JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) – Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba says he will not take a leave of absence, even if the council passes a resolution Tuesday urging him to do so.
On Tuesday, the council is expected to consider a resolution from Ward 3 Councilman Kenneth Stokes “requesting the mayor to take a leave of absence or sick leave.”
“I thank Councilman Stokes for his concern for my well-being. I will respectfully decline his suggestion, and that’s the only comment I have,” Lumumba said.
According to the one-page document, the council “recognizes the importance of the mayor’s duties and commitment to effective governance” but “recent circumstances have raised concerns about the city of Jackson’s mayor.”
The text of the non-binding resolution goes on to state that it is “in the best interest of both the mayor and the citizens of Jackson that the mayor temporarily takes a leave of absence or sick leave.”
Lumumba said he didn’t know what the resolution was about, but said he would not take leave even if the council approved it.
The item comes more than two months after Lumumba, Ward Six Councilman Aaron Banks, and Hinds County District Attorney Jody Owens were indicted in connection with a bribery scheme to bring a convention center hotel to Jackson.
According to the indictment that was unsealed in November, the mayor accepted $50,000 in campaign contributions after he directed a city employee to change the deadline for firms to respond to a request for qualifications to serve as master developer for a multimillion-dollar development project next to the Jackson Convention Complex.
Court records indicate the mayor accepted the campaign donations from FBI human sources posing as out-of-state developers during a meeting in Ft. Lauderdale.
-Five $10,000 checks were deposited into Lumumba’s campaign bank account on April 4.
A day later, a check for $9,500 was written payable to Lumumba via his campaign account. Days later, on April 8, a check for $5,000 was written payable to Lumumba via the campaign account.
The mayor pleaded not guilty to five federal charges during his initial appearance in November. Since then, he has maintained his innocence.
See all of our bribery coverage here.
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