Advocates are now calling for independent probes and forensic audits of Balch & Bingham, the goverment-made millionaires of Mississippi, whose alleged waste and inefficiency is rattling the Magnolia State. At the end of August less than 11 percent of federal funds for rental assistance had been disbursed by the Mississippi Home Corporation (MHC) which earlier this year gave a no-bid, behind closed doors, $3.8 million contract to Balch with Balch partners Chris Wadell and Lucien Smith present in the room (smoke-free). Balch’s inefficiency is a stark contrast to a county in Mississippi which independently received money from the federal government…

Goverment-made millionaires should not abuse their advisory roles to fatten-up their own wallets with no-bid, behind closed-doors, million-dollar contracts. The must-read Washington Post exposé about the Pimps of Mississippi, Balch and Bingham, is a devastating indictment of contractual cronyism and alleged government waste. The Post writes: Mississippi agencies have awarded Balch nearly 70 contracts worth more than $35 million for work since 2014, according to a review of state procurement data by The Post. It won the housing aid contract through a no-bid process because officials felt it had a strong track record. The flow of billions of federal pandemic…

The Pimps of Mississippi have made national headlines today in The Washington Post. Embattled and alleged racist law law firm Balch & Bingham has reaped millions while renters, many of whom are People of Color, received nothing. Is a federal or congressional probe next? The Washington Post reports: Across America, state distribution of federal cash meant to help people facing eviction during the pandemic has been uneven and slow. But Mississippi’s program has been one of the more problematic. More than seven months after Congress and former president Donald Trump created the Emergency Rental Assistance Program, Mississippi had spent only 11…

Undoubtedly an absolute conflict of interest. On their website, Balch & Bingham boasts, “Commercial landlords look to Balch for representation in evicting tenants and collecting unpaid rent.” Balch also relishes their collection efforts, writing, “Balch is knowledgeable and experienced in locating assets and using garnishments, sheriff/marshal sales, and other collection tactics to turn a judgment into cash.” As we reported yesterday, the Mississippi Housing Corporation has “outsourced” the processing of housing assistance to the the evictor and collector extraordinaire, Balch & Bingham, an alleged racist law firm. Balch’s once esteemed ex-partner Joel I. Gilbert was convicted of bribery and money…

Lucien Smith, a long time Balch & Bingham partner, was replaced as Chairman of the Mississippi Republican Party last week. Mississippi Today reports: Lucien Smith on Monday announced he’s stepping down as Mississippi Republican Party chairman, with Gov. Tate Reeves backing Coast businessman Frank Bordeaux to replace him. Numerous Republican sources in July told Mississippi Today that Reeves, as new de facto head of the party in his first term as governor, wanted new leadership.  And what polite excuse did spin doctors say was the reason Lucien was tossed aside? It’s partly because Smith is an attorney at a major law…