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Louisiana Officials in Flood-Money Scam
newsmax.com ^ | Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2005 10:18 p.m. EDT

Posted on 09/06/2005 7:41:41 PM PDT by InvisibleChurch

Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2005 10:18 p.m. EDT Louisiana Officials in Flood-Money Scam

Nine months before the Hurricane Katrina disaster, three Louisiana Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness officials were indicted for obstructing an audit into flood prevention expenditures.

In a November 2004 press release, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Louisiana announced:

"A federal grand jury has returned two separate indictments charging three members of the State Military Department with offenses related to the obstruction of an audit of the use of federal funds for flood mitigation activities throughout Louisiana. "The two emergency management officials were senior employees of the Louisiana Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness. Both were charged with conspiracy to obstruct a federal audit."

Gov. Kathleen Blanco told Louisiana's News-Star at the time that she was disturbed by the indictments. She said the National Guard is cooperating with the investigation "as I expect them to do."

Reports of rampant corruption among Louisiana's state and local agencies have been cited in recent days to explain why officials were so ill-prepared to deal with the Katrina disaster.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; US: Louisiana
KEYWORDS: 2005; avarice; corruption; greed; incompetence; katrina; katrinafailures; rats; scam
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To: Ellesu


ping for your subject of interest.

Is this the first recent news sighting of this info?


41 posted on 09/06/2005 8:19:21 PM PDT by spycatcher
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To: Mo1; Howlin; OXENinFLA

I had the other ping pulled. I posted the same info at the same time as another poster. Check this post out instead.


http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1478965/posts?page=36#34


42 posted on 09/06/2005 8:20:50 PM PDT by hipaatwo
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To: TheLion

It's call "obfuscation" and that's exactly what's happening.


43 posted on 09/06/2005 8:21:23 PM PDT by RTINSC
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To: syriacus
Audit Report
44 posted on 09/06/2005 8:21:25 PM PDT by Freedom is eternally right
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To: hipaatwo
BTW ... Isn't the former Governor of Louisiana in jail ??
45 posted on 09/06/2005 8:22:33 PM PDT by Mo1
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To: Texas Songwriter

James snakehead Carville


46 posted on 09/06/2005 8:25:07 PM PDT by listenhillary
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To: Ellesu

Nice to see Carl reads the Freep


47 posted on 09/06/2005 8:27:01 PM PDT by Freedom is eternally right
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To: Mo1

BTW ... Isn't the former Governor of Louisiana in jail ??


I don't know but I'm loving this. I sent it to Lou Dobbs. I read on here he ripped the Governor and Mayor a new one on his show.


48 posted on 09/06/2005 8:28:04 PM PDT by hipaatwo
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To: listenhillary

Do you know this for a fact? I have not heard his name mentioned once thru this whole ordeal. I know he is from Mississippi, but I have not heard his name thrown out.


49 posted on 09/06/2005 8:28:23 PM PDT by Texas Songwriter
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To: listenhillary

Do you know this for a fact? I have not heard his name mentioned once thru this whole ordeal. I know he is from Louisiana, but I have not heard his name thrown out.


50 posted on 09/06/2005 8:28:53 PM PDT by Texas Songwriter
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To: InvisibleChurch; All
http://www.hud.gov/oig/ig461007.pdf#search='Desire%20Community%20Housing%20Corporation'

I'm not qualified to analyze this audit of DCHC...any takers? Anyone know Nagin's affiliation to DCHC other than wearing the T-Shirt? TIA!
51 posted on 09/06/2005 8:30:22 PM PDT by hummingbird (21st Century Newsreporting - "Don't get me started!")
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To: hipaatwo; Mo1

Not sure about that, but the last two insurance commissioiners are.


52 posted on 09/06/2005 8:31:34 PM PDT by Howlin (Have you check in on this thread: FYI: Hurricane Katrina Freeper SIGN IN Thread)
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To: ImaTexan

ping


53 posted on 09/06/2005 8:33:46 PM PDT by bjcintennessee (Don't Sweat the Small Stuff)
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To: hipaatwo; Howlin

Yep .. he's in jail

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/772451/posts

Edwin Edwards preparing for next stage of his life: Federal prison
The Advocate Online (Baton Rouge) ^ | Oct. 20, 2002 | Christopher Baughman


Posted on 10/20/2002 3:55:43 AM PDT by Pern


Even in retirement, Edwin Edwards could never find the time to finish the autobiography he started eight years ago.

He never expected he would eventually find the time while serving a 10-year sentence in a federal prison.


54 posted on 09/06/2005 8:34:01 PM PDT by Mo1
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To: InvisibleChurch

Let's see. We have Flood-Money Scam in LA--- The Big Dig in MA... what possibly could be in common...........GOTTA THINK!


55 posted on 09/06/2005 8:34:47 PM PDT by Mark (Proven scientific experiment: The NY Times flushes easily down the standard toilet.)
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To: Mo1; Peach; A Citizen Reporter

From a long line of crooks.

This does not surprise me at all; and I bet my house it's the tip of the iceburg, R's and D's alike.


56 posted on 09/06/2005 8:36:02 PM PDT by Howlin (Have you check in on this thread: FYI: Hurricane Katrina Freeper SIGN IN Thread)
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To: Howlin

from that link I posted


Monday, Edwards begins what might be the last stage of his life. He is scheduled to report to the Federal Medical Center, a federal prison in Fort Worth, Texas.

His son, Stephen, is slated to report to the Federal Correctional Center in Beaumont, Texas, to begin a seven-year term.

A jury in May 2000 convicted them and three others of shaking down riverboat casino owners and license applicants.


57 posted on 09/06/2005 8:37:23 PM PDT by Mo1
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To: Texas Songwriter

No. It just seems all too likely. Lets slow down the investigation into LA corruption, refuse to cede control to the feds after botching it badly.

THEN WE CAN BLAME IT ON BUSH and get him IMPEACHED finally.


Major sarcasm / off


58 posted on 09/06/2005 8:40:57 PM PDT by listenhillary
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To: Txsleuth
I heard on a local radio show today that back when Mary Landrieu's father was a mayor (?) and Edwin Edwards was a Governor instead of an inmate...the corruption was almost a "pride factor" in LA.

Bumper sticker in the governor's race between Edwin Edwards and David Duke in 1991:

Vote for the crook. It's important!

59 posted on 09/06/2005 8:43:12 PM PDT by okie01 (The Mainstream Media: IGNORANCE ON PARADE)
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To: hipaatwo; Howlin

More Louisiana Politicians in jail

http://www.ringsidepolitics.com/index.php?pageID=110

ANOTHER SAD DAY IN LOUISIANA POLITICS



July 1, 2005...Louisiana voters should be used to this scenario by now, but it hurts every time it happens. This week, sitting Jefferson Parish District Court Judge Alan Green was convicted of one count of mail fraud, while the jury deadlocked on the remaining six counts. The judge will be sentenced on September 22nd and faces up to 20 years in jail and removal from the bench. Alan Green joins Ronnie Bodenheimer, a former Jefferson Parish District Court Judge, as sitting jurists who have been nabbed in the government’s Wrinkled Robe investigation.



During Green’s trial, the government played devastating video tape showing Green accepting two $5,000 cash payments from an executive from Bail Bonds Unlimited and displaying other unusual and unethical behavior. It was enough to convict Green, who was originally elected in 1992.



The whole unseemly mess is just the latest embarrassment to afflict Louisiana politics. In summary, here are some of our former elected officials our state has sent to jail in recent years:



Governor Edwin Edwards—still in jail
State Senate President Michael O’Keefe—still in jail
Jefferson Parish Judge Ronnie Bodenheimer—still in jail


Former elected officials recently released from jail include the following:



Insurance Commissioners Sherman Bernard, Doug Green and Jim Brown
Election Commissioner Jerry Fowler
State Representative and gubernatorial candidate David Duke
State Senator Larry Bankston


Investigations are continuing into the Orleans Parish School Board and the administration of former Mayor of New Orleans Marc Morial. Four close associates of Morial have recently been indicted. The investigation will undoubtedly lead to more indictments and surely more high profile trials.



The never ending indictments and convictions paint a portrait of Louisiana politics as a cesspool of corruption. The elected officials listed above have been caught or investigated, but they are not alone. According to U.S. Attorney Jim Letten, “There are public officials out there who are living on the edge.” Whoever these public officials are, they need to be quickly brought to justice. The State of Louisiana can no longer afford corrupt elected officials in office. It damages our image and ultimately damages our economy because what businessmen in their right mind want to relocate to a state where corruption thrives.



U.S. Attorney Letten is to be commended for his aggressive investigation into public corruption. His top notch office is committed to rooting out criminal behavior from the positions of power in this state. Unfortunately, in Louisiana, we don’t have enough people like Jim Letten; we have too many people like Judge Alan Green.



In Louisiana, we need elected officials who will bring honor and not shame to the state. We need behavior that is exemplary, not criminal. The public has been disappointed and disgraced by our politicians since the days of Huey Long. Of course there are many fine politicians in Louisiana, but their meritorious actions are overshadowed by the corrupt activities of their colleagues.



Louisiana will grow as a state economically when and only when we have changed our reputation for political corruption. We need to clean our own house. Unfortunately, in the last legislative session, bills to strengthen the state’s ethics laws died. Since the politicians don’t want to police themselves, it is up to prosecutors and more importantly the people. Voters need to do a much better job of evaluating candidates and electing ones of character, instead of ones with questionable ethics.



Louisiana is now at an important crossroads, as our state desperately needs to improve our image and grow our stagnant economy. We need to evolve to a state where the convictions of a sitting judge and/or an elected official become an extreme rarity, instead of a regular occurrence.


60 posted on 09/06/2005 8:44:19 PM PDT by Mo1
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