Sound Off Louisiana

Louisiana Rep. Edward “Ted” James, D-Baton Rouge

On Monday, June 18, 2018, Louisiana Rep. Ted James, D-Baton Rouge, appeared before the Baton Rouge Press Club, and virtually no prominent Republican in Louisiana escaped his wrath.  Though Attorney General Jeff Landry received the most blistering attacks, let’s begin with Louisiana House Appropriations Chairman Cameron Henry, R-Metairie, because James’ sharp criticism of him is the most relevant for the nine days that remain in the current special session of the Louisiana Leglislature:

James slams Henry, even going so far as to make a (presumed) joke about his height and that height ruling Henry out for getting James’ vote for office.  James also slams Henry’s initial plans for hearings on Louisiana’s Appropriations bill (HB-1).

Next, let’s move on to the most stinging words of the presentation, which were reserved for Attorney General Jeff Landry:

James’ sharpest words of criticism were reserved for Attorney General Jeff Landry.

Next, let’s take a brief pause to see a clip of the one Republican for whom James had praise and why, and that would be Rep. Barry Ivey, R-Central:

James commends Ivey for, in James’ words, “telling the public what we already knew” in terms of tax reform dying to “deny Gov. Edwards a win.”

Running a close second to Attorney General Jeff Landry on James’ harsh attacks was U. S. Sen. John Kennedy.  Let’s take a peek:

James has no complimentary words for U. S. Sen. John Kennedy and openly states that he hopes Kennedy runs against Edwards in 2019.

James’ quickest condemnation was reserved for colleague Rep. Alan Seabaugh, R-Shreveport.  Let’s take a look at how fast he covered that criticism:

James briefly criticizes Rep. Alan Seabaugh.  Perhaps such criticism (in which James didn’t even reference Seabaugh’s name) was obligatory on orders from Gov. Edwards, but perhaps it was so short because at this point in time nobody even challenges Seabaugh’s constitutionality concerns (which may only validate James’ obvious concerns entailing Seabaugh being “about to become a Federal judge.”)

This next feature ought to provide more than a few laughs.  James is questioned about the “poor people’s campaign” and its funding, and James wastes no time defending the demonstrations:

James defends demonstrations of the “poor people’s campaign.”

Meanwhile, James took great pride in absolutely slamming Americans for Prosperity, to include a blatant
misstatement which our great friend Scott McKay assessed at the preceding link (it is WELL worth the brief time required to read his feature and the accompanying video of James bumbling and stumbling out of his false narrative on AFP).

James also criticized former Gov. Bobby Jindal (and we take no exceptions to his points because even some of the most conservative members of the Louisiana House like Alan Seabaugh have acknowledged the shortcomings of former Gov. Jindal entailing fiscal matters), but he refuses to acknowledge any shortcomings of Gov. Edwards on failing to deliver on statutory dedications nor his blocking of HB-760 this past session to permit Louisiana legislators to have the same transparency entailing the budget as the Governor enjoys (spoiler alert:  he takes a jab at Louisiana House Republican Caucus Chairman Lance Harris as well):

James re-directs statements entailing Gov. Edwards back to a failure on the part of Republicans to muster up votes.  Without a doubt, there IS some truth to what Rep. James says, and that’s a key premise behind the AFP taker’s dozen.

Last but not least, James provides his assessment of EBRP Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome’s prospects on her proposed 1/2 cent sales tax for 30 years to fund road improvements in East Baton Rouge Parish, and we doubt she’ll be thrilled with what he has to say:

James on EBRP Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome’s tax proposal’s prospects.

CLICK HERE for Rep. James’ presentation in its entirety.

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LSP Trooper Daryl Thomas

There was plenty to be hashed out at the meeting of the Louisiana State Police Commission (LSPC) of Thursday, June 14, 2018. Let’s break it down by video segment:

LSP Trooper Daryl Thomas flatly denies committing payroll fraud and slams an investigative report by Fox8’s Lee Zurik as he pleads with the LSPC to not suspend him without pay and the LSPC’s response.

As is obvious from the preceding video, Thomas is emphatic that far more egregious violations have been committed by LSP Troopers.  Thomas elaborated to Advocate reporter Jim Mustian during an executive session of the meeting.

Next, there was a discussion of a Motion for Summary Judgment (i.e. dismiss all charges) on yet another Zurik investigative report entailing a Las Vegas detour en route to a San Diego convention:

LSPC deliberates Motions to Dismiss charges by “Vegas crew.”

On a previous Sound Off Louisiana feature, we were asked to contact the Executive Director of the Louisiana State Trooper’s Association (LSTA), David Young, and inquire about the process by which the LSTA decides whether it will pay the defense costs for any given trooper who files an appeal of a disciplinary action with the LSPC.  We reproduce that paragraph of the feature’s segment below:

We contacted Young on Friday, December 15, 2017, and he indicated that, whenever an LSP Trooper desires to appeal a disciplinary action to the LSPC, as a member of the LSTA (which he indicated “93% – 94% of active troopers are members”), he or she may ask to have the legal representation costs covered by the LSTA.  The process entails the trooper appearing before the LSTA Board of Directors, and a closed-door meeting takes place during which the trooper supplies the relevant facts and documentation to the Board.  The Board then takes a vote and, if approved, LSTA funds are then allocated to provide legal representation to the trooper using attorney Floyd Falcon, Jr., who was first admitted to practice law in Louisiana in 1972, as the attorney who will represent the trooper.

We contacted Young again today, June 14, 2018, and he indicated that the LSTA Board of Directors has met entailing providing the funds for the defense of the “Vegas crew” troopers, and that each trooper has been approved for his defense costs to be borne by the LSTA.

Next, the LSPC discussed changing the venue of its August meeting to Monroe, Louisiana to accommodate witnesses entailing the appeal of LSP Trooper Joseph Jones, who took exception to his son’s high school football coach allegedly permitting Vodka and beer to be consumed by football players (to the point of intoxication by most everyone, including the coach) and that same coach allegedly while plastered by alcohol, then, “beating his (Trooper Jones’) son up pretty bad, almost to unconsciousness.”

Other players reportedly called Trooper Jones in a state of near panic and, when Trooper Jones arrived, that’s when he let his sentiments on the matter be known.  Sound Off Louisiana will make the trip to Monroe for the August 9, 2018 hearing and videotape the proceedings as we are told there are quite a few subplots to this incident that should be intriguing.  The football coach was fired, and it is not known who filed a complaint against Trooper Jones.

LSPC discusses moving August meeting to Monroe, Louisiana.

Here’s a little more background on the incident that will be deliberated on August 9, 2018 in Monore:

Fox14 feature on Sterlington High School football coach altercation.

Finally, the LSPC accepted the resignation of member Michael W. Neustrom, who provided the rationale for his resignation:

Member Neustrom explains his resignation from the LSPC.

NOTE:  For historical videos of LSPC meetings in their entireties, CLICK HERE.

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Proposed city of St. George organizer Chris Rials

Proposed city of St. George organizer Andrew Murrell

Two organizers for the movement to form a new city in Southeast Baton Rouge, St. George, Andrew Murrell and Chris Rials, spoke to the Baton Rouge Press Club on Monday, June 11, 2018.  Let’s break down what all they had to say and their responses to media and press members’ questions:

Murrell states that, “Baton Rouge has never wanted us,” openly slams the Baton Rouge Area Chamber’s number-crunching skills, and pleads with the mainstream media to “fact check the chamber’s numbers.” Here’s the Baton Rouge Business Report article wherein the material on the J. P. Morgan article was outlined.

Murrell responds to a question by Sound Off Louisiana’s Robert Burns about the integrity of the petition-signing process vs. what it was in a previous effort several years ago. In his response, Murrell expresses concern that EBRP Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome may tie the incorporation effort up in court.

Rials presents what he referencs as “the most efficient city we researched, Sandy Springs, Georgia.” Murrell was subsequently hit with a barrage of questions entailing whether the proposed City of St. George can replicate that success and not be challenged by growth of the proposed city, with one question going so far as to question whether a breakoff of the breakoff may transpire in the future.

Rials cites the inefficiency and bloat of the EBRP Library system as one reason for his group’s efforts.

Rials and Murrell address the genesis of the movement (i.e. separate school system) and Murrell addresses repetitive questions by The Advocate’s Rebekah Allen entailing making a “promise” that future St. George residents won’t see an increase in their taxes to fund education within any newly-formed city.

Murrell responds to a question entailing how many signatures have been gathered, how many are required, and how the organizers are funding the initiative. Here’s a link for the St. George Louisiana website he references.

Murrell responds to a reporter’s question about “crime being more of a North Baton Rouge problem,” after which he was forced into a mini-debate with The Advocate’s Andrea Gallo (who authored this article on the presentation) about the degree of legacy costs (e.g. pensions, etc.) for which any new St. George city would be held responsible.

Murrell responds to a question from former candidate for Attorney General (2015) Ike Jackson entailing whether a St. George city may be hit with requests for corporate exemptions (which Jackson characterized as “giveaways”) upon the formation of a new school district for any City of St. George.

Murrell responds to a question about “comparable cities of 100,000 or so in Louisiana” and a characterization that the St. George proposed budget “smells.”

Murrell responds to a question that he essentially deemed nonsensical by BRPC Member Remi DeLouche.  Perhaps our subscribers can better understand what Remi may have been trying to ask!!

CLICK HERE for Murrell and Rials’ 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.