No sooner did we call U.S. Sen. David Vitter out for potential improprieties for using his Senate franking privileges to gain an edge over his three opponents in this year’s gubernatorial election than our old friend C.B. Forgotston send us evidence of an even more flagrant misuse of his office for similar reasons.
It’s enough to make you wonder what the hell goes through these politicians’ minds except that we already know: they are so convinced they are above the law that they couldn’t care less what the great unwashed think about their flaunting of the rules.
We’ve previously reported Jindal’s acceptance of tainted campaign contributions from the Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association (non-profits are prohibited from making campaign contributions), laundered money from a St. Tammany Parish bank board of directors (without the 11 directors’ awareness they were “contributing” $5,000 each to Jindal) and the head of Florida’s largest-ever Ponzi scheme who funneled $30,000 in contributions to Jindal from himself, his wife and his law firm.
Within an hour of posting the story about Vitter’s use of franking privileges to promote his gubernatorial campaign, LouisianaVoice’s email exploded with messages about Jindal’s latest post on the governor’s web page, paid for by Louisiana taxpayer dollars.
The first email was from Forgotston, who has fired off a letter to Inspector General Stephen Street demanding an answer to his inquiry as to the legality of Jindal’s “press release” on Tuesday.
So what, exactly, is all the fuss about?
Quite simply, Jindal used the state computer and web page (and presumably a state employee) to gin out a “press release” personally attacking one of Jindal’s probable opponents for the Republican nomination for president under the headline “Gov. Jindal: Senator Paul unsuited to be Commander-in-Chief.” http://www.gov.louisiana.gov/index.cfm?md=newsroom&tmp=detail&articleID=4965
Paul, a U.S. Senator from Kentucky, is an announced candidate for the Republican nomination. https://randpaul.com/
And what did Paul do or say that prompted Jindal to ignore legal constraints on the use of state web pages? Apparently, Paul said something to the effect that ISIS exists because of the U.S. hawkish foreign policy—a claim, by the way, that we cannot entirely disagree with.
“This is a perfect example of why Senator Paul is unsuited to be Commander-in-Chief,” Jindal whined.
Except he did his whining on a state-funded web page and that immediately invoked the wrath of a number of readers and Forgotston, who once worked as a legal counsel for the legislature, is not the one you want to tick off when it comes to matters concerning the state constitution.
In his email to Street, Forgotston began by describing the Jindal press release as “a violation of Louisiana Constitution, Article XI, 4.”
In case you don’t want to take the time to open the link, it says that while there is no prohibition against the use of public funds to disseminate factual information about a proposition appearing on an election ballot, “no public funds shall be used to urge any elector to vote for or against any candidate or proposition, or be appropriated to a candidate or political organization.”
“It (the press release) clearly urges a vote against U.S. Senator Rand Paul for President of the United States,” he said. “The press release was issued by state employees (the release contained the names of Shannon Bates Dirmann and Shannon, Deputy Communications Director for the Governor’s Office) and has no disclaimer that public funds were not used.
“If this is not a violation of the law, please advise why it isn’t,” Forgotston said. He ended his email by writing, in all caps, “A RESPONSE IS REQUESTED,” which he said “is not directed to any recipients of his email other than the State Inspector General.”
In case any of our readers also would like to submit a similar question to the OIG, here is Street’s email address: stephen.street@la.gov.
Forgotston said he will also share his concerns with Legislative Auditor Daryl Purpera.
As Forgotston himself is fond of saying: you can’t make this stuff up.
This is nothing new for Jindal. When he was running for re-election, he would go out to each parish, and hand out Louisiana Honor Medals to Louisiana veterans. He used State employees help him do this, then he ran tv ads as part of his re-election campaign showing him handing out the medals with the assistance of State employees (who are not supposed to participate in partisan politics). Many of these employees did not want to be doing this, but were forced to, anyway.
Here is the problem. While it is necessary that we, the Public, be informed. But, the more we learn about this kind of illegal, unethical actions and nothing is ever done about it, we finally just either accept it as the norm or get disgusted and quit voting or caring. Thanks for publicizing the wrong doings anyway.
Discusting? Yea. Quit voting? Hell no! Seems it would be a wake-up call to vote based on qualifications and integrity rather than political party.
It sounds like Jindal is running the state for his own benefit.
Yep – since January 14, 2008.
Part of lil booby’s pitiful efforts to get his polling numbers up high enough to make the cut off for the Republican debates.
Vicious Vitter and Garish Graves are doubling down, did you get their Memorial day messages. I am steaming mad. wrote letter to editor again will send copy. CB is absolutely correct and lets keep the pressure on.ron thompson
Thanks for holding Jindal’s feet to the fire. You’re doing the Lord’s work. You’re also doing the Inspector General’s work.
Agree with that and also doing the work of so-called “mainstream media”
Jindal as chief caliph of the delusional, earlier said ” I hate to say this but President Obama is not qualified to be the commander in chief” this was just too funny. “generalissmo”ron thompson
C. B. and others pounced on an obvious violation with this one. Hell will freeze over before Stephen Street will take any action adverse to his boss though. Hell, to the contrary, he’s willing to make his office look like co-conspirators for craming Jindal’s corruption down our throats in the case of Murphy Painter and Corey delaHoussaye.
I had my own issue with Street wherein he directly threatened to prosecute me for merely mentioning to Sarah Olcott-Allen, then head of boards and commissions, that Street’s office inadvertently left a work paper lying on a desk when they departed for lunch which clearly identified the complainant. Street, who never denied his investigators “screwed up,” said: “If we get known as an agency who can’t be depended upon to protect a complainant’s identity, we’re out of business!”
Legislative Auditor Daryl Purpera is a different story. He’s sharp and willing to investigate and provide his best effort to remedy a problem.
Anyway, sending an email requires minimal effort, but I wouldn’t hold my breath waiting for Street to confront Jindal.
Great post, Tom.
Rand Paul’s spokesman issued a comment on lil booby’s attack:
As Bette Midler once said: “Mud will be flung!”
Sen. Paul is my first choice of the Republican candidates. I should have known Jindal would attack him first even as an “unofficial” candidate who keeps praying ad nausium about running. I’m surprised God hasn’t said, “Just shut up and do it already!”
Rand Paul will be on the debate stage. Jindal will not. Seems fitting.
Jindal’s upcoming national campaign will actually be less relevant than Buddy Roemer’s was in 2012.