MS Lawmaker Caught Funneling Work to His Printing Firm
FLOWOOD, MS—A Mississippi representative has been told to repay the state nearly $350,000 in public printing contracts that were awarded to his family business and pay a $50,000 fine for the dealings, the Clarion Ledger reported.
The accused lawmaker, Republican Rep. Kevin McGee, is one of several family members who own Service Printers, based here. An anonymous tip led the state's Ethics Commission to investigate, and it found that 258 contracts between state agencies and the printing company were in violation of ethics laws, the paper reported.
State law forbids legislators from doing business with state government, as the legislature decides how money is spent through appropriations.
Between January 2008, when McGee first took office, and August 2011, Service Printers provided work for 26 state agencies.