Mississippi Rep. Banks charged with felony felony

Harris Marley
Harris Marley

Global Courant 2023-05-11 03:43:57

A longtime Mississippi legislator has been charged with deliberately making a false statement on a tax return for allegedly not reporting more than $500,000 in income from real estate sales in 2018.

Democratic Rep. Earle Banks of Jackson has agreed to waive charges and face charges on the misdemeanor charge, according to court documents filed Thursday. He is due to appear in federal court on May 17 to enter a plea.

Banks, 68, has served in the House since 1993. He is an undertaker and lawyer.

“Mr. Banks made a mistake on his 2018 tax return and did not include capital gains,” his attorney, Rob McDuff, said in a statement. “We have been cooperating with the IRS and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in investigating this matter, and we will continue that collaboration to reach a final resolution.”

On April 14, the first federal indictment document filed against Banks was sealed. It was unsealed on Thursday.

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Mississippi State Representative Earle Banks, D-Jackson, asks a question at the Mississippi State Capitol in Jackson, Mississippi, on Oct. 18, 2022 (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis, File)

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The document shows that Banks claimed adjusted gross income of $38,237 even though he knew he had received more than $500,000 from the sale of real estate.

Banks is unopposed as he seeks re-election this year in House District 67, which is entirely in Hinds County.

Conviction on many felony charges disqualifies people from holding public office in Mississippi, but convictions for manslaughter or violating federal tax laws do not stop people from seeking or holding office, including a legislative seat.

Banks unsuccessfully ran for a seat on the Mississippi Supreme Court in 2012.

Mississippi Rep. Banks charged with felony felony

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