MBJ reports from MEC's "Hobnob Mississippi" (Video)

The Mississippi Economic Council’s “Hobnob Mississippi” swung from somber to humorous and back again as pundits, politicians and the Magnolia State’s business leaders came together for the annual event.

And why is the overpaid Madison County Lobbyist the one doing the talking?

Seale

In a WLBT report on the recently released Auditors report into Madison County Supervisors lack of oversight in billing practices of Engineer Rudy Warnock, Madison County Lobbyist Steve Seale acts as spokesman for Board of Supervisors President Tim Johnson. Did the additional $2500 a month he was recently given on top of his salary of $75,000 give him the responsibility to lobby the general public and the media, too?

The State Auditor's office released their findings on Madison County road contracts involving county engineer Rudy Warnock. This came after some Madison City and County officials raised concerns about misuse of tax payer money.


At the center of the State Auditor's report was Warnock and his contracts with Madison County since 2004. The State Auditor found the Board of Supervisors has poor oversight and monitoring of contracts allowing for the potential of double payments.

Attorney Steve Seale responded in a press conference, "They found no duplicative payments. They found no misuse of payments. They found no improper payments. They just said the potential existed."

The report demonstrates the contracts had missing information or confusing terms that seemed to protect the engineer and not the Madison County tax payers.

"We're going to look at everyone of those contracts again and make sure they are in the best interest, written in the best interest, of the county," said Seale. "Again, no harm has occurred to Madison County."

And, what exactly does Seale mean by "we"? Isn't that Johnson's other lap dog Eric Hamer's responsibility? Or, does Seale mean him, Johnson, Hamer and Rudy?