Some of the campaign mailings targeting Republicans candidates include accusations ranging from not supporting the state flag to confiscating legal firearms. Mississippi Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann says some violate a state law that bars anonymous mailings. Others have registered with his office but haven't filed campaign collections or expenses.
"And these charges are scurrilous and often false and they're made against members of the house, the senate, the speaker, statewide candidate, members of the board of supervisors, I mean just about everybody," said Hosemann
Among the mailings are one that accuses a candidate of not taking a stand against Obamacare and another targeting a candidate for state auditor, Madison Mayor Mary Hawkins Butler. It calls her a "puppeteer pulling strings." Mayor Butler.
"I just say bring it on because I've had so much said about me in the past 34 years as mayor and I knew long term, I either had to accept it or get out of the world of public service," said Butler.
Butler's opponent, State Auditor Stacey Pickering, says her "Clean Sweep" campaign to oust some Madison County supervisors is controversial and could have made her a target.
"She's made a lot of enemies. Of course they're running this Clean Sweep Madison County. So I'm sure there's a lot of folks targeting her in her race and also in ours," said Pickering.
Delbert Hosemann is concerned the mailings could impact voter turnout for the August 4, primary election. He's asking Attorney General Jim Hood to prosecute the offenders. The penalty is $3,000 per offense and six months in prison.
