I am now going to offer you two ways of reading Tim Balducci’s testimony in the hearings last week. You can read my posts (already presumably familiar to obsessives hereabouts), full of explication, color commentary, and my own personal style– linked here in a five part series of posts, OR you can read the cold transcripts, knowing you’ll get exactly what was said with no atmospherics and no explanations of, for instance, who the hell the locals being mentioned might be, and no random references to literature, culture, food, or music. If you want to encourage my blogging, the least you can do is tell me how close I’m getting it. If the transcripts alone suffice, what’s the point of all my work? So here, courtesy of much scanning by my staff and even me, is an actual transcript of the Balducci testimony at the Scruggs motions hearings . Let me know what you think.
Balducci testimony in Scruggs hearing: a transcript and a blog account
February 26th, 2008 @ 10:09 pm - by NMC · 20 Comments
Tags: Dickie Scruggs, Tim Balducci
Filed Under: Herald & Examiner
NMC: My grandmother always said a pot of dried beans always starts out dry and not very appetizing. However, at the hands of a good cook with a few cheap spices, a little time and a whole lot of love they can become a very tasty meal that everyone will always want a second helping of.
I always preferred her cooking, as I now prefer your spicing up the dried beans of this story.
NMC, it should go without saying…you’ve become the go to guy for Scruggsology.
thanks to both. Shaves– the dried beans thing nails me more than you know. Bean cookery is evermore art not science.
ahh NMC your timing is perfect and your work is impeccable. Just warmed up a cup of java and ready for more of this Greek Tragedy.
By the way, did you ever post the link to the May 29th transcript, which was prepared by Keker’s firm? You mentioned last night here this had quite a few interesting local tidbits.
http://www.folo.us/2008/02/25/may-29th-balducci-and-lackey-recusal-firm-recruitment-and-balduccis-continual-selp-promoting/
Speaking of food, I heard Oxford Prime opened to rave reviews last night.
NMC: Don’t stop. You’ve MVP
Oxford Prime? Please details
amicus
Clyde’s place under new name
Thanks
NMC-such as bean cookery is an art of melding the various ingredients, so it is with the art of a gifted wordsmith: the blending of background, setting, plot, perceived heroes and villains, all the while presented against the tapestry of Truth. The eye of the uncompromised presenting potential consequence of the the unfolding action….easy enough the novice would imagine.
You, sir, are among the truly gifted.
Sorry I didn’t post a link to the May 29th transcript! I’ll try to remember to do that tomorrow.
I just don’t understand. Can any of you speculate as to what motive TB had to risk his freedom, career, etc. for the benefit of another person? What did DC have on him or what was DC paying him (big bucks?) – if he paid SP and TB $500K to talk to Hood, I wonder how much he paid TB to talk to Lackey.
NMC, I have said thanks several times so once again–THANKS!!
Thanks for excellent explanations and all of the hard work. I’ve been following all the transcripts but without the explanations it’s been hard to follow and to understand where each new bit of information may lead in the court actions not being a lawyer. We appreciate it!
NMC, Your work on this blog has lifted the veil of secrecy surrounding the workings (good and bad) of our court system. I think judges will judge differently if their work is displayed for public consumption. And I truly think you are raising the bar for reporters in general. In short the ripples of your efforts go much further than simply producing a good read. Thank you for the good read and thank you for your efforts of making Mississippi a much better place for my grandkids.
NMC, thanks to your brilliant tutelage I now feel that while not a lawyer, I could sure “play one on TV!”
My question of the day, Oh Socrates, is where is the IRS in all this money laundering? Will Langston and others be charged w/ tax evasion?
I do not comment often…but I am here most everyday…and so are new posts. Depth, detail, dot connection and persistence in pursing the story beyond just the first “headline”. “Real” journalists can only hope to do so well.
Something very liberating about not having to rely on the half-a$$ mediocre media for details on big happenings.
Thanks!
Sailor…Someone posted here on Folo recently that theyhad talked to someone who works for the Ms. Tax Commission and he stated they were with the IRS all over this. Go on line and see what a new accountant’s starting salary is with the state and then it will give you a whole new meaning of all over this means.
NMC,
Did you purchase a copy of the transcript before you began all your scanning?
Am I the only one who didn’t know the definition of “bagman?” Merriam-Webster defines a “bagman” as a person who on behalf of another collects or distributes illicitly gained money; or broadly defined as an intermediary in an illicit or unethical transaction…
Ahh, the power of a single word!!!!
Welcome to folo, BCHAN, guardian, and AI.
BCHAN, yes, it is very liberating (and vastly more informative) to have the whole Web as my news-source — which explains why I turn on a teevy only once or twice a year anymore. Too big a newshound to waste time there.
You know, AI, I count it wonderful to meet someone whose world, up to now, hasn’t needed the concept of “bagman.” Seriously.