RNC, Healthcare, Taylor and Childers

Majority in Mississippi - RNC Targets Childers and Taylor In Healthcare Ads

Representatives Gene Taylor and Travis Childers are among a group of 60 moderate to conservative Democrats that the RNC will target with radio and television ads urging them to oppose healthcare “reform” proposals being proposed by the Democrat leadership in Congress and the president.

David Landrum and Voter ID

Because this blog followed that campaign so much in 2008:

Ipse Blogit - David Landrum Lectures Us On The Importance of Voting

Sid Salter has an interesting blog post about an email he received from David Landrum, businessman and former candidate for the Republican nomination for Mississippi's Third Congressional District seat. Seems that Mr. Landrum is raising money for a ballot initiative to amend the State Constitution to require voter identification.

Is this the same David Landrum who lost all credibility when the voting records showed that HE HADN'T VOTED AT ALL in past elections?

And then claimed that the voting records had been tampered with?

And then didn't dispute that the records his own campaign used to "prove" he had voted were false?

Yep, I think it's the same person.

Maybe Mr. Landrum isn't the best guy to take the lead in the fight for the integrity of the election rolls in Mississippi?

Gene Taylor townhall in Waynesboro

Laurel Leader Call - Taylor to host Waynesboro town hall

U.S. Rep. Gene Taylor (D-Miss.) will host his annual town hall in Waynesboro from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Monday at Waynesboro City Hall, located at 714 Wayne Street. The event is free and open to the public. Beau Gex, Taylor’s chief of staff, said the congressman hosts two hall meetings each month with one in Waynesboro every year.

Gregg Harper on Fragile X on Fox

Gregg Harper Discusses Fragile X Syndrome and Health Care Reform on Fox News

Childers' Opinion on Healthcare Vote: "not one I’m willing to share with you"

Y'all Politics posts these two NRCC catches on Travis Childers and healthcare.

Travis Childers in TMZ-like moment - won’t answer on his Obamacare position

NRCC calls out Rep. Travis Childers (D) on Obamacare

The first post has the following video.

Nunnelee In 1

Associated Press - Nunnelee readying for potential 1st District race

Republican state Sen. Alan Nunnelee of Tupelo has filed a statement of candidacy with the Federal Election Commission announcing his intention to run for Congress in Mississippi's First District.

Nunnelee is not qualifying for the 2010 election. That would come later. The FEC filing means Nunnelee is beginning to raise money.

Nunnelee has toured the north Mississippi congressional district over the past few weeks to gauge his support.

The post is now held by Democrat Travis Childers of Booneville. Childers won the post after Republican Roger Wicker was appointed to the U.S. Senate.

The 50-year-old Nunnelee is chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee. He has been in the Senate since 1995.

FireGeneTaylor.com goes live

Will Gene Taylor face coordinated opposition in Miss-4?

FireGeneTaylor.com is a new web site looking to do just that.

Bennie Thompson unites lobbyists and congressmen in Tunica

USA Today - Fine line when lobbyists, lawmakers mingle

Others include a four-day conference next month in Tunica, Miss., organized by the Congressional Black Caucus Political Education and Leadership Institute. The agenda includes policy forums, a golf outing, and a concert by hip-hop pioneer Grandmaster Flash. A recent Congressional Black Caucus Foundation event included a golf and tennis tournament at a Virginia resort and spa.

"These corporations and lobbyists lavish favor on elected officials so they can come back later on and get access," said Bob Edgar, a former Democratic congressman from Pennsylvania who is president of the watchdog group Common Cause.

Under ethics rules passed in 2007, lobbyists must report their contributions to non-profits connected to federal lawmakers twice a year. Spending in the first half of 2009 won't become public until later this month, but interviews show the donations have continued to pour in.

The Nuclear Energy Institute, for instance, is among the sponsors of the Tunica gathering, planned for Aug. 13-16.

The event is organized by Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., a member of the Congressional Black Caucus and chairman of its leadership institute, a non-profit that helps blacks get elected.

Lanier Avant, Thompson's chief of staff, said the goal is to involve a broad group in discussions about policy and economic development. The money raised helps pay for programs, such as a "boot camp" held at Morgan State University in Baltimore for candidates and campaign aides.

"If there is a trade association or a company or labor union that wants to participate, they are welcome," he said. "If there's an individual who wants to attend, they are welcome, too."

An association of rent-to-own stores donated $50,000 worth of equipment and, in exchange, sent six of its members to a June golf and tennis tournament organized by the spouses of Black Caucus members, said Richard May of the Association of Progressive Rental Organizations.

May said the group's donations supported education programs. However, he said, "the ability to be at places where we are able to be with members or others to explain our industry and demonstrate our contribution to society is an added benefit."

Madison Lobbying and Special Olympics

Madison County has hired Barbara Blackmon as a lobbyist to use her relationships with Congressman Bennie Thompson.

Congressman Gregg Harper will serve as master of ceremonies for Special Olympics Mississippi on August 22.

Taylor Opposes Obamacare; Childers 'wait and see'

Clarion Ledger - Blue Dogs stall health care

Fiscally conservative House Democrats, including Mississippi's Gene Taylor and Travis Childers, thrust themselves into the middle of the health-care debate this week, blocking legislation drafted by their own party's leadership.

"Trying to help people with health-care problems is not a bad idea. The problem is as a nation we're going to have trouble paying for the promises we've already made," Taylor said.

Taylor, who met with several fellow Blue Dogs after their meeting with Obama, said he was disappointed.

"I felt that some of them were wavering, whereas a week ago they were solidly against it," said Taylor, who represents the 4th District. "The whole purpose of the Blue Dog (Coalition) is fiscal responsibility. We have to be the ones who have to ask, 'Can we afford it? Can we pay for it?' "

Taylor said he wouldn't vote for the House health-care bill as written because it doesn't go far enough to address issues such as the possibility that Medicare will run out of funds sooner than predicted.

He said the bill should change Medicare to allow the federal government to negotiate with pharmaceutical companies over drug prices, provide more incentives for seniors to rely on cheaper generic drugs and create more competition for health insurance companies. "None of them is really going after trying to contain cost," Taylor said of the House bill and a similar one in the Senate.

Childers, D-Booneville, said he's still waiting to see a final version of the bill.

"No matter how the congressman votes, he's going to do what's best for north Mississippi and not based on party affiliation," said Dana Edelstein, a spokeswoman for Childers, who represents the 1st District.

Taylor said he hasn't been approached by Republicans but would "welcome some outreach from them or anyone else who has concerns about the bill."

Childers and Taylor on Obamacare

Congressman Gene Taylor's opposition to Obama's healthcare plan is based on the cost.

“I Don’t Think We Need To Make More Promises Until We Can Figure Out How We Are Going To Pay For The Ones We Have Already Made.” “Rep. Gene Taylor (D-Miss.), who also signed the ATR pledge, believes the tax provisions in the healthcare reform bill will place additional financial burdens on the country at a time when it is already overburdened. ‘We can’t afford the promises that we have already made,’ Taylor said. ‘Between the prescription drug benefit and the Medicare trust fund running out in the next seven years, I don’t think we need to make more promises until we can figure out how we are going to pay for the ones we have already made.’”

Congressman Travis Childer's opposition to Obama's healthcare plan is based on abortion.

Pro-life advocates in both political parties, as well as leading anti-abortion organizations, are calling for abortion coverage to be explicitly excluded from health-care reform legislation, with some warning the current proposals present the greatest threat to unborn children since the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision.

On June 25, 19 pro-life Democrats wrote Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi to say they would not support health-care reform "unless it explicitly excludes abortion" from any government-subsidized plan.

Among the signers were Southern Baptist congressmen Bobby Bright of Alabama, Travis Childers of Mississippi, Lincoln Davis of Tennessee and Heath Shuler of North Carolina.

Letter-to-the-Editor Questions Taylor's leadership

Dan Lindsay of Hattiesbug - Letter-to-the-Editor - Hattiesburg American

When I moved to South Mississippi in 1979, I was taken aback by the leadership that this area had in Congress.

I could turn on the Sunday talk shows or the news clips and there was Trent Lott speaking his mind and providing leadership to our nation. It seemed that the people of this nation listened to the guide from South Mississippi.

I was proud that my new home took this lead in guiding our nation.

This leadership stopped about 20 years ago when a young salesman told us how he would fill those shoes and even though he was a Democrat, would remain conservative and true to South Mississippi values.

Can you believe that Gene Taylor has been in Congress for 20 years? Time sure flies when you go unnoticed.

He is such a nice boy!

In those 20 years, I can only recall one time that I saw Gene Taylor on national television. He was proudly standing next to Nancy Pelosi for whom he voted for Speaker of the House.

Conservative? Mr. Taylor claims his finest hours followed Hurricane Katrina. Bobby Jindal, our neighboring Congressman, was demanding action. Gene Taylor was excited that Nancy Pelosi came to visit. Where was the leadership?

Conservative? Mr. Taylor actually seems to avoid the media when he announced on television that he was just "too busy" to find why taxpayers are still paying today, almost four years later, for hotels and catered meals being supplied by FEMA to Gulf Coast Katrina victims.

Is that the leadership that was promised to us? Do we need to continue supporting Pelosi/Taylor?

We have heard of Blue Dog democrats showing their conservatism. Is Gene Taylor a member? If he is, he sure hasn't been "manning up" and getting in front of the national media protecting South Mississippi.

Or maybe I wasn't watching? Were you?

Tegerdine to Challenge Taylor

Joe Tegerdine appears to be ready to challenge Gene Taylor in 2010. And Citizen Liberty has criticized Taylor for his recent gun issue votes.

GENE TAYLOR C RATING WITH GUN OWNERS OF AMERICA

Congressman Taylor the wrong way on this bill 4 different times; either against good amendments, to protect firearm owners on new public lands; or a yes vote for the bill as a whole. Don’t let him lie and say he is pro-gun. Congressman Taylor should be challenged.

National Parks Gun Ban (2). On March 25, 2009, the House of Representatives voted 242-180 to prevent a pro-gun amendment from being offered by Representatives Doc Hastings (R-WA) and Rob Bishop (R-UT) — an amendment that would have fully repealed the National Parks Gun ban. Without the amendment, the underlying bill, HR 146, greatly expands NPS lands, thereby expanding the gun ban. A “no” vote is rated as a pro-gun vote and is listed as a “+”.

Status Name of Legislation Date Voted Score
P National Parks Gun Ban (2) 03/25/2009 Yea Voted Wrong
P National Parks Gun Ban (3) 03/25/2009 Yea Voted Wrong
F Gun Control In The Lands Bill 03/11/2009 Yea Voted Wrong
F National Parks Gun Ban (1) 03/11/2009 Yea Voted Wrong
P Anti-gun Bailout Bill 02/13/2009 Nay Voted Right

Congressman Taylor 1 out of 5 is not a good record. Please wake up and support our constitution!

Bennie Thompson target of congressional ethics investigation

WLBT - Bennie Thompson target of congressional ethics investigation

WASHINGTON, D.C. (WLBT) - The office of congressional ethics has launched an investigation into Congressman Bennie Thompson's 2008 trip to the Caribbean.

Mississippi's veteran lawmaker along with Rep. Charlie Rangel, (D - New York) and others attended privately sponsored trips in 2008 and 2007.

The watchdog committee will look into whether corporations paid for the trip which would violate house ethics rules.

Congressman Thompson has said the ethics committee approved the trip before he left.

Wednesday his chief of staff said Thompson followed the letter and spirit of the law which requires members to ask for permission to go on the trip.

New house rules bar lawmakers from accepting travel lasting more than 2 days if corporations that "employ or retain a registered lobbyist" are underwriting or organizing any part of the trip.

The trip was sponsored by the Carib News Foundation, a New York based newspaper.

Bennie Thompson's chief-of-staff defends Homeland Security oversight attempts

The Center for Public Integrity - Is Congress Failing on Homeland Security Oversight?

“We spent the better part of the last two plus years fighting for more jurisdiction,” Lanier Avant, the staff director of the House Homeland Security Committee, explained recently. At the end of 2008, Representative Bennie Thompson, a Mississippi Democrat and the panel’s chair, submitted a proposal to expand the committee’s legislative jurisdiction. “The truth is that when we sat down with committee chairmen, and staff directors — there were about 15, 16 of us in a room on a December night for probably four or five hours — if you look around the room and look at other committee chairmen, you say well, this is what I want to take from you, it really doesn’t happen like that,” Avant said.

Nunnelee Links Childers to Pelosi

The Hill - Democratic initiatives lead to Republican enthusiasm

Some of the GOP’s strongest recruits are running in heavily Republican districts lost in the landslides of 2006 and 2008. They include Iraq war veteran Vaughn Ward (R), running against Rep. Walt Minnick (D-Idaho); Winter Park City Commissioner Karen Diebel (R), taking on Rep. Suzanne Kosmas (D-Fla.); and state Sen. Alan Nunnelee (R), who is challenging Rep. Travis Childers (D-Miss.).

In those districts, some candidates have signaled they will use President Obama and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) as national bogeymen to demonstrate their policy disagreements, even though many more conservative Democrats may have voted against controversial legislation.

“With or without Childers’s vote, [Democrats are] passing legislation because of the leadership team that he supported,” Nunnelee told The Hill this week. While Childers may not have voted with Democrats every time, Nunnelee stresses Childers’s ties to Pelosi, noting “he has voted for her 100 percent of the time on the critical vote” to make her Speaker.

Gene Taylor "would not be opposed to" campaign help from Sarah Palin

When asked whether he would want outgoing Alaska Governor Sarah Palin to campaign for him, Mississippi Congressman Gene Taylor said:

“I hadn’t given it a lot of thought,” said Rep. Gene Taylor, a Blue Dog Democrat from Mississippi’s Gulf Coast, adding: “I would not be opposed to it.” But right after opening the door, Taylor quickly closed it. “I generally don’t bring in other folks to campaign for me,” he said.

So how could she be an asset?

“Like I said, I hadn’t given it a lot of thought,” Taylor reminded, allowing only that Palin is “popular” and that “people like her.”

“OK?” he asked, or pleaded, wanting to be done with the subject.

Thompson's First Pick for US Attorney Out?

MainJustice.com - Candidate With Scruggs Case Ties Appears Out in Mississippi

We now have two independent sources telling us that Oxford, Miss., criminal defense lawyer Christi McCoy’s candidacy for Northern District of Mississippi U.S. Attorney appears to have run off the rails. We’re now hearing that Assistant U.S. Attorney Curtis Ivy in Oxford is the leading candidate.

McCoy and Ivy didn’t return phone calls, and a spokesman for Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), who reportedly recommended McCoy to replace Bush-appointed U.S. Attorney Jim Greenlee, won’t comment. “We have not made any of our recommendations public in order not to prejudice the White House vetting process,” Thompson’s deputy chief of staff, Karis Gutter, told me Tuesday.

After we posted this item back in May saying McCoy had hit a “snag” in the vetting process, Mississippi legal reporter Patsy Brumfield reported June 16 that Thompson had formally recommended McCoy to the White House.

Later, we learned that snag was related to McCoy’s professional connections to two figures in the famous Dickie Scruggs case.

McCoy once worked at the law firm of Joey Langston, who pleaded guilty to conspiring with Scruggs to bribe a judge. McCoy also represented former State Auditor Steve Patterson, who pleaded guilty in another Scruggs-related judge bribery case.

We also heard about something else on McCoy’s application that wasn’t quite in order, but couldn’t confirm the information.

Can Harper Investigate Thompson?

Gregg Harper has been named to the House Ethics Committee.

The House Ethics Committee is investigating Bennie Thompson.

Mississippi politics just got more interesting.

Blogs Criticize Gregg Harper

Thats My Congress - Gregg Harper Is A Rep Without A Cause

In the six months that the 111th Congress has been in session, Representative Harper hasn’t written a single bill to make things better for the American people. Harper hasn’t even cosponsored any bills that were written by other members of Congress.

Irregular Times - Congressman Gregg Harper Goes Back And Forth

The 2009 Award for the Most Incoherent Fourth of July Speech goes to U.S. Representative Gregg Harper, who advised people gathered yesterday at the Kemper County courthouse down in Mississippi to “go back and celebrate Independence Day and carry forward and let us know to never forget the responsibility we have to others that have gone before us.”

Bennie Thompson on Black Committee Staffers

The Congressional Black Caucus conducted a suvey on the number of black staffers on U.S. House Committees.

Their conclusion: black staffers are most prevalent when African American chairmen do the hiring.

The 31-person Democratic staff of the House Agriculture Committee and the 24-person Democratic staff of the House Rules Committee, for example, each have a single black aide. Conversely, the Homeland Security and Oversight and Government Reform Committees — both run by African American chairmen — have Democratic staffs that are 45.5 percent and 44.4 percent black, respectively.

Bennie Thompson says:

“I think people tend to apply where they think the greatest opportunities lie,” Bennie Thompson, the chairman of the Homeland Security Committee, said in an interview on Thursday. “We are, in many instances, where we live, where we go to church and what our experiences have been.” Those experiences, he said, influence hiring decisions.

Mr. Thompson, who is a member of the Congressional Black Caucus and a Democrat from Mississippi, added that he believed there is a similar survey in the works looking at the administration’s cabinet secretaries.

Renters Seek Help from Bennie Thompson

Tennants at the Delta Regional Housing Authority have reached out to Bennie Thomspon after seeing an increase in their rental rates for low-income housing.

Harper and Poultry; Taylor and Insurance

While Mississippi’s 3rd Congressional District celebrates its new No. 1 status in poultry production, industry insiders know Mississippi State University’s support made this achievement possible. “Mississippi’s poultry producers should be proud to lead the nation,” Harper said. “We are really lucky to have a great educational support system in place for our industry because of the MSU Department of Poultry Science.”

Gene Taylor has again urged President Obama to support his multi peril insurance plan.

Travis Childers announces $820K for district projects

Travis Childers announces $820,718 in community facility projects for his district:

City of Eupora, Road Repairs, loan $274,300; grant $147,700; total $422,000
Choctaw County Board of Supervisors, Backhoe, grant $44,880
City of Sardis, City Maintenance Service Truck, grant $4,900
Town of Ackerman, Tractor, grant $25,190
Town of Oakland, Tractor, grant $37,085
Town of Vardaman, City Maintenance Service Truck, grant $7,923
Town of Walnut, City Maintenance Service Truck, grant $12,130
United Community Action Committee, Inc., School Bus, grant $81,906
Benton County Board of Supervisors, Fire Truck and Equipment, grant $120,000
Town of Tishomingo, Police car, grant $19,704
Cayce-Marshall County VFD, Fire Truck, grant $45,000

Bennie Thompson on Slavery Apology, Taxpayer Trips

Bennie Thompson continues to stand against an apology for slavery as currently worded, "Respectfully, all of us [Congressional Black Caucus] are members of the NAACP, probably. But the vote is vested with us, members of Congress. If they bring the resolution up and it still reads as it does, I'm going to vote against it."

The Wall Street Journal reports that Congress has increased spending on taxpayer-financed trips in recent years, including a Homeland Security trip led by Bennie Thompson to Brazil, Argentina, Peru, and Panama. "This trip further solidified the message that homeland security does not begin or end at our borders," says Mr. Thompson's spokeswoman.

Gene Taylor: "Spotlight on Jackson County"

Gene Taylor, "the most handsome man in Washington," makes an appearance on "Spotlight on Jackson County" on WKFK-7.

Gene Taylor supports $550 billion defense bill

Sun Herald - Taylor supports defense bill

U.S. Rep. Gene Taylor, D-Bay St. Louis, is a booster for the $550 billion defense authorization bill the House approved last week and for good reason — it includes billions for Navy shipbuilding that will help the Gulf Coast.

But the bill also has a provision with a distinctly local flavor — an investigation into the Armed Forces Retirement Home beachfront land deal that involves Gulfport Mayor Brent Warr.

The bill makes a major step in getting the Navy to a fleet size of 313 by authorizing funds for 18 ships — eight new ships; three under construction; and seven in the pipeline. The fleet is now at 287 ships.

Taylor is chairman of the House Armed Services Committee’s Seapower and Expeditionary Forces Subcommittee and has been concerned about building up the size of the Navy’s fleet.

Angela McGlowan in 1st District?

Majority in Mississippi speculates that Fox News analyst Angela McGlowan might run against Travis Childers and notes she will be speaking at Fourth of July TEA PArty events in Hernando and Tupelo. State Senator Merle Flowers, who announced he is not running for Congress, will also be speaking.

Reparations, Abortion Funds, an Ethics Investigation, Walking the Plank and more

WND claims Bennie Thompson is using "reparations" code words when discussing an American apology for slavery. Thompson said, "I feel that some method other than just an apology should be made – people should be whole."

Gene Taylor and Travis Childers reject Obamacare if it includes abortion funding.

Former Bennie Thompson aide Trina George will serve as Mississippi state director for USDA Rural Development. George has worked in Thompson's office since 1994 as a special projects coordinator and office manager.

Travis Childers files a bill to suspend the ban on "real estate agents, lenders and others from directly hiring appraisers to prevent influencing their appraisals and result in more accurate home values."

Gene Taylor's thoughts on the climate bill: "A lot of people walked the plank on a bill that will never become law." And Taylor's opinion of Republican Majority Leader John Boehner's speech against cap and trade: "If I were the average Joe listening to this at home I’d think, ‘That was a pretty good speech.'"

Majority in Mississippi posts this about Travis Childers and the climate bill: Rep Travis Childers (D-Fence)

WLBT reports Bennie Thompson (D-Mississippi) and four other Democratic lawmakers are under investigation for possibly receiving improper gifts. Respond Mississippi continues following the story here, here, here, and here.