Sound Off Louisiana

State Rep. Royce Duplessis (D-New Orleans)  is the guest speaker at the Baton Rouge Press Club on Monday, June 20, 2022 during which he vented his frustration that the Louisiana Legislature’s GOP members “didn’t even try” to create a second minority district and instead intentionally chose to “take their chances” in Federal Court.

As we begin this feature, we want to alert our subscribers and casual site visitors that we have pushed back the release date for the Louisiana State Police (LSP) cheating scandal until July 9, 2022.  Our rationale is simple.  With yesterday’s Roe v. Wade overturn likely to dominate all airwaves leading up to the 4th of July, then the 4th of July celebration, we simply refuse to plop a feature as major as that one during a timeframe in which it would land with a dud due to other happenings.

Also, July 9, 2022, will represent the one-year mark of the passing of Sound Off Louisiana‘s founder Robert Burns’ mother.  Hence the feature will also be a tribute to her life and the incredible influence she had on Burns.

We won’t go totally “radio silent” between now and July 9, 2022, however, and that takes us to today’s feature.

On Monday, June 20, 2022, Louisiana State Rep. Royce Duplessis, who is a candidate to replace disgraced former Louisiana State Senator Karen Carter-Peterson, was the guest speaker at the Baton Rouge Press Club.

Duplessis began his presentation with some humor about his “mug shot bill,” which, for the record, we at Sound Off Louisiana staunchly oppose.  Nevertheless, Gov. Edwards has now signed the bill into law (House vote, final passage and Senate Vote, final passage — note:  It ended up having to go to Conference Committee, but we believe displaying the “pure” initial votes as originally cast to be most informative), so that’s that.  Here is a list of co-authors:

Authors

After the initial humor, Duplessis moved on to spend nearly an hour venting frustration at many of his colleagues for their steadfast refusal to “even try” to create a second minority district in the U. S. Congress from Louisiana.  Since he hoped for press coverage of his talk, yet we noticed almost none on any news TV stations, we’ll again agree to basically be the “media outlet of last resort” and provide his commentary in full, along with a couple of comments beneath the video and the time where the comments are made because we know virtually no visitor to this page is going to spend more than a few minutes at most watching the following video (nor can we really blame them):

June 20, 2022:  Duplessis vents on frustration on collapse of Louisiana Special Session on Redistricting U. S. Congressional maps.

18:00.  Duplessis makes known how “easy” it is by just going with his bill and State Sen. Cleo Fields’ bills (which are identical) to create the second minority district.

21:00.  Duplessis says the recent Special Session indicates, “We like the way we are.”

Let’s cut straight to the chase here (as we like to do which is why we accept NO sponsorship nor accept ANY donations from subscribers so we’re in no way tempted to temper what we report).

Sen. Fields filed this bill to abolish the Louisiana State Police Commission.

He then got intense pushback from Gov. Edwards to make that bill evaporate if Fields expected a veto by Edwards of the Legislature’s redistricting maps.

Fields, who drew the Legislative map enabling him to serve in Congress in 1991 (which was declared unconstitutional by the Federal Courts), is still frustrated that he got relegated back to little old Louisiana.  He desperately wants to end his career in Washington, DC.  Accordingly, Fields had no qualms whatsoever fulfilling Edwards’ command, and his bill was “withdrawn from the files of the Senate.”

For the “younger folk,” let us replicate a little dialogue which transpired between a famous former sitting Governor, the late-Edwin Washington Edwards, and then private-citizen Cleo Fields, in the FBI wiretap of Edwards’ office.  Those FBI wiretaps ultimately played a role in sending Edwards to Federal Prison (we’re going from memory, but Burns’ memory is typically pretty darn good, especially on matters like this):

Fields:  “I visited with (U.S. Sen.) John Breaux last week.”

Edwards:  “You did.  How’d it go?”

Fields:  “I told him I was going to run against him.”

Edwards:  “You did what?!  What did he say?”

Fields:  “M@@!!& F@@($! about s— in his pants!”

Edwards:  “I bet he did!  The Republicans field any type of a decent candidate and you enter the race, he don’t make the runoff!”

Shortly thereafter, Fields politely asked if Edwards had a paper bag so Fields could secure all of the bills Edwards was paying him ($20,000 worth) to make his exit.

We’ll also point out that, when Fields declared his candidacy for the State Senate in 2019 (easier to get back to Washington as an “active player?”), he used his old Hollywood Street address in North Baton Rouge, even though Fields’ was widely known to reside at a fabulous home located in close proximity to the Country Club of Louisiana (Highland Crossing).

When Advocate reporter Will Sentell, who also poses questions on the video above, openly challenged Fields on that residency issue, Fields got pretty defensive in his response.  We welcome anyone to view that episode by  going to the 10:22 mark here.

So, given Fields’ pulling of his bill to abolish the LSPC, we’d have to concur with Duplessis:  it sure seems like some folk really just like things just the way they are!

Wonder what Mona Hardin (Ronald Greene’s mother) must think of Sen. Fields’ dedication to his principle which he presumably held when he filed that LSPC abolition bill, only to bail on it so soon thereafter?

If you would like to be added to our Sound Off Louisiana email list to be notified of future posts, simply go to our home page and scroll to the bottom (mobile devices) or to the top of the right-hand column (desktops).  Supply your email address within the subscribe box.  You’ll then receive an automated email from Word Press, and all you have to do is click on the blue “confirm follow” bar contained within that email, and you’ll begin receiving great posts such as the preceding one above.

Former Louisiana State Police Commission (LSPC) Member Calvin Braxton testifies before the Louisiana House Greene Committee on May 11, 2022.

We have previously demonstrated (on May 11, 2022) that former Louisiana State Police Commission (LSPC) Member Calvin Braxton was the key catalyst for our breakout feature on the LSP in-custody death of Ronald Greene, which we published on September 10, 2020.  Despite Braxton’s clear testimony to the contrary, Gov. Edwards’ Office steadfastly stood by his prior statement that Gov. Edwards learned about the true nature of the Greene death only upon reading that initial feature we published.

Braxton, at his May 11, 2022 testimony, responded to questions from Louisiana State Rep. Debbie Villio (R-Kenner) entailing when he informed Gov. Edwards’ Office of his own knowledge of the Greene incident (which he’d shared with us as well via retired LSP Lt. Leon “Bucky” Millet).  Let’s take just a couple of minutes to see that exchange between Villio and Braxton:

5/11/22 exchange between Braxton and Villio entailing when Braxton told the Governor’s Office and his Office’s response.

As Braxton indicates, he informed “Val,” who is Valencia Burton, who remains on the Governor’s website despite the fact that all ties with Burton and Gov. Edwards’ Office were severed last week (or at least that’s the timeframe multiple sources informed us of that development).   We were able to confirm Burton’s departure; however, Gov. Edwards’ Office steadfastly declined our multiple attempts to obtain the timing and circumstances of her departure.

Once Gov. Edwards dug his heels in and stuck with the September 10, 2020 date even after Braxton’s testimony, we suggested that the Greene Committee subpoena Burton and have her corroborate or repudiate Braxton’s testimony.  The Committee may find that task a tad more difficult now that she’s no longer with Gov. Edwards’ Office, but somehow we believe they can probably still pull it off if the Committee is so inclined.

Again, our repeated efforts to get comment from Gov. Edwards’ Office were fruitless.

Finally, as we said we would, we did send LSP Col. Lamar Davis a certified letter yesterday strongly encouraging him to issue an Order prohibiting the destruction of any documents of the LSP Training Academy until further notice.  We sincerely hope (and have some reason to believe) that he took our letter to heart!

If you would like to be added to our Sound Off Louisiana email list to be notified of future posts, simply go to our home page and scroll to the bottom (mobile devices) or to the top of the right-hand column (desktops).  Supply your email address within the subscribe box.  You’ll then receive an automated email from Word Press, and all you have to do is click on the blue “confirm follow” bar contained within that email, and you’ll begin receiving great posts such as the preceding one above.

Louisiana State Police Col. Lamar Davis.

In today’s Sound Off Louisiana feature, founder Robert Burns gives everyone an update on Burns v. Davis:

Recap of court hearing on Monday, June 20, 2022 in Burns v. LSP Col. Lamar Davis (in his capacity as Custodian of LSP Records).
Proposed Final Judgments:

  Plaintiff Burns

 Defendant LSP Col. Davis (in his Capacity as Custodian of LSP Records)

If you would like to be added to our Sound Off Louisiana email list to be notified of future posts, simply go to our home page and scroll to the bottom (mobile devices) or to the top of the right-hand column (desktops).  Supply your email address within the subscribe box.  You’ll then receive an automated email from Word Press, and all you have to do is click on the blue “confirm follow” bar contained within that email, and you’ll begin receiving great posts such as the preceding one above.