Jackson Free Press

Mayor Frank Melton has refused to renew a contract with Washington lobbyists Winston & Strawn, LLP, ending 10 productive years of lobbying efforts for the city. The firm is the first hired by the city to represent its interests in Washington and has aided in the collection of more than $111 million in federal money for the city. The firm helped net funding for the remodeled downtown train station, the Metro Parkway and the County Line Road extensions, among other projects.

Replacing the firm will be one man: 28-year-old Marcus Ward—who served briefly as the city's acting personnel director after Mayor Frank Melton fired Jackie Mack in mid-December. Last week, Ward made news by escorting former Equal Business Opportunity Director Tanya Ross out of her office while he was armed.

"My administration has decided to take a different approach with regards to our federal affairs representation in Washington," Melton wrote in a Dec. 30, 2005, letter to lobbyist John Waits. The contract … will not be renewed beyond December 31, 2005."

The 150-year-old firm had an intimate connection to Jackson through Waits, a Winston & Strawn partner. The native of Leland, Miss., first took on a contract with then-Mayor Kane Ditto in 1995 to lobby for the city.

"I've always been partial to Jackson, and we've always worked hard for the city," Waits said. "I've enjoyed working with past administrations, but the new mayor has a new plan, and if he wants to pursue other avenues then that's his prerogative."

Waits' firm also aided in grabbing almost $10 million annually for the eight years of the COPS Law Enforcement program. The city has used COPS money for the laptop computers, portable or mobile fingerprinting devices and the famous Mobile Command Bus that the new mayor has lately enjoyed while scooting around Jackson.

The firm has also worked with state representatives, like Bennie Thompson, in convincing the House to insert a $25 million provision in the Water Resources Development Act, which will be before the U.S. Senate in the upcoming weeks. The provision, if successful, will dedicate the $25 million (which is apart from the $111 million already collected by the company) to water and wastewater infrastructure in Jackson—an issue Melton campaigned hard on in 2005.

Council President Marshand Crisler looked upon the new assignment with incredulity. "What are your years of experience?" Crisler asked Ward at the Jan. 9 City Council work session.

"I've been working about five years," Ward answered, adding that this was the average of most lobbyists.

"This is going to be our sole representative of lobbying for the city of Jackson?" Crisler demanded.

"We realize that Mr. Ward is a young man," Chief Administrative Officer Robert Walker said, "but we have the confidence that he's going to do an extraordinary job for the city."

Horror seemed to settle over the Council as members realized that Melton had dismissed the most successful money-maker in the city's history and replaced him with a 28-year-old "assistant."

Crisler feared this would cost the city millions. "What is this? What is the direction we're going in? Last time I checked Ward was director of public affairs? Now he's our high-powered lobbyist? When did that happen? I just learned about this today, and I've just learned today that we've allowed a contract to expire after 10 years, the same lobbyist who's brought $14 million this last year. I'm really concerned if this is how we're going to continue to do business," Crisler said.

Ward 1 Councilman Ben Allen said there was no way Ward could compare to the political connections of a fully staffed firm seated firmly in Washington.

"I can't see how anybody in Jackson, Mississippi, can do what has to be done," Allen said. "We go up there to Washington and visit every year. As we go into a congressman's office, (Winston & Strawn) are already sitting there with their staff. They are paid Washington lobbyists who know the president of DuPont, and the president of this and the president of that. They're in that game 24/7. They've got 800 lobbyists working full time. It's impossible for (Ward) to do what they do. No disrespect to you (Ward), but I'm floored by this."

Ward, who has worked as a staff assistant for Mississippi Sens. Trent Lott and Thad Cochran, said he felt he was fit for the job. "I think I'm qualified to do the job. I think Senators Lott and Cochran would be more than willing to endorse my position. I have experience in walking the bill through the process to get it to vote," said Ward, who would not disclose his new salary.

Ward considers himself a higher level of lobbyist. "It's like a baby on a pacifier. Once you take that baby off the pacifier you've got to start eating eventually. You have to wean yourself off of it. …[A]ll we were getting (from the feds) was what we were going to get anyway," he said Monday.

Ward added that he was going to "give a stand-up presentation of the city" to congressmen "regardless of whether I sit in Jackson or Washington."

Lanier Avant, chief of staff for Rep. Bennie Thompson, said Winston & Strawn's work had been instrumental in assembling the WRDA provision package.

"They do everything from arrange meetings all the way to assisting in drafting report language that ends up being beneficial to the people of Jackson," Avant said.

Though federal legislators like Sen. Trent Lott and Sen. Thad Cochran wield great influence in Washington (Cochran is chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee), politicians frequently rely on lobbyists to bring together the talking points that put the meat in their arguments. Lobbying for cities was in its embryonic stage during much of the 1990s, but since that time, there has been a proliferation of lobbying on behalf of cities across the country.

Waits warns that Melton will need some sort of voice on Capitol Hill if he intends to snag the kind of federal money that brought to fruition so many city projects under former Mayor Harvey Johnson—and the types of federal grants he promised repeatedly during his campaign to pay for his plans.

"These days you can't just ask for the money. You've got to make a case for it, show the legitimate need and why your particular request should be funded over anybody else's. It's an increasingly competitive situation in Washington and cities with good lobbying helps arm their congressional delegation with information and back-up and detail they need to get their legislation passed," Waits said.

The firm's contract cost the city of Jackson $6,000 a month. "If you compare what we have charged other similar-sized cities, it's not above the average, and not all the time I put into Jackson is necessarily reflected in the hours recorded," Waits said. "I've enjoyed working for you."

Previous Comments

ID

64997

Comment

Can we get a lobbyist to put forth a bill allowing the citizens of Jackson to Recall the Mayor? Please!

Author

pikersam

Date

2006-01-10T09:55:15-06:00

ID

64998

Comment

Alright, this man has lost his damn mind. That's it.

Author

Lori G

Date

2006-01-10T10:00:35-06:00

ID

64999

Comment

Can we get a lobbyist to put forth a bill allowing the citizens of Jackson to Recall the Mayor? Please!

Author

pikersam

Date

2006-01-10T10:02:31-06:00

ID

65000

Comment

There has to be something, this is out of hand.

Author

*SuperStar*

Date

2006-01-10T10:03:20-06:00

ID

65001

Comment

Sorry, can you delete the double post. The internet freaked on me.

Author

pikersam

Date

2006-01-10T10:03:22-06:00

ID

65002

Comment

Can anybody think of a sane reason for doing this? I'm guessing we won't be paying this kid $6,000 a month, so there could be some cost savings. But, outside of that, I can't think of anything else. In all seriousness, what WOULD it take to get this nutjob out of office?

Author

millhouse

Date

2006-01-10T10:20:49-06:00

ID

65003

Comment

Can anybody think of a sane reason for doing this? No.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2006-01-10T10:46:28-06:00

ID

65004

Comment

I don't understand how the City Council has no say in this! I guess this answers the questions I had about this person being able to singlehandedly fire Performa. "I think Senators Lott and Cochran would be more than willing to endorse my position." Sounds familiar. I'd like to think that the C-L might report this, too, but that would be downright responsible.

Author

millhouse

Date

2006-01-10T11:00:37-06:00

ID

65005

Comment

They do have a story, buried under a headline that puts the onus on City Council for being disagreeable. And notice that although my reporter and theirs covered the different meeting, not all the same stuff gets reported. Interesting, eh?

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2006-01-10T11:07:42-06:00

ID

65006

Comment

I don't get this at all. They are setting Mr. Ward up for failure. If he's such an amazing 28-year-old—and may well be—put him in a solid position to be mentored and groomed, not in a place where he can be fired for losing all this federal money the city needs so badly. Ben Allen had good comments about this on his radio show this morning—sandwiched between a lot of race-soaked rhetoric about black kids who wear baggy pants by his partner and a caller. To our new blogger's credit, he tried to deflect those comments. But it so hard to have to sit through such ugliness to hear the good stuff that is increasingly said on that show. I'll be glad when he gets his blog started here. HE has good things to say, and he thinks for himself. I've grown to respect him for that. And he LOVES the city of Jackson. I believe that to my core.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2006-01-10T11:12:26-06:00

ID

65007

Comment

And don't make him look like a "thug" by sending him to fire a city director with an armed guard in tow. Lord.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2006-01-10T11:13:16-06:00

ID

65008

Comment

Can't you just see him showing up in Sen. Cochran's office with his armed man? Could be a good cartoon. ;-)

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2006-01-10T11:13:50-06:00

ID

65009

Comment

Somebody up thread said "I'm guessing we won't be paying this kid $6,000 a month..." $6k a month is $72k a year, gross. I don't have a clue if that's what they're paying him, but Melton has brought on some city people at considerably higher salaries than that. According to our story on salaries, $72k is less than Melton pays his sister-in-law, PR/events coordinator Carolyn Redd (she makes about $74k).

Author

Todd Stauffer

Date

2006-01-10T11:36:11-06:00

ID

65010

Comment

Todd, I'm glad you did the math. I was going to earlier but didn't have the time at the moment. I think I read he'll be getting paid $70,000? So, if that's accurate, we're paying one man the same amount we were paying an entire firm. Better get our damned money's worth!

Author

kaust

Date

2006-01-10T11:56:09-06:00

ID

65011

Comment

Guys, this is just crazy. I really don't understand what's going on here. I also don't understand how long Melton's going to be able to hold it together. He appears to be decompensating.

Author

Lori G

Date

2006-01-10T12:00:37-06:00

ID

65012

Comment

That C-L story said this: Unlike his predecessor, West Point native Marcus Ward will lobby Capitol Hill from Jackson. And this: Melton, who was not at the work session, said he wants a lobbyist in the city that can be directly accountable to its residents. Let me tell you from experience that when folks from Gucci Gulch are sitting in the staff offices and knocking on the Senator's door, the guy on hold on the phone is NOT going to get listened to. Anyone that thinks they can successfully lobby Congress from an office in Jackson does not have a realistic or practical understanding of lobbying and congressional access. If you want a lobbyist to be directly accountable, you better get one that can produce in a climate that has seen earmarks and pork go from high to astronomical (yes, under Republicans). It is NOT a case of “[A]ll we were getting (from the feds) was what we were going to get anyway.” That statement alone shows the new lobbyist hasn’t got a clue.

Author

Rex

Date

2006-01-10T12:05:51-06:00

ID

65013

Comment

How about the "pacifier" quotes. I mean, how hard can it be to get the federal government to give Jackson, Miss., $111 million?

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2006-01-10T12:17:06-06:00

ID

65014

Comment

I mean, how hard can it be to get the federal government to give Jackson, Miss., $111 million? Well, lets see... A Southern municipality with a 70% black population, a 6-1 Democrat majority City Council, a Democrat (in name) mayor, an 11-5 Democrat majority State Legislative delegation. Yeah, $111 million? Child's play alright

Author

Rex

Date

2006-01-10T12:27:32-06:00

ID

65015

Comment

Thanks for the C-L link... I missed it. I knew $72K a year bit, but since I didn't see the C-L article I had no idea that we were paying some unknown kid to do the job of several professionals. "What I gathered in Washington is that they love Marcus. When I was up there the last time, it was made clear to me our legislators wanted a change. He can get the job done," Melton said." "Our legislators" wanted this? I'd like to hear it straight from their mouths.

Author

millhouse

Date

2006-01-10T12:27:54-06:00

ID

65016

Comment

BTW, I just posted a new, better edited version of this story. Nothing substantive changed.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2006-01-10T12:35:18-06:00

ID

65017

Comment

Council President Marshand Crisler said at the Jan. 10 council meeting that Ward would be making $70,000 a year, about $2,000 less than what the city was paying Winston & Strawn, LLP.

Author

Adam Lynch

Date

2006-01-10T15:22:49-06:00

ID

65018

Comment

Oh well, that makes sense then. For $2,000/year less we certainly wouldn't expect a lobbyist with multiple employees or one that lives in Washington to do this work. At $70,000/year Ward simply can't afford to hire assistants or be in DC at a moments notice to work the staffs and congressional delegation. We should all cut Ward (and Melton) a break due to the hardship of trying to lobby on a mere $70,000/year.

Author

Rex

Date

2006-01-10T16:00:26-06:00

ID

65019

Comment

The Ledger says this guy was hired as a memeber of Melton's executive staff so the council did not get to vote on this. I presume that makes Ward a city employee rather than an independent contractor. As an independent contractor, Waits had a contract fee - $72,000 was all the city had to pay for him. With this new guy, a city employee (I presume), we have to foot the bill for office overhead and benefits too --cellphone, healthcare, PERS, bulletproof vest, etc.

Author

Jaydub

Date

2006-01-10T16:28:03-06:00

ID

65020

Comment

we have to foot the bill for office overhead and benefits too --cellphone, healthcare, PERS, bulletproof vest, etc. ...sidearm...

Author

Rex

Date

2006-01-10T16:34:36-06:00

ID

65021

Comment

"...it was made clear to me our legislators wanted a change." I'd want a change too if people were badgering me all the time...asking for things..."lobbying" if you will, especially if they were good at it and got what they asked for alot of the time. Oh, wait, that's what they're paid to do. Seriously, wouldn't it make more sense to not sign the contract and make a change if JACKSON and it's residents wanted a change... as opposed to the legislators who are on the other end of the deal?

Author

Jen

Date

2006-01-10T17:02:52-06:00

ID

65022

Comment

This smells like a really bad decision, but what bugs me more is the really bad decision-making process.. "SURPRISE! We don't need $111 million dollars a year from an inexpensive lobbying firm!" "SURPRISE! We don't need $250,000 per year from the University Medical Center!" "SURPRISE! I just fired the entire community policing staff!" "And what are you going to do next, Mr. Melton?" "I'm going to DISNEYWORLD!" Cheers, TH

Author

Tom Head

Date

2006-01-10T19:31:33-06:00

ID

65023

Comment

"Can we get a lobbyist to put forth a bill allowing the citizens of Jackson to Recall the Mayor? Please!" Perhaps start a petition? Get registered voters to petition for a recall election? I will have to check.

Author

Missy

Date

2006-01-10T19:37:52-06:00

ID

65024

Comment

I saw Melton on the 5:00 news commenting about his new appointee. I ask, if we are paying him around 70K a year in salary, how much is it going to cost the city to send "Opie Taylor" back and forth to lobby for us? When you add in all of the travel expenses and perks, I would think that this move would put this kid deep, deep, deep into the six figure range. I for one would like to put together a committee to see if we can get this madman (Frank) out of office ASAP. If this dosen't stop soon, this city will look like we have been hit by another hurricane. Hurricane Melton. I see him as Terminator 4, the one man wrecking crew that took down a city in a matter of months.

Author

lance

Date

2006-01-10T21:09:03-06:00

ID

65025

Comment

I keep trying to think of what to say about this, but my head hurts too bad from reading about it. (bangs head against computer screen to lose consciousness)

Author

LatashaWillis

Date

2006-01-10T21:59:47-06:00

ID

65026

Comment

How were the City's lobby efforts conducted prior to the ten year period lobbyists Winston & Strawn, LLP were under contract?

Author

realtime

Date

2006-01-10T22:04:25-06:00

ID

65027

Comment

Actually, realtime, that's a damned good question: How much federal money the city was pulling in prior to 1995. Huge difference, and it shows the impact of the lobbying group. Smaller difference, and Melton is morally obligated to cite that and make a defense of his decision. This "Nobody needs to know why I did it" foolishness has got to come to an end. I don't mind as much if Melton is making a bad decision as long as there's some rational justification for it, even if it's one I disagree with. It's when he comes out of the blue with "we don't need more money"--like he did with the $250k/year we were getting from UMC, where he just said "No thanks" with no explanation--that I start getting creeped out. Cheers, TH

Author

Tom Head

Date

2006-01-10T23:38:00-06:00

ID

65028

Comment

"I don't mind as much if Melton is making a bad decision as long as there's some rational justification for it, even if it's one I disagree with. It's when he comes out of the blue with "we don't need more money"--like he did with the $250k/year we were getting from UMC, where he just said "No thanks" with no explanation--that I start getting creeped out." yeah Tom, i feel the same way man. i've been over and over this in my head and i just don't see where Melton's coming from with this at all hell, i feel bad for Ward...it's like Donna said...it's like Melton's just setting him up to fail...

Author

William Patrick Butler

Date

2006-01-11T00:28:28-06:00

ID

65029

Comment

He could be another Will Jemison—the young man who worked for the city that we profiled in the Jacksonian and was then suddenly let go.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2006-01-11T00:32:16-06:00

ID

65030

Comment

Yeah, that was really weird. Sounded (and still sounds) like a hell of a young man, too. Is he doing okay? And (okay, this probably sounds crazy) was there any connection between his abrupt firing and the fact that he'd just been profiled in His Majesty's least favorite paper? Cheers, TH

Author

Tom Head

Date

2006-01-11T01:23:56-06:00

ID

65031

Comment

Yes, there seemed to be. Mr. Melton called me, out of the blue, to tell me that Mr. Jemison has misrepresented his job in City Hall to us, but I confimed that Mr. Jemison had indeed held the position he said. It was a very strange conversation, indeed. I believe Mr. Jemison has another job, but it sounds like he got a really raw deal. He seems very sharp, though, and has a bright future.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2006-01-11T01:33:55-06:00

ID

65032

Comment

Again our daily paper is deciding they know what is best for Jackson! Here is there editorial take on local lobbyists. The money quote: "Local governments hiring lobbyists is a waste." We have some real idiots over there for sure! Sad really, really sad...

Author

pikersam

Date

2006-01-11T08:28:28-06:00

ID

65033

Comment

That editorial is confusing to say the least. They are all over the place with their comments and in one paragraph seem to justify having a lobbyist and then completely say it's not worth it. Well, when the C-L is willing to fork over a few mil a year to the city, I think it's well worth saying a lobbyist MIGHT NOT be necessary. Do they write these editorials after shooting whiskey or something?

Author

kaust

Date

2006-01-11T09:08:02-06:00

ID

65034

Comment

Yeah, that's a really stupid editorial, but it's on par with the logic and writing in most. It often seems that they have each person on the "editorial board" throw in one sentence, and they publich it sight unseen. That is about the only thing that explains how bad they are. Anyone checking to see if our, er, model city of Richmond, Va., has a lobbyist? They probably at least have one to represent their tobacco interests. If it came down to it, on the rare occasion when Jackson might need a lobbyist to gladhand lawmakers, why couldn't Melton jump on a plane and go to Washington himself? That line was my favorite from the editorial, however. Should we really be encouraging Mr. Melton to go somewhere else and make us look bad??? Think about it.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2006-01-11T09:36:08-06:00

ID

65035

Comment

I think we can all agree, regardless of our ideology, that The Clarion-Ledger is a caricature of a newspaper at this point. To me, it's the most embarassing thing about this city, even worse than our mayoral antics. You're going to have a Ventura or a Scharzenegger or a Perot come along from time to time, but to have a newspaper that can't distance themselves enough from said public official to do decent reporting and analysis about him is something this community needs to be really concerned about.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2006-01-11T09:39:09-06:00

ID

65036

Comment

You know, to me it does not matter what the City was doing prior to 1995 regarding a Lobbiest. If it has been beneficial to the City for a decade, then why change it? Would love to see a breakdown of exactly what the $111,000,000 was. Surely this did not include more or less 'entitlement' monies such as CDBG. And, when the accounting of Mr. Ward's first year is issued, someone should make sure we are comparing like funds. Of course, if the grant for water and sewers comes through, it would make his first year look superlative even though the groundwork and footwork were done prior to his being named 'Director of Governmental Affairs'. Speaking of comparisons, is there a total for what the Johnson Administration paid for the Mayor's staff in say March of 2004 compared to what the Melton Administration is paying for his staff in December 2004? Maybe a better comparison would be March 2004 to January 2005.

Author

ChrisCavanaugh

Date

2006-01-11T10:34:26-06:00

ID

65037

Comment

Chris, you raise some interesting points... I would love to see the JFP dig into those! Hell, I'd love to see anyone (even the Ledge) dig into those!

Author

kaust

Date

2006-01-11T10:40:16-06:00

ID

65038

Comment

Why Knol, the C-L still things the emperor has new clothes!

Author

ChrisCavanaugh

Date

2006-01-11T10:57:41-06:00

ID

65039

Comment

Knol, we have been working on that for a while, and recently published the salaries they would give us. The truth is, however, that the administration is withholding very basic public information like some salaries. Like Mr. Danks'. Maybe they just write him a check whenever he needs mad money. ;-) Chris, I believe Adam has that breakdown. I'll ask him to post more details.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2006-01-11T11:03:12-06:00

ID

65040

Comment

Chris, I think the only thing the Melton administration can do to redeem its decision not to renew the contract with our lobbyist is to make the case that it has not helped us financially in objective terms, and the only way to do that is to look at the federal money we brought in prior to 1995, adjusted for inflation, and compare. I suspect the comparison would not be flattering to Melton's decision, but IMHO it needs to be made by somebody at some point. And I'm not necessarily saying the impetus should be on the JFP; it bothers me a hell of a lot that our local daily's only contribution to this discussion is a baseless pontification on what "local governments" need rather than something data-oriented. That sums up the major problem with the C-L, for me: Mostly opinion and spin, with minimal facts. And absolutely no inconvenient facts. Cheers, TH

Author

Tom Head

Date

2006-01-11T14:18:35-06:00

ID

65041

Comment

Mr. Waits' resume: John A. Waits Washington, D.C. Practice Areas: • Legislative and Regulatory-Appropriations • Legislative and Regulatory-Environmental • Legislative and Regulatory-Federal • Legislative and Regulatory-State and Local • Legislative and Regulatory-Trade • Legislative and Regulatory-Transportation Industry Areas: • Agriculture • Public Sector • Transportation Law School: • New York University, 1977 Year Joined: • 1988, as a Partner Bar Admissions: • District of Columbia • New York John Waits is a partner in Winston & Strawn’s Washington, D.C. office. His practice has been particularly focused on the congressional appropriations process. Experience and Clients: With more than 25 years of experience in dealing with the Congress and the executive branch, Mr. Waits has managed a variety of complex federal legislative and regulatory issues in the areas of infrastructure funding, agriculture, international trade, economic and community development, transportation, health care, education, and national defense. Business clients for which Mr. Waits has provided significant representation include major companies in the automotive, maritime, pharmaceutical and agricultural industries, as well as trade associations and engineering, consulting and technology-oriented firms. He also represents and works closely with numerous governmental entities (including state agencies, counties, municipalities, territories, airport authorities, educational institutions, and non-profit organizations) to help secure earmarked federal funding for important project initiatives. He is a former director of the State of Mississippi’s Washington Office under contract to the State Department of Economic and Community Development. His representative clients include Cooper Tire and Rubber Company, Cooper-Standard Automotive, American Honey Producers Association, City of Jackson (Mississippi), City of Abilene (Texas), Gainesville-Alachua County Regional Airport (Florida), Jackson International Airport (Mississippi), Jackson County (Mississippi), Government of the U.S. Virgin Islands, Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Waggoner Engineering, Inc., Liberty Maritime Corporation, Queensland Sugar Ltd., and Barr Laboratories. Mr. Waits returned to private law practice after serving as president and chief executive officer of the Farm Credit Council, a national trade association of agricultural lenders representing a $60 billion industry. The team efforts he directed, as lead lobbyist and legislative strategist for the borrower-owned Farm Credit System, were successful in obtaining bipartisan support for major financial assistance legislation enacted during each of three consecutive years — 1985, 1986, and 1987. Previously, Mr. Waits served as top aide to a former Mississippi Congressman, and he also was legal counsel to a House Agriculture Subcommittee. Before coming to Capitol Hill in 1979, he practiced law in New York City with another firm, handling primarily litigation matters. Pro Bono/Professional/Community Activities: Mr. Waits has provided pro bono legal services in the immigration area and is active in the Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and the Southern Poverty Law Center. Education: Mr. Waits received a B.A., summa cum laude, from the University of Mississippi in 1969, where he was awarded a Fulbright Fellowship and studied Modern History and Diplomacy at the University of Hamburg, Germany. He received a M.A. in History, with honors, from the University of Virginia and a J.D. in 1977 from the New York University School of Law.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2006-01-11T19:12:59-06:00

ID

65042

Comment

Good stuff. Too bad the Melton administration won't provide resumes for their employees.

Author

pikersam

Date

2006-01-11T19:26:41-06:00

ID

65043

Comment

Am I being too paranoid if I wonder whether Waits' affiliation with the SPLC, and his work with immigrants, might have cost him here? Cheers, TH

Author

Tom Head

Date

2006-01-11T19:38:20-06:00

ID

65044

Comment

Am I being too paranoid if I wonder whether Waits' affiliation with the SPLC, and his work with immigrants, might have cost him here? Once again, you read my mind.

Author

LatashaWillis

Date

2006-01-11T21:34:11-06:00

ID

65045

Comment

Well, it's the mayor's perogative as to his staff selections, including this bright, ambitious young man. I happen to agree with Crisler, that the previous lobbyist's efforts and the monies he brought in for the City set the bar, and this young man must meet or exceed that standard to be considered successful. I wish him luck.

Author

Jeff Lucas

Date

2006-01-11T22:23:02-06:00

ID

65046

Comment

I'm looking at the recording of the meeting now, and Mr. Ward appears to be a very intelligent (and good-looking...ahem) guy, and his explanations show he knows some things about lobbying, but I'm afraid of how this experience is going to affect him in the end. This is a major undertaking, and I'm concerned about how what state of mind he's going to be in after having all of this on his shoulders in several months. I really hope I'm underestimating his ability.

Author

LatashaWillis

Date

2006-01-11T22:33:27-06:00

ID

65047

Comment

I also viewed the council meeting and found Mr. Ward a bit too pretentious. I agree with the council members that stated the “bar” has been set, but for some reason I’m feeling optimistic about Mr. Ward.

Author

K RHODES

Date

2006-01-11T23:59:15-06:00

ID

65048

Comment

If Melton can pull a rabbit out of his hat, then great. If Ward actually can produce the same numbers a big lobbying firm did, then he'll have the last laugh--and my word, what a force he'd be in the political world. Somehow I still can't get past the idea of hiring one relatively inexperienced lobbyist to represent Jackson. But I've been racking my brain trying to figure out why Melton did what he did, and here's the best I can come up with... In my line of work, the equivalent to a lobbyist is a literary agent--does very much the same thing. Ideally, you get a literary agent who's part of a big firm in New York--or San Francisco, if you deal primarily with west coast publishers. But usually New York. If you're a marketable author, then odds are good that she will score you the most lucrative projects with the biggest publishers possible. The advantage of her being part of a big firm, and in New York, is that she has all the right contacts, and she's right in town, having lunch with them. The disadvantage of the New York firms is that they don't have much time for you as a client. Let me pull two agencies' names out of my Writer's Market, completely at random--never worked with either of them (I've only worked with one agency, and that was for my education titles): Castiglia Literary Agency Del Mar, California Two agents: Winifred Golden and Julie Castiglia Represents 50 clients. Now, this sounds cozy. Del Mar, so it's nowhere near New York. But their recent sales list includes titles sold to St. Martin's and Random House--which is pretty much as good as it gets. But most of their list, I'd imagine, is with midsize publishers. If we assume the caseload is divided 50/50 (which never happens), then Golden has 25 clients and Castiglia has 25 clients. And this is their full-time job. So you can reasonably assume that if their time were broken up evenly among their clients (which also never happens), you'd still get over an hour every week talking to your agent. Which means that during the proposal phase and contract negotiation, you get your agent all day, holding your hand. I like that. It's one of the reasons why I, personally, would probably rather work with a successful and competent, but small, non-New York agency like Castiglia than a really large New York agency. It means that they can customize their plans to fit the specific needs of my books, and my specific needs as an author. It is an author-oriented agency; they're here for me. Compare it to... Gelfman-Schneider Literary Agents, Inc. New York, NY Two agents: Jane Gelfman and Deborah Schneider Represents 300+ clients. These folks regularly arrange multi-book deals with bestselling authors. They are VERY well-connected with New York area editors. They are an editor-oriented agency. I would imagine that they tend to look at publishers' editorial needs, then try to match authors up to those. They do not have much time to take an individualized approach to their authors; 150 clients per agent divided evenly (again, this never happens) means the average author would get 27 minutes per full-time week. So if Melton knows what he's doing--and given past history, that is an almost hilariously big if--then I can see the argument made that Jackson has specific needs, and that customizing to those needs with one full-time lobbyist, local to us, is in our better long-term interests than being part of a much larger and better-connected firm up north that might not be able to give us much time as individual clients. It's important to note that we are not trading full-time Waits for full-time Ward. We are trading part-time Waits for full-time Ward. Nobody at the firm up north was working on us full-time. So this is a case that Melton could have made to the City Council, if he was interested in making a case. Cheers, TH

Author

Tom Head

Date

2006-01-12T00:33:21-06:00

ID

65049

Comment

(Scratch "relatively inexperienced" and insert "totally inexperienced." But you get what I'm driving at.)

Author

Tom Head

Date

2006-01-12T00:34:22-06:00

ID

65050

Comment

I would like to see how much this guy knows about Jackson's history. Nobody seems to know who he is, so why are we to think he knows what "Jackson" is “about” and how its past affects the future and so forth. You must know your product to effectively sell it! Also, we don't see the usual lineup of local business people fawning over him in the press. Especially since so many of them backed Melton financially. Makes you wonder doesn't it. At some point don't they have to stop apologizing "in private" to people for helping Melton get in office and "publicly" speak out against his naive leadership decisions.

Author

pikersam

Date

2006-01-12T09:53:26-06:00

ID

65051

Comment

I'm curious: When's the last time you saw "the usual lineup of local business people fawning over him in the press"? From here, it seems that the silence is deafening.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2006-01-12T11:50:14-06:00

ID

65052

Comment

"him" = Mr. Melton, of course

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2006-01-12T11:50:35-06:00

ID

65053

Comment

His social circle does seem to have dwindled a little bit. Maybe he did the "Are YOU talkin' to ME?!" schtick in a mirror at a party and nobody got it. I know that'll thin things out pretty quick. Cheers, TH

Author

Tom Head

Date

2006-01-12T12:17:46-06:00

ID

65054

Comment

Does anyone else find this ironic: Melton wants our DC lobbyist to live in Jackson but earlier said it didn't matter that his nomiees for head of Human and Cultural Services, Economic Development, and other municipal agencies lived outside the city (and county).

Author

Rex

Date

2006-01-12T14:54:48-06:00

ID

65055

Comment

Does anyone else find this ironic: Melton wants our DC lobbyist to live in Jackson but earlier said it didn't matter that his nomiees for head of Human and Cultural Services, Economic Development, and other municipal agencies lived outside the city (and county). You're always thinking, aren't ya? Hmmm...wonder what's up with the doubletalk.

Author

LatashaWillis

Date

2006-01-12T17:50:01-06:00

ID

65056

Comment

Here's an interesting piece about Mr. Marcus Ward and his political connections: Black Staff Aim To Help the GOP by Mark Preston Roll Call February 26, 2003 As Congressional GOP leaders try to follow through on a promise to diversify their staffs, a group of about 65 black Republican aides is vowing to help increase political outreach for the party. The aides are members of The Association of African-American Republican Congressional Staff, an organization formed one year ago to serve as a resource center for black GOP staffers. While it has existed in relative obscurity since its formal founding in February 2002, the group is hoping to play a more visible role in helping Republicans appeal to black voters in the 2004 elections. "Our mission has always been and will continue to be to reach out to nonconservative constituencies through our work on Capitol Hill," said Robert Traynham, deputy staff director and communications director for the Senate Republican Conference, who is a co-founder of the staff association. [...] "We are already a resource in the various offices we [work] in," said Marcus Ward, a legislative aide to Sen. Trent Lott (R-Miss.), a staffer who serves as chairman of the group. "What we are trying to do is have a one-stop shop where you can call on the chair of the organization and say, ‘What does your group say about this?’" Since December, Republicans have been trying to repair ties with the black community after Lott appeared to praise retiring Sen. Strom Thurmond’s (R-S.C.) 1948 segregationist presidential platform in remarks he made at the South Carolinian’s 100th birthday party. Lott denied his remarks were meant to be racist, but unyielding pressure forced the Mississippi Senator to relinquish his post as Republican leader a few weeks after Thurmond’s birthday party. Ward, who served as Lott’s special assistant in the leader’s office at the time, said he was present when Lott was roasting Thurmond and he thinks that some people twisted the Senator’s remarks. "I always thought he was a good man and there is nothing at this point in my life that will change that perception," said Ward, who noted that Lott has always been very supportive of the organization. "Bad things happen to good people."

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2006-01-13T10:46:37-06:00

ID

65057

Comment

I think perhaps you're all missing the most telling point of all: the man who is now singlehandedly responsible for lobbying in the name of Jackson appears to believe pacifiers provide nourishment. "...Once you take that baby off the pacifier you've got to start eating eventually." Actually babies who use pacifiers still have to eat something to survive. I might have misunderstood his quote, tho. It kind of looks like he's saying the person who takes the baby OFF the pacifier has to start eating eventually. Which I guess could be construed as a statement with truthiness. Or something. Seriously, folks...this is just awful. Thanks for getting the story out, JFP. Ron R.

Author

original sinema

Date

2006-01-13T12:52:17-06:00

ID

65058

Comment

Wow, good point, Ron. I had just thought that quote was naive and condescending to Mr. Waits and company. Now I see that it is a patently absurd statement simply on its face. Thanks.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2006-01-13T12:59:51-06:00

ID

65059

Comment

Ron, I knew there was something about that metaphor that didn't seem quite right, but I couldn't put my finger on it. Love the screen name, by the way! Cheers, TH

Author

Tom Head

Date

2006-01-13T13:00:12-06:00

ID

65060

Comment

Thanks, Tom. It's the name of the film company a friend and I used awhile back, though I always assumed it was a name that MUST already be taken. Donna, I really honed in on the statement because it was used as the article's title. Obviously, it's a ridiculous pronouncement that is filled with utter hubris. It also happens to be what "Spy" used to call an Unfortunate Metaphor. Or in this case, an Unfortunate Simile.

Author

original sinema

Date

2006-01-13T15:16:11-06:00

ID

65061

Comment

sinema: missing the most telling point of all ladd: thought that quote was naive and condescending to Mr. Waits and company Hmmm... and here I thought he was using it as cleaned up replacement for "suckling at the government tit" in explaining why we shouldn't be lobbying in the first place. You know the whole Republican claim of unnecessary federal spending. Figured Ward was being put in to make sure we were taken of the dole and got no more pork. (Which is likely what will happen now.)

Author

Rex

Date

2006-01-13T16:33:58-06:00

ID

65062

Comment

You may well be right, Rex, especially after that article linked above has gone public. Maybe Mr. Melton will turn out to be a solid Republican after all, bent on cutting off all assistance to Jackson and making it a one-horse town that only he can run. Sounds great. I'm not a pork fan myself, per se, but I do believe the government has an obligation to fix what it hurt. And the federal government allowed Jim Crow to go on so long that it near ruined the South. I'm all about rebuilding our communities and people's ability to do for themselves. That's a little different from a bunch of stupid pork. Call it Pork with a Purpose, or some such.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2006-01-13T16:37:26-06:00

ID

65063

Comment

ladd-- Call it Pork with a Purpose, or some such. Hmmkay, I'll buy that. And I'll refer you back to an early discussion. They won't have to worry about pork incresing an other trillion on our account, will they?

Author

Rex

Date

2006-01-13T16:44:31-06:00

ID

65064

Comment

I think perhaps you're all missing the most telling point of all: the man who is now singlehandedly responsible for lobbying in the name of Jackson appears to believe pacifiers provide nourishment. I'm with Tom. I couldn't fully figure out what was wrong with the statement either until it was pointed out. Thanks. BTW, forget what I said about Mr. Ward's looks. I changed my mind...

Author

LatashaWillis

Date

2006-01-14T00:01:56-06:00

ID

65065

Comment

I still wanna know how much federal money we were bringing in prior to 1995. I don't think any reasonable defense can be made of the decision to fire our lobbying firm until we have that information. Cheers, TH

Author

Tom Head

Date

2006-01-14T01:06:01-06:00

ID

65066

Comment

Tom, I agree. If we find that the City was receiving as much federal aid prior to 95 (without using a Washington lobbyist) as we did during the ten years (with a Washington lobbyist), the logical deduction would be --te job can be successfully done (in the same manner as it was done prior to 95. Whatever works is fine with me, but I would like to feel that our esteemed leaders are looking at this situation realistically. I would also like to know how many other cities the size of Jackson have lobbist for Congress.

Author

realtime

Date

2006-01-14T21:10:55-06:00

ID

65067

Comment

realtime writes: Tom, I agree. If we find that the City was receiving as much federal aid prior to 95 (without using a Washington lobbyist) as we did during the ten years (with a Washington lobbyist), the logical deduction would be --te job can be successfully done (in the same manner as it was done prior to 95. Exactly. I think the onus is on Melton's staff and supporters to provide those numbers, since he is the incumbent and it was his decision to fire the lobbying firm, but if he can show that there was no significant additional benefit to hiring a lobbying firm, then his decision becomes a little less inscrutable. That's a mighty big if, though. I would find it hard to believe that Johnson would have retained a lobbying firm whose work did not tangibly benefit the city, and if he did, I would find it even harder to believe that his opponents never brought this out during the campaign. Cheers, TH

Author

Tom Head

Date

2006-01-14T21:19:34-06:00

ID

65068

Comment

I would argue that to be financially sensible, the data needs to show that we were bringing in SUBSTANTIALLY MORE federal funds (adjusted for inflation of course) prior to '95 for this decision to make fiscal sense. The reason I say this is that the new arrangement will apparently cost the city's taxpayers considerably more than the previous one. If reports are true, Mr. Ward will be making only $2,000 less a year than the lobbying firm cost. But contracts are typically limited to the actual amount on the "bottom line" (as the mayor might say, whilst inserting pen into breast pocket). The hiring of an employee, however, bears many additional costs. The fringe benefits, which normally include health insurance premiums, are paid by the employer. I have no idea what percentage the City of Jackson pays for employee fringe benefits, but I can safely say it's a lot more than $2,000 a year. I am filled with righteous rage. Ron

Author

original sinema

Date

2006-01-18T10:26:41-06:00

ID

65069

Comment

Councilman, any updates on Mr. Ward? Have y'all gotten any lobbying plans or the like, or any of the kinds of information that folks have mentioned here? How will the accountability work on this decision?

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2006-01-27T01:06:57-06:00

ID

65070

Comment

It looks like Mr. Ward is going to have one more hurdle to overcome in regard to lobbying Congress: The proposal by Feinstein and Lott, who heads the Senate Rules Committee, would target a narrow range of earmarks that are inserted into bills known as conference reports, which are negotiated by the House and Senate to reconcile differing versions of legislation. … Under a rules change proposed by the senators, any provision added to a conference report that was not previously approved by either the House or Senate could be struck by a senator raising a “point of order.” It would take 60 votes – two-thirds of the Senate – to preserve the earmark. Guess where the biggest flurry is going to start taking place if this happens? During the early committee hearings (February—May) and IN THE CONGRESSIONAL OFFICES. Meanwhile, Mr. Ward will be in Jackson trying to get on open line to DC. And when that doesn’t work, he’ll only have to lobby 60 Senators while playing catch-up.

Author

Rex

Date

2006-02-03T15:52:23-06:00