With Gov. Edwards’ office having purportedly told whistleblower Derbonne to “shut the f— up,” will 19th JDC Judge Morvant do the same Monday?

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards, whose office purportedly told whistleblower Cathy Derbonne to “shut the f— up” entailing her complaints regarding Edwards’ alleged unconstitutional appointments to the Louisiana State Police Commission (LSPC).

 

UPDATE (July 30, 2019):  Judge Morvant did  dismiss Derbonne’s suit using the rationale (and citing a previous case entailing the New Iberia Parish Sheriff’s Office) that it was merely a part of Derbonne’s job duties to investigate and report wrongdoing.  Therefore, in conformity with that New Iberia case, she was ineligible for whistleblower protection status.

 

On January 28, 2018, we published a feature on former Louisiana State Police Commission (LSPC) Executive Director Cathy Derbonne’s constructive discharge lawsuit wherein Derbonne averred, in paragraph 17 of her litigation, that Ronnie Jones, Gov. Edwards’ Gaming Control Board Chairman, stated that he’d left a meeting in Gov. Edwards’ office at which Derbonne was supposedly told to “shut the f— up” entailing Edwards’ unconstitutional appointments to the LSPC.

Attorney General Jeff Landry, acting through an Assistant Attorney General outside legal counsel and tasked with the somewhat awkward obligation to defend the LSPC, filed a Peremptory Exception of No Cause of Action which largely focused on the fact that most of Derbonne’s allegations entailed the actions of people or entities other than the LSPC (most notably Gov. Edwards and former LSP Col. Mike Edmonson).  In February of 2019, the first hearing of the Derbonne litigation was held before 19th JDC Judge William Morvant, who concurred with Landry’s arguments and granted the peremptory exception.

Morvant also granted the obligatory 30-day window for Derbonne to amend her petition to attempt to cure the peremptory exception.  Accordingly, on March 12, 2019, Derbonne amended the petition.  Thereafter, Landry, again through an Assistant Attorney General outside legal firm, reasserted the peremptory exception.  On Friday, July 19, 2019, Derbonne filed her Opposition Memorandum to the LSPC’s reasserted exception in preparation for a court hearing in Judge Morvant’s courtroom on Monday, July 29, 2019.

In today’s Sound Off Louisiana feature, founder Robert Burns covers some of the highlights of Derbonne’s opposition memorandum linked above:


Burns provides brief historical background leading to Derbonne v. LSPC and covers the highlights of her opposition memorandum.

 

(Note:  the above paragraph has an incorrect date, and July 19, 2017 should be July 19, 2016).

 

 

(Note:  the “particular gubernatorial candidate” referenced in the preceding paragraph is none other than current Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards.)

 

The above-referenced Edmonson pay raise even caught the eye of the mainstream media:

Derbonne’s attorney also strongly argues that Derbonne’s “employer” is the State of Louisiana, which includes the Governor, such that her whistleblowing activities, which directly targeted Gov. Edwards as the perpetrator of the wrongdoing, are protected actions on Derbonne’s part.

Finally, the lawsuit and the opposition memorandum both reference a purported illegal appointment of Jason Starnes as de facto LSP Undersecretary.  As long-time subscribes to Sound Off Louisiana are aware, it was that appointment that led to the most heated exchange we’ve ever videotaped in our history.  The exchange, which has now been viewed over 1,800 times, transprired between then-LSP Member Lloyd Grafton and Member Jared Caruso-Riecke.  For those who have not already viewed the hostile exchange between them, here’s the video for your viewing pleasure:


Grafton and Riecke go at it entailing former LSP Col. Edmonson’s appointment of Jason Starnes as de facto Undersecretary.

The court hearing is Monday.  If Judge Morvant grants the reasserted peremptory exception a second time, the only avenue left is an appeal to the First Circuit Court of Appeal.  If, on the other hand, he overrules the peremptory exception (i.e. basically says the amended petition now states a valid cause of action), the case proceeds unless the LSPC opts to appeal Morvant’s ruling.  Such an appeal, however, is extremely unlikely because appeals courts tend to be very reluctant to deny a plaintiff his “day in court” once a district judge has ruled that he is entitled to have that day in court.

Either way, we’ll update this feature to provide our subscribers with Judge Morvant’s ruling at the hearing of Monday, July 29, 2019.

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U. S. Sen. John Kennedy: “There are people, and we all know who they are, that, if you turned John Bel Edwards upside down and shook him, some members of the media would fall out of his pocket.”

U. S. Sen. John Kennedy, R-Louisiana, guest speaker at the Baton Rouge Press Club meeting of Monday, July 1, 2019.

U. S. Sen. John Kennedy, R-Louisiana, was the guest speaker at the Baton Rouge Press Club for its meeting of Monday, July 1, 2019.  Sound Off Louisiana’s Robert Burns asked Kennedy about the degree to which he sees President Donald Trump getting involved in Louisiana’s upcoming race for Louisiana Governor.

In responding, Kennedy made a very candid assessment of certain members of the media.  After first indicating that the mainstream media will be an asset and advantage for incumbent Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards (D-Amite), Kennedy, in joining a growing chorus of folk (e.g. Moon Griffon’s lambasting of Verne Kennedy’s recent poll and Tyler Bridges’ journalistic malpractice of running with a “bogus” poll without tabs, indicating who paid for it, no breakout by party, by gender, by geography, etc. and releasing it TWO MONTHS after it was conducted, etc. and The Hayride’s publisher Scott McKay), Kennedy makes a stunning assessment of some members of the mainstream media.

What was Kennedy’s assessment of some members of the mainstream media in Louisiana?  Well, let’s let Sen. Kennedy speak for himself, shall we (media commentary begins at the 2:00 mark)?:


Sen. Kennedy responds to Burns’ question entailing any involvement of President Trump in the upcoming Louisiana Governor’s race and, in the process, makes an assessment of certain members of the mainstream media.  CLICK HERE to see the Couvillon video Burns makes reference to wherein Couvillon indicates Trump may likely be very passive in the upcoming race for Louisiana Governor.

Lanny Keller, Advocate reporter, immediately followed up Burns’ question by asking Kennedy about his involvement in upcoming Legislative races in Louisiana.  Here’s Kennedy’s response:


Kennedy responds to Keller’s question entailing Kennedy’s potential involvement in upcoming Louisiana Legislative races.

As is obvious from the preceding video, Kennedy essentially tipped his hand that, at 6:00 p.m. this evening, he’ll be formally endorsing Heather Cloud (R-Turkey Creek) for Louisiana State Senate.  Cloud is running to replace term-limited State Sen. Eric LaFleur (D-Ville Platte).  Cloud is one candidate among several that a group led by Attorney General Jeff Landry is seeking to get elected to the Louisiana Senate in order to make that particular body, which conservatives have viewed as nothing short of an unmitigated disaster given its present composition, far more conservative when the new Louisiana State Senate convenes in 2020.

The Cloud campaign is elated at the response to this evening’s announcement, as per its press release of earlier today:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 1, 2019
Press Contact: 225-978-4823

HEATHER CLOUD ANNOUNCEMENT MOVED TO BIGGER VENUE

TURKEY CREEK – Heather Cloud’s announcement reception for State Senate has been moved to the Turkey Creek Community Center. The event had been planned for Miss Sue’s Cafe, but the campaign has received RSVPs in excess of the restaurant’s capacity.

The event will be attended by U.S. Senator John Kennedy, Congressman Mike Johnson, Congressman Clay Higgins and Attorney General Jeff Landry who are also part of the host committee for the event.

“We are excited that there is so much enthusiasm for our campaign,” said Lelia Thrasher, campaign manager for Heather Cloud For Louisiana. “Once it became obvious that the crowd would be too large for the Cafe, we decided to move the event. We are thrilled the Community Center was able to help us on such short notice,” added Thrasher.

The Turkey Creek Community Center is at 13850 Veteran Memorial Hwy in Turkey Creek. The reception begins at 6pm tonight (Monday July 1st). The public is invited.

CLICK HERE to see Kennedy’s presentation in its entirety.

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Hayride founder Scott McKay: “John Bel Edwards cannot get to 50 percent;” says “Crazy Cousin Gary” is Republican’s “secret weapon” to ensure no outright Edwards victory in the primary.

Hayride founder and publisher Scott McKay, who was the guest speaker at the East Baton Rouge Republican Women’s meeting of Thursday, June 27, 2019.

Scott McKay, founder and publisher of The Hayride, was the guest speaker at the East Baton Rouge Parish (EBRP) Republican Women’s meeting of Thursday, June 27, 2019.  Let’s break out what all he had to say:


McKay, joins a growing chorus of folk, the most vocal of whom has been conservative talk show host Moon Griffon, in lambasting a recent poll on the race for Louisiana Governor conducted by Verne Kennedy.  McKay provided some other interesting commentary on the race beyond the poll, and he flatly stated that incumbent Gov. John Bel Edwards “cannot get to 50 percent.”  Regarding McKay’s assessment that Edwards will go heavily negative against either Republican Ralph Abraham or Eddie Rispone, we totally concur, and that’s a key reason we at Sound Off Louisiana have provided the website The Choice is Clear LA to highlight Edwards’ numerous negatives on a micro level.  We did so at the micro level because we firmly believe it’s at the “micro level” that connects with voters far more than glib economic statistics.


McKay addresses concerns on the part of some folk that Gov. Edwards may win re-election in the primary on October 12, 2019 and avoid the need for a runoff by declaring Independent Gary Landrieu as the Republican’s “secret weapon” for ensuring that scenario doesn’t unfold.

 
Again echoing sentiments by Griffon, McKay emphasizes that conservatives must get the true message about Gov. Edwards out in the open because he indicates the mainstream media will fail miserably in that regard.


McKay states that Gov. Edwards biggest weakness is that “he lies.”  We at Sound Off Louisiana have chronicled those lies and the mockery Gov. Edwards has made of his “West Point Honor Code” at JBE Fraud.


Echoing the sentiments (though with FAR more charisma) of political pollster and strategist John Couvillon, McKay assesses Gov. Edwards’ signing into law a stringent anti-abortion bill by Sen. John Milkovich (D-Shreveport) as a political negative for Edwards.


McKay assesses Gov. Edwards’ veto of a bill by Sen. Dan Claitor (R-Baton Rouge) regarding the proposed City of St. George as a negative for Gov. Edwards.


McKay provides some valuable insight into an outright distortion by Gov. Edwards entailing his self-proclaimed, after-the-fact support for a bill to replace Obamacare in Louisiana should Obamacare be declared unconstitutional.


McKay provides insight on efforts to rein in abuses of Louisiana’s judicial system.  McKay essentially says the proverbial chickens have come home to roost in that regard, and it sure brought back a flood of memories entailing Sound Off Louisiana’s efforts to warn of that development in the 2015 campaign for Governor mere months after the blog was formed.


McKay stresses how lawsuit abuses are killing Louisiana industries, and he specifically references the timber industry as being adversely impacted.  Not long back, liberal Baton Rouge Press Club (and HEAVY backer of Gov. John Bel Edwards), J. R. Skains, expressed those concerns to BRPC guest speaker Stephen Waugespack (see 5:31 mark of preceding video).  Hence, even the most liberal supporter of Gov. Edwards recognizes the incredible problem of Louisiana’s legal climate.


Newly-installed Baton Rouge Field Office Director of Americans for Prosperity, Kaleb Moore, introduces himself to the audience.

CLICK HERE for McKay’s presentation in its entirety.

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.