In Mississippi, all elected officials must file a calendar year statement of economic interest (SEI) with the Ethics Commission on or before May 1st each year. Many other positions require SEI filing too, such as, appointed school board members and trustees of state supported colleges. Anyone who fails to file within one year of the applicable deadline or who knowingly fails to disclose required information is guilty of a crime and can be fined up to $10,000. Any SEI can be searched using the Ethics Commission website at https://www.ethics.webapps.ms.gov/SearchSEIForm.aspx.
Mississippi requires that candidates for elected office file a SEI within fifteen days after qualifying for office. (MS Code 25-4-25) Ward 4 council member Beard filed as a candidate in 2017 but failed to file when he was again a candidate in 2019. All of the non-incumbent candidates in the 2021 Columbus municipal election filed a SEI except for mayor Gaskin who has, up to now, failed to file both his candidate filing and annual 2021.
Ward 1 council member Ethel Stewart continues to fail to timely file since being elected. Although she timely filed her candidate SEI the following year’s SEI was not filed until the December following the May due date. She has thus far failed to file both her 2020 and 2021 annual SEIs.
Ward 2 council member Joseph Mickens has historically filed timely but has yet to file his 2021 annual SEI.
Ward 3 council member Rusty Green timely complied for all filing requirements.
Ward 4 council member Pierre Beard timely filed his 2020 annual SEI but has yet to file for 2021, and, as previously stated, never filed as a 2019 candidate.
Ward 5 council member Stephen Jones, who usually has difficulty filing, timely filed his 2021 SEI. His past late filing years and (filing dates) are 2014 (6/3/16), 2015 (6/3/16), 2018 (11/9/20), 2019 (11/9/20), and 2020 (7/27/21). The filings for 2014 and 2018 were over one year past due. The Ethics Commission shows no filing at all for Stephen Jones’ 2016 form.
In addition to Jones often failing to timely file or, as is the case in 2016, file at all, the filings were incomplete. None of the filed economic statements disclose his spouse or her occupation. His spouse, as well as he, are reportedly realtors with a local real estate franchise. (MS Code 25-4-27)
Ward 6 council member Jacqueline DiCicco has timely complied for all filing requirements. In the past, the City Registrar gave the information to candidates that went to City Hall and paid their filing fee. The Secretary of State (SOS) has the MS Code online, and an Election Division to assist candidates. In the February 2019 audit, it appeared the City Auditor reminded the Council to file their SEIs as she mentioned in her audit presentation “we’re all caught up now” referencing the council members filing their SEI Even so, the city continued paying the City Attorney to help the mayor and council navigate matters of ethical and legal compliance.
According to the Ethics Commission, having candidates and elected officials submit SEIs allows the public to know where a public servant’s financial interests lie and disclose any potential conflicts of interest. The SEIs do not disclose amounts of income. If the public servant has a spouse, the name, occupation, and any businesses of the spouse is also supposed to be included.
In addition to receiving SEIs, Mississippi Ethics Commission is tasked with ensuring that Mississippians have the “highest standards of governmental integrity.” The Commission also investigates and issues advisory opinions regarding Ethics Law.
For our elected officials to shirk their personal responsibilities may reflect on their professional abilities as caretakers of the city. How low can standards go before we are better off with official anarchy by removing all rules and standards so that even law-abiding citizens have a chance to win too?
