Can Garbage Save the City of Jackson?

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Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba accused Ward 3 Councilman Kenneth Stokes and Ward 1 Councilman Ashby Foote of taking bribes from Waste Management of Mississippi during his weekly briefing Monday.

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“I’m gonna be more clear than I believe I’ve ever been for you,” Lumumba said. “I believe certain members of our council have taken bribes and are steering a contract.”

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When’s the last time that you saw Kenny Stokes show up to this many special council meetings? These are the things that you have to look at,” Lumumba said. “When’s the last time that you saw Kenny Stokes and Ashby Foote so closely aligned to one another? You have to ask yourself what is going on here.”

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Stokes responded to the mayor’s remarks by saying that he doubts he and Foote have spoken five times in the years they’ve served the city together. By Stokes’ words, the accusations are just more ‘Lyin’ Lumumba.’

“You know I’ve been at this house all my life. I don’t have a lot of bills,” Stokes said. “He’s the one driving all these new cars; he’s the one who needs money. I live in a poor neighborhood. My expenses are low. I don’t have to take money. I don’t need money.”

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“I think that it’s unfortunate. It doesn’t make the city of Jackson look good,” Foote said. “It’s very undignified for him to make claims like that against council people unless he wants to back it up and go to the FBI.”

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Stokes echoed the same. “I will have a formal letter to the US attorney and to the FBI asking them to contact the mayor. Ask the mayor for proof, and if the mayor cannot provide proof, I want the mayor to take a drug test. I think the mayor is smoking too much dope, and it’s affecting his thinking.”

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