Sound Off Louisiana

Craig Mills and his family.

In our latest Sound Off Louisiana feature, we introduce Mr. Craig Mills, who sounds off on allegations of massive adoption scams in Louisiana and his frustration that law-enforcement agencies, rather than assisting the victims of the scams, simply ignore the epidemic and that the licensed clinical social workers who coordinate with Louisiana’s Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) actually assist those perpetrating the scams to pull them off!

We will be providing a multi-part series on Mills’ encounters and his allegations.  In today’s feature, we introduce him by way of providing a little background and testimony he provided entailing HCR-79 of the 2016 Louisiana legislative session.

Introductory background of Craig Mills and his House Committee testimony.

Mills has filed civil litigation over his encounters in which he alleges improprieties and/or conflicts on the part of Louisiana licensed social worker and adoption attorney Lisa Pecquet Harell.  The case was assigned to 19th JDC Judge Todd Hernandez.  The most recent hearing entailing the matter transpired on April 10, 2017.  Sound Off Louisiana attended the proceeding and made these notations.  Judge Hernandez took the matter under advisement, and he issued a ruling on May 24, 2017 denying both of defendant’s exceptions (no right of action and prescription).

We look forward to delivering Part II of this intriguing series to include one-on-one interview questions with Mills in coming days!

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Rep. Julie Stokes (R-Kenner)

On Tuesday, May 16, 2017, Louisiana Rep. Julie Stokes said, “I conducted a survey” in which her findings were that “54% of voters statewide support an increase in the gas tax.”  Her poll results seemed to have striking resemblance to those of Dr. Michael Henderson, Director of LSU’s Public Policy Research Lab:

Stokes announces her poll results and Henderson admits poll findings are directly impacted by “how you ask the question.”  CLICK HERE for full details of Henderson’s findings on Louisiana voters tax sentiments.

Both Stokes’ and Henderson’s findings are striking given that, in April of 2017, a Truth in Politics survey found only 22% support for increasing the gas tax.  Then last week, Bernie Pinsonat of Southern Media Opinion and Research conducted a poll showing only 29% support for increasing the gas tax.  Stokes is now on record as supporting the gas tax increase, so we’ll see how she fares in her own statewide poll as she seeks to be Louisiana’s next Treasurer.

Hours after the vote, Sound Off Louisiana founder Robert Burns drove to a Race Trac station near his home and asked a motorist who had just filled up if he’d mind if Burns took a photo of the pump charge (photo above).  The motorist inquired why, to which Burns responded, “because if a gas tax which cleared committee today becomes law, you will pay $3.70 more.”  The motorist then said to feel free to take the picture and added, “and the tax damn well better not pass!”

Regarding Henderson, Sound Off Louisiana founder Robert Burns asked him if he’d surveyed Louisiana citizens’ feelings toward taxes relative to the alternative of moving to Texas, which Henderson admitted has a lower tax burden:

Henderson takes an astounding 5+ minutes to answer a question by Burns, but the one word answer is “no.”

To see Henderson’s presentation in its entirety, CLICK HERE.  To see a past appearance by Stokes at the Baton Rouge Press Club during which she advocated removing the deductibility of one’s Federal income taxes on one’s Louisiana tax return (a measure for which she sponsored a bill to accomplish), CLICK HERE.

If you would like to be added to our Sound Off Louisiana email list to be notified of future Sound Off posts, simply scroll to the very bottom of this page (mobile devices) or to the end of the right-hand column (desktops) and 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 LALB Attorney and Convicted Felon Larry S. Bankston

On Monday, May 8, 2017, the Louisiana Auctioneer Licensing Board (LALB) stunned many observers when it severed ties with its five-year attorney, convicted felon Larry S. Bankston:

LALB meeting of 5/8/17, during which it declined to renew the legal contract of Larry S. Bankston.

During the public comment section of the preceding video, Sound Off Louisiana founder Robert Burns referenced Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry’s staunch opposition to Larry Bankston serving as attorney for any board or commission.

Also, Burns stated that, “if you want to enhance the perception that you’re protecting the consumer, Mr. Bankston is not the route to go.”  As a perfect example of Burns’ contention, consider the following 90-second video of an administrative hearing entailing notoriously-problematic auctioneer Ken Buhler:

LALB meeting of 5/20/13, during which Bankston essentially serves as a de facto second defense attorney for
Ken Buhler (in addition to Buhler’s own attorney, Joseph “Beaver” Brantley) rather than assuming his proper role as a prosecuting attorney for the LALB.

As is blatantly obvious from the preceding video, Bankston was far more interested in grilling Burns about his attendance at a Buhler Federal civil trial and essentially creating a perception that it was Burns, not Buhler, who is the evil one entailing the episode.  Despite the fact that the trial was in mid 2011 and despite Bankston’s steadfast resolve to grill Burns about his attendance, Bankston had no interest in the fact that the result of the trial in question is that Buhler was assessed over $200,000 in judgments for the “fraudulent use of interstate commerce instrumentalities.”

To say that Bankston’s tenure as attorney for the LALB was tumultuous and clouded in repeated episodes of questionable ethics and outright efforts to fight consumers’ complaints (particularly Betty Jo Story, an 83-year-old widow, and Judy Fasola) notwithstanding his presumed role to assist with protecting the consumer is an understatement.  Perhaps the episode depicted in the first video above entailing Rep. Mark Meadows simply became more than either Gov. Edwards or his board members, at least those on the Auctioneer’s Licensing Board, could endure.

The big question now:  Will the Louisiana State Board of Contractors follow the LALB and vote to deny the reappointment of Larry Bankston?  Flood victims, and Attorney General Jeff Landry, will likely be watching any upcoming actions entailing Bankston very closely, especially in light of the content of the first video depicted above!   

If you would like to be added to our Sound Off Louisiana email list to be notified of future Sound Off posts, simply scroll to the very bottom of this page (mobile devices) or to the end of the right-hand column (desktops) and 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.