The Oxford aldermen voted down late-hours for bars on football weekends. Some dolts on the bar owners’ side cinched the decision by offering bribes to a couple of aldermen! The vote is over a 2 AM closing– the bars already get extended to 1 AM on Saturday.
The Tupelo Journal reports:
Aldermen Janice Antonow of Ward 3 and Ulysses Howell of Ward 4 sealed the proposal’s defeat when they reported during debate that unidentified people had attempted to bribe them in exchange for a favorable vote.
“I’ve been (offered bribes) by two different callers, and that angers me,” Howell said. Antonow said someone suggested donations to a cause she favors in exchange for support. Both noted Hobbs was not the caller.
Mayor George “Pat” Patterson threatened to call in the FBI.
Declaring “to nobody and everybody,” he said, “I’m telling you as clearly as I know how to say it: If I hear another such offer like that, as God is my witness, I’ll make that call.”
Meanwhile, Tupelo seems about to approve beer and light wine sales on Sunday in both restaurants and grocery stores.
I think if those involved are going to claim someone -dolt is a good description- tried to bribe, they should name the person(s).
If TUPELO approves selling a legal product on Sunday, there may be hope yet for this country.
If I had been the alderman, I’d have called them out by name, and dropped a dime to law enforcement.
NMC, since you know Mr. Patterson, you may want to suggest that he say, “after further reflection, I thought it best not to wait until the next bribe but called the FBI today.”
Wouldn’t their failures to report the attempted bribes constitute misprision of a felony? Break out the grand jury subpoenas. Let’s get some telephone records out in the open here. Are the alderpeople blowing smoke to kill a proposal they dislike, or are crimes being committed? The grand jury deserves to know. The community deserves to know.
Misprision has an element of concealment– the person doesn’t just know about the crime, they have to participate in some small way (I say “small” because I’m distinguishing it from conspiracy– you know how vanishingly small the requirement there is!) or help hide the crime in some way. Just taking the call has no element of participation or concealment to it, and isn’t a crime, particularly when they went (quasi) public. I say quasi because they didn’t call them out.
I think the community does deserve to know, however. Who wants to unknowingly patronize the business of an attempted briber?
the alcohol issue is the biggest issue here in the golden triangle right now. columbus, starkville, and west point are all grappling with extended hours and selling booze(liquor or wine in bars/restaurants) on sundays.
Maybe someone offered to buy them a round if the bars could stay open a little later.
The alleged bribery attempts are anecdotal, and if indeed “sealed the proposal’s defeat” were a non sequitur from the merits of the suggested ordinance change. Assuming these calls even took place – behavior outrageous enough to warrant an invocation of Patterson’s god – why involve the FBI only if it happens a third time? This all seems very odd, distracting and unhelpful, especially to those of us who’d prefer a more reasonable and informed debate of Oxford’s antiquated liquor laws.
Agreed superstovall. I was at the meeting, and suggested to the Board that they table the vote and commission some research on the issue (you know, act as a responsible government might and consider the issue thoughtfully before holding a vote).
An economist might provide some helpful restaurant industry revenue numbers, and balance additional interests as well: police overtime; taxi service revenue; hotel/motel revenue; etc. The city attorney or the police chief might review similar actions in other municipalities around the state/country and provide some real data regarding the health and safety issue rather than the conjecture and political scare tactics which framed last night’s debate.
But alas, that idea floated like a lead balloon.
Is is true that you can’t purchase cold beer at a 7-11 in Oxford? What about Starkville?
“Unidentified people?” They could have been teetotalers in disguise.
KF. That was a fabulous idea. Too bad the “we don’t do things that way” thinking is still so prevalent in Oxford.
How do we know the alleged “bribes” were not facilitated by someone opposed to extending bar hours and their intentions were to sabotage the proceedings? At this point, that is just as likely a scenario as any.
Law enforcement needs to investigate at once.
WHY on Earth does it take a “second” time for our valiant mayor to call the FBI?
I’d settle for a call to District Attorney Creekmore.
I know it’s just me, but … I think those alderpersons doth protest a bit too much. And calling the DA would probably be as fruitless as calling Mr. Kimball on “Green Acres.”