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Dick Molpus Raises the Roof in Neshoba County
June 20, 2004—With Gov. Haley Barbour sitting right behind him, former Secretary of State and Neshoba County native Dick Molpus made a thundering speech in honor of slain civil rights …
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Barbour and his Deadbeat Mississippians
June 11, 2004–Today in The New York Times, columnist Bob Herbert nails Barbour's cuts to Medicaid recipients–the worst Medicaid cuts ever: "If you want to see 'compassionate' conservatism in action, …
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‘Lawsuit Abuse' Over
Champagne corks were popping at Bravo the evening of June 3, even as some diners were sobered by the day's events. That afternoon, the Mississippi House of Representatives had suddenly, …
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Checkmate?
Hell broke loose at the Capitol Monday afternoon when two renegade legislators, Rep. Steve Holland, D-Plantersville, and Rep. Jamie Franks, D-Mooreville, filed an injunction against Gov. Haley Barbour, telling him …
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Salter Bashes Holland on Medicaid
Sid Salter's column today bashes Rep. Steve Holland for originally supporting Haley Barbour's Medicaide bill, accusing him of "crawfishing": "Trouble is, the record shows that Holland was the chief House …
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House Votes to Accept Senate's Tort Reform Bill
After a long floor debate today, the Mississippi House of Representatives voted 76-38 to concur with the Senate strike-all version of HB 13 — a bill that institutes $1 million …
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The State of a Stalemate
The first week of the special session called by Gov. Haley Barbour to focus on civil justice reform ("tort reform") and voter ID was, at best, cantankerous. At the end …
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The Governor Sacrifices His Rook
One burning question from our past two weeks of reporting at the Capitol on the governor's special session is a simple, if surprising, one. Does Haley Barbour really want tort …
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[Mizell] It's as Simple as That
I took a creative writing class in college recently that was small and intimate and we actually discussed interesting things. Usually we'd go over poems and plays; but recently we …
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Medicaid Train Wreck
The most momentous action so far during the special session wasn't technically on the agenda: Gov. Haley Barbour signed HB 1434 Wednesday, May 26, a "landmark" bill to cut $106 …
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Mississippians and the Numbers
On Wednesday, May 26, Mississippians for Economic Progress released a poll in a press conference attended by Haley Barbour, which suggested that Mississippians support the notion of ending "lawsuit abuse" …
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[Update] Speaker McCoy: Gov, Senate Move ‘Terrible Thing'
After spending eight days in special session, costing taxpayers a total of $41,162 so far (see below), the Mississippi House of Representatives went home Friday, saying they will return next …
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[Breaking] ‘Tort Reform' Hits Brick Wall
UPDATE, 4 p.m.: After an apparent lunch meeting between Gov. Barbour, Speaker Billy McCoy and Senate President Pro Tem Travis Little, Sen. Charlie Ross, R-Brandon, announced on the floor that …
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Voter ID: ‘Not About Intimidation'
Despite efforts by the Mississippi Legislature to compromise on voter identification during the regular session, Gov. Haley Barbour held a May 13 press conference to demonstrate that he wants no …
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Transcript: Black Lawmakers Accuse Barbour of Racism
AP reports: "Some black lawmakers say they think Gov. Haley Barbour and Senate leaders are trying to bypass House Judiciary A Committee Chairman Ed Blackmon in a debate over limiting …
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Alleged Racism at the Capitol
WLBT reported"Leading the charge was Representative Ed Blackmon (D-Canton), a key negotiator of tort reform. Blackmon and other committee leaders say they never talk face-to-face with senate leaders and Govenor …
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Face-Off: The Battle for ‘Tort Reform'
When Sen. Gloria Williamson walked up to the podium on the first day of the 2004 Extraordinary Session called by Gov. Haley Barbour, she had one goal. The senator from …
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Coalition Calls for ‘Meaningful' Insurance Reform
Gov. Haley Barbour may be getting more than he bargained for in the 2004 Extraordinary Session he called to wrangle the House of Representatives into accepting his versions of tort …
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[Ladd] Ask the $34,000-A-Day Questions
In January, I wrote an editor's note about the governor that miffed some Democrats around the city. They told me I went too easy on Barbour. I wrote then that …
