EDITORIAL: An Ill-Considered Intervention
Times-Picayune (excerpt)

("This spirited defense of Mr. Baroni tells the judge and everyone else that Louisiana officials are willing to go easy on people who steal from the public, as long as they are well-connected.")

Nick Baroni, the former Kenner city councilman who admits to defrauding the Navy in his work as a consultant, has a single objective these days: staying out of jail. His lawyer hopes that an outpouring of support from public officials will persuade a federal judge to sentence him instead to house arrest.

But helping Mr. Baroni to get a light punishment for his crime should not be the objective of those who have sworn to serve the public. The five elected officials who wrote glowing letters about Mr. Baroni's character and contributions to Kenner and Jefferson Parish -- including Parish President Aaron Broussard and Kenner Mayor Ed Muniz -- may have acted out of friendship or collegiality. But they owe more to their constituents than they do to a disgraced former colleague. For public officials to intervene on behalf of someone who stole from taxpayers reinforces the stereotype of Louisiana as a place where corruption is tolerated. That does not serve the public well; in fact, it's detrimental to Louisiana's recovery.

Mr. Broussard praised Mr. Baroni's dedication as a public servant in a letter that was more than three pages long -- on parish letterhead. He said he wanted the judge to know Mr. Baroni's record in the community. As for his use of official stationery, Mr. Broussard said he wanted the judge to know something about himself, too.

That's precisely the problem. This spirited defense of Mr. Baroni tells the judge and everyone else that Louisiana officials are willing to go easy on people who steal from the public, as long as they are well-connected.

Mr. Baroni's friends in high places and other former colleagues may have a high opinion of him. Kenner City Councilwoman Michele Branigan praised his efforts to make Kenner a better place to live, and Kenner City Councilman Ben Zahn said that he served in a respectable manner. Others, like Jean Lafitte Mayor Tim Kerner, pleaded for mercy. "Anything to lessen the pain would be greatly appreciated," he wrote.

Elected officials have friendships, loyalties and personal opinions, and there may be circumstances where it would be appropriate for them to intercede on behalf of a defendant. But their first responsibility is to the public and they should weigh that in making such decisions. Writing in support of Mr. Baroni showed a lack of good judgment.