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Jackson councilmen react to recent bribery arrest

J.Green25 min ago

JACKSON, Miss. ( WJTV ) – Sherik Marve Smith is the second individual charged with conspiracy to commit bribery in the Jackson bribery scandal. There are three more individuals who have not been named, according to court documents.

According to those documents, two of the co-conspirators are elected officials with the City of Jackson. The documents state that Smith and one of the co-conspirators agreed to give cash payments and campaign contributions to the two elected officials.

"It's more important for the government to be focused on, on following the laws and delivering the services that they're expected to do in an honest and forthright manner. And unfortunately, right now, there is a big cloud over the City of Jackson government," said Councilman Ashby Foote, Ward 1.

Second person charged in Jackson bribery scandal

The payments included $10,000 from the two FBI sources to one of the elected officials, according to the court documents. The second elected official was allegedly sent a $10,000 check to their reelection committee using funds from the two FBI sources.

"I think once we move forward, and we get, you know, some of these folks out of out of office that don't know better than to take a bribe, then I think we can focus on what the citizens really need," said Councilman Vernon Hartley, Ward 5.

Foote is hopeful that the Department of Justice will reveal who these unidentified co-conspirators are and take appropriate action. Both Hartley and Foote agreed that the city hasn't been productive in meeting the needs of citizens in the last several years.

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