Pete Perry Chair of Hinds County, Mississippi Republican Party jailed for drunk driving Saturday night. Perry's firm took $60K from Cochran campaign to turn out votes, Perry 'is crucial to running Hinds County elections, losing him would be a big blow,' says colleague-Clarion-Ledger

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6/30/14, "Hinds County GOP chairman Pete Perry arrested for DUI," Clarion-Ledger, Sam R. Hall

Peter Perry, Leake Cty. Sheriff

"Carthage police arrested Pete Perry on Saturday night and charged him with DUI, authorities confirmed Sunday morning.

Perry was arrested at 8:25 p.m. and then jailed with the Leake County Sheriff's Department until he made bail at 10:59 p.m. A Leake County jailer confirmed the birth date and address of Perry, who is the chairman of the Hinds County Republican Party. Perry, who lives in Jackson, is from Leake County and was thought to have been returning from his fair cabin in Neshoba County. Cabin owners are starting to prepare for the Neshoba County Fair, which begins July 25.

Reached by text, Perry said he was in an area with spotty cell phone service and would return a call later.

Perry has been at the center of a possible challenge in the Republican primary runoff for U.S. Senate. Supporters of challenger Chris McDaniel have been reviewing voting records in Hinds County since incumbent U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran won the June 24 runoff.

The McDaniel campaign says they have found more than 1,000 illegally cast votes in Hinds County, most centered around voters who allegedly cast a ballot in the June 3 Democratic primary and then voted in the June 24 Republican primary runoff. Perry, however, says that most of the votes cited by McDaniel supporters were actually clerical errors made by poll workers that were later corrected by the poll workers themselves.

McDaniel supporters have criticized Perry's involvement with the elections because his firm received $60,000 during the primary from Mississippi Conservatives PAC, which supports Cochran, to help turn out votes for the incumbent. In Mississippi, political parties and not the state or county run the primary elections.

When reached by political editor Geoff Pender, Mississippi Republican Party chairman Joe Nosef said he had no comment about Perry's arrest.

Kirby Boteler, who serves on the Hinds County Republican Executive Committee with Perry, said he had not heard of the arrest until a reporter called.

"I am sorry to hear that," Boteler said.

Boteler said he's unaware of any impact a DUI arrest or conviction would have on Perry serving as chair. He said he would not consider it an issue with Perry serving.

"I don't think our bylaws speak to that," Boteler said. "...Right now is a crucial time for the Republican Party, and we need to be looking for ways to coalesce, rather than look for things to break apart.

"I couldn't imagine him stepping down. Pete Perry is a crucial part of this party and is crucial to running Hinds County elections. Losing him would be a big blow."" image above Leake County Sheriff via Clarion-Ledger


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