Mississippi mayor claims to face ‘political prosecution’ with bribery charges

Chokwe Antar Lumumba, Jackson’s Democratic mayor, says he ‘never accepted a bribe’ after reported indictment

The mayor of Mississippi’s capital city said Wednesday that he has been indicted in an alleged bribery operation, and he said it is a “political prosecution” to hurt his 2025 campaign for re-election.

“My legal team has informed me that federal prosecutors have, in fact, indicted me on bribery and related charges,” Chokwe Antar Lumumba, Jackson mayor, said in a video statement on Wednesday, WJTV and other news outlets reported. “To be clear, I have never accepted a bribe of any type. As mayor, I have always acted in the best interests of the city of Jackson.”