Legislator’s contrition missing from ethics case

Editorials

November 28, 2012

Legislator’s contrition missing from ethics case

By The Clarion-Ledger, Jackson, Miss Associated Press Wed Nov 28, 2012, 09:13 AM CST

JACKSON, Miss. — The Mississippi Ethics Commission should be congratulated for aggressively investigating the illegal actions of a state lawmaker whose family business profited from more than $400,000 in state contracts, much of that profiting in violation of state ethics law and the Mississippi Constitution.

Ethics Commission Executive Director Tom Hood said the deal cut with Rep. Kevin McGee, R-Brandon, was in the best interest of the state. McGee agreed to resign from the Legislature and never run for another legislative seat again. Additionally, he has to pay a $10,000 fine and his company cannot do business with the state for a year.

Monetarily, that’s a far cry from the original order in February, which required McGee to repay the more than $346,000 the Ethics Commission found he received illegally on top of paying a $50,000 fine. But as Hood said, it was unlikely that the state would ever receive that money. At the same time, McGee would be allowed to stay in the House, at least until he faced re-election and faced an opponent likely to question his ethics.

Still, we are somewhat troubled by the deal. We’re troubled because we didn’t see any contrition from McGee, who at the end of the day violated the state Constitution and broke the trust given him by voters to be a good steward of their money.

On Twitter, McGee even became defiant because someone followed him. “To my new follower who wants to laugh at my misery you won’t find any misery here! Plus my replacement will be just like me! Good luck,” he wrote after news broke of his resignation. We don’t know which new follower elicited the tweet, though based on his recent followers around that time it was likely Mississippi Democratic Party Chairman Rickey Cole.

Cole, in February, called on McGee to resign. McGee is a Republican who got in ethics trouble. That the opposing party’s chairman called on him to resign is hardly shocking. What is shocking, however, is that McGee would offer no contrition to the people of Mississippi — not in his official letter of resignation, not in an issued statement, not even on Facebook or Twitter. ...

... McGee should have issued a public apology. His lack of contrition in a state that values humility and is generous with forgiveness is a sad commentary on his character.

Online:

http://www.clarionledger.com

Text Only

Editorials

Bryant tantrum on education major standards was misguided
By the (McComb) Enterprise-Journal:
That was quite a tantrum Gov. Phil Bryant pitched at the College Board recently, criticizing its members for voicing concerns about his effort to increase standards for education majors.

March 29, 2013
Legislature to City Hall not sure move
Five Mississippi House members are running for mayor this year, and while name recognition might provide some advantage, lawmakers have had a mixed record in trying to go from the Capitol to City Hall.

March 27, 2013
Nation’s economy improving, but state’s still lagging
By The (Jackson) Clarion-Ledger
It’s been a long time coming, but finally there are bright economic signs nationally that seem here to stay a while.

March 23, 2013
Armed teachers dangerous idea for school safety
By (Columbus) The Commercial Dispatch:
The Mississippi House of Representatives sent back to the Senate a bill that would arm teachers.
Before sending it over, the House, by a 70-46 vote, amended the Senate’s bill in two major ways. Actually, the House did more than amend it. They neutered it.

March 22, 2013
Not every bill grabs headlines
The first two bills that Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant signed during the 2013 legislative session dealt with money.
House Bill 19 gave more cash to the agency that coordinates a program to put all emergency offices under the same digital communications system. House Bill 20 moved money from the car tag reduction fund to the Budget Contingency Fund. Lawmakers use the contingency fund to cobble together cash for the overall state budget.

March 20, 2013
Transparency key to ‘best watchdogs’ oversight
By The (Tupelo) Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal:
Rep. Jerry Turner’s effort to require open meetings of water associations and notice of meetings in which members of boards of directors will be elected remains alive in the Legislature. It should be enacted in the interests of transparency in the running of the nonprofit associations providing water for a significant percentage of Mississippi’s population.

March 16, 2013
Miss. makes news, good news, this time
By The (Columbus) Commercial Dispatch:
Generally, when Mississippi makes national news — especially of late — it is not the sort of notoriety we welcome. ...
So March 3, when Mississippi again made national news, we braced ourselves for the embarrassment that was sure to follow.
Only this time, it wasn’t anything to be embarrassed about.
Imagine that.

March 15, 2013
Ag’s legal expenses top $2.4M for year
An ongoing lawsuit challenging Mississippi’s foster care system has cost the state at least $4.4 million in legal expenses and fees since 2008.
Expenses continue to rise as the plaintiffs and the state work toward a telephone status conference scheduled for April 25 with U.S. District Judge Tom S. Lee. The price tag this year is $1.35 million.

March 13, 2013
Ag’s legal expenses top $2.4M for year
An ongoing lawsuit challenging Mississippi’s foster care system has cost the state at least $4.4 million in legal expenses and fees since 2008.

March 13, 2013
Higher pay best way to recruit better teachers
By The (McComb) Enterprise-Journal:
A centerpiece of Gov. Phil Bryant’s proposals to improve education in Mississippi is raising the requirements for college students to major in the education field.

March 9, 2013
More Editorials Headlines

Editorials

Search Results

Legislator’s contrition missing from ethics case

Site Map

Contact Us