Thursday, June 17, 2010

Star-Herald: Guest's Mississippi Court Collections, Inc operates in 18 counties

The Attala County Star-Herald reported in 2008:

"In Neshoba County, Culpepper said in six months time they have collected more than $400,000.

“Once we get them (fine holder), they usually pay,” Culpepper said. “We are in 18 different counties and it’s working.”

18 counties. JJ previously reported MCC had contracts with Neshoba County. One commentor reported the Scott County Times stated MCC had one with Scott County as well. Earlier post. Meanwhile, Mr. Guest did not return phone calls seeking comment from this correspondent but managed to appear on WFMN's "The Gallo Show" this morning and on tv several times in the last few days.

18 counties. That's alot of contracts, probably alot of money, and probably alot of contacts if someone wants to run for higher office like Attorney General one day.

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

There's certainly no law against a public official operating a private business.

Is there some suggestion that Guest's collection company s somehow unethical or represents a conflict of interest?

Anonymous said...

This is a dead horse KF. There is no conflict in Mr. Guest owning a collection agency to collect fines that he is not having imposed on individuals. If you could find out what the bad debt is being purchased for then you might be able to prove something unethical. Unpaid court fines should go for a premium considering that the whole premise of the case started with going to court. If you want to talk about unethical, let's talk about Haley Barbour being part owner of a collection agency that has exclusive rights to the high dollar delinquent Mississippi State tax accounts.....

Kingfish said...

1. Was it disclosed when he ran for office?

2. Is he getting these contracts because they know who he is?

3. SHould a senior law enforcement official have business interests such as this? Shouldn't he be above any suspicion of any potential conflicts of interest or impropriety?

4. As a D.A., he is a lawyer who is prohibited from any private practice. If he is engaged in collection work, is that a use of his law license?

5. How much money has been made by MCC and what is Mr. Guest's compensation?

6. How does MCC obtain contracts? Are these counties advertising for collections agencies? Does MCC solicit the counties?

Kingfish said...

Am I accusing Mr. Guest of something? No. Was this disclosed when he ran for office? No. Therefor the people have a right to know about this even if nothing unethical has taken place. We pay his salary, and yes WE do because he is paid by the state, not the county, as D.A.

Anonymous said...

If Guest is causing collection letters to be sent, he is in fact engaged in the practice of law in doing so. Doesn't matter if he signs the letters or a subordinate does it. BTW, the failure to pay a fine owed any government is contempt of court, which can lead to more fines or imprisonment unless a person is unable to pay because of poverty. Wonder what this collection agency uses as the inducement to get people to pay? Do they threaten to sue them like other collectors? To be legal, a collector cannot threaten something that will not happen otherwise it violates the Fair Debt Collections Practices Act [generic name, can't remember whole thing].

IF his side business is completely legit, you'd think he'd be falling all over himself to show proof of same and just tell us he's just providing for his family, making up for the sacrifice of serving the public [or similiar political rhetoric].

smoke always means a fire somewhere.

Anonymous said...

Stay on top of this KF!!!!

1) Did Guest disclose this info when he ran for office?: NO!

2) Is he getting these contracts because of who he is?: YES!

3) Should a senior law enforcement official have business interests such as this?: NO!

4) As a D.A. is Guest engaged in collection work?: YES!

5) Does MCC solicit the counties?: YES!

I have one more question.

6) Has Guest ever indicted a police official?: NO!

AND HE NEVER WILL! Even when the officer is driving to an "alleged" burglary call at extreme speeds with a 16yr old front passenger & takes a life in the process. Yet this is called normal police procedure? Such character you have that you will speak of to your children-Ha!

Anonymous said...

anon at 3:43 wishfully thinks this is a dead horse.

A number of questions have been raised about this.

K.F question #6 asked at 3:44 P.M. gets to what is up with this.

This smells like a dead fish.

M.C.C. could start to answer these questions by releasing all the contracts, along with all the differing proposals made by them to obtain the contracts.

Not holding my breath on this one- other than due to some bad fish smell.

When government's work (collecting monies due to the government) is not done, and then contracted out to a profit making company- no matter who owns it- the facts of the deal ought not be secret.

Anonymous said...

He is expected to be the DA. Period. We hired him 24/7. I'd question his ability to focus on his DA work and not be distracted by his private business enterprise. Unless he put it in a blind trust, which as I understand it, he hasn't. Therefore, get after him KF.

Upsetta said...

I own stock in several businesses and I work for a government. Why wouldn't I? I had a successful parent who left me money. I've incorporated businesses. You could find my name on several corporate documents. As long as my branch of government doesn't do business with the companies in which I own stock AND I disclose the ownership to the proper office which is set up to monitor conflicts there is no issue. Even so I'll never publicize what I own... not even anonymously... because my personal finances are none of your business. Some of my stock holdings are very successful and I get paid dividends, some have lost money. But I don't have the time to run a business and do my day job. I need that day job for my living expenses, so I devote my time to doing it well. There is no evidence Guest participates in the business he owns an interest in. Knowing what I know about such (and I have been in government a long time), Guest has no time to run a business either.

Anonymous said...

Stock holdings are different than President title.

Anonymous said...

I doubt this "corporation" has many stockholders beyond Guest, his wife, and his office manager. The longer he stays silent, the stronger the stench.

Anonymous said...

i noticed that there is also Sharon Jernigan as an officer. Appears she maybe married to Alfred Jernigan. Wonder if this is the same Al Jernigan who was and may still be an assistant US Attorney. If so it only gets more interesting.

Anonymous said...

Where in the hell is Melton on that list? Damn it, in memoriam!

Anonymous said...

826. This is not owning stock or being a silent partner. This is the controlling interest with the title of President.

If it's benign as you suggest, all Guest needs to do is say so and move on. The thundering sound of silence...

Anonymous said...

9:08

Sharon is Guest's office manager.

Al is her husband.

Draw your own conclusions.

KaptKangaroo said...

8:45 PM here, "The thundering sound of silence" indeed! Mr. Stock-holding Government official, I do hope those stocks are in a "blind" trust. A few years back I do remember the Feds taking a look at the interests of stock holdings outside blind trusts. They lost vs. the Feds. Can you tell us if you hold those stocks in a blind trust?

Unknown said...

Hypo: attalla county resident with fines with mcc moves to Rankin then gets investigated for felony should the prosecutor send that fine back to attala for fear of the apperance of a conflict of interest on treatment of new charge vs desire to collect fines?
New related issue: SB 2887, 2610,2589 goes into effect July 1. These bills taken together allow prosecutors to contract for collection agency work in their districts with these local governments. They can use the funds they raise from collection agency work and money they can raise from private foundations to give themselves rasies of up to $8300 and to pay for other unfunded items in their office. A lot of the mcc questions in these posts and the ones earlier in the month will apply to other DAs if they do this. Its like the legislature enacting a law to allow heart surgeons at umc to moonlight making copies for $1.00 a page.

KaptKangaroo said...

I celebrate the capitalist way of life. I celebrate those who choose to give of themselves and serve the public. I do both. I do not mix the first with the latter. My service comes for the betterment of myself and others. I do and never did profit from my service to others. A woman learned to read the Thursday circular and saved enough to feed her family, that is my profit of my service.

As to my previous comment; one who holds their service as their profession should not profit by it, in any way, direct or indirect. It is a conflict.

If one must leave the private sector of profit to serve the public, one should and must preserve the integrity of the public and place their private profitable doings in a blind trust that they have no interest in other than their investment of which should not be influenced by any decision, signatory, etc.

I do not begrudge a man making a profit. I do begrudge a man who serves the public profiting off the very service that levies the fines that he profits off of and does not make a statement to alleviate the perceived conflict. And, his name should not be on ANY contract. None, nil, never. This way, I see the corporation functioning without his influence. He did sign a contract, I believe, during his term. Wrong in my mind.

Anonymous said...

There is no smoking gun here. There is no ethics violation. Did he disclose this when he ran for office? Assume, since you say so, that he didn't. Was he required to? No. Did he tell us what he had to eat for breakfast? No. He didn't disclose it because it wasn't, and isn't, relevant.
And to the "practicing of law" he is not the one writing letters. The company is. I don't know if there are other lawyers involved in the company or not - never been said. But just because MCC sends a demand letter doesn't mean that Guest has "practiced law" for the company.

He, at some point, don't know how long ago because you haven't told us, started a company for which he saw a need. Yes, probably was aware of the need from his work as an ADA. Established the company, hired a staff, and put them out to do work. He hasn't been on a selling trip yet - all done by staff. He hasn't made a collection call or filed a suit.

What the hell are you saying Guest has done, or is doing, wrong? It meets all the legal and ethical requirements of the state. He reports it on his ethics statement (so I guess he did disclose it when he ran, you just didn't look at the right place.) Either tell us why you think he must tell us what color socks he wears every day and every other part of his life, or go on to something more relevant - like the refinancing of Jackson's debt that is going to cost us all lots, and lots, of $$$s. (Good job on that one today)

Kingfish said...

I did tell you how long ago he started it: 2002 while a prosecutor.

I answered your questions in a comment above.



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