Earmarking, Bennie Thompson Style

Y'all Politics and Majority in Mississippi have these posts about a Kosciusko Star Herald report:

City of Kosciusko Ward 2 Alderman Henry Daniel submitted a list of possible streets to be paved with funds from the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act – A Legacy for Users at the Tuesday, March 3, meeting. The funds were awarded to the city by Congressman Bennie Thompson.

The $250,000 was first awarded to Ward 3 and later changed to Ward 2.

At an earlier board meeting, Daniel said the funds were designated to his ward because he serves as Thompson’s campaign manager.

A letter has been sent to Thompson regarding the confusion over the funds.

Apparently, this has been an ongoing project for Henry Daniel as we read from this report from the Star Herald last month:

Paving roads in Ward 2 became a little more complex at the Kosciusko Mayor and Board of Aldermen meeting Tuesday, Feb. 3.

The $200,000 in federal funds was first awarded to Ward 3 in 2005 through the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act – A Legacy for Users and later changed to Ward 2 according to paperwork from Congressmen Bennie Thompson‘s office.

Mayor Jimmy Cockroft said there were several issues to resolve concerning the matter.

The paving project for Ward 3 was already under way and there are now an estimated $30,000 in engineering fees to be paid.

“State Aid needs to know how we intend to pay (city engineer Christian Gardner) for work he has already done in Ward 3,” he said.

Cockroft also said State Aid needed a letter from Thompson about the change in wards.

Ward 3 Aldermen Robert Ellis, who still wants answers on why the change was made, said, “It has killed Ward 3 but it’s fixing to hit the city of Kosciusko.”

“This is going to cost us money in the long run,” Alderman At-Large Tim Kyle said.

Ward 3 Aldermen Henry Daniel’s attempts to think of ways to by the funding didn’t pan out.

“As mayor, what am I suppose to do, you (Daniel) say it’s your money but Aldermen Ellis has the letter,” Cockroft said.

Daniel said the point is that Thompson gave this money to the city of Kosciusko.

“We paved streets in Ward 2 with the bond issue that didn’t get done in Ward 3 because we were going to use the grant funds,” Cockroft said. A $2.5-million bond issue was passed for paving and park improvements in the summer.

Cockroft asked Daniel to speak with Thompson on the matter and Daniel wouldn’t comment.

Kyle made a motion for Cockroft to draft a letter to Thompson asking for the funds to be moved back to Ward 3 and that both Cockroft and Daniel sign the letter.

“I can’t sign off on that,” Daniel said.

Finally, the board resolved that Cockroft would write a letter on the confusion over the moving of funds and he would also attach a list of streets in need in both Ward 2 and 3.

When asked by Ellis, why wouldn’t he sign off on the letter, Daniel replied, “I won't let you put me on the spot like that. I won’t answer that."

So Daniel says that is his money. He wouldn't comment on a discussion with Thompson. And he wouldn't sign a letter to Thompson asking to transfer the funds nor would he explain why. Sounds shady.

For the record, according to a Federal Election Committee report, Thompson's campaign committee, "Friends of Bennie Thompson," paid Daniels $5650 in October 2008 for salary and expenses including canvassing, gas, and food.