See: the JFP Election Blog for full election coverage + candidate interviews
Correction Appended Below.
The Jackson Free Press and journalist Othor Cain learned today that the Better Jackson PAC, which has been sending glossy pro-Marshand Crisler mailers for weeks to certain ZIP codes, had not filed campaign finance reports for either the primary or the runoff election as of close of business today, as required by state law.
At the request of the JFP and Cain, Jackson City Clerk Brenda Pree spent much of Monday trying to track down information on two organizations that are distributing flyers and mailers on behalf of Crisler. The mailer the Better Jackson PAC sent Friday, May 15, attracted the JFP's attention because it rehashed a campaign crime scare-tactic used in the past. Local attorney and Crisler supporter Wilson Carroll confirmed Friday that he is the treasurer of the group, but declined to say who else is involved or funding the group. He told us to "go through the channels."
Because there is no record of the Jackson-focused political action committee with the Mississippi Secretary of State's office, it must be on file in the Jackson City Clerk's office. However, Pree could find no record of the group registering there today. Finally, she asked for Carroll's cell number and called and asked him more about the "statement of organization for a political committee" that all such groups must legally file. He said he had faxed it to her and gave her the number he said he faxed it to—(601) 960-1092. That number is the office number for Councilman Charles Tillman, and is not a fax line.
Carroll then re-faxed a form to the city clerk he said he had faxed in April. The contact person, director and treasurer listed on the form, dated April 5, 2009, is Belmont Trapp, who serves on the board of directors of Our Fondren, alongside Carroll, who is the secretary of that group. Our Fondren is heavily focused on crime-watch activities in the Fondren neighborhood. Reached at her home tonight, Trapp would make no comment on the organization and whether or not it has filed the required reports. On the first call, she hung up abruptly on the reporter after saying a quick "thank you." When reached a second time, she referred all calls back to Carroll. She would not reveal the names of anyone else involved with, or contributing to, the PAC.
Reached on his cell phone, Carroll said tonight that the group had submitted a finance report for the runoff to the City Clerk's office after she spoke to him at the end of the day. He said he thought the group had not raised any money before the latest reporting period. However, the group sent glossy mailers out before the May 5, with photos of Crisler and Sheriff Malcolm McMillin together, urging people to vote for Crisler in the primary due to his crime plan and because he had taken a bullet. If the group raised more than $200 before the primary, state law requires that they file the pre-primary report, which must include funds that the PAC organizers injected into the group to pay for activities including sending the glossy mailers.
Last week, Trapp e-mailed the endorsement of Crisler by Weill to the Our Fondren e-mail list, and had to retract the e-mail because the group is a non-profit organization that cannot endorse candidates.
The city clerk said Monday that the Better Jackson PAC has not filed its campaign donor reports, which are due on the same dates as those for candidates. That means that the group has missed two deadlines for disclosing who has donated to their PAC and how much they have donated, leaving the group shrouded in mystery going into the runoff election Tuesday.
According to Miss. Code Ann. Sec. 23-15-801(c), "a political committee is any committee, party, club, association, political action committee or other group that makes contributions or disbursements of more than $200 aggregate in a calendar year toward influencing or attempting to influence voters." All political committees are required by state law to file both the statement of organization and reports of receipts and disbursements, just as the campaigns themselves do.
State law requires the statement of organization to include all officer names, and show a designated director and treasurer "who will be custodians of the books and accounts." This statement only included Trapp's name as director. Carroll was not listed, but said Friday that he is the treasurer.
Political committees also must file every required report until a termination report is filed saying they are taking no more contributions.
State law states that any candidate or person who violates the requirements will be charged with a misdemeanor and punished by a fine up to $3,000 or imprisoned up to six months, or both.
The Jackson Free Press has not yet ascertained the identity of the Committee for a Safer Jackson, which distributed flyers over the weekend and outside churches accusing Sen. John Horhn of selling his endorsement to Johnson and urging people to vote for Crisler. If you have information, please e-mail [e-mail missing].
The JFP will post PDFs of the Better Jackson PAC's campaign finance reports as soon as we get them Tuesday morning.
Correction appended: The story above originally said that the phone number Carroll gave for confirmation that he had faxed the paperwork to the City Clerk was the office line of Councilman Jeff Weill, which a worker in the City Clerk's office—not the City Clerk—told Othor Cain. Weill e-mailed overnight and said that it was, in fact, Charles Tillman's line, and the City Clerk confirmed that to Cain Tuesday morning.
Previous Commentsshow
What's this?More like this story
- Another Dirty Trick: Fake Johnson Flyers Distributed to Churches
- Sun Columnist, Better Jackson PAC Member Goes After JFP, ‘Takes Back' N-JAM Label
- McLemore, County Supervisor and Unions Endorse Johnson
- Horhn: Crisler Camp ‘Put the Money on the Table'
- BREAKING: 'Two Lakes' Developer McGowan Gave $6,000 to Secretive PAC
Support our reporting -- Follow the MFP.
Comments
Use the comment form below to begin a discussion about this content.