A story today on the Bloomberg news wire raises serious questions about Gov. Haley Barbour’s connections to his former lobbying firm and profits from Katrina-related contracts awarded to family and former clients.
The story outlined how Barbour’s nephew, Henry, joined a lobbying firm in Jackson after the 2003 election and then represented a company that made at least hundreds of thousands of dollars in fees from Katrina-related bond issues.
It also said that another of Henry’s clients worked on a $3 million study of water management systems in six counties Katrina affected. And it mentioned that Barbour’s two partners in his Washington lobbying firm helped the Hard Rock Casino in Biloxi.
“This could have serious legal consequences and raises serious questions about Haley’s connection to his former lobbying firm,” said Wayne Dowdy, chairman of the Mississippi Democratic Party. “The Bloomberg story clearly lays out how Haley’s family and lobbying clients profited from Katrina contracts.”
The story comes about two months after The Clarion-Ledger in Jackson reported about questionable actions in managing the Homeowners Assistance Grant Program, designed to financially help people flooded by the storm.
It also comes after the defeat in the Republican Party primary last week of state Sen. Tommy Robertson of Moss Point, a Barbour ally who landed a $1.2 million contract for him and two other state lawmakers to “close” the homeowner grants as they are awarded.
Dowdy said the allegations deserve further investigation. Bloomberg reported the governor declined an interview for their story.
“The Bloomberg story had contradictory explanations from people around Barbour about his involvement with these contracts – and this inconsistency deserves further investigation,” Dowdy said.
Bloomberg News Article
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