Jump to content

Dick Molpus

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 2601:241:300:b610:6455:8723:cd50:1374 (talk) at 17:17, 25 June 2022 (→External links). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Dick Molpus
Molpus in 1970
33rd Secretary of State of Mississippi
In office
January 5, 1984 – 1996
GovernorBill Allain
Ray Mabus
Kirk Fordice
Preceded byEd Pittman
Succeeded byEric Clark
Personal details
Born
Richard Henderson Molpus Jr.

(1949-09-07) September 7, 1949 (age 75)
Philadelphia, Mississippi, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseSally Galbraith Nash
Alma materUniversity of Mississippi, Oxford (BBA)
Signature

Richard Henderson Molpus Jr. (born September 7, 1949) is an American businessman and politician who served as Secretary of State of Mississippi from 1984 until 1996, as a member of the Democratic Party. Following his tenure he unsuccessfully ran for a seat in the United States Senate in the 1988 election and for governor in the 1995 election against Republican Governor Kirk Fordice.

Molpus was born in Philadelphia, Mississippi, and educated at the University of Mississippi. He worked at his family's lumber company before it was sold in the 1980s. He worked for William F. Winter's gubernatorial campaigns in the 1967, 1975, and 1979 elections. He was Winter's first appointment as governor and helped lobby for education legislation in the state legislature.

Molpus ran for secretary of state in the 1983 election and won after campaigning on his managerial experience and promising to reform the office. He was reelected in the 1987 and 1991 elections. He reorganized the office through the creation of four departments and shifting its purpose away from clerical and administrative duties. He oversaw the digitization of the office's records, the renegotiation of thousands of leases on public lands to raise money for public education, reformed the state's election laws, and lobbied for reforms in corporate law and lobbying rules. He held multiple positions of leadership in the National Association of Secretaries of State.

Molpus unsuccessfully ran for U.S. Senate in the 1988 election, losing the Democratic nomination to Wayne Dowdy and accruing the third highest campaign debt for any senatorial candidate nationwide. He unsuccessfully ran for governor in the 1995 election where his apology for the Mississippi Burning murders, with him being the first statewide official to do so, was used against him. He started a timberland investment management organization and was appointed to the United States Endowment for Forestry and Communities.

Early life and education

Richard Henderson Molpus Jr. was born in Philadelphia, Mississippi, on September 7, 1949, to Richard Henderson Molpus Sr. and Frances Blount.[1][2][3] He graduated from Philadelphia High School in 1967, and from the University of Mississippi with a bachelor of business administration degree in 1971.[3] While there he served as president of the Sigma Chi fraternity chapter, and unsuccessfully pushed for the fraternity to racially integrate.[4] He married Sally Galbraith Nash, with whom he had two children, in 1971.[5][6]

His grandfather, Richard Hezekiah Molpus,[5] established the first sawmill in Philadelphia in 1905 as part of a general merchandise venture, the Henderson-Molpus Company. The corporation later transformed into the Molpus Lumber Company in 1957, focusing its business in wood, and passed to Dick's father.[7][8][9] Molpus began working for the company at a young age. By the time he was a teenager, he was a certified lumber inspector.[10] He returned to work for the company after graduting from college, and assumed temporary control of it after his father suffered a stroke.[10] He rose to the position of vice president for manufacturing and oversaw the establishment of a second lumber facility in Morton in 1975.[11] The lumber company was sold in the mid-1980s.[8] Molpus served on the board of directors and executive committee of the Mississippi Forestry Association, vice-president of the Mississippi Lumber Manufacturers Association, and on the board of directors of the Morton chamber of commerce.[3][12]

Political career

Winter administration

Photograph of Governor William F. Winter
Molpus supported William F. Winter during his three gubernatorial campaigns and was Winter's first political appointee as governor.

During the 1967 Mississippi gubernatorial election Molpus worked as a youth coordinator in Neshoba County for William F. Winter's unsuccessful campaign.[13] He co-chaired a blue ribbon highway study committee during Governor Bill Waller's tenure.[14] He volunteered for Winter's campaign during the 1975 election and for his successful gubernatorial campaign in the 1979 election.[15] His father was one of Winter's leading supporters during the 1967 and 1975 elections, but later supported Republican nominee Gil Carmichael in the 1975 election and Jim Herring in the 1979 Democratic primary.[16] Molpus was Winter's first announced appointee when he was selected as Executive Director of the Governor's Office of Federal-State Programs, on November 15, 1979.[14][17] The office coordinated actions between federal and state agencies.[14]

Together with the state director of administration, Molpus consolidated the office's seventeen agencies into seven, reducing administrative expenses by 25%.[11] For his work in reducing staff and improving the agency's efficiency, he was selected in 1983 as Mississippi's Public Administrator of the Year by the American Society for Public Administration.[18] He also helped Winter lobby the Mississippi State Legislature to pass the 1982 Education Reform Act, hosting the governor's staff at a cabin he owned for strategy sessions, delivering over 35 speeches to build public support for the bill, and organizing a phone call campaign to pressure a state senator to support the creation of public kindergartens.[19] State Senator Ellis B. Bodron, who was broadly opposed to the legislation, denounced Molpus and other young Winter aides—including Ray Mabus, David Crews, Bill Gartin, Andy Mullins, and John Henegan—as the "Boys of Spring", a moniker which they thereafter took pride in.[20] Molpus announced his resignation from Winter's administration in May 1983.[17]

Secretary of State of Mississippi

Elections

Secretary of State Edwin L. Pittman announced that he would run in the 1983 gubernatorial election. Molpus was considered a candidate to succeed Pittman and he considered running for either secretary of state or public service commissioner from the Central District.[21][22] He resigned from his position in Winter's administration on May 9, 1983, and announced his campaign for secretary of state on May 16, making him the second member of Winter's staff to run for statewide office after Mabus announced his campaign for state auditor.[23][24] During the campaign he was endorsed by the National Women's Political Caucus and AFL–CIO.[25][26] Pledging to reorganize the office,[11] he won the Democratic nomination after defeating John Ed Ainsworth in the runoff.[27] Molpus and Ainsworth did not engage in negative campaigning stating that they had a mutual respect for each other.[28] In the general election he defeated Republican legislator Jerry Gilbreath after he campaigned on his managerial experience and record of helping Winter's education reforms succeed.[29][30] Molpus raised $156,122 and spent $176,686, with $125,240 of that being spent on media advertisements.[31]

Molpus announced that he would seek reelection on May 5, 1987, and won in the election.[32][30] Steve Turney, one of his opponents in the Democratic primary, camped outside of Molpus' office for twenty-three days in 1986 to protest the change in land leasing laws.[33] Nancy Sulser was his campaign manager and during the primary he raised $126,550 and spent $76,781.[34][35] In 1989, he announced that he would run for reelection in the 1991 election and was considering running in the 1995 gubernatorial election.[36] He announced his campaign on January 11, 1991, and faced no opposition in the primary or general elections.[37][38][39][30]

Tenure

Before taking office Molpus announced a reorganization plan for the office in which he would create four new departments to handle administration, public lands and elections, policy development, and securities regulations. He wanted to shift the focus of the secretary of state from clerical and administrative duties to handling education, public lands, securities, and elections.[40][41] Molpus assumed office on January 5, 1984.[40] Robert Walker, the director of the Mississippi NAACP, was critical of the Mississippi state government, including Molpus, for the low amount of black people they appointed to office despite their support from black voters in the 1983 election.[42]

Molpus was invited by the Mount Zion Church's planning committee to speak at their commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the Mississippi Burning murders of three civil rights activists in Philadelphia, Mississippi. He convinced Governor Mabus to attend with him.[43] On June 21, 1989, Molpus officially apologized to the families of the murdered civil rights workers, saying, "We deeply regret what happened here 25 years ago. We wish we could undo it. We wish we could bring them back. Every decent person here feels that way. My heart is full because today we have found a way to ease the burden that this community has borne."[44] The statement made him the first Mississippi state official to apologize for the murders.[44] Many white Mississippians disagreed with his remarks.[45] Reflecting on his statement and its impact on his political prospects in 2021, Molpus said, "It was not a mistake to say those words. Things are more important than winning. Governors come and go, but those words are something I still feel good about."[46]

Molpus supported Steve Patterson's bid for the chairmanship of the Mississippi Democratic Party in 1984.[47] He endorsed Mike Espy during his campaign for a seat in the United States House of Representatives during the 1986 election and Epsy's victory made him the first black person to represent Mississippi in the United States Congress since the Reconstruction era.[48] He endorsed Bill Clinton during the 1992 Democratic presidential primaries and was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention.[49][50] George Ready was initially selected to be the secretary of the delegation, but withdrew as he did not attend the convention. Alice Harden nominated Mike Moore as she did not want the position, but Moore declined and Molpus was selected instead.[51]

Molpus and forty-one other people founded a Mississippi chapter of the Democratic Leadership Council in 1990.[52][53] He was elected to the board of officers of the National Association of Secretaries of State, being the only Southerner on the board and became its secretary in 1987,[54] its treasurer in 1988,[55] its vice-president in 1989,[56] and was selected as its president in 1993.[18] He left the secretariat of state in 1996.[57]

Commerce

Molpus' position was responsible for administering the Mississippi Business Corporation Law and the Uniform Commercial Code, overseeing public lands and elections, and issuing publications on behalf of the state's executive offices and legislature.[11] At that time, the office required $200,000 per year from the state treasury to remain operational.[58] Heconvinced the legislature to raise the office's filing and brokerage fees to the Southeastern average rates in 1985, switching the office's source of money from the state general fund to a special self-generated fund.[58][11] Despite this change, that year the office required an over $70,000 subsidy from the general fund to operate.[11] Molpus also oversaw a $4 million effort in automating the office's processes with technology and digitize records.[58][11] Combined with an uptick in corporate registrations in Mississippi, by the end of the 1992 fiscal year these measures allowed the office to collect enough money to be self-funded and deposit $1.1 million in surplus into the state treasury.[58] Molpus also appointed a 29-person Business Law Reform Task Force in 1986[11] to lobby for revisions of laws pertaining to corporations, nonprofit organizations, limited parties, and securities. Several reforms were adopted by the legislature in 1987.[58] For his efforts to reorganize the secretary of state's office, in 1985 Molpus received the American Society for Public Administration's Elected Official of the Year Award.[11]

The Secretary of State was ex offico the Lands Commissioner of Mississippi and thus supervised more than 600,000 acres (2,400 km2) of 16th Section Land that had been set aside in the early 19th century to raise money for the public schools.[18][59] In the 1980s much of the property was being leased to private entities for cents an acre under 99-year contracts. The state Reform Act of 1978 stipulated that 16th Section Lands be leased at fair market values. In 1984, he began enforcing the act in order to aid education funding, thus triggering the renegotiation of about 5,000 below-market leases and increasing the amount of revenue to the public schools from those properties during his tenure by $24 million.[11][18][43] He conducted the first price inventory of the 9,561 leases of the 16th Section Lands in the state's history and found that less than 15% of the land was being leased for more than $20 per acre while almost half were being leased for less than 50¢ per acre and one-third were being leased for less than 20¢ per acre.[60] The revenue from the leases rose by 28% from $6.9 million in 1983 to $8.9 million in 1985.[61][62]

Molpus faced opposition from the leaseholders. Some of them demanded that the Mississippi Ethics Commission investigate Molpus, claiming that he was reclassifying the land into forest land to benefit his family's lumber business, although his family had sold the business in December 1983, before he took office.[63] Turney, whose land lease for 113 acres rose from 25¢ per acre to around $7 per acre, was one of the opponents.[64] The ethics complaint filed by Turney and fifty-six supporters was dismissed by an unanimous vote.[65] Turney filed a lawsuit against Molpus on July 12, 1985, in the Marion County Circuit Court claiming that he was "neglecting his duty with advocating five percent of market value".[66] However, Turney gave an interview to the Hattiesburg American in August where he revealed secret testimony from the grand jury trial, resulting in him being found in contempt of court on September 6, giving him jail time and a fine.[67][68] Turney withdrew the lawsuit as the judge stated that it was filed in the wrong county as it should have been made in Hinds County, where Molpus lived. Turney later requested that the state attorney general file a lawsuit against Molpus.[69] He filed a lawsuit against Molpus on November 1, claiming that Molpus was using his position to make financial gains through the land reclassification, but he lost and the judge ordered him to pay for the expenses of the lawsuit on December 13.[70][71] The Supreme Court of Mississippi ruled on November 27, affirming the raise in Turney's lease.[72]

Education

As secretary of state, Molpus held a seat on the Mississippi Board of Education.[73] Molpus and Allain called for the creation of an education trust fund as revenue meant to enact the Education Reform Act was instead being used by the state legislature to prevent budget deficits. Their proposal was opposed by Speaker Buddie Newman and Sonny Meredith, the chair of the House Ways and Means committee.[74][75] He co-founded Parents for Public Schools, a group which sought to promote the improvement of public schools, in 1989. Initially confined to a group of largely white-middle class parents in Jackson, Mississippi who sought to support the local school district, by 1997 it had expanded to 50 chapters scattered across the United States.[76]

Electoral matters

Governor William Allain, Attorney General Pittman, and Molpus were ex officio the three members of Mississippi Election Commission.[77] He proposed election reforms which would eliminate the dual voter registration law that required voters to register at the city and county levels, allow circuit clerks to accept voter registration outside of county courthouses, and end runoff elections.[78] He oversaw the 1984 presidential election in the state which was the first time that voters directly voted for the presidential candidates rather than their electors.[79] Molpus successfully pushed for the legislature to reform lobbyist laws to require lobbyists to report all money spent on public officials.[43][80]

Molpus announced a twenty-five member task force on June 19, 1984, to review Mississippi's election laws and recommend improvements. The chairs of the Elections committees in the state house, Tim Ford, and state senate, Bill Harpole were members of the task force and former state Senator Herman DeCell was its chair.[81][77][82][83] The task force made recommendations that included the at-large election of municipal officials, requiring the usage of electronic voting systems, having a statewide voter registration list compiled by the secretary of state, simplifying the wording for constitution amendment referendums, and requiring political action committees to submit financials reports for state and local elections. At the time forty-nine counties still used paper ballots and would save $473,000 per year by changing to electronic voting.[84][85] There was also no statewide voter registration list with each county reporting its amount of voters which produced figures that were not up-to-date.[86]

The legislation was introduced by William Crawford in the state house and Hob Bryan in the state senate, but Ford stated that it could take two sessions to consider the broad proposals of the legislation.[87][88] The legislation was passed in 1986, which included the extension of voting hours, reduction of the minimum number of poll workers, standardization of prohibited campaign areas, constitutional amendment summaries on ballots, requiring the usage of automated devices to count ballots by counties before 1989, the denial of the right to vote for felons, increasing the amount of election commissioners, repealing anti-single shot voting legislation, and other provisions.[89] It was approved by the United States Department of Justice, as required by the Voting Rights Act of 1965, on January 2, 1987.[90][91]

1988 U.S. Senate campaign

Main article: 1988 United States Senate election in Mississippi
Photograph of Representative Wayne Dowdy
Representative Wayne Dowdy defeated Molpus for the Democratic senatorial nomination in the 1988 election.

Molpus stated in 1987, that he would consider running in the 1988 U.S. Senate election, if John C. Stennis chose not to seek reelection, and campaign correspondence in October showed his interest in running.[92][93] Stennis stated that he would not run for reelection in the 1988 election. Molpus announced his campaign for the Democratic senatorial nomination on December 1, 1987, with Crews, who worked as Winter's press secretary, as his campaign manager. He was criticized for running for another office as he was reelected in 1987.[94][95] He faced U.S. Representative Wayne Dowdy in the primary. Both men stressed the need for better educational opportunities and economic development. Dowdy won the Democratic nomination.[96] During the campaign he criticized Dowdy for his low voting attendance of 68 percent, a line of rhetoric which was later used by Republican nominee Trent Lott in the general election.[97]

Molpus raised $931,824, with $418,248 coming from individual contributions, and spent $931,390 during the primary.[98] He ended his campaign with the third highest debt for any 1988 senatorial candidate at $356,700. Frank Lautenberg and Wes Gilbreath were the only other candidates to have more debt than him.[99] His outstanding campaign debt and obligations was $439,776 in 1989.[100]

1995 gubernatorial campaign

Main article: 1995 Mississippi gubernatorial election
Photograph of Governor Kirk Fordice
Molpus ran against Kirk Fordice (pictured) in the 1995 gubernatorial election.

In 1995, Molpus ran for the office of Governor of Mississippi. Easily winning the August 8 Democratic primary over evangelist Shawn O'Hara with 77.1 percent of the vote, he faced Republican incumbent Kirk Fordice in the general election.[101] Molpus sought to prevail with a coalition of blacks, white progressives, and possibly white blue collar workers.[45] Fordice's position was bolstered by the improving economic and fiscal situation of the state in the 1990s, and early polls indicated that he had a large lead.[102] Fordice spent $3.16 million during the campaign while Molpus spent $2.38 million.[103] Since both men faced minimal opposition for their party's nominations, they were able to concentrate their rhetoric on each other early in their campaigns.[104] Anticipating that Molpus would campaign on education improvements, Fordice proposed a conservative education plan[105] which entailed allowing local school districts to fund private schools with state funds.[106] Molpus argued that such a scheme would undermine public schools.[102][105]

Both candidates proposed tax cuts, though through different means. Molpus suggested reducing the state sales tax on food from 7 percent to 3.5 percent with a corresponding cut of 1.5 percent in overall government expenditures, saying that such a scale-back would encourage legislators to maximize government efficiency.[107] Fordice, who favored an income tax reduction, accused Molpus of flip-flopping, since Molpus had supported a sales tax increase in 1992.[108] Both men supported bond issues to finance economic development efforts, though Molpus accused Fordice of employing general obligation bonds in a "helter-skelter and out of focus" manner that created too much debt.[107] Molpus stated he would create a new statewide bonding program with "a clearer, long-term vision".[107]

The campaign was marked by personal animosity between Molpus and Fordice.[102] Early in the contest Molpus stated that he had "irreconcilable differences" with Fordice's policy positions. Fordice had used the same phrase to describe marriage troubles with his wife, Pat, in 1993. At a joint appearance before business conference in April, Fordice brought his wife on stage to defend their marriage and accused Molpus of taking "thinly-veiled cheap shot" against their relationship.[104] Molpus maintained that his words had been misunderstood, but the media widely reported the exchange.[104] Fordice also demanded that Molpus resign from his office, since the secretary of state was responsible for overseeing elections and thus had a possible conflict of interest in doing so while running for another state office. Molpus refused, calling the solicitation "ridiculous".[109]

Map of the county results of the 1995 Mississippi gubernatorial election
Results of the 1995 Mississippi gubernatorial election by county
  Molpus—50-60%
  Molpus—60-70%
  Molpus—70-80%
  Molpus—80-90%

Both men participated in the first-ever political debate held at the Neshoba County Fair in August.[110] A bitter exchange occurred after the moderator questioned Fordice about his troubled marriage, with Fordice answering in defense of himself while pointing his finger at Molpus. Molpus said to the governor, "Your private life doesn't interest me ... Your public life is what appalls me," causing the crowd to go into uproar.[111] In reference to the 1964 Mississippi Burning murders, Fordice said, "I'll tell you this. I don't believe we need to keep running this state by Mississippi Burning and apologizing for what happened 30 years ago. This is the '90s. This is now. We are on a roll. We've got the best race relations in the United States of America."[112] He finished his remarks by saying, "Never apologize! Never look back! Forward together!"[113] Molpus responded by referring to his 1989 speech, "I apologized to the family, the mother and father and sisters of those three young men who lost their life in Mississippi. I make no apologies to you about that... Kirk Fordice leads more by venom than vision."[112] In a subsequent interview, he accused the governor of being "openly antagonistic to blacks."[113]

In October Molpus' campaign ran a television advertisement featuring his wife criticizing Fordice's education policies. Fordice subsequently mocked her voice at a lunch with journalists. Molpus denounced Fordice's mimicry, saying "Frankly, I'd like to take him out behind the woodshed."[114] Several days later, Fordice approached Molpus after a televised appearance and told him, "This 61-year-old man will take you to the woodshed and I'll whip your ass".[115] Molpus hoped to leverage the incident to his advantage by appealing to more women voters,[102] presenting himself as a gentlemen acting in defense of his wife's honor. A poll conducted by Mason-Dixon Political/Media Research in late October showed the margins of support between the two candidates narrowing, with Molpus having picked up additional support from women.[114]

Molpus lost the November 7 election to Fordice, who earned 455,261 votes (55.6 percent). Molpus earned only 364,210 votes (44.4 percent),[101] though he received about 25,000 more votes than Democrat Mabus had in 1991. He garnered less than 20 percent of the white vote while Fordice won fifty-one of the fifty-eight majority white counties,[115][103] but won twenty-one of the state's twenty-four majority black counties.[103] His campaign manager suggested that white voters wanted to "punish" him for his 1989 comments on the Mississippi Burning murders.[116] Molpus' supporters accused Fordice of prevailing due to the use of racist dog whistles, a charge which the governor's backers disputed.[103]

Business career and later life

In 1993 Molpus, having already planned to run for governor in 1995, considered pursuing a career in timberland investment management in the event his political ambitions faltered. Following his loss in the gubernatorial race, in 1996 he took out a loan and established the Molpus Woodlands Group (MWG).[10] At the time, it was one of eight timberland investment management organizations in the country. The corporation was to operate by purchasing and managing timberlands on behalf of investors.[8] The company acquired its first client the following year and purchased several thousand acres of timberland. Between 1998 and 2000, MWG acquired 545,000 acres in Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Louisiana and Texas. The following year it signed its first contracts with large corporate clients, and by 2004 it was the largest timberland investment management organization in the Southern United States.[7]

In 2004 Molpus helped create the Philadelphia Coalition, an interracial group designed to promote racial justice.[117] In 2005, he was inducted into the Mississippi Business Hall of Fame.[118] In 2006 President George W. Bush appointed Molpus chairman of the board of the United States Endowment for Forestry and Communities, a nonprofit created under the terms of the Softwood Lumber Agreement between the United States and Canada designed to promote sustainable forestry and to promote economic development in timber-reliant communities.[119]

During the February 20, 2013 episode of the satirical news television program The Daily Show, host Jon Stewart satirized Mississippi for failing to fully ratify the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution officially banning slavery until that year. An earlier attempt to ratify the amendment was made in 1995, but the ratification papers—for which the Mississippi Secretary of State was responsible—were never received by the federal government.[120] Molpus maintained that his office had sent copies of the documents to the Congressional Record and U.S. Senate leaders and "somewhere in between there and Archives, it disappeared."[121] Stewart mockingly suggested that Molpus had deliberately forestalled the process by destroying the papers. Molpus was shocked by the insinuation, and received numerous emails and phone calls from associates who felt he had been portrayed unfairly.[120] Some people posted defenses of Molpus on the internet.[121] Stewart apologized for the joke the following week,[120] saying his show had erred in using "Dick Molpus ... as an avatar for racial bigotry, forgetting, perhaps that Dick Molpus is a real person with a real record on civil rights"[122] and praised him for having "a long and distinguished record of speaking out for civil rights in Mississippi."[121] Molpus said, "I accept his apology ... I was so lifted up by the people of Mississippi that kind of rose to my defense."[121]

Molpus supported Doug Jones in Alabama's 2017 U.S. Senate special election, stating that he was a "Southern hero".[123]

References

  1. ^ Braddock's Directory 1989, p. 724.
  2. ^ "Miss Frances Blount, Richard H. Molpus Take Nuptial Vows". The Clarion-Ledger. March 16, 1941. p. 22. Archived from the original on June 12, 2022. Retrieved June 12, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ a b c "Dick Molpus Appointed To Winter's Staff". Scott County Times. November 28, 1979. p. 9. Archived from the original on June 12, 2022. Retrieved June 12, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ Ball 2006, p. 76.
  5. ^ a b "Sally Nash Betrothed To Richard Molpus Jr". The Clarion-Ledger. May 2, 1971. p. 80. Archived from the original on June 13, 2022. Retrieved June 12, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Molpus To Speak On Crucial Issues". The Newton Record. September 8, 1982. p. 1. Archived from the original on June 12, 2022. Retrieved June 12, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ a b Jeter, Lynne (May 2, 2005). "Molpus family celebrates 100 years in timber business". The Mississippi Business Journal. Vol. 27, no. 18. p. 16. ProQuest 206575825
  8. ^ a b c Jeter, Lynne Wilbanks (July 20, 1998). "Molpus turns attention from politics to TIMOs". The Mississippi Business Journal. Vol. 20, no. 29. p. 24. ProQuest 206574977
  9. ^ "Molpus Named State's Small Businessman". The Union Appeal. May 21, 1970. p. 1. Archived from the original on June 12, 2022. Retrieved June 12, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ a b c Dement 2014, High-Risk Leverage : Jump-Starts Risk-Averse TIMO : Dick Molpus.
  11. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Allison, Glen (March 1987). "A Boost for Business". The Mississippi Business Journal. Vol. 9, no. 3. p. 16. ProQuest 206563167
  12. ^ "Morton Chamber Meets; New Directors Elected". Scott County Times. October 31, 1973. p. 1. Archived from the original on June 12, 2022. Retrieved June 12, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ Bolton 2013, p. 135.
  14. ^ a b c Shaw, Robert (November 24, 1979). "Winter picks businessman to coordinate federal-state programs". Hattiesburg American. Associated Press. p. 2. Archived from the original on June 12, 2022. Retrieved June 12, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ Bolton 2013, p. 186.
  16. ^ Weide, Wayne (March 27, 1983). "He can't run, but Winter's aides might still try to ride his coattails". The Clarion-Ledger. p. 73. Archived from the original on June 13, 2022. Retrieved June 13, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ a b "Dick Molpus To Resign". The Clarke County Tribune. May 5, 1983. p. 13. Archived from the original on June 13, 2022. Retrieved June 13, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ^ a b c d "Early on, Molpus learned life filled with twists and turns". The Mississippi Business Journal. May 30, 2005. Retrieved February 26, 2013 – via Goliath.[dead link]
  19. ^ Bolton 2013, pp. 221, 228.
  20. ^ Nash & Taggart 2009, pp. 139, 143–144.
  21. ^ "Secretary of State". The Clarion-Ledger. January 30, 1983. p. 24. Archived from the original on June 13, 2022. Retrieved June 13, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  22. ^ Pittman, Paul (February 13, 1983). "Winter isn't fading in the homestretch". The Clarion-Ledger. p. 67. Archived from the original on June 13, 2022. Retrieved June 13, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  23. ^ "Molpus resigns from state post". The Greenwood Commonwealth. April 28, 1983. p. 3. Archived from the original on June 13, 2022. Retrieved June 13, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  24. ^ "Winter staffer to run for secretary of state". The Clarion-Ledger. May 17, 1983. p. 17. Archived from the original on June 13, 2022. Retrieved June 13, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  25. ^ "Endorsements". The Clarion-Ledger. July 29, 1983. p. 17. Archived from the original on June 13, 2022. Retrieved June 13, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  26. ^ "State AFL-CIO supports Allain candidacy". The Sun. September 12, 1983. p. 8. Archived from the original on June 13, 2022. Retrieved June 13, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  27. ^ "Dick Molpus wins party nomination". Enterprise-Journal. August 24, 1983. p. 5. Archived from the original on June 13, 2022. Retrieved June 13, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  28. ^ Hilliard, Laurence (August 23, 1983). "Secretary of state's race calm due to mutual respect". Hattiesburg American. p. 3. Archived from the original on June 13, 2022. Retrieved June 13, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  29. ^ Weidie, Wayne W. (October 20, 1993). "Gilbreath waging aggressive statewide campaign". Simpson County News. p. 2A. Archived from the original on June 5, 2022. Retrieved June 5, 2022.
  30. ^ a b c Nash & Taggart 2009, p. 160.
  31. ^ "Campaign". The Clarion-Ledger. January 10, 1984. p. 16. Archived from the original on June 13, 2022. Retrieved June 13, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  32. ^ McIntosh, Shawn (May 6, 1987). "Secretary of State Dick Molpus to run for re-election". The Clarion-Ledger. p. 21. Archived from the original on June 17, 2022. Retrieved June 17, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  33. ^ Skipper, Deborah (August 5, 1987). "Molpus crushes opponents in secretary of state race". The Clarion-Ledger. p. 17. Archived from the original on June 13, 2022. Retrieved June 13, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  34. ^ "Moore, Molpus report top sums". Enterprise-Journal. Associated Press. July 12, 1987. p. 5. Archived from the original on June 15, 2022. Retrieved June 15, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  35. ^ Maines, John (October 23, 1987). "Braxton Taylor's runs 'low profile' campaign". The Clarion-Ledger. p. 11. Archived from the original on June 17, 2022. Retrieved June 17, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  36. ^ "Molpus: Plans for 1991 are re-election". Clarksdale Press Register. October 14, 1989. p. 1. Archived from the original on June 20, 2022. Retrieved June 19, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  37. ^ "Secretary of State job interests Harrison clerk". Sun Herald. January 12, 1991. p. 15. Archived from the original on June 20, 2022. Retrieved June 20, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  38. ^ "Victory comes easy for Molpus, Bennett". The Clarion-Ledger. September 18, 1991. p. 10. Archived from the original on June 21, 2022. Retrieved June 21, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  39. ^ "Voters facing a handful of races". Enterprise-Journal. November 3, 1991. p. 1. Archived from the original on June 21, 2022. Retrieved June 21, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  40. ^ a b Oppel, Tom (January 5, 1984). "Molpus reorganizes office, names top assistants". The Clarion-Ledger. p. 20. Archived from the original on June 13, 2022. Retrieved June 13, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  41. ^ "Molpus reorganizes office". The Yazoo Herald. January 7, 1984. p. 10. Archived from the original on June 13, 2022. Retrieved June 13, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  42. ^ "NAACP official says Allain snubs blacks for job posts". The Greenwood Commonwealth. Associated Press. March 20, 1984. p. 6. Archived from the original on June 14, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  43. ^ a b c George 2015, p. 184.
  44. ^ a b Byrne, Carol (June 22, 1989). "Mississippi town simmers through day of martyrs, heroes". Star Tribune (metro ed.). p. 1A. ProQuest 418029818
  45. ^ a b George 2015, p. 187.
  46. ^ Sharon, Keith (July 15, 2021). "Can a community overcome its horrible past? An inside look at Philadelphia, MS". The Tennessean. Archived from the original on June 12, 2022. Retrieved June 3, 2022.
  47. ^ "Dems choosing party chairman". The Clarion-Ledger. March 4, 1984. p. 19. Archived from the original on June 13, 2022. Retrieved June 13, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  48. ^ "Molpus, Mabus endorse Espy". Hattiesburg American. Associated Press. October 4, 1986. p. 3. Archived from the original on June 17, 2022. Retrieved June 16, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  49. ^ Moreland, Steed & Baker 1994, p. 68.
  50. ^ "State delegates from northeast arrive in New York, tout Clinton". Sun Herald. July 13, 1992. p. 18. Archived from the original on June 22, 2022. Retrieved June 22, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  51. ^ "Secretary to secretarial: Molpus to delegate post". The Clarion-Ledger. July 14, 1992. p. 6. Archived from the original on June 22, 2022. Retrieved June 22, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  52. ^ Bolton 2013, p. 256.
  53. ^ "Rep. Epsy to lead Demo leadership council". Clarksdale Press Register. December 13, 1990. p. 1. Archived from the original on June 21, 2022. Retrieved June 20, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  54. ^ "Molpus elected Sec. of national organization". The Union Appeal. September 9, 1987. p. 4. Archived from the original on June 17, 2022. Retrieved June 17, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  55. ^ "Molpus tapped as treasurer". Hattiesburg American. July 25, 1988. p. 5. Archived from the original on June 19, 2022. Retrieved June 18, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  56. ^ "Molpus elected". Clarksdale Press Register. Associated Press. July 21, 1989. p. 12. Archived from the original on June 19, 2022. Retrieved June 19, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  57. ^ Ramsey, Marshall (April 28, 2021). "Mississippi Stories: Dick Molpus". Mississippi Today. Nonprofit Mississippi News. Archived from the original on June 2, 2022. Retrieved June 2, 2022.
  58. ^ a b c d e Young, Linda (July 20, 1992). "Molpus Makes His Agency Turn a $1.1 Million Profit". The Mississippi Business Journal. Vol. 14, no. 23. p. 1. ProQuest 206565191
  59. ^ "This Week At Rotary". The Newton Record. February 6, 1985. p. 1. Archived from the original on June 15, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  60. ^ "Molpus finds 20¢ leases". Hattiesburg American. Associated Press. May 7, 1985. p. 3. Archived from the original on June 15, 2022. Retrieved June 14, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  61. ^ "Molpus praises Lowndes". Hattiesburg American. September 29, 1985. p. 11. Archived from the original on June 17, 2022. Retrieved June 16, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  62. ^ "Rent increase for 16th section land". Columbian-Progress. May 1, 1986. p. 3. Archived from the original on June 17, 2022. Retrieved June 16, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  63. ^ Williams, John (February 22, 1985). "16th Section leaseholders seek Molpus ethics probe". The Clarion-Ledger. p. 19. Archived from the original on June 15, 2022. Retrieved June 14, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  64. ^ "Steve Turney (D)". Sun Herald. August 2, 1987. p. 82. Archived from the original on June 15, 2022. Retrieved June 15, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  65. ^ "Ethics Commission dismisses complaint that Molpus mishandled 16 Section leases". The Clarion-Ledger. March 27, 1985. p. 15. Archived from the original on June 15, 2022. Retrieved June 14, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  66. ^ "Turney says he's suing Molpus". Hattiesburg American. July 13, 1985. p. 3. Archived from the original on June 15, 2022. Retrieved June 15, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  67. ^ "Turney: D.A. should answer my questions". Hattiesburg American. September 3, 1985. p. 4. Archived from the original on June 21, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  68. ^ "Court finds Turney guilty of contempt". Hattiesburg American. September 7, 1985. p. 3. Archived from the original on June 15, 2022. Retrieved June 15, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  69. ^ Farrell, David (September 24, 1985). "Turney lawyer: New lawsuit will challenge Molpus". Hattiesburg American. p. 3. Archived from the original on June 15, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  70. ^ "Turney files lawsuit to renegotiate leases". Hattiesburg American. Associated Press. November 2, 1985. p. 3. Archived from the original on June 15, 2022. Retrieved June 15, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  71. ^ "Turney's suit against Molpus fails". Enterprise-Journal. Associated Press. December 17, 1985. p. 3. Archived from the original on June 15, 2022. Retrieved June 15, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  72. ^ Sutley, Bill; Bellido, Susana (November 28, 1985). "Supreme Court OKs raise on 16th Section land lease". Hattiesburg American. p. 25. Archived from the original on June 15, 2022. Retrieved June 15, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  73. ^ "Molpus suggests education revenue go into trust fund". The Greenwood Commonwealth. Associated Press. April 24, 1984. p. 1. Archived from the original on June 14, 2022. Retrieved June 14, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  74. ^ Fentress, E.A.Q. (April 24, 1984). "Molpus on state's red ink: Reform Act isn't to blame". The Sun. p. 12. Archived from the original on June 14, 2022. Retrieved June 14, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  75. ^ Warner, Coleman (April 24, 1984). "Molpus seeks trust fund". The Clarion-Ledger. p. 1. Archived from the original on June 14, 2022. Retrieved June 14, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  76. ^ Applebome, Peter (April 16, 1997). "Mixed Results for Public School Proponents". The New York Times (late ed.). p. 9.
  77. ^ a b "Molpus names members of election task force". The Greenwood Commonwealth. Associated Press. June 19, 1984. p. 2. Archived from the original on June 14, 2022. Retrieved June 14, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  78. ^ "Election law reforms sought". Clarksdale Press Register. Associated Press. January 31, 1984. p. 5. Archived from the original on June 13, 2022. Retrieved June 13, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  79. ^ "No more voting for individual electors". The Greenwood Commonwealth. August 30, 1984. p. 4. Archived from the original on June 14, 2022. Retrieved June 14, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  80. ^ Krane & Shaffer 1992, p. 306.
  81. ^ "Justice defends separation of powers". The Clarion-Ledger. Associated Press. June 19, 1984. p. 14. Archived from the original on June 14, 2022. Retrieved June 14, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  82. ^ "Molpus appoints task force to streamline election systems and software". The Clarion-Ledger. Associated Press. June 20, 1984. p. 13. Archived from the original on June 14, 2022. Retrieved June 14, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  83. ^ Oppel, Tom (January 4, 1985). "Election-law differences arise". The Clarion-Ledger. p. 1. Archived from the original on June 14, 2022. Retrieved June 14, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  84. ^ "Election group backs ward voting". Enterprise-Journal. Associated Press. September 30, 1984. p. 1. Archived from the original on June 14, 2022. Retrieved June 14, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  85. ^ Treyens, Cliff (October 20, 1984). "Panel backs automated voter sign-up system". The Clarion-Ledger. p. 9. Archived from the original on June 14, 2022. Retrieved June 14, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  86. ^ Minor, Bill (September 16, 1984). "State voting rolls need updating". The Greenwood Commonwealth. p. 4. Archived from the original on June 14, 2022. Retrieved June 14, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  87. ^ "Education trust fund bill barely makes deadline". The Clarion-Ledger. January 24, 1985. p. 9. Archived from the original on June 14, 2022. Retrieved June 14, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  88. ^ "Overhaul in the state election laws may take two years to finalize". The Greenwood Commonwealth. January 28, 1985. p. 3. Archived from the original on June 14, 2022. Retrieved June 14, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  89. ^ "Sweeping changes noted in state election laws". Enterprise-Journal. April 24, 1986. p. 11. Archived from the original on June 16, 2022. Retrieved June 16, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  90. ^ "Modified election law reviewed". Clarksdale Press Register. April 28, 1986. p. 2. Archived from the original on June 17, 2022. Retrieved June 16, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  91. ^ "State election reforms gain federal OK". The Clarion-Ledger. January 3, 1987. p. 1. Archived from the original on June 17, 2022. Retrieved June 16, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  92. ^ "Molpus may seek Senate seat". The Greenwood Commonwealth. September 21, 1987. p. 3. Archived from the original on June 17, 2022. Retrieved June 17, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  93. ^ "Letters show Molpus prepared for race before Stennis' decision". The Clarion-Ledger. February 19, 1988. p. 1. Archived from the original on June 17, 2022. Retrieved June 17, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  94. ^ "Molpus Announces Bid For U.S. Senate Seat". The Newton Record. December 2, 1987. p. 1. Archived from the original on June 13, 2022. Retrieved June 13, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  95. ^ "Molpus will hold office as he runs for Senate". The Union Appeal. December 2, 1987. p. 2. Archived from the original on June 13, 2022. Retrieved June 13, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  96. ^ "Dowdy Wins Easily, Prepares to Take on Lott". Congressional Quarterly Weekly Report. Vol. 46. 1988. p. 658.
  97. ^ Moreland, Steed & Baker 1991, p. 103.
  98. ^ "Molpus, Dick financial summary". Federal Election Commission. Archived from the original on June 17, 2022.
  99. ^ "Molpus' debt third highest". Hattiesburg American. Associated Press. May 3, 1988. p. 5. Archived from the original on June 19, 2022. Retrieved June 17, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  100. ^ "Lott's treasury brimming over". Hattiesburg American. Associated Press. February 3, 1989. p. 8. Archived from the original on June 19, 2022. Retrieved June 19, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  101. ^ a b "Mississippians Re-elect Republican Fordice". CQ Almanac. 1995. Archived from the original on June 12, 2022. Retrieved June 3, 2022.
  102. ^ a b c d Wilkie, Curtis (October 29, 1995). "Getting personal in Mississippi : Animosity appears to drive the campaign for governor". The Boston Globe (city ed.). p. 2.
  103. ^ a b c d Lamis 1999, p. 264.
  104. ^ a b c Lamis 1999, p. 263.
  105. ^ a b Nash & Taggart 2009, p. 251.
  106. ^ Harp, Lonnie (October 25, 1995). "Governor's race in Miss. pivots on education". Education Week. Vol. 15, no. 8.
  107. ^ a b c McEntee, Christopher (August 31, 1995). "Trends in the Region: Mississippi Bonds Will Endure Campaign". The Bond Buyer. p. 10. ProQuest 407402383
  108. ^ Nash & Taggart 2009, pp. 252–253.
  109. ^ Franklin, Brad (August 31, 1995). "Molpus refuses to resign post". Hattiesburg American. Associated Press. p. 10. Archived from the original on June 5, 2022. Retrieved June 5, 2022.
  110. ^ Nash & Taggart 2009, p. 252.
  111. ^ Nash & Taggart 2009, p. 253.
  112. ^ a b Edsall, Thomas B. (August 13, 1995). "Mississippi Turning: GOP Tide Rises on Racial Rift; Gov. Fordice Is in Vanguard of New South". The Washington Post (final ed.). p. A4. Archived from the original on June 12, 2022. Retrieved June 2, 2022.
  113. ^ a b Wilkie, Curtis (August 6, 1995). "Themes from a troubled past : At political fair in Mississippi, hard line on crime, charges of intolerance". The Boston Globe (city ed.). p. 2.
  114. ^ a b Sack, Kevin (November 4, 1995). "An Underdog Democrat Is Gaining in Mississippi". The New York Times. pp. A1, A12.
  115. ^ a b Nash & Taggart 2009, p. 254.
  116. ^ George 2015, p. 190.
  117. ^ Ball 2006, pp. 17, 77–79.
  118. ^ "Mississippi Business Hall of Fame". The Mississippi Business Journal. May 30, 2005. Retrieved February 26, 2013 – via Goliath.[dead link]
  119. ^ Gillette, Becky (December 18, 2006). "Molpus chairing board overseeing $200M timber endowment". The Mississippi Business Journal. Vol. 28, no. 51. p. 12. ProQuest 206582226
  120. ^ a b c Smith, Slim (February 12, 2015). "With Stewart leaving Daily Show, Molpus recalls his '15 seconds'". The Dispatch. Archived from the original on June 12, 2022. Retrieved June 3, 2022.
  121. ^ a b c d "Jon Stewart apologizes to Dick Molpus". WAPT-TV. Hearst Television. February 27, 2013. Archived from the original on June 3, 2022. Retrieved June 3, 2022.
  122. ^ Nave, R. L. (February 26, 2013). "Stewart Mans Up, Apologizes to Molpus". Jackson Free Press. Archived from the original on August 12, 2021. Retrieved June 3, 2022.
  123. ^ Burns, Alexander (November 30, 2017). "No Accidental Candidate, Alabama Democrat Laid Path for Years". The New York Times. Archived from the original on December 2, 2020. Retrieved June 19, 2022.

Works cited

Party political offices
Preceded by Democratic nominee for Governor of Mississippi
1995 		Succeeded by
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Dick_Molpus&oldid=1094971809"