Harvey Johnson supporter and attorney Sam Begley responded to a Clarion-Ledger article about him yesterday concerning the Jackson mayoral election. The newspaper reported:
"With just over a week left until voters head to the polls, a legal dispute involving a mayoral candidate’s family business has suddenly surfaced as the most-talked-about issue in Jackson politics.
Each of four lawsuits was brought for the same reason — Mississippi Products, run until recently by mayoral hopeful Jonathan Lee, didn’t pay its bills when it was caught in the middle of a complicated contractual dispute. And in each case, a default judgment was issued against the company, demanding payment for as much as $75,000 worth of goods.
But because of the nature of the business relationships involved, it’s not clear to what extent, if any, Mississippi Products was to blame for the disputes. Nevertheless, the documents — which were distributed in unmarked envelopes to every major media outlet in the area and Lee’s opponents — have cast a late cloud over one of the frontrunners in the Democratic primary.
It’s not clear who sent the letters, but a trail of emails containing links to the same information leads back to a top campaign supporter of Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr. His campaign has denied circulating the information.....
The letters left no discernable trail, but an email obtained by The Clarion-Ledger containing the same information was sent by Sam Begley, an attorney who has donated to Johnson’s campaign in the past.
Begley was part of a team of financial advisers picked by the Johnson administration in December to handle a bond issue. The Begley Law Firm is supposed to be paid $100,000 under the contract.
When asked about the emails, Begley at first was evasive, asking to see exact copies of the emails, with recipients, before replying. The Clarion-Ledger would not agree to the request in order to protect a source’s anonymity. Later, he said he was not involved in any of the original research that uncovered the lawsuits, and denied distributing the emails on Johnson’s behalf.
Johnson’s campaign also denied any involvement.
“The Johnson campaign is focused on spreading Mayor Johnson’s message and his vision for the next four years,” campaign spokeswoman Melissa Faith Payne said. “We are not involved in circulating any information about any other candidate. The information that’s out there is a matter of public record. We encourage all voters to do their own research on each person running for mayor in order to make an informed decision about the person they want to lead Jackson.”
Mr. Begley responded to the article on Facebook yesterday and gave JJ permission to post his response:
"In a story appearing in the Clarion Ledger today, a portion of the copy was devoted to whether I "leaked" public records via an email to a recipient, who the paper deemed to be its confidential source. The email in question consisted entirely of web links to default judgments recently entered against Mississippi Products, Inc. totaling $150,000. I now wish I had included in my email a web link to a lawsuit recently filed in Hinds County by another vendor of the company seeking to recover $20,000, which Jackson Jambalaya identified. The company's owner is also late in paying ad valorem taxes on the property in which the business is located, evidence of which I also web linked and which was reported on WJTV, but omitted by the Clarion Ledger. Jonathan Lee is running for Mayor of Jackson, touting himself in a TV ad as a "successful businessman" and, up until this week, most of us believed that Jonathan was the president and owner of MPI. In the Jackson Free Press he confessed that he is neither of these. I invite my FB friends to go to the JFP and Jackson Jambalaya web pages to get a more complete story.
In my opinion, Jonathan's misrepresentations about his business background, combined with the unfortunate state of affairs of MPI, disqualify him from being mayor. It is laughable that the Clarion Ledger would even devote one line of copy about me sharing truthful, public information, in the form of an email to a person I was obviously acquainted with, that is materially relevant to the suitability of a person seeking to become Mayor of our city. They ought to thank me for doing their job. I wonder if the prominent financial backers of Jonathan, many of whom rolled with Frank Melton in 2005, took time to check him out beforehand or, instead, thought they could pull the wool over our eyes one more time, with $200,000 in media buys. Oh, and as a disclaimer, Harvey and Kathy Johnson have been friends of mine for 20 years, and I am voting for Harvey for in the Democratic Primary for Jackson mayor. SAM"
18 comments:
'many of whom rolled with..'
time to get out of the hood.
YAWN.
Mayor Johnson is easily the worst Mayor Jackson has had in my lifetime, and I'm no spring chicken. The fact that the Jackson Police Association endorsed Jonathan Lee for Mayor speaks volumes about Mayor Johnson. Chief Coleman goes out of her way to make JPD officers miserable; hence the reason officer morale is abysmal.
With the polls showing Mayor Johnson's numbers in a nosedive and Mr. Lee's rising and with Mr. Lee's being the one who will be in he runoff with Mayor Johnson, no wonder Mayor Johnson asks his lawyer, Mr. Begley, who makes a ton of money off the City(as pointed out in the Clarion-Ledger's fair and objective article he denigrates), to do a hit job on Mr. Lee over some litigation he's in.
The City is the one that's always getting sued for its wrongdoing in numerous different matters. Check out the multitude of ongoing lawsuits against the City if you don't believe me. What hypocrisy it is to fault somebody else for getting sued.
YAWN.
I'm just about finished wasting my time on the election. Jackson will get the mayor it deserves.
Those of us in the surrounding communities should be grateful that we'll know next Tuesday whether we should believe in and help restore Jackson (Lee; and maybe, just maybe Quinn), or whether it's finally time to stop pumping the cesspool, let it fester until it looks like a Superfund site, and then have the state take over the city a la Detroit (Johnson; Lumumba).
It would be nice to have a functioning capital city we can all believe in, but it's really not going to affect my life that much if we don't. Good luck Jacksonians -- your IQ test is a week from tomorrow.
I wish that one day Harvey would wake up and decide he is going to actually be a leader. That being said, I guess I will just go back to smoking crack......
In case you missed it the Fondren control freak went all control freaky yesterday.
Donner Harpy = Apr 28, 2013 21:35
@samrhall Sam, saw in your column today you said "rival campaigns" have sent "several mailings" out against Lee. Could you detail those...
Sam Hall = Apr 28, 2013 21:37
@DonnerKay I’ve received four packets from two campaigns. Since they contacted me on background, I agreed to keep them to myself.
Donner Harpy = Apr 28, 2013 21:38
@samrhall But talk about them generally? Why just report on one over there?
Donner Harpy = Apr 28, 2013 21:39
@samrhall Which other campaign?
Donner Harpy = Apr 28, 2013 21:40
@samrhall And you got one that y'all know was from the mayor's campaign beyond the email Begley sent? No tips from Quinn and Lee campaigns..
Donner Harpy = Apr 28, 2013 21:42
@samrhall ...about each other? We've had Lee camp give info on Quinn camp more than once, and a Quinn sock puppet on site that we identified
Donner Harpy = Apr 28, 2013 21:43
@samrhall ...going after Johnson who used Quinn camp email and who they say is now fired. I'm surprised to see y'all fixated just on what
Sam Hall = Apr 28, 2013 21:43
@DonnerKay We’ve received tips about other campaigns from campaigns. Same as you likely have.
Sam Hall = Apr 28, 2013 21:43
@DonnerKay But if a campaign is going to leak something, then own it. Don’t lie about it. That’s what was reported on.
Donner Harpy = Apr 28, 2013 21:44
@samrhall ...has been supposedly provided against Lee camp by others when most if all major camps doing it. Why not report while story and
Sam Hall = Apr 28, 2013 21:44
@DonnerKay We’ve reported on all of the campaigns. And we’ll continue to do so. But thanks for your interest. And thanks for reading.
Donner Harpy = Apr 28, 2013 21:45
@samrhall ... let readers decide? Also, has anyone provided false info yet? That's the vital point, of course.
Donner Harpy = Apr 28, 2013 21:46
@samrhall You've reported that all the camps are providing info on others? From what I've seen, looks like an impt hole in your coverage.
Donner Harpy = Apr 28, 2013 21:48
@samrhall Point: if you're going to write abt camps attacking Lee, you need to say which and report that his camp shops info abt others too.
Donner Harpy = Apr 28, 2013 21:48
@samrhall If y'all know that, of course.
Donner Harpy = Apr 28, 2013 21:50
@samrhall I'll have to re-read the story. I thought y'all reported that a Johnsin supporter emailed links to public docs. Did y'all verify..
Donner Harpy = Apr 28, 2013 21:52
@samrhall ...that campaign did it? And if y'all are worried abt "leaks" if true info, are you going to name other camp you said did it?
Donner Harpy = Apr 28, 2013 21:52
@samrhall If not, why not?
Donner Harpy = Apr 28, 2013 21:54
@samrhall Then are you going to report that, too, and name them? If not, why not? Serious question. Y'all the ones who went down this road.
Thank you 9:06 and 11:08. You both summed the entire election up well. Interesting Begley did not mention the $100,000 contract he was spoon fed by his "friend of over 20 years", HJ.
Around town, law firms of standing laugh at his legal "prowess". Where are you Donna? Crickets.
Being a recentl former officer the police department is in bad shape. The Conmand Staff is full of buddies who are clueless. For the new officers the only chance of progression is after 6 years when you are elgible to test for sergeant if a test is given. Once you make detective there is no pay increase. From year 1 to year 6 you will make the same 14.92 a hour ( barring you test for sergeant if it is available). The majority of city workers are supporting Lee . I intimately know of the struggles of the PD since Johnson hired Coleman as Chief.
And she sent a letter to the Harvey campaign whining about my ad and calling me a misogynist. She keeps lying and says I called her a slut. Nope. I think her personal virtues are fine and she is a chaste woman. Seriously. I called her a "journalistic slut" after she was Mac's dupe or willing accomplice (you decide) on the Irby case. You know, where everyone was accusing the JPD of trying to sand bag or fix the case and he refused to talk to the media but called her up because he said she was the only one who would give her a "fair" hearing. She still mad over that one. Maybe I should not have called her a journalistic slut. I should have probably just used the words "misinformed", "sell-out", "acting as a hack so to keep access", or just plain "dupe". They would have all been just as accurate without riling her feathers so much.
Of course, we are talking about someone who falsely accused the Robert Smith campaign of stealing JFP copies on election day with no proof or evidence to back it up.
And she sent a letter to the Harvey campaign whining about my ad and calling me a misogynist.
Yup, a delusional mad control freak.
Hey Sam....Donna....!
How bout that endorsement? Still ain't seen ONE Harvey sign in a YARD. Can't wait til next Tuesday. Arrogant ass goes DOWN.
Just read the thread. The bitch is crazy.
I don't believe she can spell misogynist....perhaps one of the interns guided her crayon.
Do a ORR on the $100,000 Begley contract, KF, and PDF it for the world. Please.
Sam B. is a pretty good cat from what I can surmise. He at least plays politics above board (regardless of the amount of dirt versus it's composition) and for that matter, earns his keep. Where is the beef?
there is some serious hating going on here and the sad part is the haters don't have a way to earn a living other than the government handout that comes monthly and the poverty pimps make sure that the people continue to depend on government.
Why don't you get an education and maybe someone will hire your sorry ass
Is it really true Donna Ladd does not even own land in Jackson or Hinds County? According to the land rolls she does not.
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