Jackson Mayor Lumumba has been indicted by the DOJ on bribery charges

Court documents show that on April 2, Lumumba directed a city employee to push back the deadline for the city's long-awaited hotel project across from the Jackson Convention Complex. Lumumba agreed to a postponement of the deadline after accepting $10,000 for his “re-election committee” on April 1, which was given to him as a check by Smith in order to hide the true source of funding – the “developers” of Nashville .

The city has been seeking to build the hotel since the mid-2000s, according to previous statements from Jackson spokeswoman Melissa Payne. The most recent attempt came on January 31, when the city issued a Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) for the project.

A total of three companies are bidding on the SOQ, according to a public records request obtained by the Clarion Ledger in August. One of the companies is called Facility Solutions Team and was founded in March by Hinds County District Attorney Jody Owens. Two months later, on May 22, Owens' business and offices were raided by the FBI, which also made a trip to Jackson City Hall.

After the raids, Lumumba said during a press conference on May 28, “I have no information about the district attorney or anyone else.”

Jackson corruption case

The latest guilty plea follows that of former Jackson councilwoman Angelique Lee.

In a statement from his attorney released in August after Lee's sentencing, Owens said he had met with out-of-town developers to discuss “the possibility of building a convention center hotel in Jackson.”

“He believed them and after several conversations agreed to help them. “It turned out they were FBI agents,” Owens’ statement said. “Given the status of the investigation, I don’t think it’s appropriate to say anything else at this point.”

Following Lee's guilty plea, three Jackson City Council members, Ward 1 Councilman Ashby Foote, Ward 5 Councilman Vernon Hartley and Ward 7 Councilwoman and Council President Virgi Lindsay also said they also met with developers outside the city. Ward 4 Councilman Brian Grizzell said he met a developer in passing; Ward 3 Councilman Kenneth Stokes said he may have received a call. All have denied taking bribes and none have been able to confirm whether they were the agents who bribed Lee. Ward 6 Councilman Aaron Banks has not responded to repeated requests for comment on the bribery scandal or to meet with developers.

What all of the individual council member meetings have in common is that they were initiated by DA Owens.

Jackson City Council President releases statement

Following Lumumba's announcement, Ward 7 Councilwoman and Council President Virgi Lindsay issued a statement to the Clarion Ledger:

“As City Council President, I am handling the federal indictment against Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba with seriousness and responsibility,” Lindsay said.

“My intent here is to speak directly to the people of the city of Jackson. I know you are patient, open-minded and compassionate – especially in times of need. I remember that the presumption of innocence is a fundamental principle of Therefore, I will remain focused on the work of our City Council and trust that the legal system will unfold without inappropriate comments from me, giving our collective power to thrive.

Will Lumumba resign?

Given Lumumba's role in the bribery scandal, it is unclear whether he will step down as mayor, a post he has held since he was first elected in 2017. The mayor is at the end of his second term, which ends July 1, 2025.

In February, Lumumba announced his intention to run for a third term. He confirmed this at the beginning of October. But after Smith pleaded guilty on Oct. 17, the Clarion Ledger asked the mayor whether an impending indictment would impact his plans to run for a third term. Lumumba did not speak clearly, referring only to his October 21 statement: “I have never conspired with anyone to commit a crime.”

When Lee pleaded guilty in August, a special election had already been held. In October, Tina Clay was elected to fill the Ward 2 seat on the council. Councilwoman Clay attended her first council meeting on Tuesday.