Posted on 09/20/2005 12:33:34 AM PDT by Ellesu
Gov. Kathleen Blanco is paying a disaster counseling and lobbying firm to advise her on Hurricane Katrina recovery efforts, but her staff could not provide the contract or payment details until after deadline Monday. The state has agreed to pay Washington-based James Lee Witt Associates an undisclosed hourly rate, though the firm's leader and namesake continues to work for free, according to company spokeswoman Kim Fuller.
Blanco's top communications official, Bob Mann, did not mention the contract Thursday when questioned about the state's ties to Witt and the amount Louisianians are paying for his services. Mann did not respond to six phone calls and e-mails Monday.
Other Blanco press aides provided information but could not produce the contract by deadline.
Witt has been advising Blanco on relief efforts since Sept. 2. He served as head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency under former President Bill Clinton for eight years.
Witt's firm has also signed up to lobby Congress on behalf of the nation's largest public insurance company pushing a natural disaster catastrophe fund.
Under the plan, insurers like Allstate Insurance Co. would cover homeowners' natural-disaster-related claims up to a certain amount. The state affected by the disaster would cover claims over that amount and up to a certain level. The federal government would pick up the rest of the tab, according to The Associated Press.
The Louisiana ethics code prohibits government employees -- even those not pulling a paycheck -- from working for outside firms that stand to benefit from decisions the state makes.
The law may or may not apply to this case, according to the state's chief ethics lawyer.
State and company representatives have said the dueling contracts present no conflict of interest since Witt and his company are not working for Allstate at the state level.
James Lee Witt Associates began working for Allstate before Hurricane Katrina hit coastal Louisiana and the Gulf coast.
Witt's firm lobbies for a number of clients on disaster related issues.
And an FBI file in a certain person's possession on earth.
Louisiana Donks are socialist imbeciles. They cannot organize a damn thing except the get out the vote drive come election day. Communist Russia was run more efficiently.
If Blanco's performance was based on advice from Witt, she should ask for the money back.
They are paying his firm , while he works for free. LMAO. How can that happen?
What a crock.
SNORT.
Reeks of Haliburton I tell ya! Was this contract openly bid?
Do you have the links to the ties to Witt and the Louisiana plan before Katrina hit. I have heard of them but have not seen them first hand. I believe his company helped them come up with their "so called" hurricane plan.
Like...DUH!!! Let's see now, name three things that have absolutely noting in common: louisiana, ethics, contracts with political lackeys. If you think that Blanco has any ethics at all, you are a demorat! If you think Louisiana state contracts are open bids, you are a demorat! If you think you can get state work there without paying off a bunch of folks, then you too could be a reporter for the MSM!! I'm not sure which is worse, a Louisiana politicol, or a reporter for the NY Slimes. Pick one, they are all the same.
Thanks! That is what I was looking for.
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