that passes without the release of their tax returns it only gets worse.

Not at all. I'm merely filling out the details a little is all. He issued a statement. Whatever she posted online is fair game if it can be used in comparison to his statement. I'm just pointing out that she was not always a grant writer for the city of Laurel.

I see that Whitney Pickering's Facebook account lists that she is a past employee of Oxmoor House (Southern Living's publishing company) and she is currently the owner of Whitney Pickering Consulting.

One would imagine that at the very least she is filing a Schedule C on income taxes as the owner of a consulting business.

I hope for the sake of their children that Stacey and Whitney do the honorable thing. They do not deserve for their parents to ride this problem down into the crashing inferno of a scandal.

There is no escaping the truth and what Stacey does right now to come clean, or not, will determine if he can ever make, years from now, a politcal comeback from this huge mistake.

@9:21 - I am not a, nor will I ever desire to be a Madison County Supervisor. I moved out of there years ago to get away from crocked, elitist such as her who feel they are above the law. That and there were too many near-drownings in Madison every time it rained with people's noses stuck so high in the air.
It takes one ride through southern Madison County to make one question why so many young women that are aesthetically pleasing suddenly have such a huge interest in county politics.

Kingfish at 8:51am, July 27:

You say that the cancer diagnosis was two years ago, but at least the RV purchase and her being "a millionaire"/making 15K a month/90-100K a year was back in 2007-2010, so the cancer diagnosis and any choices anyone made that resulted from it could not have played a role in the prior RV purchase. Look, any decent person has sympathy for not only her but her family, esp. the children, but it simply cannot be a reason or excuse for conduct that occurred previous to the diagnosis. If he were caught using campaign funds to pay for her chemo, I think most folks would understand. It wouldn't make it right, but it would certainly mitigate the situation. But in 2007, a then-healthy "millionaire" receiving 15K a month paychecks [or making 100K a year] while they used Stacey's campaign fund to buy "their" RV doesn't look very legit.

Wouldn't most voters/taxpayers expect the State Auditor to at least investigate the situation if it were another elected official with the same set of facts? Isn't that what some of his campaign materials say he would do? I'm with those that say he must release his tax returns. It may not be "fair," but that is now the practical consequence of the choices he made when he chose to run and when he chose to buy an RV and use it personally, pay for a garage door for his home, buy a BMW that wound up with his daughter, pay travel expenses, etc., all out of his campaign fund. I don't know the slightest thing about this "Mayor Mary" - from what I read, she is either a psychodevilwitchgangster or single greatest human being ever born. There seems to be nothing in the middle. But whatever she is or what she did in 2015, like Mrs. Pickering's unfortunate cancer diagnosis, it could not have had any possible role in choices the Pickerings made in 2007-2010.

Also, I cannot imagine that everyone who contributed to his fund are happy with funding Disney vacations for a family that was making at least 200K a year (in 2007) or "millionaires." And lastly, he isn't some political newbie Agriculture Commissioner - he's the State Auditor. If doesn't know that, legal or not, this would look BAAAAD, he might not be the right person for that job. Just saying.

Uh-oh. She is a consultant "grant writer" and not employed by Laurel? For those that do not know, "free-lance" grant writers often get a piece of the action - think Scott Walker and the d'Iberville fiasco. It wasn't that he got a "piece of the action," it was the method and conflicts in his getting that piece. In other words, it is perfectly acceptable, or at least legal, for an entity to have a contingency contract with a grant writer as long as the rules about contracts, conflicts, etc. are followed.

And I'm saying or even suggesting that Mrs. Pickering (or Stacey, anyone in Laurel or anyone else) has done anything wrong. But considering the circumstances, it would seem that any investigation into all of this would necessarily include any grant proposals/awards that involved a contingency fee arrangement. If she was simply paid a flat fee to write the grant, award or no, that is a different story.

Thank you @10:09 AM.
My sentiments exactly regarding their kids.
Pray that the Pickerings seek forgiveness and do the right thing.
For the sake of their four kids.

"Wouldn't most voters/taxpayers expect the State Auditor to at least investigate the situation if it were another elected official with the same set of facts?"

10:15, you're an idiot.

This isn't public dollars we are talking about. Period. These are private dollars. As Auditor, he wouldn't even have jurisdiction.

11:36, you're mistaken.

"'Wouldn't most voters/taxpayers expect the State Auditor to at least investigate the situation if it were another elected official with the same set of facts?'

10:15, you're an idiot.

This isn't public dollars we are talking about. Period. These are private dollars. As Auditor, he wouldn't even have jurisdiction."

There is more than just the possible misuse of campaign funds involved, and those are not exactly "private dollars" insofar as he can do anything he chooses, however he chooses, as though the money was "his" in the traditional sense. There are laws that control the usage/reporting.

In any case, "the set of facts" include his own explanations involving campaigning for other candidates, paying public employees for outside work, etc. That may or may not involve misuse of public funds, i.e., public employees getting benefits or being paid while also collecting their state pay for the same period of time. It's not illegal for a public employee to get paid by a campaign for work done "off the clock," but if any of that time was "on the clock," there could be a problem. I'm not suggesting that he has done something wrong, only that there are things involved in the entirety of this set of facts that if applied to another office-holder, his office has the jurisdiction and the duty to investigate.

Frankly, I hope he does have a good explanation for everything. Mississippi does not need yet another corruption scandal involving people of real power in the state. I just wish he would have given it immediately after the story broke.

It's ok, Pickering has the NRLC endorsement. Because the number 1 trait that I look for in a state auditor is whether he/she is pro-life.

This is good stuff.. I cant wait till all the other stuff comes out ... before or after the election... it is time the state auditor's office is cleaned up a little!

This is great...I cant wait till all the other corruption is revealed from the State Auditor's office... Should be interesting to see who stays and who goes

A long time ago, Adam Smith aptly noted that no one gives money for nothing. Money given to any politician isn't a donation, by every economic measure, we know it is an investment.

As long as donors get "theirs", whatever that may be (when you give to those seeking power, what do you think is expected in return?) I don't think they give a rip if it's spent on a sign, a garage door or tribute to a dead anti-Semite.

Mayor Mary is pulling out all stops as this is her last hope. She is no longer a full time resident of Madison. Only residing during the week and spends weekends and other time at her home in Natchez. She needs to resign as Mayor. Madison deserves better and has for years. She will destroy or take down all in her path. Pickering is in her way. Just as she helped take down Cochrans opposition. If you do not think she played a big part in that, think again. She is evil and delusional.

Stacey Pickering has been endorsed by the Right To Use Your Campaign Donations Any Way You Want. His record of doing so is near perfect.

Hold on everyone. Austin and Henry Barbour are working on Stacey's other clerical errors.

Robin Hart, the mayor of Madison stood for reelection recently. She won her election in a landslide without concealing her weekend home. She didn't purchase the home with campaign funds, nor did she drive to Natchez in a city vehicle or a campaign purchased RV. If she took down Cochran's opponent, it needed doing. All these are excellent reasons that Mayor Mary should not resign and will make an excellent state auditor.

Cull comments like the rest, lose readers, big mistake. The larger the size of your sacred cow herd the small the payoff. Doubt it at your expense?

I knew The Mayor spent a lot of time in Natchez (with her domestic assistant and chamber-maid at her side), but am just learning she owns a home there.

5:59 sez the mayor 'stood for election without concealing her weekend home'. I attended the debates and that subject never came up. How can 5:59 conclude that it wasn't concealed? It was never mentioned and the public is unaware of this fact.

Nor does 5:59 know how the home was purchased or how the mayor traveled back and forth during all this time. 5:59 (AKA Mary Butler) you're wrong in your claim that she effectively 'took down' 'Cochran's opponent'. She did not 'take down' anybody, other than Crosby, a junior would-be participant in the local scene. But, thank you , Mary, for that veiled suggestion.

So, there's a crook, an old witch, and a lesbian engineer( watch out Rudy).

3rd way indeed.

The dike has been transparent from the get go. Out of the closet. And probably has more ethics than the other two. She doesn't hide behind religion. I'm so sorry to ruin your party purity crap, but umm. Figuring out who's best for the job ( that doesn't have an affect on public policy) isn't exactly abstract algebra.

This isn't a morality vote, this is a bean counter vote. I hear those lesbians don't play.

Seriously, are there any honest politicians from Jones County? What was Pickering doing when Howard Industries was raided?

And I can vouch that Whitney tells the truth!

Pickering is about to unleash litigation against the states richest people. Those people paid Mary to run against Pickering. Its that simple. You run unopposed or you run scared.

Mary will get beat handily. Then it will be interesting to see what happens.

Sometimes it's best to move on. Any future Pickering investigations will not be taken seriously and those targeted will claim the "clerical error" defense. Maybe one slip up can be forgiven but this seems to have gone above and beyond.

I hope y'all are listening to the crap the Queen is spewing on Gallo right now!

You mean establishment MSGOP radio? The Supertalk network wouldn't exist without the benevolence of Republicans in statewide office using our tax dollars to publicize themselves on that network. Sorry, I don't listen to NPR and I don't listen to MSGOP establishment radio.

7:57 I caught the first half. She sounded "normal". What happened in the second half?

"You say that the cancer diagnosis was two years ago, but at least the RV purchase and her being "a millionaire"/making 15K a month/90-100K a year was back in 2007-2010, so the cancer diagnosis and any choices anyone made that resulted from it could not have played a role in the prior RV purchase"

Her cancer was much closer to 2010. I heard she has been in remission for at least the past two years, after a long period of treatment. I don't think it's pertinent to the controversy at hand, but if it is then let's get the facts and timeline right.

Mary owns homes all over. She has one in/near Hot Springs, AR. She owns a nice spread in Natchez, MS. She has a $700K crib on Lake Castle in Madison, MS.

All of this wealth and not even a webpage for her election?

Don't you think someone paid her to run against Stacy?

Who stands to lose if Stacy comes knocking on some rich doors?

Think people.

Why did Bryant spend only around 5k when he was the Auditor and Pickering has spent over 100k in same travel expenses? Statement by Butler but easy to look at finance reports to verify.

July 28, 2015 at 10:33 AM wrote: "Her cancer was much closer to 2010."

Fair enough, and you're right about getting the facts and timeline right. But as you say, the cancer diagnosis isn't pertinent because the "millionaire"/making 15K a month/90-100K a year, as well as the alleged RV payments and at least some of the Disney website comments regarding "their RV" pre-date the diagnosis. Even if it only pre-dates the diagnosis by months, not years, that diagnosis could not have played any role in any of that part of the situation.

More importantly, the campaign law doesn't allow the candidate to ignore the law if their spouse has medical issues. In this case, Pickering would have been required to report it as his income regardless of what personal expenses HE or THEY may have spent the money on. For example, whether HE bought her a diamond ring or paid for her medical issues or THEY bought an RV for their personal use, HE would have been required to declare it as HIS income, regardless of her knowledge of where the money came from. When it comes to joint tax returns and that aspect of the law, that is another issue and frankly, I doubt it is pertinant to this at this point.