Mississippi Advisory Opinions July 23, 1987: 19870723 (July 23, 1987)

Advisory Opinion Text

Honorable Walter W. Thompson

Coahoma County Democratic Executive Committee

Post Office Box 848

Clarksdale, Mississippi 38614

Dear Mr. Thompson:

Attorney General Edwin Lloyd Pittman has received your letter of request and has assigned it to me for research and reply. In your letter you state:

The undersigned serves as Co-Chairman of the Coahoma County Democratic Executive Committee. The undersigned has been verbally asked by a duly qualified candidate for Governor to assist in fundraising both inside and outside the State of Mississippi on behalf of such candidate although the undersigned practices law full-time and is assisting such candidate as a former classmate at the University of Mississippi and as a personal friend. There is no remuneration or any type of pay received by the undersigned in pursuit of this goal to assist such candidate for Governor, both politically and financially.

Please advise the undersigned, as Co-Chairman of the Coahoma County Democratic Executive Committee, as to whether he should resign or take a leave of absence under former Attorney General's opinions insofar as the above factual situation is concerned.

In response to your request you will please find enclosed a copy of an opinion issued to Jimmie Lou Humphrey dated January 5, 1984, which states that there is no prohibition against a relative of a candidate serving on the County Executive Committee. Further, we find no statutory duty for members of a County Executive Committee to resign their position in order to support a particular political candidate.

Should you have any questions or if we may be of further assistance please do not hesitate to contact this office.

Sincerely,

Edwin Lloyd Pittman Attorney General.

John H. Emfinger Special Assistant Attorney General.