Sound Off Louisiana

Attorney Lee C. Durio, appearing to make himself at home at the Chamber meeting facility of the St. Martin Parish Government (SMPG), and against whom Billy Broussard filed a formal complaint with the Louisiana Office of Disciplinary Counsel alleging three (3) unethical acts which Broussard asserts Durio committed during his pursuit of him on behalf of his client, SMPG.

On Thursday, November 10, 2022, Billy Broussard continued his legal fight with St. Martin Parish Government (SMPG).  This time Broussard filed a formal complaint with the Louisiana Office of Disciplinary Counsel against St. Martin Parish Attorney Lee Durio.  In the following video, Sound Off Louisiana founder Robert Burns accompanies Broussard to explain the three (3) core elements of Broussard’s complaint:

11/10/22:  Burns accompanies Broussard mere moments after he filed an ODC formal complaint against SMPG Attorney Lee Durio.

Before we look at the core contents of Broussard’s complaint, we need to stress one thing.  Normally, proof of “irreparable harm” is a requirement for obtaining the type of injunctive relief Durio sought in the form of a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO).  However, Durio asserted that, because Broussard was “breaking the law,” he indicated that the requirement was “being dispensed with.”  That background will provide the full context of Broussard’s first accusation of unethical conduct on the part of Durio.

Now, let’s take a moment to review the three (3) ethics violations Broussard asserts in his complaint:

Mr. Durio filed a Temporary Restraining Order against me on August 19, 2021 which I have enclosed as part of this complaint. Then, when he realized that he was going to go down in flames at a court hearing set for Tuesday, September 14, 2021, made the proposal to Parish President Chester Cedars, who is the representative for his client, the St. Martin Parish Government, that the hearing be continued, that the TRO be permitted to dissolve on its own, and that I simply resume “violating the law.” I contend that, as an officer of the court, it is a clear and unequivocal ethics violation for Mr. Durio to, on the one hand, claim I am “violating the law,” then turn right around and tell me, “We decided it’s okay for you to violate the law, so resume doing it!” I enclose the written agreement that Mr. Durio proposed to memorialize for the ODC him having done so.

As if that was not bad enough, his own client, St. Martin Parish Government, contacted me in mid-February of 2022 and asked if it was okay with me for THEM to haul in debris onto my property, which was the very activity for which Mr. Durio filed the TRO (which had been dissolved by operation of law some 160+ days prior). Rather than doing the ethical act, which would have been to advise his client that it could not engage in the same “illegal act” for which it was pursuing me, Mr. Durio instead posed no opposition whatsoever to his client hauling in the debris. I have extensive cameras installed on the 33-acre property, and I provide as evidence to the ODC color time-stamped, date-stamped photos of his client hauling in such debris. I contend that is the absolute epitome of unethical conduct to be pursing someone on behalf of a lient for alleged “illegal acts” and turn right around and permit his own client to engage in that same “illegal act” on the defendant’s (me) property!

Finally, I contend that Mr. Durio has acted unethically when my resumed activities caused neighbor complaints, and rather than telling those complainants that, “We have given him permission to engage in these acts,” he instead encouraged the filing of complaints with the St. Martin Parish Sheriff’s Office, and I enclose just one of those many complaints.

Broussard is also concerned about the extensive past and present law-enforcement officers who are working together entailing Broussard.  Specifically, Durio is a former police officer, as is SMPG Chief Administrator Calder “Pop” Hebert, as is Louisiana State Police Trooper Scott Lopez, all of whom Broussard has alleged have worked hand in hand, along with SMPG Deputy Baily Romero, at engaging in acts which he asserts are targeted at him to “build a case where none exists.”

Broussard even submitted the following 18-second video clip of Romero attempting to make a call right after a callout to Broussard’s property and, when there is no answer, the phone clearly shows the “Law Office of Lee C. Durio” on prominent display.  Here’s that 18-second video:

March 4, 2022 call by SMPG Deputy Baily Romero which, upon no answer being obtained, the phone clearly shows “Law Office of Lee C. Durio” on prominent display.

Here’s a still photo of what Broussard references:

March 4, 2022 screenshot of Baily Romero’s phone showing him potentially calling the “Law Office of Lee Durio” immediately after he’d completed investigating a complaint filed by the owner of property next to Broussard’s 33-acre farm, Blake Dubroc.

As we indicated in the video, we’ll update our subscribersip and casual site visitors with the ultimate outcome of Broussard’s formal complaint against Durio once it has been fully investigated and any decision made by the Louisiana Office of Disciplinary Counsel.

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.

Jeff Crouere, who was the guest speaker at the Republican Party of East Baton Rouge’s Ronald Reagan Newsmaker Luncheon on Monday, November 7, 2022.

New Orleans-based conservative radio and television host Jeff Crouere was the guest speaker at the Republican Party of East Baton Rouge’s November Ronald Reagan Luncheon held on Monday, November 7, 2022.  Let’s take a look at highlights of his presentation:

Crouere stresses that, if U. S. Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-Baton Rouge) runs for Louisiana Governor in 2023, he will, “work day and night to defeat him.”

Crouere states his “worry” that the Louisiana Republican Party’s early endorsement of Jeff Landry for 2023 Governor may “backfire.”

Mere hours after Crouere expressed his concerns about a Landry-endorsement backfire, WAFB produced a news feature about the dischord the LA GOP has already generated.

Crouere responds to questions by Sound Off Louisiana‘s Burns about the prospects for State Rep. Richard Nelson (R-Mandeville) or State Sen. Sharon Hewitt (R-Slidell) entering the race for Governor of Louisiana next year and also whether he sees Jeff Landry as being vulnerable to negative attack ads once Landry has to face an opponent in the runoff for Governor.

Crouere joins many others in expressing his belief that Donald Trump will declare his candadicy for President of the United States on November 14, 2022.

Crouere states his case for why the Trump impeachments were unfounded and also states why he believes that, if the GOP takes over Congress, immediate impeachment proceedings should transpire against President Joe Biden and states his frustration that U. S. Congressman Graves did not agree with him, with Graves stating, “I haven’t seen anything impeachable that Joe Biden has done.”

CLICK HERE to see Crouere’s presentation in its entirety, and CLICK HERE for the Ronald Reagan Newsmaker Luncheon of Monday, November 7, 2022 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.

Retired Louisiana State Police Lt. Leon “Bucky” Millet was the special guest of Sound Off Louisiana to provide his take on the testimony of retired LSP Capt. Jesse Scott Perry at the trial of LSTA v. LSPC of Thursday, November 3, 2022.  In early 2016, both Millet and Perry filed complaints with the LSPC over political campaign contributions which the LSTA made in the 2015 election cycle.

As we have indicated in numerous prior features, the Louisiana State Trooper’s Association (LSTA) sued the Louisiana State Police Commission (LSPC) over what it asserts is its “constitutional right” to engage in political activity and contribute to political campaigns and make political endorsements.

In early 2016, two retired LSP troopers, Lt. Leon “Bucky” Millet and Captain Jesse Scott Perry, filed complaints about the LSTA’s contributions in the 2015 election cycle.  Perry, who is now a Program Director at the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry and who, in 2019, pulled in a cool $75,000 in salary, which is reportedly 82% higher than the median salary at the agency, filed this January 15, 2016 complaint with the LSPC.

The trial took place on Thursday, November 3, 2022, and Perry was called as a witness by LSPC; however, any casual courtroom observer who walked in could not help but openly ponder if Perry was not a de facto witness for the LSTA.  Furthermore, we can only openly wonder if his completely LSTA-sympathetic testimony, which included him admitting from the witness stand that he has been actively attempting to rejoin the LSTA, didn’t cause LSPC Attorney Lenore Feeney, who most certainly brought her “A Game” for this trial, to be taken aback.

Perry, Millet and two other retired LSTA members saw their memberships revoked for either filing complaints (in the case of Millet and Perry) or being supportive of the two complaints filed against the LSTA.  Perry not only admitted on the witness stand that he has been actively pursuing being reinstated to the LSTA, but as he exited the courtroom, he could be heard stating very loudly (Perry indicated to Judge Don Johnson and all attorneys that he is, “severely hearing impaired,” and it’s been our experience that those who are hearing impaired tend to elevate their voices) to LSTA attorneys Mary White and Floyd Falcon, “Good luck to you guys!”  As he made his way to the exit of the courtroom, two LSTA officials stood up and shook his hand in what certainly appeared to us to be in appreciation for his highly-LSTA-sympathetic testimony.

In the following video, Sound Off Louisiana founder Robert Burns provides an overview of the trial including, very early on in the video, a very special guest appearance (via phone) of the other complainant, Ret. LSP Lt. Leon “Bucky” Millet.  We believe everyone will find this video intriguing, so feel free to take a look:

 11/6/22:  Burns provides overview of the trial and is joined early on by special guest Retired LSP Lt. Leon “Bucky” Millet who provided his thoughts on the testimony of retired Captain Jesse Scott Perry.

Now, regarding LSTA attorney Mary White cross examining the final LSPC witness on the stand, Eulis Simien, as stated in the video, White posed this question of Simien:  “Has your law firm ever made political contributions during your tenure as an LSPC Member?”

As we indicated in the video, Simien was very emphatic in his response:  “My law firm most certainly has not made any political contributions since I became an LSPC member.”

We can only state that Simien’s testimony does not appear to correlate with the facts, to wit:

1.  On January 10, 2019, Millet called for the heads of three (3) LSPC members over alleged prohibited political campaign contributions.  He supplied as support documentation Campaign Finance Reports submitted by Gov. John Bel Edwards and Erica Green (candidate for EBRP Metro Council District 5), which clearly show a “fundraiser food and beverage” contribution of $4,917.78 on March 10, 2017 to Gov. Edwards’ campaign and a $250 contribution to Erika Green’s campaign on February 9, 2017.  Both contributions are purported to be made from “Simien and Simien,” which, to us, sure sounds like a law firm.

2.  One of the LSPC Commissioners, Jared Riecke, vigorously denied any wrongdoing and called on all media outlets to publish his side of the story.  While The Advocate never did publish Riecke’s side of the story, on January 22, 2019, we published every single page of every document Riecke submitted to the LSPC challenging Millet’s assertions.

3.  In addition to # 2 above, we also, on February 14, 2019, published this feature in which Riecke dressed Millet down for “grandstanding and calling for my immediate resignation.”

Regarding Simien’s matter, the only thing we were ever told was that the contributions had been made by Simien’s brother and not him.  That fact notwithstanding, it would appear to us that Simien was, “less than candid” in his response to White’s question given that she clearly articulated, “your law firm” in her question.

We will certainly update our subscribers and casual site visitors as decisions (we use plural because we believe whatever decision Judge Johnson makes is going to be appealed by the losing side) are handed down regarding this litigation.

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.