How should Mississippi lawmakers allocate over $1 billion of coronavirus relief money?

JACKSON, Mississippi —

In Wednesday's Ransom Note: the bitter battle over a billion dollars.

Actually, more than that. $1.25 billion. That's how much Mississippi got from the CARES Act congress passed to help pay for everything from unemployment to PPE equipment.

But without notice last week, Republican state lawmakers convened early just long enough to vote to strip Republican Governor Tate Reeves of the power to spend most of that money so they could spend it instead.

“This is power politics at its worst, and while they may think they're attacking me and think they're hurting me, I beg to differ. I believe it is you, the people of Mississippi, being attacked,” asserted Gov. Reeves.

Reeves even accused lawmakers of stealing the money, saying the bill they passed didn't follow the law so isn't worth the paper it's on and Wednesday said the White House is on his side.

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But lawmakers aren't giving up. They're returning Thursday afternoon, and no one really knows what happens next. The governor and the White House are right here, just as with the federal emergency aid for the BP oil spill and hurricane Katrina, it should go to the governor.

Can you just imagine the pet projects each state lawmaker will want to divert the money to if they get their grubby hands on a billion bucks?