Jackson Free Press

Public eye will be posting an ever-growing deluge of public documents for your perusal. For our first course, we offer Mayor Frank Melton's final campaign finance report for the 2005 mayoral election. This is not the sexiest document we'll post, but money always has its own tale to tell. What does money tell you?

Previous Comments

ID

172213

Comment

Ba-bump. Brian just posted all of Melton's campaign finance reports for 2005 on his new Public Eye blog. Be sure to watch this blog; he is planning to go crazy posting documents and other public information here. Consider it the "Smoking Gun" of the JFP. Got something to share with the public? Hit him up here: [email][email protected][/email] . Brown envelopes also accepted.

Author

ladd

Date

2006-05-05T15:38:36-06:00

ID

172214

Comment

Okay, here's what I don't get. Page 7: "Miracle Temple Church of Deliverence" [sic] Uh, guys, aren't 501(c)3 nonprofits prohibited from participating in campaign activities? Wouldn't this preclude a friggin' direct donation to a political campaign? Cheers, TH

Author

Tom Head

Date

2006-05-07T01:10:46-06:00

ID

172215

Comment

Well, let's look into it.

Author

ladd

Date

2006-05-07T10:06:42-06:00

ID

172216

Comment

True. But they are in violation of the Internal Revenue Code, not the state or federal campaign finance laws. This is a far more blatant example than the last time we discussed non-profits and political involvement. But there are a number of other questions I also have about this. First OTHER CHARITIES: 1) Isn't Greater Bethlehem also a church and for what where they getting paid $2,465? 2) Why was the MAP Coalition, an unregistered charity listed with the Secretary of State, being paid $500? POLITICAL FUND SHIFTS: 1) Exactly why was State Senator Alice Harden paid a total of $1,584 over four payments? 2) Why was the Alice Harden Campaign Fund paid another $5,000? 3) Why was State Representative Credell Calhoun paid $1,000? 4) Why was State Representative John Reeves being paid $1,080? OTHER ODDITIES: 1) Why was the City of Jackson paid a total of $503 in January and February of 2005? 2) Who has Frank paying D.L.S. investigations to shadow at the cost of $6,750? 3) Whose roof got repaired at a cost of $321 to E&M Roofing Co.?

Author

Rex

Date

2006-05-15T16:35:15-06:00

ID

172217

Comment

I just stumbled across this and Rex and Tom have some good questions. What are the rules for campaign donations and raising money? This report looks odd; but, lot's of candidates raise money from churches; and before and after they win. How and who monitors this stuff? Seems like they wouldn't be able to keep up with it.

Author

pikersam

Date

2006-05-23T09:35:02-06:00