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Mayor Jackson refuses to answer questions about unfiled campaign finance reports, citing bribery scandal investigation
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Mayor Jackson refuses to answer questions about unfiled campaign finance reports, citing bribery scandal investigation

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) – Nearly two weeks after federal charges came against Jackson’s mayor, the Hinds County District Attorney and a former city council president, records that WLBT has been trying to obtain for weeks could also be part of from the scandal.

Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba told 3 On Your Side today that our reporting last week — in which we discovered the mayor had not filed his campaign finance reports for three years — was related to the federal bribery case and, as such, he could not talk about it.

Campaign finance records are a key part of the federal case against Lumumba, as they would further show he received $50,000 in alleged contributions to influence a future real estate deal.

The mayor’s statement during his press briefing on Monday came as little surprise because the annual reports he never filed would have been long before Lumumba ever received the money.

What he said offers a glimpse of other documents the feds may try to obtain, however.

WLBT asked about the records that haven’t been filed for three years and the state law that says elected officials who aren’t up to date on filing campaign finance reports won’t get paid.

“This is associated with this (bribery) case, so I will not talk about it. I have spoken to her before and I would leave my question, my answer to what it was,” Lumumba said.

City records show Lumumba’s annual salary is $120,000.

In October, Lumumba admitted that he had not filed a campaign finance report and said it was not unusual for his campaign to do so.

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