Feds begin sweep of NOAH offices (FBI investigates Nagin's buddies)

The Times Picayune ^ | August 11, 2008 | Andrew Vanacore

[Prole]

Federal investigators this morning began examining documents in the Poydras Street offices of the shuttered New Orleans Affordable Homeownership Corporation, a nonprofit supervised and financed by Mayor Ray Nagin's administration that ran a home remediation program in 2006 and 2007.

Officials arriving just before 10 a.m. at NOAH offices near City Hall, on the 10th floor of an office building at 1340 Poydras Street, declined to speak in detail to a reporter, as one of them said simply that "we're guests" at the offices. But they appeared to be carrying out a subpoena issued last week as part of a federal inquiry that includes the FBI and Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Two of the investigators, as they wheeled a dolly into the office, said they were with HUD's Office of Inspector General. At least 14 total investigators are on the scene this morning, including a few wearing blue jackets with the FBI insignia.

NOAH faces suspicion that a substantial number of its subcontractors billed for work on blighted New Orleans homes but didn't carry out their assignments. Some of the homes listed on NOAH work sheets have received attention from volunteer groups, records show.

A federal grand jury subpoena authorizes federal agents to collect documents related to NOAH's finances, its client files and records of payments to subcontractors, according to NOAH board member Bob Brown. He said he was served the official demand for records late Friday.

Today's sweep follows a probe conducted quietly on Thursday by the office of New Orleans Inspector General Bob Cerasoli, in which Cerasoli's staff collected papers from agency files, according to Brown.

[Prole]

Unbelievable! Just unbelievable!

Nagin's brother-in-law in one of the "contractors" who took money from the city of New Orleans for accomplishing absolutely nothing. I hope the FBI arrests every last one of them!

Criminals, all!

Governor Jindal issued a statement today saying that this scandal is a major disgrace to the people of Louisiana.

Federal law enforcement agents remove documents from the Poydras Street offices of the embattled New Orleans Affordable Homeowners Corp. as part of the investigation related to a home remediation program.

Federal agents remove documents from the Poydras Street offices of the embattled New Orleans Affordable Homeowners Corp. as part of the investigation related to a home remediation program supervised and financed by Mayor Ray Nagin's administration.

[Blogger]

[musicman]

[MaxMax]

Uh-oh. Those agents are white.

[JennysCool]

The New Orleans Dems created an agency called NOAH to help recover from a flood? Where’s that separation of church and state they’re always gabbing about?

[Young Werther]

Wolfson was on Oreilly tonight and during a discussion of the Obama "tax The Rich" polciy pronouncement he said that Obama would send more money to the Katrina victims. OReilly responded that we have already sent over 100billion and Wolfson retorted that Bush's cronies have been draining off this largess. OReilly challenged thais assertion, "Do you have proof?" and Wolfson did a quick tap dance!

"Hey Nagin, How much have you siphoned off?"

[TornadoAlley3]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2049887/posts

earlier

[trumandogz]

We have spent 100 billion on the people of New Orleans?

Can you please source that?

[Prole]

I'm telling you!

It's just terrible how shameless Nagin's buddies are about stealing.

I knew it was bad when I saw the photos of the FBI agents raiding the offices.

The sick part is that the city's IG and DA's office are loaded with "leaks" who share information about any city-wide investigations, so basically no one in the city government can be trusted during local investigations on any level. That's probably why the IRS, FBI and other federal personnel are raiding these idiots.

Here is the article from WRNO's (99.5 FM, Rush Radio) homepage:

http://www.thenew995fm.com/cc-common/news/sections/newsarticle.html?feed=135361&article=4074946

[Prole]

I love it when Nagin lashes out at the media.

He shows his true colors here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGVSpqN8Glg

[trumandogz]

Friday afternoon Garland Robinette on WWL went without commercials talking about Nagin and the NOAH Scandal.

Take them all down and to the prison.

Nagin, Jefferson, Jordan and now Eddie Price across the Lake!

[Prole]

So when do the "Justice Brothers" show up?

Isn't it all a conspiracy?

[13Sisters76]

It’s about time!

I wonder when they are going to get around to Chocolate Ray?

[Prole]

I didn't think that WWL would show Nagin and his cronies in a negative light.

Glad to hear they have a spine afterall.

WRNO is my primary source of local information for the greater New Orleans area.

http://www.thenew995fm.com/main.html

[trumandogz]

One thing about New Orleans, it has the best local talk radio in the country. Always some local corrupt politician to talk about.

[Stewie]

I say, what a delightful development. With any luck the federalis will finally connect the dots on this chocolate malefactor.

[Prole]

Absolutely!

Castner and Walensky are truly diamonds in the rough!

[USNBandit]

The sick part is that the city's IG and DA's office are loaded with "leaks"

Do you feel that way about the federal HUD IG agents? It would be sad if even the fed level was infiltrated.

[RetSignman]

What ever happened to the phrase “THE CULTURE OF CORRUPTION”?

It’s been missing lately and needs to come back, the dem’s have been very busy with their corrupt careers.

[fuzzthatwuz]

"Always some local corrupt politician to talk about>"

Yes indeed, what is commomly refered to as a "target rich environment".