Barbour Heckled for Releasing Stalker-Murderer

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Friday August 01, 2008 · 12:49 PM PDT

2008/08/01 · 12:49

Yesterday at Mississippi's premier political gathering, the Neshoba County Fair, Governor Haley Barbour was heckled by a woman who chanted the name "Adrienne Klasky."

In April, 1989, Adrienne Klasky Graham was at a stoplight in downtown Pascagoula, MS, when her divorced husband, Michael Graham, shot her dead with a shotgun blast. Testimony at trial showed he had stalked her and her family for over 3 years.

Her story is recounted here.

The protester, Linda St. Martin was herself arrested and removed from the fair. Afterwards she had some sharp words for the Governor's decision to release Michael Graham, who now works as a trusty in the Governor's Mansion, early from his murder sentence.

Linda's words perfectly frame the problem with Governor Barbour. Read them below, then pick up the phone and call or email the Governor's office to protest his decision to suspend this stalking murderer's sentence.

Read what Linda said below the jump.

RiMo

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Saturday June 21, 2008 · 9:22 PM PDT

2008/06/21 · 21:22

Haley Barbour's effort to divert disaster housing recovery money has met a new obstacle. Twelve House members, including Chairman Bennie Thompson who oversees FEMA and Chairman Barney Frank, who oversees HUD, wrote Appropriations Chair Obey this week to block Mississippi from diverting $600 million in disaster housing recovery money into expansion of a state-owned port in Gulfport.

With about 5,000 households still in formaldehyde-laced FEMA trailers and 8,000 households more seeking relief from recovery groups, this diversion must be stopped. Please take a moment to contact Congressman Gene Taylor, who supports the diversion, to tell him that restoring affordable housing in his own district should take priority over a massive port expansion.

RiMo

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Friday January 25, 2008 · 8:03 PM PST

2008/01/25 · 20:03

As tens of thousands of Mississippi households remain stranded in FEMA trailers or unrepaired homes or apartments, HUD Secretary Jackson today approved diversion of $600 million in federal housing recovery funds to expand a commercial port and clear space for hotel, condo, and casino construction.

Although economic development is important and the Port expansion will create jobs and serve as a significant economic regional driver, I remain concerned that this expansion does indeed divert emergency federal funding from other more pressing recovery needs, most notably, affordable housing.

These households scarcely can be reassured by HUD's "concern" over this misplaced priority. Accountability now rests with senior Congressional leaders who promise oversight hearings on how disaster recovery for the poor has run off the rails.

RiMo

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Saturday September 15, 2007 · 4:17 PM PDT

2007/09/15 · 16:17

The latest step in a pattern of underspending on lower income housing needs by Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour is his plan to subtract $600 million from housing programs to pay for an enormous expansion of the State Port at Gulfport.

This proposal, coming little more than a week after the second anniversary of Hurricane Katrina has aroused strong opposition from advocacy groups.

Governor Barbour emphasizes his Katrina record in his re-election ads, but this trend has raised serious questions ahead of the first gubernatorial debate in Biloxi next Thursday.

For more information and directions how to submit comments, see the fact sheet below.

RiMo

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Sunday August 26, 2007 · 8:53 AM PDT

2007/08/26 · 08:53

With $23.5 billion in federal funds, you'd think even Mississippi would have enough to finally uplift the conditions of its lowest-income storm victims. As a local paper reports today,

It's enough money to buy two average-sized houses for each of the 65,000 families in Mississippi who lost their homes.

And, there would be enough left over to buy each family a brand-new Honda Accord to drive between their two $166,000 houses. That's the EX-L, V-6 four-door sedan Accord, with all the extras and navigation, not a base model.

You'd be wrong. Having it is one thing, but spending it where it's needed is another.

A coalition of advocacy groups has found that Mississippi has underspent the federal disaster reconstruction funds on lower income residents by close to a billion dollars, giving the state the benefit of every doubt. Coincidentally, about $1.3 billion remains.

More details and how to take action below.

Update: Media Matters picked up the story and links to this blog.

RiMo

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Thursday December 21, 2006 · 5:04 AM PST

2006/12/21 · 05:04

As Christmas approaches, about 90,000 coastal Mississippians displaced by Hurricane Katrina still occupy about 30,000 FEMA trailers or "candominiums." More folks are doubled and tripled up with family and friends.

Volunteers canvassing conditions in these trailers in East Biloxi this week found 80-year-old retired shrimpers miserable and cramped; a widow who must use an oxygen tank in a trailer that has a gas stove; a nearly blind man who lost everything -- 3 houses and a shack in the neighborhood.

For up to 10,000 low-income households inside the floodplain, things became a little brighter yesterday.

RiMo

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Saturday September 09, 2006 · 4:29 PM PDT

2006/09/09 · 16:29

About this cease-fire between Pakistan and the Taliban...

Indian news reports that it paves the way for American incursion into the Taliban-controlled area where Bin Laden resides, and insulates Musharraf from internal strife for Muslim-on-Muslim attacks.

This opens the possibility of an October surprise in which Bush invades NW Pakistan and gets Bin Laden.

Details below. Read More

Get in the Tent

RiMo

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Sunday September 25, 2005 · 8:11 AM PDT

2005/09/25 · 08:11

Last week a tent full of coastal Mississippi politicians and insider businessmen received praise from President Bush for their "Can Do" attitude. "Do What?" is the question we should ask as we struggle to re-create our coast. To influence this answer, we must push our way into this tent now, for it will be too late before you know it. Read More

Turn Debris into Art

RiMo

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Thursday September 22, 2005 · 6:00 AM PDT

2005/09/22 · 06:00

On the MS coast, there are tons of tree and other debris, some from centuries old oaks and magnolias, some from residences, all presumably destined for the burn heap.

But we are holding onto what we can. One idea that came to me was to get nature conceptual artists like Andy Goldsworthy to salvage some of this stuff and put it back in the public domain as works of art and tribute. I was thinking in particular of the stretch of centuries-old oaks along Highway 90 sawed down by our cement-headed highway contractors. Imagine what a mind with the imagination of an Alexander Calder and the knack for materials of Goldsworthy could fashion out of these enormous twisting shapes. Read More

21 days A(fter) K(atrina) from Gulfport, MS

RiMo

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Sunday September 18, 2005 · 8:28 AM PDT

2005/09/18 · 08:28

I was 11 when Camille came through, 47 for Katrina. My father's office in downtown survived, my office right off the beach is a slab and a pile of debris.

I have been here every day since the storm struck. It has been an amazing time, full of incredible lows and improbable highs. I put the personal side out there on my home blog reiBlog, and a little bit more on the political blog, HandsboroBlue.

I just want to let the DKos Community know that this and other sites help keep our spirits up, and give us the guts to try to cope with what is to come.

And what is that likely to look like? Read More

Cochran Backs Offshore Buyout

RiMo

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Wednesday August 24, 2005 · 1:13 PM PDT

2005/08/24 · 13:13

Sen. Thad Cochran made a surprise announcement this morning in Biloxi, MS: He proposed a buyout of Federal drilling leases within 12 miles of MS barrier islands and a moratorium on drilling in Federal waters within that limit. He also announced that, if state officials make a request, he will work for a Federal buyout of state mineral rights near Gulf Islands National Seashore. This places Cochran out in front of the MS congressional delegation on an important conservation matter. Governor Barbour had refused to rule out drilling, choosing to call for a suspension of activities pending a coastal zone study. This announcement comes three days after 3000 people attended a rally in the Biloxi coliseum to preserve the barrier islands. Is what happens here a national issue? Read More

Barbour Bends, Lott Lags

RiMo

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Friday August 19, 2005 · 5:43 AM PDT

2005/08/19 · 05:43

A few days before thousands of people are expected to fill the Biloxi Coliseum to preserve barrier island parks from offshore drilling, Barbour and Lott react to the heat.

Lott says he will prohibit drilling near the barrier islands but he wants to conduct seismic tests. He describes a coalition that includes Barbour's banker buddies and transition team members as well as environmentalists as "ridiculous" and the rally as something that does not intimidate.

Later that day, Barbour bends. Read More

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Barbour Heckled for Releasing Stalker-Murderer

MS Spent IV - House Leaders Push Back

MS-Spent III: Katrina $$ Leaves Poor Stranded

MS-Spent Part II: State Diverts Rebuild Aid from Poor to Port

MS-spent: State Shorts Katrina Rebuild Aid to Poor

Coalition Gets Barbour to Double Grants

Is Pakistan-Taliban deal Bush's Path to October Surprise?

Get in the Tent

Turn Debris into Art

21 days A(fter) K(atrina) from Gulfport, MS

Cochran Backs Offshore Buyout

Barbour Bends, Lott Lags