Binkey’s reports still missing

Published 11:41 pm Wednesday, October 3, 2007

NATCHEZ — Circuit Clerk M.L. “Binkey” Vines’ audit reports are still missing in action.

Vines said last week that he would hand deliver the reports to the state auditor’s office in Jackson on Tuesday.

But the reports aren’t in Jackson and the state auditor’s office has said the information doesn’t need to come directly to them. Vines was reportedly told not to deliver information to Jackson, but to bring it to the local auditing firm, Switzer, Hopkins and Mange, the firm handling the county audit.

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“I was not aware of that,” Dennis Switzer said on Wednesday.

The records in question are Vines’ civil, criminal and garnishment journals. In addition, Vines has yet to relinquish his fee account journal, Switzer said.

Switzer completed the Adams County audit and gave it to the state auditor’s office on Friday, sans Vines’ records.

Switzer said Wednesday that even if he were to receive the records, he would be unable to work with them since the rest of the audit has been completed and given to the state office.

Vines could not be reached for comment.

Vines pleaded guilty to charges of embezzlement earlier this year. Several indictments against him were based on audit findings from previous years.