Sound Off Louisiana

Rep. Rick Edmonds, R-Baton Rouge

Sound Off Louisiana viewers may recall a previous feature wherein the Louisiana State Law Institute (LSLI)’s Children’s Code Committee (CCC) objected to us videotaping their September 30, 2017 public meeting.  Isabel Wingerter, a key member of the CCC, was by far the most vocal opponent to videotaping as evidenced by the preceding link.

Perhaps Ms. Wingerter’s frustration was that the camera would readily capture her admitting that, despite having well over a year to discuss and prepare a report to the Louisiana Legislature, as required by HCR-79 of the 2016 session sponsored by Rep. Rick Edmonds, R-Baton Rouge, the CCC had done zilch! The report is due no later than 60 days prior to the 2018 regular legislative session, or around January 18, 2018.

As a result of the CCC’s procrastination, Wingerter further indicated that it would now be “impossible” for legislation to be drafted in time for the 2018 session.  Upon hearing that, as evidenced by the following video clip, Edmonds made it crystal clear that he will be proceeding with legislation in 2018 with or without the CCC’s assistance:

Wingerter indicates having adoption reform legislation in time for the 2018 session will be “impossible,” thus prompting Rep. Edmonds to indicate that he is moving forward in 2018 with or without LSLI’s assistance.

Soon after Edmonds’ revelation, which certainly appeared to catch the entire CCC off guard, several discussions ensued about the nature of the problem (prior to Edmonds’ bombshell revelation, any discussion was planned for December).  Catholic Charities’ Paula Davis illustrated the problem that faith-based charities are encountering given the lucrative adoption incentives being offered to birth mothers.  She also indicated that many of these payments should be covered by Medicaid, a point emphasized by Craig Mills, an alleged adoption scam victim, who has been previously profiled on Sound Off Louisiana.  She also expressed alarm at the fact that payments are being made directly to birthmothers by adoptive couples.  The following video highlights her concerns:

Davis outlines competitive problems Catholic charities face from lucrative adoption incentive payments and emphasizes what a problem direct payments from adoptive couples to birthmothers presents.  The alleged scam Davis references, including the texting, may be viewed here.

The topic of direct payments got much more expansive, especially on the part of East Baton Rouge Parish Juvenile Court Judge Pamela Johnson, who indicated what a judge sees and files as payments often differs substantially from what was actually paid. The following video highlights that discussion:

Spirited discussion of the problems of direct payments from adoptive couples to birthmothers.  According to Mills, Louisiana’s loose regulatory framework entailing those payments have led to the state being labeled “ground zero” for adoption scams and have purportedly encouraged birthmothers to be recruited to Louisiana and to relocate from states like New York and California in order to exploit Louisiana’s loose regulations.  In addition to the Mills alleged scam referenced previously, this Central couple was recently extensively profiled as the alleged victim of an adoption scam.

Amazingly, at the September 18, 2018 meeting of the Baton Rouge Press Club, DCFS Executive Director Marketa Garner Walters, indicated to Sound Off Louisiana founder Robert Burns that she has “no knowledge” of adoption scams transpiring in Louisiana.  The following brief video illustrates her making that point:

Walters indicates no knowledge of Louisiana adoption scams.

Sound Off Louisiana does wish to acknowledge that Ms. Walters honored her commitment expressed in the video above to speak at length with Mills over the phone.  Her staff has further promised to review not only material that he originally submitted (for which he lambasted the agency’s inaction) but also to review additional material that he indicated he’ll be presenting to the agency.

Finally, a key player for any adoption reform initiative for the 2018 Legislative Session will be Rob Tazman, Executive Director of the Louisiana Conference of Catholic Bishops.  Tazman largely kept a low profile during much of the meeting (as did Edmonds), but here is a brief video of him introducing himself:

Tazman introduces himself to the CCC.

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Disgraced former LSPC Chairman T. J. Doss and Vice Chairman Monica Manzella check into Watermark Hotel mere hours after the August 10, 2017 meeting of the LSPC meeting (photo courtesy of  Louisiana Voice).

Today’s Sound Off Louisiana feature entails disgraced former Louisiana State Police Commission (LSPC) Chairman T. J. Doss having stiffed taxpayers for $5,700 for a one-night hotel stay (not including the cost of the hotel itself) with equally-disgraced former LSPC Vice Chairman Monica Manzella mere hours after the August 10, 2017 LSPC meeting.  That expense resulted from a special election having to be called to replace Doss as the LSP employee representative on the LSPC.

In the following video, the rendezvous is first featured, followed by LSPC Executive Director Jason Hannaman providing the results of the primary election and the runoff date and total cost of the special election made necessary by Doss’ and Manzella’s disgraceful actions:

Doss / Manzella rendezvous followed by Hannaman’s report of the status of the election to replace Doss.

Let’s hope the LSP Troopers elect a more responsible representative to the LSPC this go round, even if that may mean defying the wishes of the Louisiana State Trooper’s Association (LSTA), which appears to be under investigation by the LSPC (and purportedly by the FBI as well) for illegal campaign contributions funneled through its Executive Director, David Young.

Links for Fox8’s Lee Zurik investigative series on LSP payroll fraud:  Installment:

one, two, three,  four, and  five.

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. 

Newly-elected LSPC Chairman Eulis Simien, Jr.

At its regular meeting of Thursday, November 9, 2017, the Louisiana State Police Commission (LSPC) elected a new Chairman to replace disgraced former Chairman T. J. Doss, who resigned soon after Sound Off Louisiana’s Robert Burns videotaped him exiting a movie theater and checking into the Watermark hotel with LSPC Vice Chairman Monica Manzella (who also resigned in disgrace) within hours of the prior LSPC meeting of August 10, 2017.  In fact, it was their outlandish conduct that triggered their resignations that, in turn, caused the LSPC not to be able to convene a quorum for its September 8, 2017 and October 13, 2017 meetings.

That new Chairman is Eulis Simien, Jr..  Simien wasted no time implementing the apparent audience-unfriendly tone we can only assume will be the norm going forward.  He did so when Burns merely asked for a repeat by LSPC attorney Lenore Feeney of the “new” reason by which she justified the LSPC going into Executive Session.  The only thing that is known is that the agenda item dealt with “the matter of Investigation of LSTA (Louisiana State Trooper Association) Political Contributions.”  Feeney stated prior to the exit for executive session that the justification for doing so was “pending litigation.”  However, Burns challenged that reason and stated that he believed that convening an executive session for “pending litigation” when there is no “pending litigation” would likely be an “inappropriate” action by the LSPC.  Feeney nevertheless stated her resolve that the internal docket number on the agenda “would be interpreted to be ‘pending litigation’ before the LSPC.”

According to several audience members, prior to regular session reconvening, Feeney indicated that the reason for executive session was being “changed” to “investigative proceedings regarding allegations of misconduct.”  Because that disclosure was made rather matter-of-factly and informally before regular session could be formally reconvened, Burns asked newly-elected Chairman Simien if Feeney could restate the reason in order that it could be captured on film.  Simien flatly denied Burns’ simple request; furthermore, he did so in a rather terse and bordering on belligerent manner.

Additionally, Simien was far from letting his high-horse display of crassness end with his terse commentary to Burns.  He subsequently decided to place long-time LSPC critic, veteran, and retired LSP Trooper Leon “Bucky” Millet in his place about him being a stern watchdog over LSPC operations.  Though Simien’s commentary was ostensibly directed at all audience members, his eyes were laser-focused on Millet, and Millet even inquired what the parameters would be going forward in terms of agenda requests he may have.

First, let’s observe Millet’s public comment (he never minces his words), which may have likely gotten under Simien’s skin:

Retired LSP Trooper (and VETERAN) Leon “Bucky” Millet makes public comment at the November 9, 2017 LSPC meeting.

Simien addresses the public entailing “decorum” while his eyes stay laser-focused on Millet like a quarterback staring down his receiver!

The LSPC has itself had many outlandish exchanges between LSPC members.  Millet, who was kicked out of the LSTA for his role in calling for an investigation of the LSTA political contributions now ostensibly under investigation by the LSPC, has asked for numerous items to be placed on the LSPC agenda.  In fact, the May 11, 2017 LSPC agenda was comprised almost exclusively of items Millet requested to be discussed by the LSPC.  Obviously, the LSPC would not currently (and belatedly) even be ostensibly investigating the current LSTA contributions were it not for Millet.

Perhaps considerable frustration was aired toward Millet during executive session, and Simien may have been given his marching orders (most likely by controversial member Jared Caruso-Riecke) to fire a shot across the bow to Millet that he is not going to dictate the LSPC’s agenda going forward and that he should not expect the LSPC to investigate everything under the sun that he may desire or assert wrongdoing transpired.

Millet is the only person who ever makes public comment at LSPC meetings and, given that we’ve never observed “poor decorum” on his part entailing his public comment, we can only assume he’s being told not to expect to dominate the LSPC’s agenda content as he has occasionally done in the past.  That’s especially true given Simien’s statement that “we have a job to do, and we will maintain decorum.”

At any rate, given the fact Gov. Edwards doesn’t remotely have the guts to remove Caruso-Riecke from the LSPC and given the latter’s ultimate displays of decorum deficiencies at meetings such as the one linked above, calling Millet out on the carpet in using a less-than-subtle inference that Millet has failed to “maintain decorum” is nothing short of an absolute insult!

Links for Fox8’s Lee Zurik investigative series on LSP payroll fraud:  Installment:

one, two, three,  four, five,  and six.

For a 10-segment breakdown of the November 9, 2017 LSPC meeting, 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.