Mississippi Advisory Opinions March 25, 2011: No. 2011-00105 (March 25, 2011)

No. 2011-00105.

Dear Sheriff Tolar:

Attorney General Jim Hood received your request and assigned it to me for research and response.

Is the Sheriff's Department prohibited from continuing to use a business for service work on its motor vehicles, when the owner of the business has qualified as a candidate for justice court judge?

No. There are no laws which specifically prohibit a sheriff from using a business, owned by a person who has qualified as a candidate for justice court judge, for service work on the sheriff's department patrol car fleet.

However, in the event the candidate is elected and takes office, he or she will be subject to the conflict of interest provisions of State law and the prohibitions relating thereto. See Mississippi Ethics Commission Advisory Opinion No. 01-027-E enclosed. Any inquiries relating to the State's conflict of interest laws or Advisory Opinion No. 01-027-E should be addressed to the Mississippi Ethics Commission, 660 North Street, Suite 100 C, Jackson, Mississippi 39202.

Very truly yours,

JIM HOOD, ATTORNEY GENERAL

By:

Chuck Rubisoff

Special Assistant Attorney General