Tom Aswell, a native of Ruston, has lived in the Baton Rouge area for 30 years and for 10 of those years, ran Capitol News Service, covering state government for about 40 weekly and small daily newspapers throughout the state. Aswell also is the author if a comprehensive history of Louisiana rock and roll entitled Louisiana Rocks! The True Genesis of Rock and Roll. The book is available at all major book stores and on amazon.com.
Capitol News Service was recently revised and presently provides localized coverage of state government for about three dozen newspapers. But because much of what is observed in the State Capitol does not lend itself to client newspapers because there is generally no local hook, this web blog was created to provide the citizens of Louisiana an inside look at how your legislators and other elected officials carry on the state’s business and how your tax dollars are spent.
Much of what you find here won’t be found in your traditional newspapers or on the wire services. Many politicians will not like what they see here but we feel that you, the people without a voice, have a right to know the real stories and issues in state government. If it makes politicians uncomfortable, it gives us comfort. We are neither Republican nor Democrat. We are not Tea Partyers, nor do we defend wasteful spending. We do not parrot the Rush Limbaughs, Glenn Becks, or Sean Hannitys of the world, and we do not subscribe to the spin doctors on the opposite end of the political spectrum; we prefer to think for ourselves. At the same time, we invite your suggestions for stories and your inquiries into any issue. We also encourage your comments on the content of our Louisiana Voice blog. This way, we hope to give Louisiana citizens a voice in governmental affairs.
Hi Tom,
I love what you’re doing.
Might I suggest that you expand your blog’s reach, such as setting up a page on FB.
I live in California but I’ve been following the situation with LA state agencies through a friend who works there. It makes me ill. I know many would “like” and share the page.
Appreciate you fighting back against this craven cronyism.
j
Yay! I also live in California and am trying to break the chain of corruption in Louisiana. It’s shameful this corruption has gone on for so long and I hope the offenders get a trip to Angola to think about their crimes for a while. In my experience, ranks are closed around any horrible offenders and people will not help stop these evil critters. I imagine child rapists get it pretty bad in Angola.
Mr. Aswell, and readers, please join us on Saturday, May 14th at 9 AM at the Gov. mansion. We will march to the Capital in opposion to the cuts, increases, privitzations, and all that Jindal is attampting to do that will hurt Louisiana and her people.
We are a group of state workers, citizens, union members, students, teachers and whomever would like to join with us.
You are welcome to check out our Facebook page “Fight Back Louisiana” and recently set up web page http://www.louisianatakingaction.yolasite.com..open for viewing but information still being added.
Please join us and lets fight together to stop these destructive actions that gov. Jindal proposing!
The Secretary of State’s Office continues to hire unclassified employees. While 30-75 rank and file (the ones who do the work) will be laid off. At a recent agency wide meeting held by the Human Resources Department, everyone was told that the unclassifieds are not affected.
Butch,
Thank you for caring enough to pursue the untoward events surrounding OGB and TRSL.
Your former Cypress Springs neighbor.
Interesting article on prisons by the NY Times linked below. Thanks for your work to educate and protect the citizens of LA.
Fwd: nytimes: Private Prisons Found to Offer Little in Savings http://nyti.ms/k9BlV9
I live in California but I’ve been following the situation with LA state agencies through a friend who works there. It makes me ill. I know many would “like” and share the page.
+1
Tom,
Why don’t you seek advertising for your blog? You could have a contact point indicating how to contact you for those who want to advertise a service.
If you don’t have a counter to indicate the number of contacts from readers it might be good to install one so potential advertisers would know the number of hits you’re getting.
Just a suggestion. Good luck. Make some money.
Bill
Thanks for your great news reporting. We get the front story and the back story. Kudos. Wish your clones were at all papers in Louisiana, perhaps some educating voting would take place.
Thank you and keep up the good work.
What happened to this page? Hmmm….
https://web.archive.org/web/20171102051220/https://louisianavoice.com/2017/11/01/was-that-1-5-billion-fertilizer-plant-that-never-happened-an-elaborate-money-laundering-scheme-linked-to-pres-trump/
Please come up with a strategy to reach more folks as we approach this important legislative session. Also, please remind state workers they DO have a voice, so many are afraid. But it is critical they speak up as their lives and careers are at stake.
Thank you for ensuring the rights for all state citizens to be heard!
I enjoy your articles. I am one of the 69 DHH Information Technology staff that is affected by the UNO Contract.
Basically, we have been mis-informed on future employment by DHH Executives on 3 Occassions. At each meeting, we felt as though we were being threatened with furlough without pay, having to pay 100 percent of Cobra to maintain our insurance, to being threatened by the biggest monetary right of not receiving our 300 hours of saved annual leave. You are right. How can the Jindal train be stopped? By recall.
Your blog was recommended to me by a fellow teacher. I have family and friends working for the Office of Group Benefits. I appreciate what you’re doing and I will continue to spread the word!
If a state employee signs the recall petition (of course on his own time and equipment ) can there still be legal retribution against him/her? Where in the Constitution does it state that public servants are indentured? By the way, it is extremely offensive to me that a first generation immigrant would speak so disparagingly of our government, both state and federal when my forebears died establishing and protecting that government.
Check the LouisianaVoice archives to see state employees’ rights. A state employee may not start a recall petition, but he/she is free to sign a recall petition without fear of reprisals.
A state employee is free to sign the petition, but that doesn’t mean the Maharaja doesn’t have his little henchmen and women checking names and address against their list of state employees. They could fire you for something you did or didn’t do back in 2005, while Katrina was raging.
This is the only blog or news source that I have found that is turning a spotlight on the corrupting influence of the American Legislative Exchange Council in Louisiana’s politics. ALEC, and especially its largest contributors like UnitedHealthCare, have bought key people in the state legislature and in the capitol with inundations of money, gifts, appointments and privileges. Our state is being sliced up and sold to insurance companies and corporate interests.
Mr. Aswell, please continue your work. I will be following your blog closely and repeating the truth you uncover.
I heard you on Engster show. As a former reporter, I admire your work. King Jindal is a throwback to days of political boss-bullies. Like you, I hope he does get a national job and leaves the state forever. Amazing how a man with such an education can be so shortsighted and be disrepectful of professional educators. Bad teachers are not the problem with Louisiana’s educational troubles.
Great work! Wonder how much money Charter School Operators and Foundations pushing charters, such as the Gates, Broad, Ford, Walton, and Dell Foundations have given Bobby since 2007.
Wow. Just spent 2 hours educating myself from your posts. I sure couldn’t figure out what was going on from reading the TP! Thank you. I retired from OPSB last March. As we are “charivaring” Walt Leger tomorrow, do you know where I can find info on what ALEC bills he has voted for? I’d like to be accurate on my posters and chants.
I would like to see a list of names (full) of each of our state legislator’s that states whether they vote for or against laws related to for-profit prison systems.
I just book marked your blog louisianavoice.com on Digg and Stumble Upon. I enjoy reading your commentaries.
Tom, first of all, just stumbled onto this site and it’s great. Secondly, loved “Louisiana Rocks”. IN fact, loaned out a copy to a friend, never came back. Bought another copy, loaned it out, never came back. My brother will now not give me my third copy back! Anyway, Wny not put a link to this site on Facebook? You the man!
tom if you want to link the interview you did on baton rouge labor radio with mike day go to http://youtube.com/batonrougelaborradio
the interview is in 2 parts
If properly credited, can excerpts from your posts be shared on Facebook?
Of course.
*whew*
Do you have mail list? If so I would love to be added to your daily mail outs. Thanks.
You are added.
Thanks,
Tom Aswell
LouisianaVoice is a one of the more impressive blogs I’ve seen. Thanks so much for keeping the internet classy for a change. Youve got style, class, bravado. I mean it. Please keep it up because without the internet is definitely lacking in intelligence. Best regards
Wow. You could not set out to write a fiction book and come up with stuff this wacky. Unbelievable that people in this state have their heads in the sand when it comes to Jindal.
Tom what will come of this ?
Set Weather
Louisiana Health committee clears resolution assessing public-private hospital partnerships
By Sheila V Kumar, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune
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on May 29, 2013 at 2:28 PM, updated May 29, 2013 at 3:11 PM
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A resolution requiring various state agencies to assess the state’s move toward privatizing its public hospitals was approved by the House Committee on Health and Welfare Wednesday.
House Concurrent Resolution 139 by Rep. Regina Barrow directs the Division of Administration, the state Department of Health and Hospitals and Louisiana State University to provide a “detailed account” of the net costs or savings associated with the state’s move to have private operators run public hospitals.
The resolution would also require a comparison of on the number of employees before and after the privatization agreement and comparisons of the wages, benefits and retirement contributions they’ll be receiving.
“Overall it’s just giving us a report on how effective this has been and if this really has been in the best interest of the people we represent,” Barrow said.
The resolution would also require “measures of accessibility of health care services” at the hospital prior to and after the privatization as well as an evaluation of overall health outcomes and quality care for patients.
Gov. Bobby Jindal’s administration announced in December they would be shifting operations of LSU’s public hospitals over to nonprofit corporations that run private hospitals. The agreements were done as part of an effort to cut costs by turning over operations of the health care services for the poor to private entities.
Jindal’s $24.7 billion budget for the coming fiscal year aims to plug a $1.3 billion hole with a variety of savings. A large portion of those savings would come from the public-private partnerships.
Barrow brought the resolution after she voluntarily tabled House Concurrent Resolution 51 two weeks ago. That measure would have immediately ceased the public-private partnerships that have been put in place to save the state’s public hospitals until alternate solutions were found.
Earl K. Long Medical Center, an LSU-run hospital serving the poor and needy in Barrow’s district, was shuttered in April. She said inpatient hospital care and medical education at Earl K. Long were shifted to Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center and Woman’s Hospital.
Barrow said in testimony that since the hospital closed, women going to Our Lady of the Lake haven’t been able to receive birth control because of the hospital’s religious affiliation, while other constituents had been unable to pay fees at local clinics.
Her new resolution addresses this by requiring state agencies to find ways to provide access to health services for women if they’re unable to receive contraception, obstetrics or gynecological services from the private provider.
The resolution passed unopposed and now heads to the House floor for consideration.
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dlubrano
So what happens when the true amount if money this deal is going to cost the State instead of save money?
What will happen when the true numbers of jobs lost and pay decreases are exposed .
Will these reports be completed before the take overs go into affect?
Why was this not provided in the first place?
This could be one of the many reasons Jindal wont grant interviews to any local news papers or TV stations. He won’t be able to answer there questions with out luring or getting caught in a truck bag!!
To little to late!!
22 Hours Ago · Reply
I recently saw an article about the Fast Path Scam, involving former Secretary of Education Rod Paige. This man wreaks havoc everywhere in education. He did the same thing in Houston but with the Health Care program when he was superintendent. He tried to shift some employee to a favored vendor. And because he got away with it there, he’s thinking he is above the law there as well. He was sued by the employee he terminated for refusing to commit the unlawful act transferring people without their permission. The taxpayers had to pay for the suit and the settlement. Though Texas is a right to work state, the law does not permit one to terminate for an unlawful reason.
Tom,
Love your stuff. I think you would be very interested in the topic of two BR schools that John White and BESE are trying to take over. Mayfair Lab and Delmont Pre-K. These two previously F-rated schools. EBR superintendent Bernard Taylor decided to try something new with both and are highly successful. Mayfair is modeled after LSU lab and has a high degree of parental involvement. Taylor requested new site codes for both schools and was denied within an hours. BESE is going to use last years test scores to say that the school is still a failing school. This identifies with your “Politics at its worst” slogan. Over 150 parents showed up to a meeting at the EBR school board last week to express their disdain with BESE for even considering taking the schools. The first comment out of Chas Roemer’s mouth was, “I have an engagement at seven but I promise to meet again.” This was at 6:15 with the meeting scheduled to last until 7:30. He did not expect that many parents to show up and was obviously upset that these parents will not have their schools taken from them without a fight. BESE and John White need to understand that parents are key and not statistics. Your attention to this topic would raise some awareness and inform much of the state and nation of what is really going on. Thanks for all you do.
Thank-you for your opinion piece on the lawsuit(s) and their relevance to our coastal wetlands. I would like to ask you to reconsider one aspect of your opinion. Your article, like virtually every article that has been written about these lawsuits, starts with the unstated assumption that money awarded to the plantiffs could be employed in some manner that would “restore the coast”, and more specifically provide enhanced protection from storm surge flooding to residents through that restoration. I was suprised to find after a very detailed investigation of the facts that there is absolutely no validity to this assumption.
The basic premise of coastal restoration was formulated in the 1970s and 80s after it became clear that the surface area of coastal wetlands was in a constant rate of decline. It was logically concluded at that time that the way to reverse this trend was to “reconnect the River to the marsh” to allow freshwater and sediment to replenish and rebuild the deteriorating wetlands. It was not until the early 1990s that these concepts began to be employed on a significant level as the Breaux Act secured the first significant federal funding to be directed at the situation. The orginal premise of coastal restoration remained unchanged and major projects such as the Caenarvon, Davis Pond, Bayou Dupont and the West Bay Sediment Diversion were constructed in the succeding years.
Science has continued to advance since the 1970s, and we have learned much that has affected how we should think about coastal restoration, but the original concepts have been ingrained into the public consciousness, and they are very difficult to effect with new information. The most obvious revision to our scientific thinking about the coast in the past four decades has been the recognition and acceptance that global sea level has been rising at a steady rate for at least 100 years, and there is good reason to think that the rate of rise may increase. The second realization, that came out of work by Harry Roberts and Micheal Blum at LSU, is that the sediment load of the Mississippi has been significantly reduced over the past 100 years. Upstream dams are impounding a significant proportion of the sediments that the River used to carry to its delta, and which it was historically used to construct its delta wetlands. Thirdly, scientists including Roy Dokka from LSU and Tor Tornqvist from Tulane have accurately measured rates of subsidence across the coastal wetlands and found them to be among the highest on the continent.
These scientific realizations present a very grim picture for the viability of restoring the coast to any previous state of existence. By extension, our ability to provide any meaningful measure of flood protection by the construction of restoration projects is equally improbable. We now know that the wetlands of south Louisiana were built up during a period when sea level was very stable across the globe. The River was unrestricted by levees, locks or dams, and its full sediment load was delivered to the delta. The combined dynamics of sea level rise, subsidence and diminished sediment load have left us with a situation that many scientists (including Roberts and Blum) accept as being impossible to offset the rate of submergence of the wetlands—even if the River could be completely redirected toward that purpose.
The reality of this situation is borne out in the results of the coastal restoration projects that have been in operation since the Breaux Act. Gene Turner at LSU has stated that none of the three diversion projects that he studied (including the Caenarvon) has created any new marsh. The Corps has likewise concluded in its own documentation that Davis Pond has failed to create any new marsh. The Bayou Dupont Marsh Creation Project did create half a square mile of new emergent land by dredging it from the River and infilling an adjacent low lying area. Nearly everyone accepts that this method, while locally effective, is completely out of the question for any meaningful widespread application because it is just not cost efficient. The West Bay Sediment Diversion was the last best hope of the restoration movement, but it suffers directly from the lack of sediment availability. The Diversion is a cut in the banks of the River just above Head of Passes in the birdfoot delta. This should be among the preeminent places on earth in which a sediment diversion project would be expected to work. For two years after opening the project created no new land, but was found to be responsible for silting up the Pilottown Anchorage just downstream. The project was briefly ordered to be shut down, but was saved by an agreement to redirect $12 million of restoration funds to dredging the anchorage area. Still no significant new marsh has been created.
I believe that we do a disservice to the people of south Louisiana by continuing to propogate the very dated initital contentions that lead us to try the experiment that is coastal restoration. We now know better. Nearly half a billion dollars has been spent on restoration projects that have resulted in almost no restoration. Certainly there has been no enhancement of flood protection for anyone. New York has taken the lead on the more viable response to coastal submergence. Their intitial buyout program on Staten Island will unquestionably provide flood protection to those who chose to participate in it. I think that if the people of Louisiana belived that money recieved in a lawsuit settlement or a royalty distribution would be targeted directly to them in the form of buyouts (the average offer price in a blue collar neighborhood on Staten Island is $450,000) they would be much more supportive of the effort. As it stands right now, people see this as money being redirected from one large sector of the economy (energy) to another (contractors that will build the restoration projects). They may correctly assume, based on the history of restoration projects, that there is really nothing in it for them.
It would be very interesting to publicize the qualifications and resumes of the numerous hires by John White now infesting the Louisiana Dept of Education while many highly qualified DoE employees were laid off. This is very bad for Louisiana, of course, those resumes will remain hidden just like the scores of the RSD.
Hi Tom,
Go RHS !
Your comments are right on! Especially Re: Bill Higgs,
Joel T. & Patricia Wells, we will have to
talk about So Many Great RHSers !
Woody
Mr. Aswell-
This data manipulation stuff really needs to get out in the media- if you have any sources willing to talk on or off record to a reporter please put them in touch with me.
Willia
Gov. Jindal,
I do hope all of the cuts you have made on Health care and Family Services help you to sleep at night. It is a sin and a shame what you are doing to this economy.
Have you read this article? http://www.texasobserver.org/walter-stroup-standardized-testing-pearson/ It confirms what all real educators know about standardized testing.
DOA is at it again…state has instituted a travel/purchase requirement on all agencies – including state entities that receive no general funds. Some state entities like professional regulatory boards, are completely self-funded – they receive no money from the state, no help from DHH – nothing! Now, DOA commissioner has mandated all purchasing through a state program. I get that you should monitor costs but not when self funded entities don’t effect your costs/spending. What’s the kicker? The kicker-the state is gonna get rebates to the general fund. The same general fund these self-funded agencies don’t get a dime from…another way to work the system.
I wish to receive your blog at my new email address above. Keep up the terrific work!! Thank you!!!
Dear God, Please Just Say No to Governor Jindal
By Bill Quigley
Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal yesterday announced he is praying over his decision whether to run for president. Yesterday he also issued an executive order supporting discrimination against marriages by Louisiana gay and lesbian citizens, minutes after a similar bill was overwhelmingly rejected by the Louisiana legislature. His action was interpreted as an effort to generate funds from fundamentalist religious organizations for his presidential campaign. Yesterday Jindal supporters started running $10,000 worth of ads casting him as a protector of freedom of conscience in Iowa.
The people and businesses of Louisiana already know they are paying the price for Jindal’s ambition but while this may help Jindal appeal to right wing religionists in Iowa it is just plain wrong and will seriously hurt Louisiana. Tourism officials predict Louisiana will lose hundreds of millions of dollars of business and at least $65 million each year in tax revenues alone. Until now, tourism was Louisiana’s third largest industry. Jindal’s action effectively makes Louisiana ineligible for consideration for the Super Bowl, the NCAA basketball tournament, the NBA All Star games, and numerous professional and corporate conventions. Big corporations like IBM and Dow Chemical also came out against the action.
This is but the latest example of Jindal throwing Louisiana under the bus to advance his own personal agenda. He has been brutally criticized by fellow Republicans for playing games with Louisiana’s big budget problems which faces a $1.6 billion deficit. The flagship state university, LSU, has had to draft and publicly announce “academic bankruptcy” plans due to lack of adequate state financing. Jindal, who majored in biology at Brown, now supports teaching creationism to Louisiana public school students. Jindal still strongly supports the invasion of Iraq, even though more than 80 members of the military from Louisiana lost their lives there. Jindal also successfully fought to protect oil and gas companies from even having to go to court to defend themselves against their destruction of Louisiana wetlands.
Governing by executive order is a total reversal for Jindal who condemned President Obama just a few months ago for issuing executive order on immigration. On November 24, 2014 Jindal said “The President is lecturing us and not listening to us. He’s bypassing Congress, and ignoring the American people…Granting amnesty by executive order is wrong…If the President wants to make the case that the law should be changed, he should go make the case to Congress and our people. This is an arrogant, cynical political move by the President, and it’s why so many Americans no longer trust this President to solve the problems we face.”
By 2012, Jindal had already spent over $175,000 in Louisiana state funds for out of state political travel. Earlier this year, Jindal spent $73,000 of state funds for state troopers to accompany him on travel to Europe.
Dear God, if you are listening to Governor Jindal’s prayers asking if he should run for president, please just say no. Louisiana cannot afford his ambitions anymore.
Tom,
You might find this interesting.
The legislature is trying to get Jindal, who is constantly out of state to further his political ambitions, to pay for his traveling security out his own department’s budget instead of hobbling the State Police with his bills. In the fiscal year that hasn’t even ended yet, the State Police have already spent an extra $2.2 million on Jindal’s out of state security.
What makes this situation even worse is the fact that Jindal recently pulled troopers out of New Orleans against the pleas of Mayor Landrieu, then Jindal put the reason off on the State Police, quoting them as saying they didn’t have the resources to sustain this request.
When asked to comment on whether the governor would agree to funding his travel security from his own budget, Jindal’s office directed reporters to speak to the State Police. That seems unfair because they obviously cannot criticize their boss and because they cannot decide to switch the source funding to the DOA. However, the LSP did say that they just don’t have the resources to honor the Mayor’s request for more security.
Incidentally, according to the cited website below, the average pay for a Louisiana State Trooper is $44,000. If Jindal had taken last year’s security expenses from his own department instead of the State Police’s, they could have afforded to hire 50 more troopers and honored New Orlean’s request. I wonder what the Mayor would make of that.
According to the cited NOLA article, Jindal’s allies in the legislature will probably crush the effort to make him pay for how own traveling security. And I believe that WJBO reported this morning that these expenses were expected to increase dramatically, once Jindal declares his candidacy for president. What a sorry state of affairs.
http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2015/05/bobby_jindal_travel_paying.html
http://www.theneworleansadvocate.com/news/crime/11244606-125/state-police-to-leave-no
http://www.indeed.com/salary/q-State-Trooper-l-Louisiana.html
Regards,
A Concerned Citizen
for a grin
http://www.salon.com/2015/06/30/who_thought_that_an_askbobby_jindal_twitter_dialogue_would_be_a_good_idea/
Did you know that one of the troopers you have referred to in previous articles is running for sheriff of Beauregard Parish?
Yes, very much aware.
Are there anymore stories coming out in the near future on this individual as in new findings on the issue?
Only if I come up with additional information, which I have not at this time.
The retired Troop D trooper running for sheriff in Beauregard Parish is now attacking the current sheriff for mishandling tax payer money and intimidation of deputies (how ironic). He is claiming that all troopers involved in the internal affairs investigation that you wrote about have been cleared. I have noticed that he is supported heavily by all the troopers in question. Do you know if they have indeed been cleared of wrong doing?
One of the troopers who was a subject of the internal affairs investigation has resigned. We are told his resignation was just before he was to meet with I.A. investigators. We are also being told that more disciplinary action may be coming so I would venture that saying all have been cleared may be a bit premature.
We also are working on a story about the retired trooper running for sheriff. It should be posted early next week.
You have any update?
Tom the retired state trooper running for sheriff in Beauregard has posted letters on his behalf and another trooper dated 2013, that charges were unfounded. Is there still current charges being investigated on this trooper?
It’s a start my son got killed 2000 New Iberia la .yall need to go back and look they been killing our children .just another poor black women.
Tom, interesting article by Ken Booth regarding the 4th JDC and lawsuit filed by a sitting Judge. Not only is this court system under public scrutiny. According to the 2015 Legislative Audit Report conveniently filed after the election has revealed that the Ouachita Parish Clerk has not bothered to follow the law several times with The La Bond Commission. Also her office has operated in a deficit for her 4 years as clerk including 2015 an election year. Her office employee tunover rate is over 50 percent. This needs to be addressed for all the citizens of Ouachita Parish. Thank you for the time and your articles enjoyed the reading.
Mr. Tom Aswell, thank you for keeping the “burr” of truth, under the saddle of dishonest leadership in government. This ole cowboy tips his hat at you sir.
World Powerlifting Championship in BR this week, coed competitors from all over the world.
No local coverage.
Hello Mr. As well,
I appreciate your article in reference to the Iberia Parish D.A. Bo Duhe & ADA Janet Perrodin’s actions to bring me before a Grand Jury and ultimately getting a True Bill Indictment on Manslaughter and Aggravated Obstruction of a Public Highway charges. I’m totally INNOCENT Mr. As well and I KNOW GOD will FIGHT this MALICIOUS and UNWARRANTED Prosecution!!! The TRUTH will come out at trial. I WELCOME their WITCH-HUNT!!! You know Tom, they like to keep NIGGERS in their place in Iberia Parish, because most of the time that’s what they’re used to dealing with. With that being said, they’re dealing with an EDUCATED BLACK MAN, that has NEVER, nor will I EVER be SCARED to speak TRUTH to POWER, especially in instances when those in POWER abuse that power I WILL SHINE a NATIONAL SPOTLIGHT on the CORRUPTION in the Iberia Parish D.A.’s office!!! They picked the WRONG one to go to WAR with!!!
Respectfully,
Donald D. Broussard
E-mail:coachbru1906@yahoo.com
(337) 371-8534
Hello Mr. Aswell,
I appreciate your article in reference to the Iberia Parish D.A. Bo Duhe & ADA Janet Perrodin’s actions to bring me before a Grand Jury and ultimately getting a True Bill Indictment on Manslaughter and Aggravated Obstruction of a Public Highway charges. I’m totally INNOCENT Mr. Aswell, and I KNOW GOD will FIGHT this MALICIOUS and UNWARRANTED Prosecution for me. The TRUTH will come out at trial. I WELCOME their WITCH-HUNT!!! You know Tom, they like to keep NIGGERS in their place in Iberia Parish, because most of the time that’s who they’re used to dealing with. With that being said, this time they’re dealing with an EDUCATED BLACK MAN, who has NEVER, nor will I EVER be SCARED to speak TRUTH to POWER, especially in instances when those in POWER abuse that power. I WILL SHINE a NATIONAL SPOTLIGHT on the CORRUPTION in the Iberia Parish D.A.’s office!!! They picked the WRONG one to go to WAR with!!!
Respectfully,
Donald D. Broussard
E-mail:coachbru1906@yahoo.com
(337)-371-8534
Hi friends, of Kaplan, New Iberia, Baton Rouge, New Orleans, all places Iived in my 70 plus years, and this is such an innovative documented web page, just got into today, October 7, as I’m planning a trip back to sweet home Louisiana soon, as my youngest daughter, Molly, in Baton Rouge, just had a baby, and also to connect with LSU Law Pals from 70’s many of us now in other states.
Howard M. Romaine, THE TENNESSEE TRIBUNE, NASHVILLE, TN 37208
OFFICE 9-5 MON – FRIDAY, 615-321-3268, attyhmromaine@yahoo.com
My name is Paul Scott I am working with Step-N-Strut Trail ride. I would like to say here and now the relationship developed with Tunica Tribe and Paragon Casino is a valuable and honest one. We have no issue with the tribal council and that has not changed. It was through honest hard work and our working together that the event was able to happen. Any negative elements were passed unfortunate and over and done. We have worked with some of the most open and kind people from this community and plan to continue to do so in the future. This is a valued relationship that is worth keeping and growing. We are about positive movement and the growth of the Creole Equine community.
In evaluating Judge Doughty’s qualifications, you failed to mention that Judge Doughty was rated “well qualified” (the highest rating possible) for the federal judge position by the American Bar Association’s committee on the Judiciary. You also failed to mention Doughty’s extensive litigation experience as an attorney in both criminal and civil cases. (As set out in great detail in his Senate Judiciary Questionnaire.) You also failed to mention Doughty received an “Av” rating (also the highest rating possible) by Martindale-Hubble as an attorney. Your article is NOT very fair. Sounds like you have an agenda!
Jefferson Parish “so called Judicial System” & “Law Enforcement”, you know them…Operation Wrinkle Robe with 3 Judges taken down by FBI, along with their corrupt attorney lap dogs…now the “careerists, political prostituting, pandering to one sided need to raise funds for their non-profit feminists domestic groups, win for a stat no matter innocent or not Judges & DA/ADAs..hiring one of the ex- judges who avoided deserved Federal prison like the others & a certain Harahan attorney who also avoided deserved jail but sanctioned, colluding with wealthy JP business owner..along with their “on payroll corrupt JPSO Deputies, to railroad an innocent man to cover their corruption, crimes & collusion..NEED A NEW FBI INVESTIGATION TO TAKE ALL THESE FULL OF THEMSELVES CORRUPT SELF SERVING DESPICABLE HIGH & MIGHTY, FOR NOW, DEVILS..& LIKE NOPD, JPSO BADLY NEEDS A US JUSTICE DEPT OVER SIGHT CONSENT DECREE..WAKE UP NAIVE HEAD IN SAND JP CITIZENS…ITS HAPPENING TO MANY OF YOU EVERY DAY…YOU OR YOUR LOVE ONE MAY BE NEXT!
Yup. Son in law was framed by cops. If we didn’t have a good lawyer, they’d have put him away for 15 years.
Video of Iberia cops beatin a handcuffed man
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0By9JbjlVM4QRa0p2OUVsTEpENkk/view
Please keep up the great work Mr. Aswell!!!!
Buddy Roemer and Bobby Jindal are the worst Governors Louisiana ever had and they destroyed this state. Bobby reminds me of a Tornado ripping throug and destroying over night. They start out sweet talking and then turn out to be the worst. Embarrasments to Republican Party and the state.
Jindal should be in prison for what he did this state and the people of this state!
I had subscribed to this site for information and “real stories and issues in state government”. True, you do not “parrot the Rush Limbaughs, Glenn Becks, or Sean Hannitys of the world,”. However, you DO parrot Pelosi, Schumer, and Crooked Hillary. You truly do NOT represent the average tax paying, working class. free thinking Louisianian.
Either to the right or to the left, a zealot is still a zealot.
Sad-sad.
I unsubscribe.
Bye. Tom is a good writer who does his homework & thinks carefully. Sorry that’s not what you want to read Baggett.
Let me preface this with stating I very aware of the common perception that most persons with legal problems claim innocence though guilty; they may believe there but are delusional; they say they are the victim but attack accuser; they claim they are persecuted but are being prosecuted; & so it goes. Nevertheless, we all know, there have been, & numerous cases, when completely innocent persons are maliciously& falsely maliciously prosecuted by despicable & cunning individuals for their personal agendas and/or simply vengeful hatefulness, & who are masters at manipulating the legal system, in particular, taking advantage of “political correct, gender bias, de facto constitution protective class, no spine politician supported, political prostitute bandwagon, distort the facts hypocritical gender prejudiced non-profit groups” constitutional laws.
There is endless examples of the aforementioned, but impossible to cite in a comment box. Just to cite a statistic that sums it up recently concluded US Justice Dept. 10 year study, concluded, that there is a no significant differences in the confirmed percentage of the initiator who is at fault in nationwide reported incidents of all domestically related complaints, to include abuse, violence, stalking, & harassment, with less than 50% attributed to males, & just over 49% to females. Yet, of those, 89% arrested & cited were males & only 11% females. Additionally, of those incidents with both parties alleging the other was the culprit, in cases with no witnesses or compelling physical evidence, when arrests were made, 98% males & mere 2% females. The report goes on to say, law enforcement rarely takes males complaints seriously, & generally only when their is over whelming evidence they cannot ignore, do they arrest female, almost always arrest a male when its a complaint by a female, even with no witnesses or plausible physical evidence, just on her allegation. Furthermore, the study indicated, when allegations were confirmed to be false & completely baseless, 97% were made by males, with an insignificant 3% by males.
Yet, Louisiana, created, written, supported, & demogued by those self serving hypocrite groups, politician & gender group, & unchecked by a huge uninformed, follow the heard, hypocrite, narrow minded, uneducated on the true facts, & fall for the unwarranted sterotype citizentry, passed the MOST UNCONSTITUTIONAL, GENDER BIAS TO MALES, UNCONSTITIONAL DE FACTO CREATION OF A PROTECTIVE FEMALE GENDER CLASS, PRESUMTIVE GUILT, EXPOTENTIALLTY OVER PUNITIVE, PERSECUTING, UNEQUAL PROTECTION UNDER THE LAW, VIOLATION OF ONES CIVIL RIGHTS, LIFE DESTROYING…..GWEN”S LAW…THAT PLACES ANY & ALL REMOTELY CONSIDERED “DOMESTIC CRIME”, WHETHER SERIOUS PHYSICAL ABUSE OR MERE COMMON TYPICAL RELATIONP BREAK UP DISCOURSE UNDER THE SAME INFLEXIBLE CRUEL & UNUSUAL PUNISHMENT, FOR EVEN FIRST TIME ARRESTEES, EXPOTENTIAL WITH BONDS & SENTENCES WELL BEYOND LIFE CRIMINALS WITH MULTIPLE SERIOUS FELONIES, INCLUDING MURDERS….& IN ALMOST ALL CASES, A MALE, & IN A HUGE PERCENTAGE, SIMPLY BY A ZERO EVIDENCE & WITNESS CONFIRMATION, FALSE & MALICIOUS ALLEGATION ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY A FEMALE. EVEN MORE COMMON, UNCHECKED, & WITH ABSOLUTE NO LEGAL MECHANISM OR RECOURSE TO RAISE THE ISSUE FOR THE IS THE VICIOUS PLANNED & CONSPIRED FALSE ALLEGATION WITH THE EXPERT MUNIPULATION OF THE LAW & LEGAL SYSTEM, AS A LIFETIME REPEATED PRACTICE, WHICH IS A CLASSIC TRAIT OF MANY BORDERLINE PERSONALITY FEMALES. THEY ALMOST NEVER ARE SUSPECTED OR EXPOSED, & WHEN ONE OF THEIR VICTIMS NECESSARILY, RIGHTFULLY & PRUDENTLY ATTEMPTS TO, THEY ESCULATE THE ALLEGATIONS, & SINESTERLY MUNIPULATE OTHERS & ENLIST THEM INTO A DESPICABLE CRIMINAL ASSAULT, WITH THE CULTIBILTY OF THE INDIFFERENT SOLLED LEGAL SYSTEM JUSTICE.
I am one of surely numerous innocent victims of cited persons, groups, politicians, prosecutors, police & courts. I ve had to spend 3 years of my life, financially, physically, emotionally, absolutely completely wrongly pursecuted, slandered, humiliated, ignored, accused, on & on…despite mounds of third party independent indisputable compelling evidence of not only my absolute innocence & being, but of “her” being a lifetime criminal, fraud, despicable evil menance to society, having intentionally, willfully & knowingly making false, fabricated, distorted egrecious destructive criminal allegations..YET BECAUSE OF THE INDIFFERENT, SELF SERVING PEOPLE, GROUPS, LAW ENFORCMENT, PROSECUTORS, & THE COURT..& THAT ABSURD “GWEN LAW”, THEY IGNORED THE EVIDENCE & HER CRIMES, & WERE CUMPLICIT IN PURSECUTING ME & ENABLING HER IN HER CONSPIRED CAMPAIGN OF OBSTRUCTION & DESTRUCTION OF ME.
I so wish to name names, etc, but no doubt I would be vindictively further punished. So ..its in 24th. Judicial Court in Jefferson Parish , Division K, with I only there on “my complaint to police” but she lies, so I get arrested , but so obvious, she did so to obstruct my Civil suite in 24th Judicial filed months earlier, along with a Peace Bond for my protection against her & her surrogates assault on me..she a codified in a earlier 24th Judicial Court as a perjurous Personality Disorder individual & self admitted mental patient.
All I can say WAKE UP LOUISIANA.. IT MAY BE YOU, YOUR DAD, HUSBAND OR SON NEXT. Thank you for listening.
Mr. Aswell,
I have known the need for a wall for 50 years and more desperately for the last 15-20. A free America is for those who come here LEGALLY and become citizens, period. And, as for laying for it, I don’t care how it gets paid for. Whatever the cost, it can’t be as must as what is spent on people who are illegal immigrants. So, don’t go assuming what I think. It will make you look like an idiot every time.
Fair enough. So, instead of trying to offer my thoughts, I’ll let a couple of Texas border sheriffs who live and work there do it for me.
https://www.texasobserver.org/texas-border-sheriffs-there-is-no-crisis-and-we-dont-want-trumps-wall/?goal=0_975e2d1fa1-5246d94c84-23197963&mc_cid=5246d94c84&mc_eid=18f11d456c
I do agree, believe or understand that all immigrants coming here are not murderers, rapists or drug dealers. However, for every person or family that is caught or turns themselves in, there may be one, two or more that are not or do not. Things are not like they used to be. With more population comes more pressure for EVERYTHING and we have plenty enough poor and down trodden people that we can’t take care of now. I’m just saying we need to look out for those who are born here or come here legally first, and if some sort of barrier helps to accomplish that, so be it. Would you leave your home wide open for anyone who has a mind to, to come in kick off their shoes and start going through your ice box and closets and sleep in your bed? We were lucky. We were born here and had a head start. There’s nothing I can do about that but we don’t have to just sit back and give it all away with no control. I have absolutely no problem with those who want to come here and become Americans. However, I would rather err on the side of caution.
I have some questions regarding the physician bill and $377000 in donations.
Tom, you would find this interesting: https://www.ineteconomics.org/perspectives/blog/meet-the-economist-behind-the-one-percents-stealth-takeover-of-america
Tom, my name is Sam Sky. I am the founder of Nationalamendments.org and we share the same views in regards to exposing that once elected/or re-elected, politicians silence our voices. We also share the same passion and courage to expose either the do nothing/lazy, or the corrupt behaviors, of our politicians. Please reach back to me if you have a desire to work together. thank you so much, Sam
Will be happy to correspond with you, but I don’t do Twitter or Facebook. You may email me at louisianavoice@yahoo.com
I will be happy to discuss working with you.
Looking for information on new Bethany home for girls from December 1989- December 1991.
I want to join
Mr. Aswell, I need to speak with you.
Check your email and call me.
Thank you for your good work. Corruption in the Louisiana legal system is something I experienced first hand. I would love to share what I know and what I have been doing about it with you sometime. I am determined to bust these gangsters.
I would like to know if there is a group that I can join that is fighting against the excessive licensing and permit requirements in this state.
Do you perhaps mean the absurd requirement that one have a license to arrange flowers?
Just good ol Lousyana good ol
Boys sitting in positions (elected) that tax the people to death — run a candidate against the absurdity and vote em out to have your voice heard – for talking to these wolves in sheep clothing will get you nothing — police do not police the police and the politician do not vote against taxes – for if they do , whose gonna pay their exuberant salaries?….
There’s no wall or fence at the state line, you’re free to move anytime Gary…
What is the status of the John Barnes case where he obtain custody of his daughter who he raped the mother? Since June I have seen nothing published about it. Thank you Danny
Need contact info on law firms adverse to LaSalle corrections jails.
I’ve been in touch with alot of people and I’m seeing this is the only one that really puts out the voice of the people.
Hello. My daughter was killed in a police pursuit in Livingston almost 2 weeks ago. Details are being very limited. Any help or points in to the right direction would be appreciated.
Tom that was an excellent article on Hugh Thompson
I really enjoyed it!
If my memory serves me correctly didnt Ossie Brown before he became EBR District Attorney serve as Lt Calley’s defense attorney?
Hope ur doing well
David Grier
Ossie didn’t defend Calley. He defended Sgt. David Mitchell, also tried as a My Lai defendant, and won him an acquittal. Ossie defended some KKK members in the murder of the Washington Parish deputy more than 50 years ago and Walter Sheridan, in his book about Jimmy Hoffa, described Brown as heavily involved in the legal trial of Jimmy Hoffa and Ed Partin. Sheridan also said that Ossie hinted at his influence with Carlos Marcello during those proceedings.
I almost forgot this but you are very inaccurate about Antifa
As a former intelligence investigator and I still remain active with friends still in the business they are an organization who uses the dark web to communicate, plan , use code words, etc
They don’t keep organized rolls of members but they identify who are members by various methods
Except for the upper leaders Al Queda does not keep member rolls either but they exist
The current FBI director knows all that and why he stated it wasn’t an organization I don’t know except it was politics.
All you have to do is watch one demonstration with violence and destruction on video and u can see they are very organized and act with pre-planning
David
Well Tom you did it this time. I just finished reading your article about the state of Florida and it’s actions taken by the Governor
I particularly noticed you appear to be critical of banning Critial Race Theory in Schools and Public Organizations.
Well it should be banned. What has gotten in to you?
It’s nothing but a re packaged Trojan horse from the Marxist Critical Theory concept that attacked the class structure of the population only Critical race theory substitutes class with race. It rejects the principle of equality of opportunity. It’s supporters insist that equality of opportunity is a myth, not a reality, in today’s America, and that those who pursue it are misguided. The real goal is equality of results, measured by black share of income, wealth and social standing. Critical race theorists reject the idea that systems are inherently racist and that evaluate and reward “merit” are in itself racist.
They claim the metric of merit is unacceptable, because certain “conceptions of merit function not as a neutral basis for distributing resources and opportunity, but rather as a repository of hidden, race-specific preferences for those who have the power to determine the meaning and consequences of ‘merit.’
They reject meritocracy and demand equal results, even race-conscious policies such as affirmative action are diversionary. They claim affirmative action is to create enough exceptions to white privilege to make the mythology of equal opportunity seem at least plausible.
They believe that those policies are an inadequate response to the persistence of “white supremacy.”
These people are very smart. They use mainstream concepts such as equality and inclusion to wage a highly effective war of position even against liberal ideology.
Some liberals have been co-opted, and others silenced.
They have attacked hiring practices and everyone agrees that workplaces should be fair and welcoming to all people. But to require mandatory diversity training premised on the ubiquity of “unconscious racism” and “white fragility” is coercive and insulting.
So what they claim is that a physician will treat a person of color less that a white patient because the physician is inherently biased and racist. How absurd and stupid is that?
What about the numbers of white police officers who have risked their lives protecting black citizens in times of danger? How is that racist?
Or the countless firemen who have rushed in burning buildings to rescue a black child from death?
I’m reminded of an interview conducted with the New Orleans rapper Boosir or Bootsie , I can’t remember his name, where he said he started to become racist towards whites in his early childhood until age 12 or 13 when he was shot in the chest by a drug dealer in his home. He remembered black police officers stepping over him and walking around him doing absolutely nothing to render aid.
He went on to say that it was a white policeman who picked him up and carried him to the police car and then transported him to the hospital where doctors, white doctors, saved his life. Boosir said that it was after that near death experience and being helped by a white policeman and doctors changed his views.
Critical Race Theory is Marxist in its roots and has no redeeming value to a democratic society.
Yet factions of the liberal Democrat party support it like teacher unions
I don’t understand how any American can support that trash.
Why do they?
Here is your unorganized non member group clubbing people
https://www.foxnews.com/us/detransitioning-rally-turns-violent-antifa-shows-up-participants-left-afraid-speak-out-organizer