Canton. The very name conjures of imagines of corruption, cronyism, and plain ole confusion. The 2021 municipal elections were no exception as not one but two Canton Municipal Democratic Party Executive Committees tried to run the Democratic primary.
This particular Gordian Knot began in April. Members of the Canton Democratic Party Executive Committee are elected every four years as required by state law. The committee has eight members. The Committee only had three members when qualifications for municipal elections began in 2021: John Scanlan*, Marion Freeman, Sr., and Natwassie Truly. Mrs. Truly is the wife of Canton Mayor Dr. William Truly. Scanlan and Freeman voted at the January meeting to appoint Charles Lovett and Elaine Blaire to replace two recently resigned members.
However, Mrs. Truly and the Good Doctor decided to form their own Canton Democratic Party Committee. The opinion states:
Just four days after the CDMEC' s January 26 planning meeting, the third elected member of the CDMEC, Natwassie Truly - acting alone and independently - called a mass meeting without the consent of the other CDMEC members, which took place on January 30, 2021. At the meeting. CDMEC member Mrs. Truly and Mayor Truly, her husband, dismissed the protest of elected CDMEC member Marion Freeman, Sr.. who was there to assert that there was already a duly-elected CDMEC. Mrs. Truly appointed herself as Chair of the "Temporary'· committee, and included as members attorney Lawrence Stephen Blackmon, who is Blackmon and Blackmon attorney Edward Blackmon. Jr.' s son, along with Robert Estes, L.C. Slaughter, and Don Cole. Mrs. Truly named her group the "Temporary Democratic Executive Committee."
Judge Weill said the creation of the "temporary" committee "violated" Section 23-15-313 of the Mississippi Code. The establishment of the "illegal" committee is what created this whole mess. The City Clerk sent to the Truly Committee all election-related correspondence, filing fees, and qualifying paperwork instead of the legal committee. Actually, this took place after the Mayor fired the City Clerk for refusing to send these items to his wife's committee as it was illegal.
While the civil war raged between the two sets of Democrats, the actual candidates tried to navigate the moving minefield and do what candidates do when they are trying to win an election. The Democratic primary saw several incumbents go down in defeat. Alderman Rodriguez Brown lost by 11 votes. Alderman Fred Esco lost by 22 votes. Alderman Tim Taylor lost by 3 votes. They all sued to overturn the election, citing voting irregularities.
The Court said Section 23-15-309(3) of the Mississippi Code states the Clerk should provide them to the "proper municipal executive committee", which was the Scanlan group. Both committees acted as if they were duly authorized to conduct the municipal elections. Both committees disqualified candidates, sometimes without notice. The Scanlan group even disqualified Mayor Truly, stating he was not a legal resident of Canton.
Is this confusing? Get ready for more bewilderment. The opinion states:
As the Scanlan/Freeman Group had also disqualified Mayor Truly in his race for re-election as mayor, and Mrs. Truly from running for re-election for Democratic Executive Committee, the Mayor and Mrs. Truly also had a trial before Judge Pickard on their appeal of the CDMEC disqualifications. Blackmon and Blackmon represented the Trulys in their appeal and at their March 10-11. 2021 trial. Thus, Blackmon and Blackmon represented CDMEC member Natwassie Truly in an appeal and trial directly adverse to the CDMEC mere weeks before Blackmon and Blackmon now contends it represents the CDMEC in the instant case, which arises from the same Canton municipal Democratic primary election. The Court has been presented no evidence that Blackmon and Blackmon's conflict of interest was waived by Mr. Scanlan or Mr. Freeman¹²; to the contrary, Mr. Scanlan's letter/Answer on file makes clear that Blackmon and Blackmon does not represent the CDMEC but is instead adverse to the committee.
Feel free to read that quote several times.
Judge Weill said enough is enough and threw the Truly Group out with the bathwater. He said the Truly Group "was invalid from the beginning" because there was already a Canton Democratic Municipal Executive Committee. The Blackmons represented a non-existent committee. Thus all pleadings filed by Blackmon & Blackmon on behalf ot the Truly Group are dismissed and stricken from the record.
* He is not the attorney, John Scanlon.
Kingfish note: Don't worry, there is more to follow in a subsequent post.
41 comments:
The Doctor is Truly an idiot.
Ah, politics at it's finest. Meanwhile, Chip is still running around town in his extra small bullet resistant vest thumping his chest proclaiming victory.
Crabs in a bucket…..
Warring democrat factions inside of Jackson is what keeps anything from getting done. Can't make the wrong people mad by fixing something with the wrong contractor in the wrong neighborhood, so just don't do anything.
There will never be a "CLEAN UP" in Canton! Like Jackson, it is too far gone!
Time for the Madison County government to step in and implement whatever changes are necessary before Canton becomes Jackson north.
at 11:25 AM
You beat me to it, he is also on the radio and facebook making that claim. And for 4 years, he declares he is about to win Humpteen million dollars because his recording studio was burned down in Memphis.
Yup, just what Canton needs as a mayor, or supervisor.
12:18, you may be right about this being 'what Canton needs', and it may be an interesting four years ahead for Canton under his leadership.
But,this is what Cantom should get if the law is followed which is what it appears Weill is going to do (unlike Pickard, who had and has no idea of what the law even is or where to find it in the books).
Truly does not live in the city - nor does Brown. Or Esco. Bit what the hell, neither of the twoBlackmon's who own all of them live in their respective House and Senate seats - its the norm for Canton.
@12:09pm - Too late.
You would think those loud mouthed do nothings Kenny Wayne Adams and that Ashley Ann girl on Facebook who looks hard into the corruption of a city they don't even live in wand tries to stir the pot would have their pulse on this situation too. #southernscrutinty #doublestandard
Fact- NIssan planning a shut down. Cant get get auto chips....it will get worse
@ 2:23 sounds legit. Or dumb... whichever makes you feel better.
Has Canton been coasting on the Nissan plant?
@2:23 PM,
What does a Nissan shut down (if indeed one is planned) have to do with political corruption in Canton?
Their needs to be a cleanup in Gluckstadt, just wait until they accept money from the convicted racist tonight. This stuff needs to be nipped in the bud before it gets started. I am sure he is trying to rehabilitate himself so he can run for office in the new city.
Typical Democratic run city. It’s all over this county!
Chip is from Canton.
I understand why he wishes to take back that town from the Truly/Blackmon dictatorship.
I only wish there were some Jacksonians that had the same testicles.
While reading this I couldn't help but think this sounds like some civil war in a third world country. Someone in Canton please stand up and do the right thing. People will get behind you. When people are given the ability to right a wrong then they have the responsibility to right the wrong. Stand up.
" Their needs to be a cleanup in Gluckstadt,"
???
Good Lord sport, put down your bong for a few hours.
Gluckstad has only been incorporated for a few weeks.
( And I think you meant to say "there" not "their".
Canton. Where you can serve on the CMU board, steer work to Claude Banks, and sell insurance to CMU (without actually providing the coverage). But it’s okay because your wife has a zebra tent.
Canton. Where you can work at CMU while also being an alderman. And get arrested for trespassing in a CMU employee’s yard. But it’s okay, because you are Eric Gilkey and will scream racism.
Canton. Where over $20 million in CMU funds can be illegally utilized (per CMU’s own admission, and sworn testimony and financial documents from the annexation case, and findings from the PSC). Yet Canton loves you because you are a retired general and go to church and have lived in Canton for years.
Canton. Where it’s okay to be a crook, as long as you are OUR crook.
Chip Matthews does NOT need to be the Mayor of Canton. You need look no further than a string of failed businesses.
William truly does NOT need to be the Mayor of Canton. He is overtly racist and corrupt.
I was born in Canton. I do not live there and will never move back.
I am so glad to have moved to jackson from that cesspool in canton. #theboldcityrises
"Chip Matthews does NOT need to be the Mayor of Canton.
William truly does NOT need to be the Mayor of Canton. "
Well, please tell us ( in your opinion) who should hold the prestigious title of Lord of Canton ?
7:10 - since you have moved out and intend to never come back, you ought not be worried about Matthew's 'failed businesses'. At least he had the balls to put his name (tarnished as it may be) on the ballot and take on the Truly/Blackman establishment.
5:54 - standing up is exactly what John Scanlon and the others did four years ago when a group of residents - black & white, old and young - got together and worked at cleaning up the election process in Canton. Those that put their name on the ballot to run for the Democratic Municipal Executive Committee and ousted several of the long-serving todies put themselves in position to move the final step - hiring competent and honest poll workers to conduct the party primary. Granted, the Democratic Party machine moved in and, while ignoring state law and proper procedures, paniced and tried an end run around those that stood up and the idiot Judge from South Mississippi who is connected with that entire group of thugs ruled to let them proceed ignoring the law (just as he did in ignoring the law a year earlier in the Banks supervisor election).
Proud of those folks who did "stand up" as you suggest is needed. Maybe more need to join in and give them support, financial and moral.
"I am so glad to have moved to jackson from that cesspool in canton "
Other than population, what's difference "
Did you consider moving to Madison or Brandon?
"What does a Nissan shut down (if indeed one is planned) have to do with political corruption in Canton? Has Canton been coasting on the Nissan plant?" While Canton Nissan does donate some money to the city it is not within the city limits, just as the new Amazon Plant isn't in the city limits either.. Yes they both have a 39046 Zip code, but hopefully we don't have to get into that argument again.
Imagine, gentlemen, going to see Truly for your annual lipids profile and digital. Now...imagine never getting the results of the former but knowing there is no end to the intrusion of the latter. Grab your ankles Cantonians.
Canton school district has benefited from Nissan - not from a 'donation' but from the real estate taxes related to the school district (which extends beyond the city limits of Canton). This is not a 'donation' on the part of Nissan but regular taxes that every property owner pays. As part of the incentive package to Nissan's decision to locate in Madison County, the regular real estate taxes were waived for 10 years, but the school taxes were not waived (which is normal for many such large economic development packages.)
One can readily see the benefits of the Nissan payment of the school taxes simply by driving by the newly constructed facilities; no way those could ever have been built from the Canton tax base, even if the regular tax revenues were all left unmolested by the city 'leaders'.
Attn 6:23 p.m. July 6. Please elaborate on the Zebra tent? And the nonexistent insurance policy.
We need a freedom of information act report that reflects the hundreds of thousands Nissan has GIFTED to the Separate School District since the car manufacturer came to town. Including a chart showing where all that annual gifting has wound up.
7:20 PM
That's what's called a "lateral promotion".
@9:50 CMU purchased and paid for a rather large insurance policy from Roberts Insurance in Canton. A CMU board member has an office there and works for them. Roberts Insurance is not an insurance company. They are an insurance broker who writes/sells coverage through different insurance companies. CMU paid for the policy. However, Roberts pocketed the money and never sent it to the insurance company, so CMU was uninsured. This is illegal. It did get media coverage.
Attn 7:20 pm. Jackson os okay as long as you don’t need drinkable water, don’t mind gun shots, and don’t need a free public education.
And WHY aren't some of these "players" not being considered for a wee bit of jail time ?
Speaking of players and jail, just heard Deangelo Jackson was picked up in Canton today at about 12:30.
8:30. 5:54 here. Great job. Keep the fight. Rome wasn't built in a day. I'm not in your area and I'm making the phone calls that need to be done. Put this place on blast and don't let up. This is ridiculous. I know some of these names here. Their kingdom is one inside a much bigger kingdom. Too many people willing to stay with the ole status quo. Make people uncomfortable and they will change their seat. The national media loves to bash this state. Give them some fodder.
You heard right, 1:53.
Roberts Insurance is no longer. Its now a dress shop. The owner died and the agent that pocketed the money had a stroke and is in a nursing home.
Not only did CMU get taken the Madison County Board of Supervisors got clipped too!
Does being in a nursing home exempt one from legal action? You can bet your best fighting dog that he ain't the only one who pocketed that money.
CMU was fully reimbursed by Robert’s Insurance Company for all premiums paid that were remitted under the coverage policy. During this time there were no claims by CMU under the lapsed policy. CMU issued a demand on Roberts. He reimbursed CMU under threat of litigation. CMU reported it to MID. MID investigated.
If ya know, exactly where do the following persons REALLY live?
William Truly
Fred Esco
Rodriquez Brown
Come on, someone please tell us!
Post a Comment