Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Newspaper Supports Taggart, Question Fitch Spending of Campaign Account

This post is a paid advertisement. 

"Is Fitch Living Out of Her Campaign?", Madison County Journal Aug. 23 Editorial

 A deep dive into State Treasurer Lynn Fitch’s campaign finance reports over the last eight years suggests the Madison County resident could have been — figuratively and literally — living off campaign contributions and paying for everything from luxury hotel rooms to a Sirius XM subscription for her car with donor contributions. 
Fitch wants to be Mississippi’s chief law enforcement officer, so these are important questions that must be answered, especially since her next stop would naturally be the Governor’s Mansion.

The campaign finance questions outweigh her intimate association with trial lawyers that’s being exposed in the runoff.

Even though her last campaign finance report was filed late, it shows that about 40 percent of what she raised came from trial lawyers with 70 percent of them from out of state. Receiving contributions from trial lawyers in and of itself isn’t illegal. But will she be in the pay-to-play game like Jim Hood?

So, back to the more critical issue of campaign finance that’s looming.

In 2017, the Legislature passed campaign finance reform to end the practice of politicians paying for personal expenses out of their campaign funds. And that’s a good thing.

Before the reforms, her campaign finance reports indicate the State Treasurer could have very well been paying her mortgage interest note for her Madison County home, but with limited details and limited requirements, it’s impossible to know for sure without seeing canceled check stubs.

Since 2011, Fitch’s campaign made nearly $200,000 in interest and principal payments to Trustmark National Bank despite a loan for Trustmark never appearing on her contribution list.

Fitch herself loaned her campaign $100,000 back in 2011 but didn’t indicate if that was a personal loan or a loan from the bank itself.

The biggest payment to Trustmark was made in 2012 to the tune of nearly $87,000, so that could plausibly be repayment of her loan to the campaign, though it was documented improperly.

During her time in office, Fitch has been involved in at least four personal transactions with Trustmark for property in Madison County, beginning in 2013 with a $100,000 line of credit on a house she was living in, according to county property records. A year later, the loan was increased to $150,000. In June 2015, the loan was satisfied in full, and in July 2015, she received a $388,000 loan from Trustmark for a house on Eastpark Street.

At least two campaign expenditures to Trustmark came within two days of mortgage transactions on her personal residence in Madison County.

Coincidence? It’s a possibility. But, let’s look a little further.

Fitch’s $388,000 mortgage was for 10 years with Trustmark. Had she received a 3-percent interest rate, the interest payment would have been around $900 per month. Beginning In January 2016, Fitch was paying loan interest to Trustmark with campaign funds between $812 to $931 per month in addition to principal payments scattered about, until June 2017, the same year reforms went into effect.

Fitch’s campaign was paying interest payments on a loan that was never documented on campaign finance reports that would be around the monthly interest expense on a 10-year mortgage.

Flash forward to 2018 and the present. There have been no more interest or principal payments to Trustmark Bank, but new expenses have appeared following the reforms.

Fitch has paid membership dues to the Mississippi Bar and Tennessee Bar out of her campaign funds. She either purchased or leased a vehicle from Watson Quality Ford, according to her 2018 filing and pays for her Madison County car tag, oil changes and monthly trips to a car wash out of her campaign funds.

This year, she appeared to opt for an upgrade to her stereo, spending over $100 a month for SiriusXM radio.

The campaign finance reform made it illegal for politicians to use campaign money for personal use. The funds can only be spent on expenditures “relating to gaining, holding or performing functions of public office.”

In addition, Fitch has spent thousands and thousands of dollars on gas and convenience store snacks since the finance reform passed, leaving us to wonder if she’s not trying to offset the monthly mortgage interest payment she can no longer use campaign funds to pay. She’s also spent thousands of dollars eating out in the metro and on gifts, though we don’t know who the gifts are for or what they were.

She doesn’t need to use her campaign funds to campaign because she’s been using state taxpayer dollars to do that her last eight years as Treasurer.

You won’t find a sign for an unclaimed property event without her face taking up half of the banner. The official state website for the office of the State Treasurer has been changed to www.treasurerlynnfitch.ms.gov.

Fitch has spent the last eight years in office using taxpayer funds to build her brand from DeSoto County down to the Coast. Maybe that’s why she failed to pay the bonds on time — literally the most essential duty with which her office is tasked.

All of this to say, Lynn Fitch wants to be the next Mississippi Attorney General and then it’s her turn in the Governor’s Mansion the way GOP politics work.

With what is at best a questionable campaign finance record, is Lynn Fitch the person who needs to be interpreting, defending and enforcing state law?

No matter the outcome of Tuesday’s election against the better qualified Andy Taggart, Fitch should answer for her campaign finance expenditures that make it appear she was living out of her campaign.
Related Articles


Taggart for A.G., Madison County Journal Editorial, August 21, 2019

Other than missing the first bond payment in state history, State Treasurer Lynn Fitch mostly coasted through office neither hot nor cold, neither meek nor bold.

Fitch had one job — one job — and she failed to make a loan payment and now wants a promotion to Attorney General.

The liberal Democrats and trial lawyers have been pouring money into her campaign hoping to have a similar pay-to-play relationship with her that they currently enjoy with Jim Hood...

Even though her last campaign finance report was filed late, it shows that about 40 percent of what she raised came from trial lawyers with 70 percent of them from out of state. First Mike Moore, then umpteen years of Jim Hood. Mississippi has had enough.

Andy Taggart actually has the experience to be Mississippi’s next Attorney General. 

 Taggart is a practicing attorney with courtroom experience.

When Mississippi’s conservative leaders need a top legal mind — think the late Kirk Fordice, Haley Barbour and Phil Bryant — they call Taggart.

In the war on drugs, Taggart knows the difference between victims and perpetrators and will treat them that way.

Taggart always sides with the Constitution.

Taggart is a Reagan Republican. He ran the youth effort for Ronald Reagan in Mississippi in 1980.

When Democrats like former Attorney General Mike Moore fought Republican Gov. Kirk Fordice, Taggart’s brilliant legal mind was the tip of the spear for the first Republican governor since Reconstruction.

A young Taggart served ably as Fordice’s chief of staff. He’s not fake.

When Democrats like Jim Hood fought then-Republican Auditor Phil Bryant, Taggart led the legal charge.

Taggart knows his way around a courtroom. He is bold and aggressive in defense of liberty. And he isn’t looking for the next political job like Fitch always the opportunist.

Fitch had a lackluster two terms as State Treasurer. Let’s elect an attorney actually capable of getting things done. Mississippi needs bold, new, honest leadership, integrity and competence in the AG’s office.

On Aug. 27, vote Andy Taggart Mississippi Attorney General.


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
.