Friday, July 4th, 2008

Tight Races Seen In Louisiana Fall Elections
by Ana Radelat - The Town Talk (excerpt)

One of the hottest Senate races is Sen. Mary Landrieu's re-election bid.

The Democrat from New Orleans faces a challenge from state Treasurer John Kennedy, a former Democrat who switched to the GOP last year.

Landrieu has always had close races. She is considered the most vulnerable Senate Democrat running for re-election in a year when her party is expected to gain several Senate seats from the GOP.

The Cook Political Report says the race leans Democratic, and a recent Southern Media & Opinion Research poll shows Landrieu has a slight advantage -- 45.8 percent to 40.3 percent -- over Kennedy. The margin of error was 4 percent.

Pollster Bernie Pinsonat said the poll shows Landrieu is "probably as popular or more popular than she has ever been," largely due to her ability to help the state recover from hurricanes Katrina and Rita through her seat on the Senate Appropriations Committee.

"She has exercised that power, and people have taken notice," Pinsonat said.

There are also several competitive House races this year.

A skirmish among GOP candidates has broken out in the race for the 4th District seat being vacated by Rep. Jim McCrery, R-Shreveport, who is retiring.

Businessman Chris Gorman was the first Republican to campaign for the seat. He was followed by Minden physician John Fleming. But McCrery and House Minority Leader John Boehner endorsed a late entrant in the field, Shreveport attorney Jeff Thompson.

Caddo Parish district attorney Paul Carmouche seems to lead a Democratic field that includes lawyer John Milkovich, Shreveport Christian Church founder Artis Cash, and attorney and retired Army officer Willie Banks.

"(I)f Carmouche wins, it will be despite his being a Democrat rather than because of it," Cook said.

The Cook Political Report has ranked the race a tossup.

Another primary battle is shaping up in the 2nd District, with state Representative Cedric Richmond and Jefferson County Councilman Byron Lee announcing they plan to challenge Rep. William Jefferson of New Orleans, who has been indicted and is awaiting trial on corruption charges.

Another race to watch features Democratic Rep. Don Cazayoux's bid to hold on to the 6th District seat he won in a special election in May. Republican state Sen. Bill Cassidy of Baton Rouge said he plans to run for the seat, which was once held by retired Rep. Richard Baker. That race is considered another tossup by the Cook Political Report.

A competitive contest also is shaping up in the 7th District, where Rep. Charles Boustany, R-Lafayette, is challenged by Democratic state Sen. Don Cravins Jr., the son of Opelousas Mayor Don Cravins Sr.

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Groups Oppose Gun Bill- Jindal Urged To Use Veto
by MARK BALLARD - Advocate (excerpt)

Five trade associations that represent many of the state’s largest employers Thursday asked the governor to veto legislation that would allow employees to carry weapons to work.

If Gov. Bobby Jindal follows their advice, he will anger a group of staunch supporters: the gun lobby. If he doesn’t veto, Jindal likely will anger another base of supporters: large corporations that control hundreds of thousands of jobs in Louisiana.

“Sometimes you have to pick among friends. It’s not a pleasant thing to do,” said Dan Borné, president of the Louisiana Chemical Association, which represents 65 chemical corporations, and the Louisiana Chemical Industry Alliance, which represents about 600 companies that supply and service the chemical plants. In addition, the Associated Builders and Contractors Inc., the Louisiana Pulp and Paper Association and the Louisiana Mid-Continent Oil and Gas Association also wrote Jindal asking him to veto Senate Bill 51, which they call the “bring your gun to work” bill.

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Utility Regulators' (Public Service Commissioners) Pay Raises Vetoed
by Ed Anderson - Times-Picayune (excerpt)

BATON ROUGE -- Gov. Bobby Jindal has vetoed a $30,000 pay raise for the five members of the Public Service Commission, aides said Thursday.

In vetoing the pay raise for commissioners who regulate the state's trucking and utility industries, Jindal wrote in his veto message Thursday that an increase in pay from $45,000 a year to $75,000 for the elected commissioners was too steep.

"Though I appreciate the dedication and important work of the commissioners," he said, "I find this raise to be excessive."

Jindal's killing of House Bill 939 by Rep. Jeff Arnold, D-Algiers, was his 18th veto from the recently ended session.

The veto of Arnold's bill comes three days after Jindal spiked a bill doubling lawmakers' base salary from $16,800 to $37,500, after weeks of saying he would not veto it at the risk of angering lawmakers who could derail some of his initiatives in the future.

Officials of the Public Service Commission could not be reached for comment late Thursday after the veto was released.

The pay raise bill passed the House 64-26 and the Senate 23-7 during the session. Arnold said Jindal's office signaled no opposition to the bill during the session. Arnold said he got "the first indication" from a Jindal aide that the pay raise was in jeopardy on Wednesday.

Jindal signed 67 more bills into law, including the ban on the public display of a noose. The ban includes displaying a hangman's noose, or an etching or drawing of one, on public property, the private property of another or state highway "with the intent to intimidate a person or group of persons."

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Second Jindal Recall Effort Withdrawn
by Mike Hasten - News Star (excerpt)

BATON ROUGE — A Baton Rouge man seeking to recall Gov. Bobby Jindal now says he has had "a change of heart" and has withdrawn the recall.

David Mastrianni said the recall effort was sparked by Jindal's refusal to veto the legislative pay raise. Now that he has vetoed it, "there's no reason to continue."

Earlier, Ryan Fournier of Jefferson withdrew his recall petition for the same reason.

Jindal vetoed Senate Bill 672 on June 30, one day before the raise from $16,800 to $37,500 was to go into effect. He had until July 8 to either sign the bill or allow it to become law on its own, and no money would have come out of the state treasury until a week after the raises were effective.

Mastrianni said he has done extensive research on Jindal and received comments that show "he's a great governor ... and we need more Bobby Jindals in the world."

He said he sent notice to the governor and the secretary of state's office that he was withdrawing the petition.

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DON CAZAYOUX ENERGY POLICY VIDEO: "We're Not Laughing"
YOUTUBE

DON CAZAYOUX "We're Not Laughing" (1:01)

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Jindal Signs Bills On Hate Crimes, Text Messaging, (Workforce Commission)
by MICHELLE MILLHOLLON - Advocate (excerpt)

Gov. Bobby Jindal signed nearly six dozen bills into law Thursday, including legislation targeting hate crimes, cell-phone users and video-bingo machines.

The legislation with the biggest direct impact may be Senate Bill 137, which forbids motorists from text messaging while behind the wheel.

Jindal traveled Thursday to Houma to sign House Bill 1104, which he touted as the most important piece of his legislative package in the recent session. Through the bill, the Jindal administration is trying to make the state’s worker training programs more responsive to employers’ needs. The Department of Labor gets a new name, becoming the Louisiana Workforce Commission.

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TIMES PICAYUNE EDITORIAL: Mayor Price Should Resign
Times-Picayune (excerpt)

Mandeville Mayor Eddie Price has admitted that he was drinking in 2006 when he swerved into the path of a police car, but he says that incident and his April collision with a tollbooth gate on the Causeway -- which also happened after he had been drinking -- are "personal."

They have nothing to do with his ability to run the city, he says. And he says he's "sticking it out."

But the mayor's actions go beyond the personal. Mayor Price has become a public embarrassment. He was driving a city-owned vehicle on public streets when these incidents took place. Any ordinary citizen would have landed in jail. But not Mayor Price. His willingness to use his position to avoid the consequences of his actions amounts to an abuse of power. That's why he should resign.

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Recall Petitions Off-Limits For Legislative Auditor's Staff
by Ed Anderson - Times-Picayune (excerpt)

BATON ROUGE -- Legislative Auditor Steve Theriot has told his 250-member staff that they cannot sign recall petitions against local or state officials, a stand that civil libertarians said Thursday is a violation of the employees' First Amendment rights.

An amendment to the auditor's employee handbook dated Tuesday says employees can not "participate in or sign a recall petition." The office previously allowed its employees to sign petitions but not organize a recall drive or force anyone to sign a recall petition.

"We have concerns when political expression is curtailed by the government," said Marjorie Esman, executive director of the Louisiana arm of the American Civil Liberties Union. "Anytime anybody's political expression is involved, it is a First Amendment issue. . . . This is an infringement of political rights."

State Civil Service Department chief attorney Robert Boland said that state workers are allowed to sign recall petitions but cannot organize recall drives. Signing a petition, Boland said, "is very fundamental to our democracy."

Jenifer Schaye, Theriot's general counsel, said that state and federal courts have ruled that government offices can place restrictions on the activities of employees.

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Younger Generations Start To Gain More Political Interest
by Claire Taylor - The Daily Advertiser (excerpt)

It appears that people, particularly the younger generation, are more engaged in the political process this year, with the huge attendance at Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama's rallies and outcry over legislative pay raises in Louisiana.

That interest has not yet translated into increased voter registration here, according to Lafayette Parish Registrar of Voters Charlene Meaux Menard.

The 2008 Pew Internet and American Life Project survey suggests that 46 percent of Americans surveyed, more than ever before, used the Internet, e-mail or cell phone text messaging to send or receive information about the presidential campaign.

Ten percent said they used social networking sites like Facebook or MySpace to engage in the campaign, Pew reported.

Stephen Sabludowsky, publisher of a Louisiana online political publication BayouBuzz.com, said he has received e-mail from university students saying they're going to build MySpace pages to get into politics, especially in the wake of the legislative pay raise controversy.

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BESE Member Questions Programs
by WILL SENTELL - Advocate (excerpt)

The state has spent $63 million in the past decade on after-school programs that badly need more oversight and accountability, a member of the state’s top school board said.

“I think we have to take a hard look at some of these programs and make some hard decisions,” said Tammie McDaniel of Oak Ridge, a member of the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education.

The panel sets policies for about 650,000 public school students statewide. McDaniel, a former principal and teacher, was named to the 11-member panel by Gov. Bobby Jindal in February.

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New Ethics Rules Drain State Police Commission
by Robert Travis Scott - Times-Picayune (excerpt)

BATON ROUGE -- Times are tough at the State Police Commission, the small agency that serves state troopers the way the Civil Service Commission oversees state employees.

Only two of the commission's seven board seats are filled after an exodus this week by appointed members unhappy with Gov. Bobby Jindal's new ethics disclosure laws, and the terms of the remaining two are up this year.

The departures come six weeks after the commission's full-time director, Debra Johnson, was placed on leave after being arrested for keeping items in her home that were bought with a state-issued credit card.

Meanwhile, a backlog of board work is growing, including hearings for appeals for state troopers facing disciplinary action or personnel problems.

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NEW TV SPOT IN 4TH DISTRICT RACE FOR CONGRESS

The Chris Gorman for Congress Campaign has released a sneak peek of its third commercial, which airs across the entire 4th Congressional District beginning Monday.


"Multiplicity" TV Commercial (:30)

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Vitter Hopes War Chest Can Pay Legal Bills
by Bruce Alpert - Times-Picayune (excerpt)

WASHINGTON -- Sen. David Vitter, R-La., is asking the Federal Election Commission whether he can use campaign money to pay fees related to legal issues and bad publicity he confronted after being linked to a prostitution ring.

The letter from a Vitter attorney mentions $207,177.50 in costs, mostly legal fees, $70,000 of which the senator already has paid with his own money. The letter indicates that some of the money relates to legal representation before the Senate Ethics Committee that is "not the subject" of the request to the FEC.

As of March 31, Vitter listed $1.6 million in cash on hand in his campaign account. His office declined to comment on the FEC request.

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Bribery defense hinges on risky tack- Jefferson says he lied to witnesses
by Bruce Alpert - Times-Picayune (excerpt)

WASHINGTON -- In the almost three years since the first details of a federal investigation of Rep. William Jefferson became public, the key issue has always been how the New Orleans Democrat would explain two pieces of evidence: the $90,000 FBI agents found wrapped in his freezer and the secretly taped conversations in which complicated bribery schemes are allegedly discussed.

Jefferson has promised an "honorable explanation" will be provided at his trial, which is scheduled for Dec. 2, and has so far declined to elaborate.

In the meantime, recent court filings by his legal team, led by prominent Washington lawyer Robert Trout, provide some possible clues about how the defense team plans to counter the material.

For starters, the briefs suggest, the fact that the money was found in Jefferson's freezer instead of in the possession of Nigeria's then-vice president, Atiku Abubakar, as FBI agents had expected, exposes a huge flaw in the prosecution's theory of the case.

Instead of proving that the frozen cash is evidence of illegal activity, the fact that "Mr. Jefferson took it (the money) home and secured it in his freezer" indicates that it most certainly was not a bribe, the attorneys say. What the money was for and why it was hidden in soy burger boxes is not addressed.

As for the secretly taped conversations between Jefferson and government witness Lori Mody, a Virginia businesswoman, the defense says Jefferson wasn't being truthful when he laid out elaborate plans to bribe Nigerian officials.

"The objective and undisputed evidence that, contrary to what he said to the cooperating witness, the defendant did not pass any money to the Nigerian vice president when he had an opportunity to do so is inconsistent with the government's allegation of a Foreign Corrupt Practices Act conspiracy," the Jefferson defense says.

The strategy isn't without risk. If the defense concedes that Jefferson was being less than honest with Mody, prosecutors can ask jurors to consider whether he is lying about his innocence in all matters.

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Mayor Vows To Stay Out Of Trouble, Keep SUV
by Cindy Chang - Times-Picayune (excerpt)

While Mandeville Mayor Eddie Price vowed never again to drive his city-owned Ford Expedition after drinking, the ranking member of the Mandeville City Council on Thursday called for an investigation into a 2006 incident involving Price and city police officers that came to light just this week.

Price said Thursday that he does not plan to give up the keys to the city vehicle he was using the two times he was pulled over on suspicion of drunken driving and then apparently let go because of his position.

Meanwhile, at-large Councilwoman Trilby Lenfant said she will push for a thorough investigation into the first such incident, which occurred in Mandeville in late 2006 but was made public by Police Chief Tom Buell only after news media inquiries this week.

Lenfant, a political protege of Price's who was sworn in last week to her third four-year term on the council, said she is still deciding whether to ask Price to give up the city SUV or whether to call for any other action against the mayor.

"We need a full investigation not only of the incident but of what has happened since then. Why are we just now learning of it?" she said.

"I have a son-in-law who died in a DWI accident," Lenfant said. "I take such issues very seriously for all parties involved."

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Letter To The Editor: Judicial Bill Important Reform
by Fred Shumate - Advocate (excerpt)

Louisiana has focused on other reforms such as ethics and work-force development, but we must not forget to reform our judicial system as well.

Changes such as SB308 make us more competitive with our neighbors, such as Texas and Mississippi, who have enacted strong reforms over the past few years.

Improvements to our justice system can bring jobs and better incomes to Louisianians as our state attracts new businesses and encourages expansion of those already here. Reform will help us stem the tide of outmigration and keep our future here.

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EDITORIAL: Fourth Cause To Celebrate
News Star (excerpt)

"It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games and sports, guns, bells, bonfires and illuminations, from one end of the continent to the other." That's what dour John Adams, a signer and our second president, wrote to wife Abigail about celebrating the signing of the Declaration.

If an Adams urged celebration, then there was cause aplenty for it.

That's why we celebrate this day with no shortage of glee. Parades, fireworks, cookouts — it's all appropriate. That's why we should embrace public events — the annual parade at Monroe's Triangle Park and Monroe's Waterfront Festival at Forsythe Point, punctuated with fireworks — as wholly fitting.

Appropriate, too, as Adams also noted, is some commemoration of this "day of deliverance, by solemn acts and devotion to Almighty God." Think of that, too, as you grill burgers or watch the ballgame, gather with friends and neighbors or relax on the hammock.

Our birth of national freedom was launched this day, giving us the opportunity to pursue our own happiness.

Be grateful.

Be happy.

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AP WIRE: Breaking News
Associated Press (LA) (excerpt)

TO READ THE FOLLOWING STORIES CLICK ON STORY TITLE LINK ABOVE.

• Jindal vetoes raise for Public Service Commission

• La. high court sets new rules for lawyers' ads

• Jindal signs ban on text messaging while driving

• Jindal signs bill to outlaw intimidation by noose

• Jindal signs labor department revamp

• Louisiana's credit rating back to pre-Katrina mark

• Entergy Louisiana customers could see small refund

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Thursday, July 3rd, 2008

Jindal: 'I Believe In The Power Of Prayer'
by David Dinsmore - The Town Talk (excerpt)

TIOGA -- Gov. Bobby Jindal spoke about the need for prayer Wednesday night as he addressed thousands of people attending a Pentecostal camp meeting in Tioga.

"I believe in the power of prayer," Jindal told the crowd. "(These elected officials) may want your votes, but they need your prayers."

The crowd gathered in the auditorium Wednesday with clapping hands and singing voices as part of the 94th annual United Pentecostal Church district camp meeting, which will continue through Friday night.

"What a great week ... to be with brothers and sisters in Christ," Jindal said as the crowd met his words with praises.

Jindal shared stories from his own life and how his relationship with God helps him with his work. He also talked about being thankful that he receives daily prayer support, especially during the last couple of weeks when facing the decision regarding the legislative pay raise bill he eventually vetoed.

"I'm asking that you lift each of us up in prayer," the governor said of himself and his fellow elected officials.

Jindal was among a group of politicians, including state Attorney General James "Buddy" Caldwell and Fifth District Congressman Rodney Alexander, attending Wednesday's worship service.

Pastor Tim Kelley of the First Pentecostal Church in Oakdale said he's been coming to the annual meeting for more than 20 years.

Kelley said 7,000 to 10,000 people attend the meeting each year.

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Jindal's Veto Was Right Choice
by JIM BEAM - The American Press (excerpt)

Gov. Bobby Jindal has rescued his political future, revived the people’s trust in his administration and fostered the cause of good government with his veto of a huge legislative pay increase that was wrong for so many reasons.

Yes, his credibility with legislators was hurt in the process because he had promised them he wouldn’t do exactly what he did Monday when he killed the pay raise. Why he made that promise in light of an earlier pledge he made during his campaign last fall is still a mystery.

What we have to remember is that he eventually did what had to be done and took personal responsibility for letting the situation get so far out of hand. It will take time for him to reestablish his credibility with legislators, but he can do it.

“I clearly made a mistake by telling the Legislature that I would allow them to handle their own affairs, and as with all mistakes, you can either correct them or compound them,” Jindal said in a statement. “I chose to correct my mistake by vetoing this bill.”

It’s awfully difficult to condemn a man who admits to his failings. And it’s a rare day when you hear such a confession from someone in public office.

As the saying goes, “This, too, will pass.” Meanwhile, we can only hope Jindal and members of the Legislature have learned something from this trying experience for all of them and for the people of this state.


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TIMES PICAYUNE EDITORIAL: Lawmakers Just Don't Get It
Times-Picayune (excerpt)

Assessing the fallout from their pay raise fiasco, legislative leaders are faulting Gov. Bobby Jindal and even Louisianians who angrily opposed the pay hike. That's not what constituents want to hear from the very people who voted to double their own pay. The sooner lawmakers get that fact, the less damage they'll inflict on themselves.

Senate President Joel Chaisson II and House Speaker Pro Tem Karen Carter Peterson both voted for the pay raise. Now they blame the governor for not stopping the Legislature's gluttony. "The time to stand up and say 'no' should have come before it came to a vote," Sen. Chaisson said of Gov. Jindal.

That's like saying: The governor should have saved us before we made fools of ourselves.

For their part, House Speaker Jim Tucker and Rep. Jeff Arnold are defending their votes for the pay raise and blaming public outrage on misinformation. Their argument: The public was fed wrong facts and got, well, confused.

That is disingenuous -- and insulting to voters. The vast majority of constituents who contacted lawmakers and the governor were clear about what they opposed: greedy lawmakers giving themselves a 123-percent pay increase.

Nothing confusing about that.

Louisianians don't want to hear lawmakers blaming others for their mess or whining that the governor needs to mend fences with them. What voters want to hear is how lawmakers will mend fences with their constituents.







Cartoon by Revolutionary Rascal (revolutionaryrascal.blogspot.com)

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State Begins Fiscal Year Without Budget
by Mike Hasten - The Daily Advertiser (excerpt)

BATON ROUGE - As of Tuesday, state government has been effectively running on a need-to-pay basis because there's no budget in place.

A new budget was to go into effect with the beginning of a new fiscal year on Tuesday, but Gov. Bobby Jindal still is reviewing House Bill 1 to see what line-item vetoes he will impose on projects that don't fit the administration plan for the state or might threaten to throw the budget out of balance.

It's not an uncommon occurrence. Prior to adjustment of legislative meeting dates in 1990, the Legislature usually met well beyond July 1 and governors often don't sign the budget until the second week of July.

"The commissioner of administration works with the governor and the state treasurer to permit cash flow to cover payroll and to honor all critical areas of service needing immediate payments, for such things as hospitals, Medicaid vendors and childcare providers," said Michael DiResto, director of communications for the division.

"It doesn't require juggling" of funds, he said. "It really is the honoring of the budget passed by the state Legislature. Cash flow is available."

DiResto said, "it's kind of like when bills come due at home. Not everything is due at the same time and most things are up to speed in making the payments."

Jean Jones, assistant director of state Civil Service, said state employees don't have to be concerned because "no one's check will be delayed."

Payday for most state employees is this week.

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Jindal Stops Iberville Racino Vote With Veto
by MICHELLE MILLHOLLON AND SARAH CHACKO - Advocate (excerpt)

Gov. Bobby Jindal on Wednesday vetoed a bid to let voters in Iberville Parish decide whether to build a horse-racing track and slot machine complex in St. Gabriel.

The governor’s vetoes of House Bill 937 and Senate Bill 398 were expected.

Jindal made it clear early in the legislative session that he opposes the expansion of gambling.



COMMENTARY: The Governor kept his word to the people who elected him!

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Jindal Still Mulling Over Line Item Vetoes
Associated Press (LA) (excerpt)

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FOR THIS AP ARTICLE CLICK ON THE STORY TITLE LINK ABOVE.

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Lobbying Clause Slips In Despite Veto
Associated Press (LA)

FOR THIS AP WIRE STORY CLICK ON STORY TITLE LINK ABOVE.








COMMENTARY: Chris John,a former Louisiana congressman who is the son-in-law of a state lawmaker will be able to lobby legislators despite a veto yesterday by Gov. Jindal.

The question is: Did Jindal realize the lobbying provision was contained in the other bill he signed?

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Who's in the House, What's in the Senate...
by TEDDY ALLEN - Shreveport Times (excerpt)

Costello: So you're the press secretary for the recently completed legislative session.

Abbott: I am.

Costello: So you know all the names of the people that had anything to do with voting themselves a raise?

Abbott: I certainly do.

Costello: So tell me their names.

Abbott: Who's in the House, What's in the Senate, I Don't Know has the final word.

Costello: Are you the press secretary?

Abbott: Yes.

Costello: And you know the main players?

Abbott: Well I should.

Costello: Well then who voted themselves a pay raise?

Abbott: Yes.

(FOR THE REST CLICK ON STORY TITLE LINK ABOVE.)

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Letter To The Editor: Pastorek, Pay, No-Bid Consultants
by Gloria W. Conlin - Advocate (excerpt)

Paul Pastorek, Louisiana state superintendent of education, former attorney for Adams & Reese, will have a pay package of an annual base salary of $271,611, a housing allowance of $54,000 ($4,500 a month); and a car allowance of $30,000 ($2,500 a month).

The package is nearly $100,000 more than the late Superintendent of Education Cecil Picard’s compensation. Pastorek’s proposed contract calls for a 6 percent increase every July 1 until Jan. 9, 2012.

Now Pastorek wants to hire education consultants, costing the state more money, without taking bids on contracts for the work. He would be able to hire a consultant for a year’s worth of work beginning July 1 at no more than $250,000. Currently, consultants who are paid more than $50,000 must be hired through a competitively bid contract.

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Governor To Predators: "My Message To Those Monsters Is" Stay Away From La.
by Greg Hilburn - News Star (excerpt)

Gov. Bobby Jindal warned sex offenders on Wednesday to stay out of Louisiana and proceeded to sign a series of bills into law at the Ouachita Parish Courthouse that will provide for harsher penalties for those who do harm to minors.

"My message to those monsters is, 'You don't want to come to Louisiana,'" said Jindal, who has three young children. "We are going to protect children from the monsters who would rob their innocence."

Among the new laws: lifetime registration for sex offenders; increasing minimum sentences for solicitation of a minor and for molesting a juvenile; and providing for the chemical castration of sex offenders.

"We want to let the country know that we'll do everything we can to protect our children," Jindal said.






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Nearly All Of La. Arts Council Resigns
by MARSHA SHULER - Advocate (excerpt)

Eighty percent of the state Arts Council have resigned, a move which could delay distribution of $2 million in grant funds to arts organizations around the state, a state official said Wednesday.

It’s one of the fallouts from ethics laws that require members of state boards and commissions to disclose some personal financial information about themselves, their spouses and businesses.

Louisiana Culture Recreation and Tourism official Pam Breaux said the agency is asking for an opinion from state Attorney General Buddy Caldwell to see if the board can make recommendations with the three of the 15 board members remaining.

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PORK PLATE: Federal Earmarks, Commonly Blasted As 'Pork Barrel' Spending
by Nathan Stubbs (excerpt)

THE INDEPENDENT WEEKLY

In Louisiana, earmarks are already surfacing as a hot topic in this fall’s elections. Republican U.S. Senate candidate John Kennedy has been using the issue to try to draw a fundamental distinction between himself and incumbent Sen. Mary Landrieu, a Democrat. And in the 7th Congressional District, recently announced Democratic Party candidate Don Cravins Jr. is taking aim at his opponent’s blanket policy of not taking appropriations requests.

“In southwest Louisiana we’re still reeling from Hurricane Rita,” says the Opelousas state senator. “Many of the local governments that I work with are very frustrated by the fact that when we need any type of Congressional help, we have to go to Sen. Landrieu or Sen. Vitter because Congressman Boustany refuses to obtain those local monies. Our congressman doesn’t believe in it.” Cravins says he would support any reforms designed to make the earmark process more transparent, but also believes Congressmen should be aggressive in pursuing any federal funds available for their districts.

Boustany declined to be interviewed for this article, requesting submitted questions only. The Independent Weekly e-mailed Boustany’s office six questions about the congressman’s new policy toward earmarks, other avenues of federal funding available to local communities and what specific changes to the federal appropriations system he would like to see. Boustany spokesman Rick Curtsinger sent back a two-sentence statement:

“Earmarks are one symptom of a broken Washington,” Boustany says, “and we need a new system with transparency to ensure no more ‘Bridges to Nowhere.’

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Energy, Smart Growth Key Topics At Conference
by David Dinsmore - The Town Talk (excerpt)

The city of Alexandria on Wednesday hosted its first Summit on Sustainability as officials from all levels of government and other civic leaders discussed how Louisiana can use smarter techniques to plan rural and urban areas now and in the future.

U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu, state Public Service Commissioner Foster Campbell, Alexandria Mayor Jacques Roy and more than 15 others gave presentations focusing on the summit's three main topics -- renewable energy, smart growth and historic preservation.

The summit kicked off with a six-member panel discussing renewable sources of energy.

Louisiana has an untapped supply of renewal energy in many of its leading crops, including corn, sugar and sweet potatoes, said 25x25 Coalition state coordinator Brian Breaux, whose nonprofit organization seeks to get 25 percent of the nation's energy from renewable resources by the year 2025.

Roy and Landrieu both spoke on the topic of smart growth -- a planning concept that aids economic development while keeping the preservation and future of a community's environmental and ecological health in mind.

Louisiana has been slower to grow than other states, which may be an advantage, Landrieu said.

"We can kind of step back and figure out how we want to grow," she said.

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Elderly Fight For Councils On Aging
by Greg Hilburn - News Star (excerpt)

Gov. Bobby Jindal said Wednesday that funding earmarked in the state budget for local parish councils on aging could survive his veto this year as he evaluates the formula that determines how much money the councils receive.

"We'll work with them this year," said Jindal, who was lobbied by seniors from the Ouachita Parish Council on Aging at the Ouachita Courthouse.

Northeastern Louisiana legislators had feared Jindal would veto the earmarks, which are special appropriations inserted into the budget by individual lawmakers that are above the formula funding provided through the Governor's Office of Elderly Affairs.

"After talking to the governor and his staff this morning, I'm optimistic that the funding will remain in the budget this year," said Sen. Mike Walsworth, R-West Monroe.

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Campaign Issue Resolved
by Johnny Gunter - News Star (excerpt)

ST. JOSEPH — The criminal who became a campaign issue during last year's state attorney general's race has been sentenced to 40 years at hard labor.

Robert Todd Griffin, 42, was sentenced in 6th Judicial District Court on Wednesday after being convicted of second-degree robbery May 8.

The violent robbery case in Tensas Parish was at the center of a political attack made by Republican Royal Alexander against then-6th District Attorney Buddy Caldwell, a Democrat who was later elected attorney general.

Griffin was found guilty as charged of second-degree robbery for a 2004 incident in which he beat James Hill, 84, in his Lake Bruin home.

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Vote on altering constitution in fall- Seven changes await voters
by Ed Anderson - Times-Picayune (excerpt)

BATON ROUGE -- Besides casting ballots for president, members of Congress and a U.S. senator in the Nov. 4 elections, voters will determine if seven proposals passed by the Legislature will become part of the state's growing constitution, including measures to set a three-term limit for members of 10 key state boards and another to funnel more oil and gas revenues to parishes.

Legislators filed 48 proposed changes to the state constitution in the recent session, but only seven mustered the two-thirds legislative support to put them on the November ballot, where a majority vote will make them law.

Since the state charter went into effect in 1974, lawmakers have sent 214 proposed changes to voters who have approved 151 of them, a little more than 70 percent.

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COPS STOPPPED MAYOR, LET HIM GO IN '06- Given Ride To City Hall, Not DWI Test
by By Cindy Chang - Times-Picayune (excerpt)

Mandeville Mayor Eddie Price's now-infamous run-in with Causeway police in April was not the first time he received special treatment from local law enforcement after having too much to drink.

Sometime in late 2006, Price swerved his city-owned Ford Expedition into the path of a police car on a narrow street just off Monroe Street in old Mandeville, said Mandeville Police Chief Tom Buell and one of the officers involved in the incident.

The mayor was driving erratically and seemed intoxicated, according to the officer, who asked not to be identified. But instead of administering a field sobriety test, the officer who pulled him over called his supervisor, he said.

The two officers offered to give Price a ride home, then obliged his request to be taken to City Hall, Buell and the officer said. One officer got behind the wheel of Price's SUV while the mayor, who smelled of alcohol, rode shotgun, the unidentified officer said.

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(NAGIN) Chat about the kids isn't city business
by Stephanie Grace - Times-Picayune (excerpt)

Apparently Mayor Ray Nagin is working all the time.

That about sums up his long-awaited explanation for why he thinks taxpayers should pick up the tab when he eats out with his wife.

You might think that, when the mayor ducks out for lunch with Seletha Nagin, he's actually taking a break from the hustle and bustle of city business.

No, the mayor explained recently, dining with Mrs. Nagin IS city business.

The Nagins just can't manage to have a private meal together, he said, so "that's fair game to me."

The exception was that $91.57 anniversary lunch at Lilette last September that somehow landed on the city charge card. That, he acknowledged, was "not legitimate, and I've reimbursed the city."

The mayor's loose definition of city business raises all sorts of questions.

Which would explain why Nagin charged at least three pricey lunches at some of New Orleans' finest restaurants -- one on the couple's anniversary -- on a city credit card. ( Nagin billed the public for 67 other restaurant meals during a five month period, to the tune of more than $6,300, but submitted little explanation or documentation, so for all we know there could be more.)

Now, skeptics might point out that when couples sit down to eat, work often comes up in conversation, and they don't turn around and bill their bosses.

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Resignation brief for Tammany CAO- Top aide is back on the job
by Charlie Chapple - Times-Picayune (excerpt)

St. Tammany Parish Chief Administrative Officer Bill Oiler, who abruptly resigned last week, went back to work Wednesday, saying he has resolved the personal issues that prompted his resignation.

Parish President Kevin Davis' office announced that Oiler withdrew his letter of resignation and immediately resumed his duties as Davis' top aide, responsible for the supervision of all parish departments and offices except for the legal department.

Oiler said Wednesday that he resigned "because I had some personal and financial issues that I was dealing with. I was able to resolve those issues and come back to work."

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Updated List Of State Board and Commission Resignations
WAFB Channel 9 (CBS)

FOR THE COMPLETE LIST CLICK ON STORY TITLE LINK ABOVE.

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Wednesday, July 2nd, 2008

Our "Poor" Legislators: A Few Examples Of What Leges Really Make
by C.B. FORGOTSTON - Forgotston.com

We've heard a lot of poor-mouthing by our leges. They claim to not to be able to make ends meet with their current salaries. To which I say QUIT.

One particularly indigent lege is Rep. Hunter Greene, R-Baton Rouge. Greene recently said he voted for the pay raise because he needed the pay raise to "feed his family."

I don't know how large is Greene's family and what they eat. According to an article in today's Baton Rouge newspaper, Greene's wife made off the taxpayers over $100,000 in 2007. Greene also maintains a law practice from which I assume he make a few bucks. Greene was a lege last year. Therefore, his family received a minimum of $130,000 in 2007 compliments of the taxpayers.

Another who voted for the pay raise, I assume because she couldn't make ends meet was Rep. Nita Hutter, R-Chalmette. Last year, Hutter hit the taxpayers up for over $90,000 at her "day job" working for a state college. Hutter was also a lege last year so she pulled in at least $120,000 from us taxpayers in 2007.

Still another supporter of a pay raise, was Sen Yvonne Dorsey, D-Baton Rouge. Dorsey, last year, hit the taxpayers up for over $40,000 at her "day job" working for a state college. Dorsey was a lege last year also. She was paid by us taxpayers at least $70,000 in 2007.

You'll have to ask Hutter and Dorsey why they are not in violation of the state's Dual Office-Holding Law. Perhaps they will claim that their lege gig is merely "part-time." (Another hypocritical, self-serving, statement) However, that is merely rationale, not a legal exemption.

The above are just a few examples of what leges really make. I don't know about you, but I'm tired of being treated like I am stupid.

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The Death March Is Halted: "Intense Media Coverage & Internet-Fueled Pressure"
by Scott Jordan (excerpt)

THE INDEPENDENT WEEKLY

With only eight days remaining, the Death March came to a screeching halt. Monday morning, after more than a week of repeatedly saying he wouldn’t veto the legislative pay raises that doubled legislators’ salaries, Gov. Bobby Jindal reversed course and broke out his veto pen, much to the chagrin of a majority pack of Louisiana lawmakers who were banking on bigger paychecks. After being backed into a corner, Jindal was faced with two unattractive options: break his campaign pledge to voters, or break his promise to legislators that he wouldn’t interfere with their pay raise. With the July 8 veto deadline looming, Capitol pundits began referring to the interim as the Death March.

Jindal’s about-face came after a string of developments made it politically impossible for the governor not to veto the bill. Intense media coverage and Internet-fueled pressure helped spark a recall petition against Jindal, which turned out to be the least of his woes. With the deadline for him to veto the bill still more than a week away, the political winds didn’t just shift; they turned into a cyclone. The national media finally picked up on the story and called out Jindal on two occasions — staunch conservative and Fox News host Sean Hannity said on his radio show that Jindal was “making a big mistake” if he didn’t veto the pay raises, while CNN political analyst Candy Crowley grilled Jindal on national television over his refusal to veto the bill. Those two outings stood in stark contrast to national media interviews just days earlier, when CNN host Glenn Beck and Fox News’ Stuart Varney didn’t even bring up the pay raise issue, instead allowing Jindal to talk about chemical castration and more Jindal-as-McCain’s-VP rumors.

The final straw, however, was probably the rally organized by bayoubuzz.com publisher Stephen Sabludowsky scheduled for the state Capitol on July 7. On the eve of Jindal’s deadline to veto the bill, the last thing Jindal wanted voters and the local and national media to see was outraged protestors voicing their disillusionment. (After he finally vetoed the bill, the rally was canceled and Jindal’s recall petition pulled.)

The casualties from the pay-raise debacle and Jindal’s baffling ethics-reform moves are still being tallied. Jindal’s legislative director, Tommy Williams, resigned over the weekend after only six months on the job, just as there was a mass exodus from the Louisiana Board of Ethics. The voters won when Jindal vetoed the pay raise, and now it’s time to see if the governor and the Legislature have learned their lessons from the Death March.

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Inside Baton Rouge: With Pay Veto, Jindal Aged By More Than A Birthday
by JOHN MAGINNIS - LAPolitics (excerpt)

Gov. Bobby Jindal turned 37 on June 10, right about when his troubles began. Politically speaking, the first three weeks of his 38th year were ripped from the pages of the Book of Job. He controlled the damage on the month's last day by vetoing the legislative pay raise that had plagued him. The rest of the year can't help but be better, but can things ever be the same for him again?

With his Republican rock-star appeal beginning to beam nationwide, back home the only real challenge he faced was how to take credit for the Stelly income-tax repeal that he had initially opposed and had almost no hand in passing. Once he managed that, it seemed anything was possible for him. And so it was, which he learned the hard way.

Before month's end, Jindal was being vilified on talk radio and the Internet by once-fervent supporters, who had just as fervently turned against him over his stubborn refusal to veto the pay raise bill. His own words from his flawless gubernatorial campaign - a pledge to prohibit the Legislature from taking the raise the way it did - had returned to haunt and mock him. The national VP short- list buzz was muffled by a New York Times story in which he was cast as weak and unwilling to stand up to Louisiana politicians, whose level he had sunk to. To bottom it all out, a recall petition was filed against him last week.



He acted just in time with Monday's veto, as a Southern Media poll went into the field over the weekend and was bound to show a devastating drop in his popularity. The damage controlled, he might be tempted to put all the unpleasantness behind him, though he should meditate a while on what transpired.

The governor was saved in the end by bending to the will of the people, whom he best not ignore again. Even so, gone are his lost youth's giddy, rarefied and wholly unrealistic heights, which winged Icarus also reached before plummeting to earth. Jindal, at least, wised up in time to break the fall.

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"The Lawmakers Who Appear To Be Red-Hot Angry With Jindal Are Acting Childishly"
by Sam Hanna, Jr. - The Ouachita Citizen (excerpt)

While it became apparent about a week ago that Gov. Bobby Jindal would most likely succumb to public pressure and veto a pay raise bill state lawmakers approved for themselves in the regular legislative session, the timing of Jindal's veto was a surprise.

Billed as a news conference where the governor would declare he was striking certain items from the Legislature's supplemental appropriations bill, which lawmakers approved in the Regular Session, too, Jindal dropped a bombshell at his news conference on Monday. The bombshell concerned his decision to veto the pay raise bill because he "clearly made a mistake" when he promised lawmakers he wouldn't meddle in their affairs, or sandbag legislation that would more than double the annual compensation legislators receive for the honor of representing the people. That's exactly what Senate Bill 672 by Sen. Ann Duplessis of New Orleans entailed.

Though Jindal apparently realizes now he made a grave error by not informing his legislative leadership months ago to drop any pretense of entertaining a pay raise measure, at least Jindal acknowledged he made a mistake. That's more than we can say for some lawmakers, who publicly ripped Jindal and accused him of going back on his word. Some of them even suggested the governor could no longer be trusted.

The negative tone some legislators took in denouncing Jindal's decision to veto the pay raise bill told us the lawmakers in question have little respect for the will of the people, or the folks who played a role in convincing Jindal that the public in general was vehemently opposed to the Legislature receiving a pay raise amid an atmosphere of economic uncertainty in Louisiana.

That's a shame.

It's a shame because the lawmakers who appear to be red-hot angry with Jindal over pay raise flap are acting childishly. They also are confirming what many people believe about public officials, meaning there exist a number of people in Louisiana who believe politicians simply want to enrich themselves at the expense of the state, or the taxpayers.

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EDITORIAL: Lessons From The Veto Wars
Shreveport Times (excerpt)

Flashing lights and chatter lit up state political blogs Monday morning as news instantly spread about Gov. Bobby Jindal's veto of the legislative pay raise.

Following a week of nearly biblical wailing and gnashing of teeth, the veto was touted as a victory for the people.

In the end, the citizens appear to be the only winners.

Elected officials, while battered, should also be a little wiser. A few lessons we can all take away:

- Citizens are watching. We might be a little apathetic when it comes to voting or on day-to-day legislation, but we know when something is just not right. A Legislature abusing its power or giving itself what appears to be special treatment is one of those things.

- Government that sets an expectation for ethics and integrity should be willing to live by those principles. The governor came in touting a new form of government, and people believed he would keep his promises. For awhile it looked like Jindal would renege on his pledge to veto any pay raise that took effect before the next election.

- Legislators should learn to build better cases. Many columnists, Capitol watchers and average voters — including The Times — agreed that some sort of raise was in order. But the exorbitant increase under the guise of allowing more people to run didn't ring true. Putting the raise into effect almost immediately also was wrong.

It's good to see Louisianans aren't afraid to speak up and that officials seem to be listening. We hope our elected officials remember that for the next controversial bill.

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Reversal Cost Governor Credibility, Lawmakers Say
by Ed Anderson - Times-Picayune (excerpt)

BATON ROUGE -- Gov. Bobby Jindal will have to repair his credibility after reneging on his promise to lawmakers not to veto a pay raise doubling their salaries, some of his key legislative leaders said Tuesday.

Senate President Joel Chaisson II, D-Destrehan, and House Speaker Pro Tem Karen Carter Peterson, D-New Orleans, said Jindal's sudden about-face on the pay raise will make it hard for some lawmakers to believe him in the future.

"He needs to rebuild trust and do a better job of articulating his position," said Chaisson, who promised he will continue to work with the governor on key issues for the state. "Just be honest with us."

Peterson said there were four times the governor or his aides could have put the brakes on the raise by announcing his objections to it: when the bill was in the Senate Committee on Senate and Governmental Affairs, on the Senate floor, in the House Committee on House and Governmental Affairs or on the House floor. But there was never any opposition expressed by the administration, she said.

"What does your word mean?" Peterson asked. "How do you trust a person or believe he will keep his word? . . . His integrity is in question. . . . I am fine with the decision he made, but he needs to be a little more attuned to the process in the future."

Chaisson said Jindal could have headed off the controversy by telling lawmakers from the outset that he was against the raise. "The time to stand up and say 'no' should have come before it came to a vote," he said. Chaisson said there needs to be better communications between Jindal and his staff and the Legislature.

The Jindal administration did not respond to requests for comments.

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EDITORIAL: The Unrepentant Senator
Times-Picayune (excerpt)

From Gov. Bobby Jindal to lawmakers who voted for their now-defunct pay increase, most politicians mired in the controversy have shown remorse and thrown themselves on the mercy of angry voters.

Not state Sen. Ann Duplessis.

The pay hike's sponsor and its most ardent proponent, Sen. Duplessis remains unrepentant -- and that can't be of service to her constituents and other Louisianians.

In comments to WWL-TV, Sen. Duplessis even suggested that the veto hurt Louisianians. "Did he do us a disservice by vetoing it -- meaning us the citizens of this state? Yeah, I think so," she said.

It takes quite a level of delusion and self-centeredness for a public official to exhibit such a tin political ear. Louisianians were loud and clear, during the legislative session and after, in their opposition to the pay raise. Yet Sen. Duplessis ignored those protests -- then and now.

The senator won re-election by a mere 348 votes last fall, and some people in her district have vowed never to vote for her again. One would think that she would be more attuned to her constituents.

.

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Recall hits Metairie Republican- Pay outcry spreads to sixth La. legislator
by Ed Anderson - Times-Picayune (excerpt)

BATON ROUGE -- Rep. John LaBruzzo, R-Metairie, is the sixth legislator targeted with a recall petition for voting in favor of doubling lawmakers salaries at the recently ended legislative session, according to records filed with Secretary of State Jay Dardenne's office.

The paperwork means the organizers now have 180 days to gather the signatures of one-third of the registered voters in LaBruzzo's district. If all the names are verified, an election will be called to give voters a chance to decide whether LaBruzzo should remain in office or be removed.

LaBruzzo could not be reached for comment.

The movers of the recall effort were identified as Landon Greene, 1409 Homestead Ave., Metairie; and Tammy Famiglio, 1405 Aris St., Metairie. Neither could be reached for comment.

The five other lawmakers to be hit with recall petitions for their votes in favor of the legislative pay raise -- which was vetoed Monday by Gov. Bobby Jindal -- include House Speaker Jim Tucker, R-Algiers; and Reps. Steve Pugh, R-Ponchatoula; Franklin Foil and Hunter Greene, both R-Baton Rouge; and Joe Lopinto, R-Metairie.

Some backers of the recall efforts have indicated they may not pursue the petition drives in the wake of Jindal's veto. Jindal also faces a recall petition from a Baton Rouge man.

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House Speaker Regrets Handling Of Raise
by Meghan Gordon - Times-Picayune (excerpt)

Facing a room full of Algiers constituents, House Speaker Jim Tucker said he regretted the way he and fellow legislators went about their pay raise campaign, but he continued to defend its merits.

"If we had to do it over again, we sure wouldn't do it this way, that's for sure," he told about 100 people at Holy Cross College.

Tucker, a Republican, joined fellow Algiers legislators Rep. Jeff Arnold and Sen. David Heitmeier, both Democrats. Citizens had pointed questions for Tucker and Arnold, asking them to defend their votes to double their base salaries. Heitmeier, meanwhile, faced a much friendlier crowd.

"I voted no," he said, pretending to hand the microphone back to Tucker to the room's laughter and applause.

Tucker, who played a pivotal role in the bill's passage, is one of six lawmakers targeted with recall campaigns. The public vitriol subsided somewhat when Gov. Bobby Jindal vetoed the bill Monday, going back on his promise to lawmakers that he wouldn't intervene. The issue became the most controversial topic of the Legislature's session that ended last week.

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EDITORIAL: And Jim Fannin- "On The Side Of The 45 Angels"
News Star (excerpt)

Forgive us this, but in our haste Tuesday to list area lawmakers who opposed the scandalous — and now moribund — legislative pay raise this session, we overlooked Jim Fannin of Jonesboro, who is too formidable a figure in personal stature and in the legislative pecking order to overlook as easily as we managed it.

Alas, a reader's call Tuesday sent us scurrying back to our voting tally sheet, where Fannin was erroneously listed as a Shreveport-area legislator. Wrong from the get-go.

Fannin, who chairs the House Appropriations Committee, was on the side of the 45 angels who opposed the legislative pay raise, which Gov. Bobby Jindal vetoed on Monday. He earned the taxpayer's thanks.







.

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Jindal Vetoes 4 Measures, Including Lobbyist Bill
by Bill Barrow - Times-Picayune (excerpt)

BATON ROUGE -- Republican Gov. Bobby Jindal released four veto letters Tuesday, including one that will keep former U.S. Rep. Chris John and another former elected Democratic official from lobbying the Legislature because of family ties to sitting lawmakers.

Raising his cumulative veto total to 12, the governor also blocked two bills he said would weaken enforcement of the state ethics code by discouraging citizens from blowing the whistle on alleged misdeeds by public officials.

But Jindal's decision on House Bill 1175 is what will affect John, who now works for the Louisiana Mid-Continent Oil and Gas Association, and former state Rep. Alphonse Jackson, who represented Shreveport before leaving office to lobby.

The bill, sponsored by Rep. Jack Montoucet, D-Scott, would have provided new exceptions to restrictions on legislators' immediate relatives registering to lobby the legislative branch. John, who served in the Legislature before being elected to Congress, is the son-in-law of Sen. John Smith, D-Leesville, who took office this year. Jackson is the father of Sen. Lydia Jackson, D-Shreveport.

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The Louisiana Tea Party
by JEFF CROUERE - Ringside Politics (excerpt)

In 1773, frustrated American colonists who were tired of government oppression and “taxation without representation” held the Boston tea party. This event sparked the American Revolution and led to the founding of our nation.

In the summer of 2008, frustrated Louisiana taxpayers who were tired of our state government acting against our interests, held our own tea party. Of course the issue that caused the uproar in this state was not taxation, but the huge 124% legislative pay increases. It has been an incredible movement to witness and will hopefully lead to our own political revolution.

This movement reminded the politicians of this state who is in charge, the people. In this whole campaign to stop the pay raises, we took back control of our government and set the course, not the politicians. If not for the popular uprising, these pay raises would have become law.

The heat was so intense that Governor Bobby Jindal revered course and vetoed the pay increases after committing to legislators that he would not intervene. He also claimed in numerous public statements that he would not veto the raises. So, it was an amazing spectacle yesterday to see Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal retract his pledge and finally succumb to the will of the people.. By doing the right thing, following his own campaign pledge and listening to the overwhelming majority of the people of Louisiana, Jindal has restored some of his lost credibility with the voters.

The Louisiana Tea Party is a victory for all of the long suffering citizens of our state who have watched helplessly for so many years as our politicians have wrecked this state. Now, the dynamic has been changed and the roles reversed. Congratulations to everyone who called their legislator, contacted the Governor, called talk radio, wrote a letter to the editor and loudly complained about this issue.

This hard earned victory should be a reminder that we can never let our guard down and trust the politicians. We need to continually direct their activities and make sure that their actions are consistent with the interests of the people of this state, not with their political self interests.

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A Jindal Staff Shakeup?
by Scott Jordan

THE INDEPENDENT WEEKLY

Now that Gov. Bobby Jindal has vetoed the legislative pay raise, the biggest looming question is what the fallout will be with the Legislature — and possibly Jindal’s staff.

Relations between legislators and Jindal’s staff were already on shaky ground prior to the pay raises exploding and dwarfing every other issue — see tomorrow’s July 2 edition of The Independent for more on that front — and Jindal all but admitted that he’d governed the session in abstentia with his mea culpa yesterday.

Jindal let his inner circle deal with the multiple brush fires that ignited in the first months of his administration, and it could be Jindal’s staff that winds up getting burned in the aftermath.

There’s already been one high-profile casualty, as Jindal’s legislative director, Tommy Williams, resigned over the weekend after less than six months on the job. And in an Advocate column today, editorial writer Lanny Keller makes the case that Jindal Chief of Staff Timmy Teepell could be next in the line of fire.

While stopping short of saying that Teepell should be fired, Keller makes clear that having a more seasoned, senior chief of staff could go a long way toward restoring the Jindal administration’s relationship with lawmakers.

Further grist from the rumblings and rumor mill: veteran Louisiana political consultant Roy Fletcher thinks that Jindal’s Chief Counsel, Jimmy Faircloth, will be the first to go.

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EDITORIAL: Board Departures- "Public Service, Is Just That... Public"
The Town Talk (excerpt)

The immediate effect of Louisiana's revised ethics laws is striking: As of Tuesday afternoon, the Secretary of State's Office had received at least 140 resignations from various boards and commissions before the tighter financial disclosure laws took effect at 12:01 a.m.


The revised statute, which started as a promise from candidate Bobby Jindal, was approved in the first of two special legislative sessions help earlier this year. It gives the measure some teeth.

The goal is simple: Public officials must disclose more detailed financial information about themselves and their spouses. The only option: resign.

Some critics say they oppose the changes because compliance is a burden for people who volunteer their service and meet only a few times a year.

Public service, however, is just that -- public.

The changes affect board and commission members who oversee at least $1 million in state funds. Taxpayers should have the right to know who is making decisions about their money.

While the state has lost some good public servants, many others decided to stay and meet the requirements.

The state needed ethics reform for a reason. Bobby Jindal made it happen when he became governor this year. Further revision is needed, and we urge him to stay focused on that.

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State's Boards Hit Hard
by MARSHA SHULER AND JORDAN BLUM - Advocate (excerpt)

Uncertainty and misconceptions about new financial disclosure laws caused more than 200 resignations from government boards, the lawmaker who tried to stem the tide said Tuesday.

“I would think, by the numbers, there’s a lot of overreacting,” said state Sen. Danny Martiny, R-Kenner, who sponsored Senate Bill 718 that reduces the information required to be disclosed.

The number could be far greater because members of local government boards also are submitting resignations to their parish councils.

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Boards Erased- Rash of resignations decimates Cenla organizations, boards
by RT Morgan - The Town Talk (excerpt)

Two Central Louisiana organizations have been left without boards and a few others with empty seats in the wake of Senate Bill 718 -- a piece of legislation that on Tuesday enacted stiffer financial disclosure laws on certain boards and commissions in the state.

Gone are all of the board members for the Alexandria/Pineville-Area Convention and Visitors Bureau as well as the Alexandria Central Economic Development District.

Only two board members remain out of seven for the Greater Alexandria Economic Development Authority. And the Alexandria Port Authority is left with five of its eight members. Other boards that lost members include Kisatchie-Delta (7), the local Workforce Investment Board (6) and the Rapides Area Planning Commission (6).

Members left their respective boards to avoid disclosing financial information about not only themselves but also their spouses. Information sought included occupation and interest/association with businesses. Income specifics would be required only if the money came from state or local government or from gambling interests.

The mass resignations did not deter the mind-set of Gov. Bobby Jindal.

"We are confident that there will be no shortage of qualified, talented Louisianans wanting to serve their state on a board or commission, even with the ethics standards overwhelmingly approved in the first special session," Jindal wrote in a statement e-mailed to The Town Talk.

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EDITORIAL: Fill Vacancies On Ethics Board Quickly
The Daily Advertiser (excerpt)

One of the governor's two special sessions this year dealt entirely with ethics. The measures pushed by Gov. Bobby Jindal were designed to make Louisiana the national leader in governmental ethics and bring about positive change in the state's image. The package passed in the special session has the potential for doing that.

It appears, however, that we will not be able to make a firm judgment at this time because the enforcement agency, the Louisiana Board of Ethics, has experienced a mass exodus of members, including its top administrator.

Until the lengthy process of replacing those board members is completed, little can be done to prove the effectiveness of Jindal's program.

At present, the board, normally composed of 11 members, is at least eight members short, which means postponing the ethics-code changes on such items as lobbyist regulation and campaign-finance laws.

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Some Puzzled Why Their Names Dropped
by JORDAN BLUM - Advocate (excerpt)

The only Republican on the state Lottery Corp. board of directors, Sam Caruso was elected chairman for the second straight time in early June. But Caruso was part of one-third of the board removed from office on June 23.

How people were vetted is an unknown, and Jindal is not talking. He refused three requests for comment. Also keeping mum is James Quinn, Jindal’s director of boards and commissions.

Jindal’s spokeswoman, Melissa Sellers, said in an e-mail, “As the Governor said after the election, every position was to be treated as an open position and we would work to find the best, most qualified individuals to serve our state.” She did not discuss a timeline for naming replacements.

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Resignations Continue: Lafayette, 50 People Quit
by Amanda McElfresh - The Daily Advertiser (excerpt)

In all, more than 50 people turned in resignation letters to the Lafayette City-Parish Council office by Tuesday morning in order to avoid having to comply with new ethics laws that require members of such boards and commissions to disclose financial data.

"The biggest problem I had was that there were potential civil and criminal penalties attached to it," said Dr. Andy Blalock, who resigned from the EMS Advisory Board, the Louisiana Emergency Response Network and the Southwest Louisiana Area Health Education Center board of directors.

Blalock said that while some volunteers may not have had a problem revealing some financial information, questions remained about who would collect and have access to that data.

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Ex-Board Members Say Ethics Law Went Too Far
by Adam Kealoha Causey - Shreveport Times (excerpt)

Former members of government-appointed boards say they quit because the state's new law goes too far

Mike McSwain, who was on the Shreveport Downtown Development Authority board, said his decision to leave was based on privacy and timing.

"I volunteer my time and talent to try to better our downtown, and I will continue to do so — just not in the board capacity," said McSwain, a local architect.

The state also did not give much time to make the decision. The governor signed it into law late last week. The deadline was midnight Monday.

McSwain said he hopes voters will speak out on this issue. They seemed to have gotten at least one politician's attention this week since Gov. Bobby Jindal struck down state lawmakers' self-imposed pay raise.

"I think maybe the legislation went too deep," McSwain said. "I'm disappointed."

Members of government-appointed boards that control $10,000 or more who did not resign by Tuesday must disclose their financial information by May 15.

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Lawmakers Disclose Their Income Sources
by MARSHA SHULER - Advocate (excerpt)

The chairman of the Louisiana House committee with oversight over gambling laws reported Tuesday receiving $16,000 from video poker interests.

State Rep. Ernest Wooten, R-Belle Chasse, was one of a handful of legislators reporting business income from gambling interests on annual disclosure reports that are filed July 1 each year.

The reports cover the 2007 income that legislators, their spouses and businesses received from government entities and the gambling industry.

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2 On LSU Board Replaced
Advocate (excerpt)

Longtime LSU Board of Supervisors member Charles Weems is one of two on the board replaced Tuesday night by Gov. Bobby Jindal. Weems, an Alexandria lawyer who was appointed in 1991, is well known as a friend of LSU athletics. He was the current longest-serving member on the board.

Jindal’s replacements are R. Blake Chatelain, an Alexandria bank president, and James Moore, a Monroe oilman.

Chatelain and Moore were maximum Jindal campaign contributors, each giving at least $5,000. Moore, who is not an LSU graduate, replaces Monroe banker Hal Hinchliffe, who had served two years on the board after completing an unexpired term.

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Cravins goes on offense in race- Chides Boustany over pay raises
by PATRICK COURREGES - Advocate (excerpt)

State Sen. Don Cravins Jr. has taken the first swing in this year’s campaign for Louisiana’s 7th District congressional seat, tagging incumbent U.S. Rep. Charles Boustany Jr. on the issue of legislative pay raises.

Cravins, D-Opelousas, who formally announced his entry into the race last week, wasted little time in going on the offensive.

In a Monday news release lauding Gov. Bobby Jindal’s veto of the legislative pay raise passed recently, Cravins also released a statement blasting Boustany for having accepted congressional pay raises.

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CAUSEWAY POLICE CHIEF LOICANO RESIGNS- Fallout from Mayor incident continu
by Cindy Chang - Times-Picayune (excerpt)

Causeway Police Chief Felix Loicano resigned Tuesday after an independent investigation concluded that his "judgment will always be questioned" in the wake of Mandeville Mayor Eddie Price's April 22 collision with a tollbooth barricade.

The investigation, headed by William Reinhardt of the law firm Blue Williams, also concluded that Chris Dupont and Chad Dorsett, the two officers who failed to give Price a field sobriety test or a traffic ticket, should be terminated.

Lt. Michael Kast, the supervisor who spoke with Dupont on the phone during the traffic stop, will be the fourth department casualty of the Price incident, with the report recommending that he lose his job as well.

"There is no way to avoid the public perception that because Eddie Price is the mayor of Mandeville, he was given preferential treatment," Reinhardt said, reading from the report's executive summary. "The specter of this will forever cloud the actions of Sgt. Dupont and Officer Dorsett and the present administration of the Causeway Police Department."

Loicano's resignation was announced Tuesday morning at a meeting of the Causeway Commission in Metairie. The 29-page report was released at the meeting.

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Checks Written By Ex-Mayor Questioned
by Robbie Evans - News Star (excerpt)

Richwood officials are investigating whether the town's former mayor illegally wrote more than $70,000 in checks to himself and other employees who left their jobs as a new administration took over this week.

The town's Board of Aldermen voted Tuesday during a special meeting to hire the certified public accounting firm of Allen, Green and Williamson to manage Richwood's daily finances for 30 days and to review the town's fiscal records. Town officials will work with auditors from the firm.

New Mayor Steve Hunter confirmed Tuesday that former Mayor Edward Harris wrote checks to himself totaling $54,000 just days before Hunter was set to take over as the town's new mayor.

Harris also wrote checks to other employees for vacation and severance pay even though Hunter did not terminate them.

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Associated Press (LA)

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