Posted on 10/05/2005 7:06:54 AM PDT by no dems
Congressman: Don't Trust Louisiana Pols
A Republican congressman has raised the hackles of Louisianans by declaring that no federal disaster aid should be sent to local officials due to the "long history of public corruption" in the state.
Rep. Tom Tancredo (Colo.) sent a letter to House Speaker Dennis Hastert, urging him to create a "bipartisan select committee" of members of Congress to oversee federal disaster spending in Louisiana.
Tancredo wrote: "Given the abysmal failure of state and local officials in Louisiana to plan adequately for or respond to the effects of Hurricane Katrina on the city of New Orleans, and given the long history of public corruption in Louisiana, I hope the House will refrain from directly appropriating any funds from the public treasury to either the state of Louisiana or the city of New Orleans."
He goes on to say: "The head of the FBI in New Orleans just this past year described the state's public corruption as ?epidemic, endemic and entrenched.'
"Over the last 30 years, a long list of Louisiana politicians have been convicted of crimes; the list includes a governor, an attorney general, an elections commissioner, an agriculture commissioner, three successive insurance commissioners, a congressman, a federal judge, a State Senate president, six other state legislators, and a host of appointed officials, local sheriffs, city councilmen and parish police jurors.
"I am not confident that Louisiana officials can be trusted to administer federal relief aid."
A Louisiana newspaper, the Daily Advertiser in Lafayette, fired back in an editorial: "If the Colorado congressman and potential candidate for president is not playing politics, he is into something that smells much the same.
"He says Louisiana officials are too corrupt to handle federal funds, yet he has no problem with money flowing into the hands of Mississippi officials.
"Granted, Louisiana is ranked as the third most corrupt state in the nation. Mississippi, however, is Big Number One - the most corrupt of all the states, according to The Corporate Crime Reporter. Tancredo conveniently overlooked that."
In any case, Tancredo's call is not likely to be heard, according to Business Week, which points to "the difficulty of rebuilding without local politicians."
Good for Tancredo. Is this yet another thing that no one can say out loud??? Good for Tom.
I hope so. Although I think he should run for CO governor in 2006. That would give him better nationwide visability. Go Tom!!
But this can't be. Tancredo only cares about illegal aliens - he's a one-issue pony.
He couldn't do worse than nitwit Owens.
Go Tom Go!
Could we possibly have another politician that "gets it"? Life if beginning to look up, now there are 2 or 3.
As a native, I take offense to this statement. This has to be incorrect...Louisiana is #1!! La. politicians are pro's at corruption.
I have to admit, Tancredo's concerns are well founded.
O.K., if LA is #3 in corruption and Mississippi is #1, what state is #2? Give us your opinions Freepers. I vote for Illinois simply because of the Mayor Daily political machine that is still well oiled in Chicago.
It appears now he's a TWO issue guy.
Saw Nagin yesterday followed by the District Att. of N.O.. Nagin says letting go of 3000 city workers then the DA says may not be able to bring to trial many dangerous thugs because of the city workers that had to be let go. Appears to me the message is send a bale of money or we'll turn these thugs loose. Blackmail?
Agreed!
"I am not confident that Louisiana officials can be trusted to administer federal relief aid."
Tom better watch his back -- Mary (Queen of the Bayou) Lan-drool might punch his lights out! Thou must not mess with the queen!
Hooray for another one in government who will stand up to the obvious! I like it!
I'm sure this will be a "non-starter" with the House GOP leadership, just as offsetting Katrina spending with other spending was.
It works for me.
Ole Frank Melton's cleaning out the trash in Jackson. I HOPE!
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