Jackson Free Press

Citizen bloggers are reporting that a jubilant Mayor Frank Melton introduced Robert Smith, his choice for district attorney, last night at Smith's campaign gathering. In his remarks, made before Smith's, the mayor said that Smith was his choice for the office, but that he had needed to keep his distance during the campaign. Melton remarked to the cameras using first person: "The first thing that we have to do is take care of the staff." In a Clarion-Ledger photo this morning, Melton political operative Bob Hickinbottom is grinning over Smith's shoulder.

Long-time Melton friend and supporter Ed Peters asked Robert Smith to run for D.A. Faye Peterson's seat two years ago. Peters was Smith's primary endorser throughout his campaign. Smith denied during the campaign that Melton was behind his run to unseat his nemesis in the D.A.'s office, who indicted him last year for leading a team of police officers and juveniles to destroy a Ridgeway Street duplex. Smith was the attorney for one of Melton's bodyguards in that case.

Previous Comments

ID

129351

Comment

Here is the link to WJTV. I think it will work. The other video of Melton is there too, but they edited it down some.

Author

pikersam

Date

2007-08-29T07:50:11-06:00

ID

129352

Comment

Won't work for me.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-08-29T07:53:56-06:00

ID

129353

Comment

Already starting off on a lie. Way to go, Rob.

Author

golden eagle '97

Date

2007-08-29T07:57:19-06:00

ID

129354

Comment

Here's photo with Hickingbottom. Click on image to make it bigger.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-08-29T07:58:23-06:00

ID

129355

Comment

It takes me to their video page, then you have to click on the Melton part. Or it's under Local Video now. My guess is none of the other media outlets will show the whole Melton introduction.

Author

pikersam

Date

2007-08-29T08:01:25-06:00

ID

129356

Comment

Page won't load. TV sites are the worst.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-08-29T08:03:59-06:00

ID

129357

Comment

Well, hopefully this WLBT video will work. It shows Hickingbottom ushering in Smith and working the cameras out of the way. I don't know how the NJammer's rationalize this out? How many times does one have to get fooled before they stop repeating their mistakes.

Author

pikersam

Date

2007-08-29T08:08:20-06:00

ID

129358

Comment

Ha! WJTV has already deleted their video of Melton and trimmed out the Smith interview! LOL! Here is the home page link. Why are they hiding the truth? I shoulda taken screen shots. Oh well. I love blogging here! We have a huge audience that just reacts and reacts and reacts to everything we say over here. I love it! Obsessed with bloggers like they are obsessed with crime! When you have a web site (maybe two now!) almost wholly dedicated to bashing the editor of the JFP, you have to be doing something right!

Author

pikersam

Date

2007-08-29T08:13:57-06:00

ID

129359

Comment

Never mind... It is back... My last paragraph still stands! ;-)

Author

pikersam

Date

2007-08-29T08:15:16-06:00

ID

129360

Comment

Old Chinese Proverb - sleep with dogs >> wake up with fleas. Start scratching Mr. DA!

Author

lanier77

Date

2007-08-29T08:35:09-06:00

ID

129361

Comment

you have to be doing something right! Indeed. Making the status quo react is part of the plan. It builds readership and exposes their real priorities. If you can't shine line where it needs to go, you can never effect change. They stoned us when we reported facts about Melton, and they stoned us when we reported facts about Bush. When we turned out to be right, they just stopped talking about those things. If we're proved right about Smith being a mistake, they'll look for something different to stone us for. It's utterly predictable. More than any of the others, we want to be wrong about Smith, by the way. I hope and pray that he comes in as a strong and independent D.A. who continues the good stuff Peterson started, with a determination to root out corruption at all levels of government. One delightful scenario would be if he is the one fooling Peters and Melton. Let's all pray for that scenario to be true and that he's strong enough to stand up to them as needed. I want him to show us all that he is his grandfather's grandson by standing up to the machine, not bowing before it. I'm rooting for it. Unlike some other ugly folks, I never want my concerns to prove true in order to be right. And I don't want idiots in office in order to be entertained (that one's for a particular editor in town). Last night was not a good sign, but maybe Smith will continue to fool them until he gets into office. That's a plot line I could really dig.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-08-29T08:44:06-06:00

ID

129362

Comment

...Making the status quo react is part of the plan. It builds readership and exposes their real priorities. If you can't shine line where it needs to go, you can never effect change. That is true Donna. Making them react is part of the plan, but it appears WJTV's hasty reaction to take down FM's introduction of Smith---on such a BIG news day of a story so germane to yesterday's events--further promotes their effort to control and shape what we see, hear, think, and even how some of us may vote. Sadly, it appears to have worked in this case. Our so called mainstream media here is a disgrace. If it were not for the JFP, many of us would be totally lost. []Thank you[i/] seems so empty, but I THANK YOU Donna, and the rest of the JFP staff for keeping us informed.

Author

blu_n_a_redstate

Date

2007-08-29T09:40:31-06:00

ID

129363

Comment

OK, So now we will have DA Smith. Nothing to do but hope he does well and that Faye will heal rapidly from the pain of losing and find herself in better circumstances with plenty of less stressful work! BUT, Is Higginbottom being paid through or by the City of Jackson? We must know this ASAP. He worked on the Tyrone Lewis campaign and he worked on the Smith campaign and I, for one, am opposed to paying him to do these things. The Administrative Budget is not a place to hide people who are not working on City business. In some people's twisted minds electing sycophants might be considered City business. Certainly not in this citizen's scope of what is right!

Author

ChrisCavanaugh

Date

2007-08-29T09:40:36-06:00

ID

129364

Comment

Well, remember that the mainstream media would not report that Bluntson made a deal with D.A. Peters to step down during the juvenile detention center scandal, and then went to work for him. You'd think that would have been relevant during his campaign. His opponent, Bo Brown, tried to get the media to look at it, but they wouldn't. As for Hickingbottom (note spelling), is he listed in the campaign finance reports as being paid by the campaigns? Can y'all check it out? And I agree about the media: Why isn't a photo of Melton and Smith together ont he front page of the Ledger today? Is it that Grace Simmons, once again, does not think that it's news that the person Smith tried to distance himself from then introduced him for his acceptance speech? What is news? Folks, I keep saying it: The media coverage here is damn close to our biggest problem. THE PEOPLE can, and must, change it. I'm not in the activism business, but if I were a non-media person who cares about the c ity, I would seriously consider starting a media watchdog group and Web site. The misinformation Jackson has been fed over the years has made the city ripe for corruption. I mean, come on. How many people don't even know how the criminal-justice system WORKS? I'm even talking ATTORNEYS. Or, they're l ying and taking advantage of other people's ignorance. My point is that the Internet is the great equalizer and anti-gatekeeper. We are doing our job as a media outlet, but we can't do it all. I urge citizens who care about this city and county to take the media problem into your own hands.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-08-29T10:17:44-06:00

ID

129365

Comment

BUT, Is Higginbottom being paid through or by the City of Jackson? Supposedly, he was hired through a temp agency some time ago to work for the city. I don't know if he's still with the temp agency.

Author

golden eagle '97

Date

2007-08-29T10:19:28-06:00

ID

129366

Comment

How can any one actually agree to, and be, Melton's "do boy"? I mean, all these people running for office because Melton wants them to, so he can control everything, do they not have a brain of their own and realize they are his puppet and will be even more so if they win an office? Melton now owns the positions of mayor, police chief, fire chief, district attorney.. what else? It's crazy and even crazier is the people voting for what Melton wants! Is there something in the water?? [img]http://home.comcast.net/~tegaspard/images/smiles/confused.gif[/img]

Author

LambdaRisen

Date

2007-08-29T11:17:28-06:00

ID

129367

Comment

Even if Hickingbottom is employed by a temp agency, thus a contract employee of the city, city funds are being used to pay him. Therefore, he should be scrutinized as a representative of the city.

Author

katbird

Date

2007-08-29T15:28:00-06:00

ID

129368

Comment

Stephanie Parker-Weaver called Higgingbottom "a legend in his own mind, a self-described political spin doctor, gutless, a lunitic, a flunky and a gofer." She had the right discription; however, it sounds like a self portriat to me. ...and for damn sure it sounds like a melton group photo-op.

Author

justjess

Date

2007-08-30T12:57:46-06:00

ID

129369

Comment

I wonder what happened to make SPW turn on Bob. Turning on a fellow Meltonite doesn't just happen.

Author

golden eagle '97

Date

2007-08-30T13:12:48-06:00