A Tale of Two Dickies
Dickie Scruggs, Mississippi’s noted trial lawyer, made a fortune suing asbestos makers and Big Tobacco. Now he’s trying to force insurers to pay more for damage from Hurricane Katrina, which destroyed his house in Pascagoula. “Scruggs, 60, slim, often folksy and smooth as molasses in court, is using techniques that he honed in his earlier legal fights,” writes the Times in a profile today. “He is arguing now, as he did before to such good effect, that he is fighting for the little guy who cannot stand up alone to big anonymous companies.” Said a Mississippian of the state’s most famous lawyer: “He’s good people. He’s down to earth. If he tells you something, it’s gospel.”
A WSJ editorial yesterday excoriated Scruggs and Mississippi attorney general Jim Hood for what it says was a tag-team assault on State Farm insurance. Hood filed a civil suit against State Farm and other insurers post-Katrina, right around the same time Scruggs filed his lawsuit. Hood then began a criminal probe, in which the Journal says Scruggs improperly assisted. Next week a judge will hold a hearing why Scruggs shouldn’t be held in contempt of court. Scruggs stands to make millions in contingency fees from a State Farm settlement, says the WSJ. “Look for some of that cash to make it back to Mr. Hood in the form of campaign contributions.”
No wonder the Republicans lost. (Trent Lott figures in here, smellingly.) They don't deserve to hold office. Mississippi keeps falling into the backwater-Third world-mentality. Alabama looks great in comparison. Well, It is. The whole insurance mess is gonna cost -EVERYONE- lots of money. Voiding contracts due to political whims is never a good idea. Read yesterday's editorial. It will turn your stomach.
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