Franks: Bryant To Blame In Beef Plant's Failure

The Daily Journal:

The failed Mississippi Beef Processors Plant has now become an issue in the race for lieutenant governor.

State Rep. Jamie Franks of Mooreville, the Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor, said Monday that his opponent, state Auditor Phil Bryant, was primarily responsible for the failure of the cull cow processing plant that cost the state $55 million when it closed.

"The fact is, Bryant's failure of accountability to do the job to which he was elected has cost Mississippi millions of dollars in this one project alone," Franks said Monday during a news conference at the state Capitol.

In a release, Bryant called Franks' claims "wrong and irresponsible."

When the Legislature approved the beef processing plant, it provided the state Auditor's Office $50,000 to monitor the construction and initial operation of the plant, but Franks said Bryant spent only $10,000 of the funds.

Franks, buoyed by confirmation from Attorney General Jim Hood, also said Bryant botched the criminal investigation associated with the plant by talking about the investigation in the media.

According to Hood, the day before he was set to place a wire on plant owner-operator Richard Hall to try to catch other possible wrongdoers, Bryant issued a news release announcing the investigation.

"The confidential information was burned at that point," Hood said. "It is hard to slip up on a criminal when a law enforcement agency announces an investigation in the newspaper.