MS campaign finance enforcement lacks 'teeth,' hindering accountability
(The Clarion-Ledger)–Even if the state wanted to bring charges against federally indicted-Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba for failing to submit several campaign finance reports, it likely wouldn’t due to Mississippi’s confusing campaign finance laws.
The Attorney General's Office, headed by Lynn Fitch, recently told the Clarion Ledger the state’s campaign finance enforcement laws are confusing, difficult to understand and ultimately difficult to enforce because there are several state agencies involved before the AG can see a case. If that even happens, the punitive measures are minor at best, AG Chief of Staff Michelle Williams said.
"The current system for assessing penalties for failing to timely file reports is broken,” Williams said. “It requires work by three agencies — possibly four for a municipal election — and the Attorney General’s Office is in every instance the last step, requiring notification by another agency to trigger our part. In addition, the misdemeanor prosecution and $500 in civil penalties are too light to deter bad behavior. And the many grace periods allowed for curing a delinquent report can push action against a tardy candidate until after the election. General Fitch is hopeful that this year the Legislature will take up the campaign finance reform package she has put forward for the past two years to close the gaping holes in the system, streamline enforcement of its provisions, and improve transparency."
While Mississippi's campaign finance laws spell out punishments and penalties for office-holders or candidates who don't file annual campaign finance reports, the laws do not state what official or agency is in charge of holding politicians accountable for failure to file. It begs the question: how are campaign finance laws supposed to be enforced in Mississippi if no one is monitoring to ensure the laws are followed? It's like having laws, but no police force.
For Lumumba, the mayor hadn't filed a report since 2021 until the end of January when he submitted reports for 2022, 2023 and 2024 ahead of qualifying for his reelection bid for 2025. For those who hold public office, campaign finance reports are required to be filed annually.
The fact that Lumumba hadn't filed a report in three years is a clear violation of state law, but yet he was not investigated, penalized or prosecuted for those missed reports. Moreover, Lumumba's missed reports were seemingly not an issue or even known to the wider public until he was federally indicted on bribery charges in November. Lumumba is accused of accepting $50,000 in bribes disguised as "campaign contributions" from undercover FBI agents.
Since then, Lumumba has refused to answer any questions about his campaign finances or why he missed submitting the annual reports, saying only that it is related to his indictment "and so I will not speak to it."
According to Mississippi law, two potential routes for prosecution for those who have committed campaign finance violations are through a state district attorney’s office or through the Mississippi Ethics Commission, which then notifies the Mississippi Attorney General's Office. Both are long, winding processes that could potentially take months — an issue the Attorney General's Office has said needs to be corrected.
In Lumumba’s case, the District Attorney that could potentially prosecute him for campaign finance violations is Hinds County District Attorney Jody Owens — the same man who was indicted along with Lumumba and is accused of helping to facilitate bribes to the mayor and two other members of the Jackson City Council. This would be a clear conflict-of-interest for Owens. His office has also not indicated it is moving in that direction.
Jackson, Mississippi Secretary of State spar over who's in-charge of enforcement
In a recent statement to the Clarion Ledger, Mississippi Secretary of State Michael Watson said his office has “limited authority to impose civil penalties (fines) for failing to file reports,” because the secretary of state's offices' oversight “only extends to state district and statewide candidates and PACs supporting those candidates.”
“We cannot impose a fine on a county or municipal candidate,” Watson said. “Actions which can be taken regarding municipal candidates, such as withholding payment or charging with a misdemeanor, can only be made at the city level or by the county prosecutor, respectively. Our office does not have enforcement authority for municipal candidates, but those that do failed to act.”
Watson is correct that one penalty for office-holders is to withhold their salary, but the law does not spell out who would be in charge of doing that. It’s unclear if that is a power of the Jackson City Council, which controls the city’s finances, or if that would be another city department. In any case, all city department directors report to Lumumba.
After receiving Watson's statement, the Clarion Ledger asked Jackson's Municipal Clerk Angela Harris why Lumumba's missed campaign finance reports for the past three years were never reported to the secretary of state. Harris' municipal clerk office is where all campaign finance reports are submitted in Jackson.
Jackson's City Attorney Drew Martin responded in an email that there was no law that requires Harris to report candidates who do not submit their campaign finances, but only that a municipal clerk "forwards copies of all reports it receives to the Secretary of State." Elizabeth Johnson, the communications director for the secretary of state, confirmed that Harris had previously sent in other candidates' campaign finance reports that were submitted.
"There is no statute or rule which directs or authorizes the municipal clerk to maintain a list of candidates who do not file campaign finance forms, nor is there any statute or rule which directs or authorizes the municipal clerk to report candidates who do not file reports — not to the Secretary of State nor to anyone else," Martin said.
Will Mississippi's lawmakers finally address the gaps in campaign finance laws?
For the past two years, both Watson and Fitch have urged lawmakers to pass campaign finance reforms and to add “teeth” to campaign election violation enforcement. In 2024, bills filed to address those concerns died by legislative deadlines.
It should be noted that every lawmaker within the Mississippi Legislature — since they are elected officials — is required by law to file annual campaign finance reports. So essentially, campaign finance reform bills are asking lawmakers to police themselves.
That being said, this year several reform bills were filed and are being worked through the legislative process. Whether they make it through and become law is still yet to be seen as lawmakers are still working their way through the 2025 session.
Both the House and Senate have moved forward legislation to address campaign finances and elections in general.
Original Story



Learn more about FGA reforms to safeguard our elections here.
Original Story

Watch to see what he deems “drops of prosperity,” and read more about how FGA is fighting for limited government here.
Original Story

( SuperTalk) - With just over two weeks until Election Day, Mississippians are gearing up to cast their ballots for several statewide elections and a contentious presidential election. Mississippi Secretary of State Michael Watson wants voters to know the election process is safe in the Magnolia State.
Although government, court, and other third-party research shows that voter fraud is extremely rare, a nationwide NPR poll says 6 in 10 Americans are concerned about interference that could influence the upcoming election. Watson vouches that his office, along with the state legislature, has added every possible safeguard to protect election integrity.
“I hate when people say, ‘You’re just trying to make it hard on people to vote.’ No, we aren’t,” Watson said during an appearance on MidDays with Gerard Gibert . “We’re trying to follow the law and make sure there’s integrity in the process. That’s what we’re doing.”
Among those safeguards include a dual-verification process, the first step of which is called DPS Verify , for voter registration and partnerships with five other southeastern states to compare and verify voter rolls. Additionally, the legislature banned ballot harvesting in the state, which is the gathering and submitting of absentee or mail-in ballots by third-party individuals.
“One of the things that I’ve tried to tell Mississippians is, ‘You can rest assured that we have a great process here,'” Watson continued. “There won’t be questions. And thank the Lord, a lot of people kind of laugh at this, that we aren’t one of those that will be in the crosshairs on election night.”
Watson, who will also aid other secretaries of state on election night as the incoming president of the National Association of Secretaries of State, encouraged voters to hold their local election officials accountable. One way to do that, according to Watson, is to check voter roll numbers on the secretary of state office’s website – data which is updated monthly.
“I’m really comfortable with where we are,” Watson said. “I think we’ve done a great job and appreciate the legislature’s help.”
Other state officials, such as leaders from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, are also making citizens aware that they will emphasize both voter safety and election legitimacy on and after November 5.
“Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted in a fair and free election,” U.S. Attorney Todd Gee said. “Similarly, election officials and staff must be able to serve without being subject to unlawful threats of violence. The Department of Justice will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process.”
Gee noted in a press release that Mississippians should be vigilant in reporting potential fraud or voting rights concerns, which can be done by contacting Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bert Carraway and Samuel Goff at 601-973-2826 or 601-973-2855 on Election Day. The FBI will also have special agents available in local field offices throughout the country to receive allegations of fraud and other election abuses.
In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in every field office throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on Election Day. The Mississippi FBI field office, located in Jackson, can be reached by the public at 601-948-5000.

