Reddix firing gets national attention

JACKSON, MS (Mississippi News Now) - The Mississippi legislature has ended its four-month 2012 session with House and Senate adjourning Thursday afternoon.

In their final hours at the capitol, senators confirmed several people to serve on state boards and a Senate redistricting plan.

One of those board appointments has sparked national attention and outrage.

Jackson OB-GYN, Dr. Carl Reddix, seen here on MSNBC's "The Rachel Maddow Show" Wednesday night, was fired from the state board of health by Lt. Governor Tate Reeves for his loose ties to Jackson's only abortion clinic. Reddix does not perform abortions.

Appointed by former Governor Haley Barbour, Reddix said he learned of his ouster from a news reporter.

Reddix said, "It is total dismay and outrage on my part."

"And I believe that Dr. Reddix is a fine gentleman. At the end of the day, his affiliation, whether loose or otherwise, with the state's only abortion clinic, was such that I couldn't support him serving on the state board of health," said Reeves.

Asked why he didn't inform Reddix that he would not be reappointed, Reeves responded, "Well, I think that's certainly something that we could've done better."

Dr. Reddix is a Harvard and Johns Hopkins educated native Mississippian.

But the Lieutenant Governor earlier stated he "wanted Governor Bryant to refer a qualified doctor to guide state health policy."

Bryant nominated Clinton physician, Dr. Ed D. "Tad" Barham.