In my opinion the Barbour crime family handed the black political activists a bunch of cash (and promises to be paid at a later date) and said, “we know nothing, get at it.” But the Barbours are well versed in Mississippi racial politics. They knew exactly what these activists were going to do. But could use plausible deniability.
I’m wondering if Thad was more “used” in this scheme than an initiator of the perfidy.
He’s a teat on the cash cow, in other words.
And also that was folly because the liberal devil is going to come around asking for its due, making it obvious in retrospect that a bribe was offered.