Month: October 2022

Attorney General Jeff Landry, on March 4, 2021, touts his proposed blueprint settlement with Freeport McMoRan.  On October 25, 2022, it was announced that DNR has signed the agreement on behalf of four (4) parish presidents against their wishes, thus reinforcing Landry’s contention that, “the buck stops with this office, me, for signing these types of agreements.”

When we published this feature regarding the St. Martin Parish Council calling an impromptu meeting to pour cold water all over Attorney General Jeff Landry’s blueprint settlement agreement with Freeport McMoRan, it was one of the least viewed features we’ve ever published.

Now that Landry has officially announced his candidacy for Governor of Louisiana, look for the subject matter of that feature to take on new meaning.  Why?  Well, mainly because today, October 25, 2022, it was announced that a deal has been reached for the $100 million Freeport settlement.

When we published the feature linked above, we intentionally provided (for the first time), Attorney General Jeff Landry’s full press conference of March 4, 2021 touting him proposing the agreement.  We knew that very few viewers would take the time to watch the full video, and we knew that would mean they would fail to see one simple question posed by Sound Off Louisiana founder Robert Burns entailing the proposed settlement.

Knowing that the settlement was likely to encounter stiff resistance from at least some of the 12 Louisiana parishes which may be affected by the settlement, Burns posed the question of whether parish presidents were required to sign off on the agreement.  Let’s take just 40 seconds to see Burns pose the question and provide Landry’s response:

March 4, 2021:  Burns asks Landry if parish presidents are required to sign off on his proposed Freeport settlement and Landry making it clear that his position is an emphatic “no,” and that the “buck stops with this office…me!”

This development (the signing of the agreement) should become very interesting as the campaign for Governor heats up.  From the preceding article on the settlement:

The settlement required 12 coastal parishes with environmental damage caused by oil and gas companies to approve the deal, but four of them — Lafourche, St. Mary, St. Martin and Iberia — refused, saying they preferred to work with companies on voluntary projects to restore wetlands lost to the Gulf of Mexico over the past century.

The deadlock was broken when the state Department of Natural Resources signed the deal on behalf of the holdout parishes, a move that ran counter to the parish governments’ wishes but will likely boost their restoration efforts.

In refusing to sign the deal, Lafourche President Archie Chaisson III blamed the disappearing coast not on the oil and gas industry but on Mississippi River levees, which prevent sediment from rebuilding land along the coast.

In 2020, Terrebonne Parish President Gordon Dove praised the industry’s contributions to his parish’s economy while blasting the settlement, which he called “a money grab” by trial lawyers.

Acting against Dove’s wishes, Terrebonne Parish District Attorney Joseph Waitz Jr. signed off on the deal and hired an outside law firm to represent him in a possible lawsuit.

Let us briefly remind everyone of something we printed in that feature linked at the beginning of this feature:

Landry’s blueprint settlement was strongly backed by the most prominent trial lawyer coordinating lawsuits by municipalities against oil producers for such erosion, John Carmouche.

One doesn’t really have to have much on the ball to see what is going on here.  Naturally, a John Bel Edwards DNR would be more than happy to sign off on the deal, but why is Landry such a cheerleader for the deal?

The answer, we believe, is actually quite simple!  It was Carmouche who poured millions into GUMBO PAC in 2015 to air highly negative attack ads against then-U. S. Sen. David Vitter to ensure a John Bel Edwards win (simply click on the “John Carmouche” link above).

Landry, having worked closely with U. S. Sen. John Kennedy to elect candidates strongly supportive of tort reform (something Carmouche would oppose tooth and nail) such as State Sen. Heather Cloud (such reform was enacted in 2020 but there’s a LONG way still to go), simply cozied up to Carmouche to get the deal done in a brazen and very thinly-veiled attempt to shied himself from the same type of negative ads to which Carmouche subjected Vitter in 2015.

We firmly believe it’s literally that simple!  We have always contended that negative attack ads are far, far more effective than any positive message a candidate can present to the voters (Edwards is living proof), and Landry knows that.

So, in our minds, it’s pretty basic what happened here and, quite frankly, it was precisely what we expected to happen when we posed the question of Jeff Landry on March 4, 2021.  His response and this whole recent development entailing this settlement is one reason why we’ve made no secret of the fact that we are in no way enthused by Landry’s quest to become Louisiana’s next governor.

While Landry may have shielded himself from GUMBO PAC negative attack ads (and there’s no guarantee he’s even accomplished that with this deal), he can also take it to the bank that he’ll be on the receiving end of attack ads from his Republican opponents in the 2023 race for Governor.

Based on our sources, who is one of those likely Republican opponents (and who will likely get flooded with oil and gas money with which to attack Landry)?

That would be none other than Louisiana State Sen. Sharon Hewitt, a career engineer with an oil company herself.  Let’s take a look again at what Hewitt had to say about Landry’s settlement blueprint:

Louisiana State Senator Sharon Hewitt (R-Slidell):

This settlement scheme is nothing more than a backroom deal that threatens the future of oil and gas jobs in Louisiana……..This secret settlement begins a dangerous path that leads to false promises, bankruptcies, and job losses. I’m certain it’s as dead this year in the legislature as it was last. I will work with my colleagues in the legislature to expose this shakedown, save those jobs, and fight for real solutions that restore our coast.

This development is just one reason we expect to see nothing short of an absolute bloodbath within the Republican ranks as its candidates compete against one another to replace John Bel Edwards.  Look for Landry to be on the receiving end of a ton of attack ads from his competitors now that this deal has been crammed down the throats of four parish presidents.

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Syrita Steib (D-New Orleans) and candidate for U. S. Senate in Louisiana running against incumbent John Kennedy (R-Madisonville), joined fellow challenger Gary Chambers (pictured below) in lamenting Kennedy’s non-presence at forums and proceeded to launch some pretty vicious attacks against Kennedy at the Baton Rouge Press Club meeting of Monday, October 24, 2022.

When we formed Sound Off Louisiana, we committed to provide our camera to anyone wishing to “sound off” on Louisiana governmental issues of concern to them.  We make that pledge irrespective of what our own take on those matters may be.

At the conclusion of a forum conducted by the Baton Rouge Press Club (BRPC) of Monday, October 24, 2022, we spoke briefly with Syrita Steib (D-New Orleans) and Gary Chambers (D-Baton Rouge) and told both of them that, “The blog was named Sound Off Louisiana so people who wished to ‘sound off’ on Louisiana governmental issues would have a forum for doing so, and you both did plenty of ‘sounding off,’ so we’ll have your concerns, particularly your frustration that the media won’t report on Sen. Kennedy’s absence at forums, on full display.”

They both expressed appreciation.  So, let’s provide some video highlights of today’s forum between Steib and Chambers, both of whom hope to  unseat incumbent U. S. Sen. John Kennedy  in this year’s race for U. S. Senate, for which the primary vote is November 8, 2022 with early voting commencing tomorrow:

First, most people in Louisiana have likely heard of Chambers, but that certainly may not be the case for Steib, so let’s begin with the candidates’ introduction of themselves with Steib first:

 Steib introduces herself and provides her opening statement.

 Chambers introduces himself and provides his opening statement.

Now let’s take a peek at their questions of each other.

 Chambers poses question of Steib on issue of Kennedy’s absence at forums.

Steib poses question of Chambers regarding whether he’s “serious” in his quest to unseat Kennedy.

We’ll consider the next clip as lagniappe but we’ll also stress that, if Chambers can execute on massive black voter turnout on November 8, 2022, it could have major implications on the outcome of the race.

 Chambers lays out exactly how he believes he can win the election, which entails dramatically increasing black voter turnout in New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and Shreveport vs. what it was when Kennedy was elected in 2016.

 Both candidates respond to a question by Sound Off Louisiana founder Robert Burns regarding their assessment of the Ronald Greene matter and what each would do if elected to the U. S. Senate entailing that matter.

Now, while both candidates did lament Kennedy’s repeated absences at forums, Stein also chastised fellow Democrat Luke Mixon (D-Baton Rouge) for not appearing at today’s forum.  We will remind everyone that Mixon was the guest speaker at the January 10, 2022 BRPC meeting, and he certainly appeared nowhere near as prepared to respond to a question on Ronald Greene than either Chambers or Steib.  In fact, we’d say that he seemed completely discombobulated.  Let’s reproduce his performance from back then since he couldn’t make it to today’s forum wherein he may have been able to provide perhaps a better performance (and it wouldn’t take much to be better than what immediately follows):

Luke Mixon provides response to Sound Off Louisiana‘s Burns entailing the matter of Ronald Greene.

As if the performance above isn’t bad enough on Mixon’s part and, given that, as a Democrat, he simply must garner the vast majority of the black vote to prevail, we believe he did himself no favors when he admitted he passed on the opportunity to vote for the United States’ first African American President.  Let’s take a look again, shall we?:

Mixon admits he passed on the opportunity to vote for Barack Obama and instead cast his vote for then-U. S. Sen. John McCain.

Given the above, should Mixon somehow manage to miraculously (because we believe it would literally take a miracle) take John Kennedy to a runoff, Kennedy will blanket the airwaves over Mixon’s vote for President in 2008.  If we were him (Mixon), we certainly wouldn’t count on too many black voters showing up to vote for Mixon in the runoff.  That’s just our take on the matter, especially since Mixon wasn’t able to make it today.  We thought we’d provide a “blast from the past” to make sure his presence wasn’t totally missed!

Arguably some of the most vicious attacks against Kennedy at today’s forum came when radio talk-show host Jim Engster asked the candidates if they would have certified the results of the race for President in 2020.  Hold on to your socks, folks (especially for Chambers’ response):

 Both candidates respond to Engster’s question on whether they would have voted to certify the 2020 election results entailing President Joe Biden.

There was plenty more Kennedy bashing in each candidate’s closing remarks, so let’s take a look:

Steib provides her closing remarks.

 Chambers provides his closing remarks.

It’s our opinion that the second place finisher in the race will most likely be Gary Chambers.

The only open question is whether all of the other candidates opposing Kennedy can collectively keep Kennedy from climbing over the 50 percent mark on November 8, 2022.

We see that as highly, highly, unlikely, but we’d be less than honest if we didn’t admit that Chambers’ call in the preceding video to, “at least get me in the runoff, so he’ll have to answer some damn questions,” would make for one heck of an intriguing one-on-one matchup!

We really don’t see it happening (we’ll stick our necks out and predict that Kennedy wins in the primary with 57% of the vote), but it’s always fun just to ponder what such a runoff campaign would be like!

As is so often said by a good friend of Sound Off Louisiana founder Robert Burns who resides in Kansas, “Only in Louisiana!”

CLICK HERE to view the forum in its entirety and, trust us, there’s plenty more good material not highlighted above to include abortion, inflation, and much more.

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.

LSP Col. Lamar Davis (left), LSP attorney Tunde Animashaun (middle), and LSP attorney Gail Holland (right) appear at the Louisiana State Police Commission meeting of April 14, 2022 to try and sort out how they plan to handle the impending appeal of fired LSP Trooper Carl Cavalier.

Well, the soap opera that now is the handling of fired LSP Trooper Carl Cavalier regarding his Federal litigation and his potential appeal before the Louisiana State Police Commission (LSPC) to attempt to reclaim his job took several twists and turns last week.

Let’s provide a brief history for those who may be unfamiliar with all that has gone on regarding Cavalier:

1.  On September 30, 2021, Cavalier filed this pro-se lawsuit against LSP after LSP Col. Lamar Davis terminated him over his authorship of a book (the link to purchase the book is no longer active) and conducting interviews with the media to provide his take on the Ronald Greene arrest which transpired on or around May 9, 2019.

2.  On November 10, 2021, LSP filed this notice of removal to have Cavalier’s lawsuit transferred from 19th JDC (State Court) to Federal Court (Middle District of Louisiana).

3.  On December 9, 2021, attorney Jill Craft filed this Motion to Enroll as Cavalier’s legal counsel.

4.  On December 30, 2021, LSP filed this Motion to Dismiss Cavalier’s lawsuit.

5.  The litigation dragged on during 2022 while Cavalier simultaneously sought a hearing before the LSPC to get his job back.  Craft fought vigorously for Cavalier to have his day before the LSPC.  To demonstrate just how vigorously she fought, let’s review a brief three-minute video clip of the April 14, 2022 and May 14, 2022 LSPC meetings during which Craft chastises LSP officials for stalling Cavalier on having that hearing and, in the process, costing him a ton of money:

4/14/22 & 5/14/22 LSPC Meetings during which Craft laments LSP officials’ stall tactics costing Cavalier a ton of money both in expense and foregone opportunities to engage in his long-haul trucking position.

6.  On July 12, 2022, LSP filed this Motion to Stay Discovery pending its 12/30/21 Motion to Dismiss the litigation.

7.  On August 17, 2022, Magistrate Judge Richard Bourgeois issued this Order Granting LSP’s Motion to Stay Discovery.

8.  On October 13, 2022 (the day of an LSPC meeting), Sound Off Louisiana provides WBRZ’s Chris Nakamoto with the following Federal Court documents via email:  parameters of a Settlement Conference having taken place on October 6, 2022; a Federal Court Order indicating the matter is settled as of October 6, 2022 pursuant to that Settlement Conference; and this October 7, 2022 General Order applicable to documents for all cases similar to Cavalier’s.

9.  Nakamoto wastes no time whatsoever in producing, later that same day, October 13, 2022, this bombshell feature wherein Nakamoto uncovered that LSP offered Cavalier $200,000 in the settlement.  Nakamoto also provided Cavalier’s typed quotation which he’d also provided to us indicating that he was not interested in settling and wanted his hearing to commence before the LSPC.

10.  Following up on Nakamoto’s feature, Sound Off Louisiana published this feature indicating that, as a result of “irreconcilable conflict,” attorney Jill Craft was filing this Motion to Withdraw as Cavalier’s attorney effective October 13, 2022.  We feel it noteworthy to point out that LSP Defense Counsel opposes Craft’s withdrawal on the basis that Craft’s continued involvement is necessary to fully consummate the settlement referenced above.  At the date of this publication (Sunday, October 23, 2022), the Motion remains pending before the Court.

Okay.  That brings everyone quickly up to speed.  Now let’s focus on what transpired last week (i.e. from October 17, 2022 through October 21, 2022):

A.  The week started with Craft filing, on Monday, October 17, 2022,  this Motion to Withdraw as Cavalier’s counsel with the LSPC.

B.  Craft’s action prompted LSP to file this Motion to Continue (Postpone) Cavalier’s Hearing and Voicing Objection to Craft’s Motion to Withdraw on October 19, 2022.  We note the fact that Cavalier strongly objected to LSP’s Motion for Continuance indicating that he’s been seeking his hearing for a protracted period (see video above) and that he had instructed the LSPC to, “leave that hearing up because I will represent myself if I have to.”  Nevertheless, the LSPC  removed the docketed hearing from its website.

C.  The LSPC, acting through Referee Lenore Feeney on October 20, 2022, Granted LSP’s Motion to Continue (postpone) Cavalier’s Hearing Without Date, which means Cavalier’s long-awaited hearing is delayed yet again without even a future date scheduled for it to be heard.  We note that Feeney struck through LSP’s Order for Craft’s Withdrawal Motion to be Denied and indicated to, “See order granting withdrawal.”

D.  Feeney also, on October 20, 2022, formally granted Craft’s Motion to Withdraw as Cavalier’s Counsel for the LSPC, leaving him unrepresented by legal counsel for LSPC-related matters.

Here is our take on the matter.  If Cavalier reached a settlement under the mistaken belief that settling the Federal litigation had no impact upon his ability to obtain his job back (i.e. agree never to work for LSP again), and we don’t know whether that’s the case or not and are not about to ask Cavalier if that is the case, then, in our minds, there never was a required “meeting of the minds” at the Settlement Conference for which the $200,000 can literally be crammed down his throat and him be told, “That’s it for you ever working for LSP again.”

As part of the Cathy Derbonne (former LSPC Executive Director) settlement, she had to execute a document which specified that she would never seek employment with the LSPC again.  If Cavalier reached agreement on the $200,000 settlement but didn’t understand that it also meant he could not continue to pursue employment with LSP, then our own opinion, for what that’s worth, is that he is on sound ground for the settlement to be rejected based on a lack of full and complete “meeting of the minds.”

That may explain why Craft is apparently so unhappy about recent developments and the state of the current matter.  After all, we have no doubt that she tapped upon and spent a ton of her sizeable political capital to get the $200,000 offer on the table.

According to paragraph four (4) of LSP’s Motion on Item-B above, a Federal Court hearing will transpire on Thursday, October 27, 2022, to iron out Craft’s Motion to Withdraw and the status of the whole settlement.  We feel certain that Court Hearing will be closed to the public; however, once we know more about its outcome, we commit to communicate that knowledge to our subscribers and casual site visitors.

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