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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?
To: Mo1; Howlin; OXENinFLA
42
posted on
09/06/2005 8:20:50 PM PDT
by
hipaatwo
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
To: syriacus
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
To: Texas Songwriter
To: Ellesu
Nice to see Carl reads the Freep
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
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.
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.
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!")
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)
To: ImaTexan
53
posted on
09/06/2005 8:33:46 PM PDT
by
bjcintennessee
(Don't Sweat the Small Stuff)
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
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.)
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)
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
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
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)
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 governments Wrinkled Robe investigation.
During Greens 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 Edwardsstill in jail
State Senate President Michael OKeefestill in jail
Jefferson Parish Judge Ronnie Bodenheimerstill 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 dont 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 states ethics laws died. Since the politicians dont 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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