Bribery case adds to problems like water shortages and police disputes in Mississippi city

The bribery and conspiracy charges against the mayor are the latest shock for Mississippi’s capital, where a federally appointed official is mayor. water system after almost collapsing and state police They patrol parts of the majority-Black city due to white lawmakers’ concerns about crime.

Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba and two other Democratic elected officials — Hinds County District Attorney Jody Owens and Jackson City Council member Aaron B. Banks — have pleaded not guilty. federal charges Thursday. They remain free while awaiting trial in a case involving the development plan for a long-vacant property downtown.

“I am not guilty and therefore I will not act like a guilty man,” said the mayor, who is running for his third term in 2025.

Lumumba is Black and He described himself as a ‘radical’ who are “disturbed by oppressive conditions.” Both she and her sister, Rukia Lumumba, say they believe she is facing a political investigation, even though the Justice Department is still run by a Democratic administration.

“First Trump won, now they’re trying to blame my brother,” Rukia Lumumba said on Facebook. “As Spike Lee said, WAKE UP! “They come for our good because we threaten their power.”

Jackson’s distrust of the government stems from people saying the government is doing this. thwarted efforts to help the city and those who say the city is stumbling in providing basic services.

City Councilman Kenneth Stokes, a Democrat and a frequent critic of the mayor, said the indictments sharpen suspicions.

“You are drinking dirty water. You cannot asphalt your streets. You’ve already lost confidence,” Stokes, who is also black, told media outlets.

“Don’t say you’re running for office to help people when you’re trying to help yourself,” Stokes said. “If you’re going to help people, help people.”

Jackson’s population peaked at about 203,000 in 1980, a decade after public school integration, and has since fallen to around 143,700. More than 80% of residents are Black, highest percentage Approximately 25% of any major U.S. city lives in poverty.

The city has been struggling for years with water quality problems and understaffing at its two treatment plants.

A cold spell in early 2021 froze some treatment equipment and left many people with low pressure or no running water. For weeks, thousands of people collected buckets of water from distribution sites so they could use toilets and baths, and the National Guard helped distribute drinking water.

tens of thousands there was little or no water After weeks of heavy rains in August and September 2022 aggravated problems at one of the facilities. The city had already been under a boil water advisory for a month after the state Health Department found cloudy water that could cause digestive problems. The federal government appointed an independent administrator to head the system in late 2022, over objections from the mayor and his political allies.

A conflict has emerged over the implementation of the law by the majority-white, Republican-controlled Legislature in 2023. Expanding Capitol Police territoryA division of the state Department of Public Safety. State officers previously patrolled around government buildings in downtown Jackson, and now they do so over a much larger area.

Those protesting the expansion said it would give white state officials disproportionate power in Jackson. Earlier this year, Republican Gov. Tate Reeves and Mayor Lumumba announced:Combined OperationA federal, state and local effort to combat violent crime in the city.

Indictments were filed against the mayor, Owens and Banks after two men working for the FBI posed as real estate developers seeking to build a hotel near the downtown convention center and provided payments, including $50,000 for the mayor’s re-election campaign, according to court documents.

Two more people were previously arrested in the bribery investigation.

Democratic City Councilwoman Angelique Lee resigned in August and pleaded guilty to federal bribery charges. His sentencing is scheduled for Wednesday.

Sherik Marve Smith, Owens’ relative and insurance broker, waived the indictment and pleaded guilty to federal bribery charges in the Oct. 17 case, according to court documents. He agreed to forfeit $20,000 and his sentencing is set for Feb. 2. 19.

In May, FBI agents raid Owens’ office and a cigar bar he owns downtown. Among the items found in the office was a locked box made to resemble a book labeled the U.S. Constitution; Inside was about $20,000 in cash, about $9,900 of which was with serial numbers confirming that Owens was allegedly paid by the developers, according to the indictment.

According to the indictment, Owens bragged to developers about his alleged influence with Jackson officials, saying he “had information on all the city council members” and could get the votes approved. It was also reported that Owens told the would-be developers that Mississippi politicians live off campaign contributions, that he knew how to “clean up” outside money by putting it in an in-state bank, and that he didn’t care about the source of the money.

According to the indictment, Owens “facilitated the payment of over $80,000 in bribes” to Lumumba, Banks and Lee in exchange for their agreement to secure approval of the multimillion-dollar downtown development.

Outside the courthouse on Thursday, Banks declined to comment. Owens said the FBI investigation was flawed, adding: “We think the truth should come out that casual remarks about drunken locker room banter are not crimes.”

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