Mississippi Today Investigation Highlights Government Spending and Influence
Mississippi Today has dedicated its first 10 years to tracking government spending, lobbying disclosures, and public records to shed light on how taxpayer dollars are allocated in the state. The nonprofit newsroom emphasizes that this work is vital to informing Mississippians about their government’s actions.
Recent investigations uncovered more than $7 million of public funds spent to improve a private country club neighborhood and golf course in Senatobia, where House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Trey Lamar resides. Lawmakers also approved using taxpayer money to repave a street in Jackson where Lamar owns a home, according to reports.
In 2025, Mississippi Today collaborated with The Marshall Project to analyze a flawed campaign finance report filed by Hinds County District Attorney Jody Owens, who faces federal bribery charges. The analysis revealed tangled finances, personal loans, and a political contribution from a group of FBI informants posing as investors.
Since last summer, a series titled “The Black Box,” by mental health reporter Allen Siegler, examined how Mississippi spent or failed to spend tens of millions of dollars from opioid settlement funds. The report found local governments often used the money for operational budgets or law enforcement equipment instead of addressing addiction issues.
The state received $6 billion from the federal American Rescue Plan Act for COVID-19 recovery. A series called “Follow the Money” scrutinized how that money was spent, highlighting unmet needs in water and sewer infrastructure. Additionally, Anna Wolfe’s Pulitzer Prize-winning series “The Backchannel” explored how welfare funds intended for the needy were diverted to projects connected to political allies.
Further reporting in 2023 revealed that during Gov. Tate Reeves’ first term, he flew on the state’s plane to events that appeared unrelated to state business, costing taxpayers at least $31,000. An analysis also linked 15 of Reeves’ major campaign donors to companies that received $1.4 billion in state contracts or grants since 2020. Moreover, internal documents showed that some transportation projects funded between 2012 and 2018 were deemed unnecessary by department evaluators, despite criticism from lawmakers.
Source: Original Article
