In this edition of Freedom In Five Minutes or Less, we talk about the sharing economy and why regulatory action is bad policy.
In this edition of Freedom In Five Minutes or Less, we talk with Aaron Rice, the new Director of the Mississippi Justice Institute.
Mississippi Center for Public Policy (MCPP) announced today that Aaron Rice has been named the new Director of the Mississippi Justice Institute (MJI).
Founded in 2016, MJI serves as the legal arm of MCPP, representing Mississippians whose state or federal Constitutional rights have been threatened by government actions. Rice replaces Shadrack White, who was recently appointed State Auditor of Mississippi by Gov. Phil Bryant.
“Simply put, there may not be a more important public policy initiative than what the Mississippi Justice Institute does every day to allow ordinary Mississippians to pursue their own version of happiness and prosperity,” Jon Pritchett, the President and CEO of Mississippi Center for Public Policy said. “When normal citizens experience barriers on the road to prosperity, it is often a barrier placed there by government. Aaron Rice is the kind of person who has never let any obstacle stand in his way. This is why I’m delighted that Aaron is leading our efforts.”
“Aaron Rice is a skilled litigator who will continue MJI's mission of pursuing cases that will foster economic liberty and personal freedom in Mississippi,” Mike Dawkins, Chairman of the Board of MCPP, said. “Aaron has a vision for the types of cases MJI should pursue and for how we can multiply our efforts through his recruitment and management of volunteer lawyers.”
“I am thrilled to have the opportunity to lead MJI,” Aaron said. “To fight every day for the constitutional rights of Mississippians is a dream come true for me. Constitutional rights may sound like an old issue that was settled a long time ago, but every day, the lives of ordinary Mississippians are affected because the government has ignored their rights. We want to put an end to that, and empower Mississippians to live freer, more prosperous lives.”
MJI’s activities include direct litigation on behalf of individuals, intervening in cases important to public policy, participating in regulatory and rule making proceedings, and filing amicus, or “friend of the Court,” briefs to offer unique perspectives on significant legal matters in Mississippi and Federal courts.
In a short period of time, MJI has built a reputation as an organization who will fight for Mississippians, whether it is entrepreneurs hoping to start a business, parents looking for a better educational option for their children, or taxpayers wanting to hold government accountable.
“I've known Aaron for over a decade and worked with him in the past,” Shadrack White, State Auditor and former Director of MJI, said. “I can say without hesitation that he is a brilliant lawyer and, more importantly, a man of deep conviction, courage, and character. MJI is in good hands. I look forward to seeing the work he will do on behalf of Mississippians in his new position.”
Aaron is native of Hattiesburg. After the September 11 terrorist attacks, Aaron felt called to serve his country. He joined the Marine Corps and was deployed to Iraq with the 3rd Battalion, 25th Marines; the battalion would go on to suffer the highest number of casualties of any in the Iraq war. Aaron received the Purple Heart for sustaining combat injuries that resulted in the loss of his left leg below the knee.
Upon returning home, Aaron earned a degree in political science from Mississippi State University and was awarded the national Truman Scholarship to pursue his graduate studies. He earned his law degree from the University of Mississippi School of Law, where he focused his studies on constitutional law.
Prior to joining the Mississippi Justice Institute, Aaron built his career as a litigation attorney at Butler Snow, a nationally recognized law firm in Mississippi. Aaron is a Fellow of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) National Trial College at Harvard Law School, and a Graduate of the International Association of Defense Counsel (IADC) Trial Academy at Stanford Law School.
“My vision is for MJI to fight for ordinary Mississippians who want to do simple things every American has the right to do,” Aaron said. “Things like earning an honest living, keeping what rightfully belongs to them, sending their kids to a good school, and speaking freely about business or politics.
“If we are successful, every government body in Mississippi will know: if you overstep your bounds, we will find out about it, and we will stop you. Every Mississippian will know: if the government is unnecessarily standing in your way, you can fight back, and we can help.”
Aaron is a Deacon at Madison Heights Church, PCA. He and his wife, Kelly, live in Madison with their four children, Clark, Griffin, Ramsey, and Miles.
In this edition of Freedom In Five Minutes or Less, we talk about medical marijuana and why it is a freedom issue liberty-minded conservatives should support.
In this edition of Freedom In Five Minutes or Less, we talk with Claudia Williamson and Brandon Cline, the Co-Directors of the Institute for Market Studies at Mississippi State University and editors of Promoting Prosperity in Mississippi.
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In our first edition of Freedom In Five Minutes or Less, we talk about our upcoming Liberty Luncheon on Thursday, July 26.
The Mississippi Justice Institute (MJI) won its second Open Meetings Act case in two years in Lauderdale County Chancery court on Friday. The case was filed on behalf of Tommy Williams, a Lauderdale County resident, who challenged the Lauderdale County Board of Supervisors for violating open meetings laws. The Lauderdale Supervisors dropped their appeal on Friday, meaning the ruling that they held illegal, closed-door meetings to make decisions about borrowing money through bonds is final.
“This is an important win that should send a message around Mississippi: don’t violate the ethics and open government laws, or responsible citizens and the Mississippi Justice Institute will stand up for their rights and challenge you,” said MJI Director Shadrack White.
Meridian attorney Stephen Wilson and White represented Williams in the case, Thomas E. Williams v. Lauderdale County Board of Supervisors. Williams blew the whistle when Lauderdale Supervisors purposefully met in small groups to avoid creating a quorum. By not creating a quorum at any one meeting, Supervisors believed they could avoid the requirements in the Open Meetings Act that said those meetings had to be open to the public.
“Mississippians deserve transparent government. Citizens have the right to see, in flesh and blood, how their leaders make decisions,” said White. “This case reaffirms that principle.”
“MJI was successful in this case thanks to Tommy’s courage and thanks to a strong precedent set in a previous MJI case on the Open Meetings Act,” added White. Last year, MJI won an Open Meetings Act case involving the City of Columbus at the Mississippi Supreme Court. The case set a critical precedent that politicians cannot hold small meetings for the purpose of sidestepping open meetings laws.
“Meridian attorney Stephen Wilson is a brilliant lawyer and also deserves a great deal of credit for driving this case to completion,” said White.
The Open Meetings Act states that all official public meetings of a government body where a quorum is present should be open to the public, with only a few exceptions. Now courts have bolstered the law with two rulings that say politicians may not pre-arrange smaller meetings with the intent to avoid the requirements of the Open Meetings Act.
The Lauderdale Chancery Court’s ruling upholds an initial ruling by the Mississippi Ethics Commission in this case. “The Ethics Commission should be commended as well here,” said White. “They did excellent work uncovering the facts of this case and upholding transparent government.”
In its two year history, MJI has built a track record of success, particularly in transparency and ethics laws cases. MJI has also sued Jackson over its onerous regulations on new taxi businesses, has successfully defended the rights of Mississippi charter school parents in a landmark constitutional case, and has filed a complaint challenging Natchez’s violation of transparency laws.
Mississippi Center for Public Policy President & CEO Jon Pritchett announced today that Brett Kittredge has been named the new Director of Marketing & Communications for MCPP.
In this new position, Kittredge will oversee all media relations and marketing and communications needs for the office.
“We’re building not only a powerful policy and justice organization here, but also a media content shop where the leveraging of digital and traditional media is essential,” Jon said. “Brett has demonstrated that he has the strategic understanding and the tactical skills to allow us to communicate and market our ideas across the state and nation. We’re delighted to add another smart, dedicated conservative to our team.”
Kittredge previously served as Director of Communications for Empower Mississippi. Prior to that, he served in similar roles for the Mississippi Republican Party and the Office of the State Auditor.
“I am excited for this opportunity,” Brett said. “MCPP has a proud history of advancing the ideals of liberty and freedom in Mississippi, and I am ready to build on that legacy and take our communications platforms to the next level and spread our message of real conservative ideas with policy makers, the media, and the public.”
Kittredge received his Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Mississippi and his Master’s Degree from Abilene Christian University.