Mike Edmonson got his way but Louisiana State Police Commission (LSPC) Executive Director Cathy Derbonne did not give him the satisfaction of having his puppet commission fire her.
She quit. But she said she did so under duress.
The commission plowed through the first three items on the agenda before Chairman T.J. Doss, the state police representative on the board, abruptly announced there would be a 30-minute recess in proceedings.
There was probably a good reason for the recess. During almost the entirety of testimony of retired State Trooper Leon “Bucky” Millet, who is one of the commission’s harshest critics, Doss was busy texting someone (we suspect it may have been Edmonson)
He continued texting during part of the recess but different commissioners kept caucusing in corners, offices and around the coffee pot but were careful to keep their meetings down to three members or fewer. If four had met anywhere in the room, there would have been a quorum and LouisianaVoice would have politely asked to sit in. Instead, whenever a fourth entered the discussion, someone else would leave.
Just to be on the safe side, LouisianaVoice submitted a formal, written public records request for the content of all of Doss’s texts sent and received during Thursday’s meeting. On the outside chance he was texting commission attorney Lenore Feeney, we are prepared to demand proof of that by having LSPC provide us with the “To” and “From” portions of the texts with the actual messages redacted. All other messages are to be provided intact.
Millet did get Doss’s undivided attention at one point when he alluded to a report that Doss had addressed a meeting of the Louisiana State Troopers Association at which he was quoted as saying his goal was to be elected chairman of the commission and to “get rid of the executive director.” Doss, of course, denied saying that.
Upon re-convening, contract attorney Taylor Townsend read Derbonne’s resignation letter and the commission then voted on whether or not to accept the resignation (I always thought when one quit, it was his or her decision). Member Calvin Braxton and Jared J Caruso-Riecke voted no on accepting her resignation letter.
Voting to accept were members Doss, Monica Manzella, Eulis Simien, Jr., and Donald Breaux.
Caruso-Riecke, it should be noted, contributed $3,500 to John Bel Edwards and $2,000 to his brother, Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff Daniel Edwards. Daniel Edwards is a member of the Louisiana Sheriffs’ Association which endorsed John Bel Edwards for governor and once elected, John Bel Edwards re-appointed Edmonson as State Police Superintendent as a condition of the sheriffs’ association’s endorsement, proving that life—political life, at least—is indeed a circle.
LouisianaVoice attempted to ask Caruso-Riecke why he voted not to accept Derbonne’s resignation and he refused to comment, choosing instead to take the opportunity to chastise LouisianaVoice for yesterday’s post that said Edmonson OWNED HIM.
Well, quite frankly, we didn’t see anything during Thursday’s meeting that would change our mind.
Why is that?
Simply because LouisianaVoice happened to learn it was Doss and Caruso-Riecke who placed the two items on the LSPC agenda that were to have dealt with Derbonne’s “professional competence” and whether she would be continued or terminated.
So, basically, Caruso-Riecke, aware that the four votes needed to end Derbonne’s eight years as executive director were locked in, he could vote “no” and come off as the nice guy by taking the high road, confident that it was a done deal.
Now if he just hadn’t been one of those who prepared the agenda and handed it to Derbonne for her signature….
The obvious question is what trigger was the commission going to pull to terminate Derbonne? Conspicuously displayed behind commissioners was a screen with a paused video of proceedings of the Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget at which Derbonne testified last year. The video was never shown because Derbonne resigned but what it would have shown was legislators asking her who approved the LSPA’s budget and she inadvertently replied, “The Commission.” The commission budget is actually approved by the commission before being sent to the legislature for final approval and it was that gaffe members were going to use to hang her.
Well, that brings up an obvious question: Back around October, State Police Superintendent Mike Edmonson appeared before the commission to ask that a new position of lieutenant colonel be created to oversee finances for State Police. He assured commission members that (a) the position was not to be created for any specific individual and that there would be no additional expenses for the position. Before anyone could say cut and dried, Jason Starnes was promoted into the position and promptly given a $25,000 raise.
Edmonson lied and he did so deliberately. Will he be fired as well?
Edmonson, back in 2014, engineered the insertion of an AMENDMENT to an otherwise benign bill in the closing minutes of the legislature that would have given him an additional $55,000 per year in retirement income—illegally, because Edmonson had locked his retirement in years before when he entered the state’s DROP Program, which froze retirement income at his rank at that time. A lawsuit by State Sen. Dan Claitor killed the raise. Was he fired for that? Check that box No.
JOHN BEL EDWARDS, a state representative at the time, said he would seek a “full investigation” of the furtive attempt to approve the raise. Instead, he reappointed Edmonson to head Louisiana State Police (LSP).
When a Troop D State Trooper was found to be doctor-shopping in order to stockpile prescription narcotics, which he was taking while on duty, Edmonson’s solution was to first promote him to Troop D Commander and later, when the incident became public, to make a LATERAL TRANSFER.
When a State Trooper was found to have had sex with a woman in his patrol unit, he was SUSPENDED for 36 hours and reduced in pay for 18 pay periods but was allowed to work overtime to make up the reduction in pay.
When a married State Trooper escorted an underage woman into a Vicksburg, Mississippi CASINO floor to play slot machines and blackjack, he was busted and attempted unsuccessfully to use his position as a trooper to negotiate his way out of a fine. Edmonson promoted him to Troop F Commander.
When Department of Public Safety (DPS) Deputy Undersecretary JILL BOUDREAUX was allowed to take an early retirement buyout incentive and cash in her leave time and then return to work the next day—with a promotion to Undersecretary, Edmonson allowed her to keep $59,000 in buyout and annual leave payments—and her job—despite instructions from the Division of Administration for her to repay the money.
Edmonson sat on a HARASSMENT complaint on a Troop D State Trooper for more than a year.
Louisiana State Troopers’ Association Executive Director David Young kept his job after it was revealed that he laundered state troopers’ funds through his personal bank account in order to make substantial—and illegal—campaign donations, including $10,000 each to Bobby Jindal and Edwards. A political crony of Gov. Edwards was hired to torpedo the investigation—and did just that.
And when a handful of retirees, members of LSTA, complained about the contributions, they were politely booted out of the association. You don’t cross Edmonson’s boys and not pay a price.
Through all these disruptive incidents, Edmonson sailed right along, never receiving any disciplinary action. He will say he has no control over the LSTA, but that organization’s members don’t go to the bathroom without a hall pass from Edmonson.
He skates when he lies about how the promotion of Jason Starnes would cost no additional money but Derbonne is offered up for sacrifice when she inadvertently says the commission approves her budget.
Capping off the bizarre events on Thursday, reporters attempted in vain to get any member or either of the two commission attorneys—Taylor Townsend and Lenore Feeney—to say something, anything, about the meeting and Derbonne’s resignation. Each one, Doss, Braxton, Caruso-Riecke, Breaux, Manzella, Simien, Townsend and Feeney, seemed to have somewhere to go in one helluva hurry. Everyone was scurrying around like a bunch of rats in a burning meth lab.
Townsend, all but sprinting from the room, was pursued by a reporter who asked, “What did you guys talk about during the break?”
Townsend’s RESPONSE, made over his right shoulder as he exited the room was, “You don’t want to get into that.”
Well….yeah, we do.
The most humorous—and frustrating—exchange took place when reporters followed Doss as he entered a private room with Maj. Durell Williams, who is over Louisiana State Police Internal Affairs.
Doss, just before entering the room, turned and faced reporters who asked for a more detailed explanation of events. He referred reporters to Feeney, “the attorney in the red jacket,” saying that she could address their questions.
But when FEENEY was confronted, she rushed past reporters, saying, “I’m not been authorized to make a comment.” It was a classic game of bureaucratic ping pong with reporters serving as the little plastic ball.
So there you have it, folks. The wagons have been circled; Starnes, with no accounting experience, has been put in charge of LSP finances; Edmonson has consolidated his base by eliminating another potential critic and gaining complete control of the LSPC; the Sheriffs’ Association is happy as a pig in the sunshine, and Derbonne has been sacrificed at the Altar of Deniability.
And to think, Edmonson gets away with all the above—and more—mismanagement but when I, as a five-year-old, threw a candy wrapper out of my grandfather’s truck window, I felt a pop on the back of my head and I could see Jesus at the end of a long tunnel, waving me to the light.
But not to worry. Edmonson is off to Rome with his latest benefactor, Gov. John Bel Edwards, to meet with the Pope on the issue of child sex trafficking so all is right with the world.
(But we can’t help but wonder if he will get into trouble like he did when another Pope came to Louisiana.)
What a bunch of crony jackasses. They don’t mind selling out the state for power and favor with certain politicians. Sad.
Consider: the Commission is located in the Management and Finance Building on the State Police Compound under scrutiny of cameras that cover every movement on the Compound.
Consider: the Budget for the Commission operations appears to be within the budget overseen by the Undersecretary.
This means that all phone bills, including cell phones of Commission staff are subject to scrutiny by the Department.
This means that purchases are controlled by the Undersecretary.
Even door access to the Commission and offices is under the purview of the Department.
Considering there appears to be rampant cronyism and corruption all centered around State Police… maybe Ms. Derbonne is better off not being around a bunch of Thugs pretending to be Public Servants—from the Governor to the State Police to the Trooper’s Association.
Thanks for your dedicated Public Service on behalf of the Troopers and the Citizens of Louisiana. Try not to attempt to decipher their reasoning or what you could have done differently…. this is about their deficiencies, not yours.
Great post, Tom! For those who would like to watch Mr. Millet’s public comment (they were great!!), here’s the link:
Also, if anyone wants to see them obtain, comment on, and vote on Ms. Derbonne’ resignation, here’s the link:
Finally, despite the very low temperature in the room, Doss obviously worked up a sweat with all that texting as evidenced in this brief clip:
What a crew!!!
I personally know Cathy, I couldn’t be more proud of her. She was truly dedicated and loved her job and hoped to make known the constitution by laws. They really lost and I love that she doesn’t have to endure this circus anymore.
This Commission humiliated this young lady in having her sign an agenda wherein her “competence” is posted to be the feature discussion, they let her oversee the meeting right up to the break then, I guess for good measure, they start off letting her know they aren’t happy about the 12/8/16 minutes, so they’ll defer approval until after they’ve terminated her (if she doesn’t voluntarily resign):
Again, what a crew!!
Robert, actually the Commission humiliated itself. This is Louisiana politics at its worst. Corruption in Government is an ugly thing. Those of us who have seen it from the inside aren’t surprised, but we can still be disgusted.
No comments mean they were wrong in what they were doing. They have an agenda and are laughing now but the public will be laughing longer. And what is really laughable is that they worried about the budget but they can go on trips to Rome on taxpayers’ money to see the Pope! Those people are deceiving themselves,,,
That’s exactly right. If they had a real case, it would have been made to the press and the public. They had nothing. Criminals like to hide in the dark and hate the light.
…Like cockroaches.
Can’t say much that hasn’t already been said. At least with cockroaches you can call an exterminator to spray and get rid of them. But our exterminator, Gov. Edwards, apparently does not mind roaches in his house. Soon it will be rats and fleas. It’s a shame that the people of Louisiana were lied to by Gov. Edwards when he talked about the honor code that he lived by. Made be while they are in Rome meeting with the Pope they will ask him to wash away their sins. I doubt it.
Could be Col.Edminson made the trip to Rome to pay back all the felony cash he defrauded the Catholic Church out of when the Pope made his visit to New Orleans back in the 1980’s.
Ouch! That’s going to leave a mark.
Tom, actually he didn’t defraud the Catholic Church during the Pope’s visit to N.O. He defrauded the state of Louisiana. Edmonson was in charge of the Security Detail for the Pope, the Catholic Church paid for he, and his men’s rooms, meals, and all expenses for the entire detail. Then he claimed he had covered all the expenses, and was refunded the money by the state. Anyone else would have been charged, and jailed for felony fraud. Edmonson was busted back from Lieutenant to Sgt. and before the dust settle promoted back to Lieutenant.
Well Folks, the next thing you will see is TJ Doss will receive a promotion in rank at LSP, for taking care of this little Commission matter.
great job, Tom, I do not believe the Pope will like Mike, but our faith requires we love the Jindalites, getting tougher all the time ron thompson
It is INDEED a great job on Tom’s part, and that’s why I find it disheartening that there have only been 32 Facebook shares (and I know five of them at a minimum that are F/B friends of mine). I’ve seen articles Tom has written to get as many as 600+ F/B shares.
The only way we have any shot at making a dent in public corruption is if we disseminate it far and wide. It shouldn’t matter whether it’s Democratic or Republican led corruption. I think we all have an obligation to place anti-corruption above political ideology.
All anyone has to do is go back a few weeks on my F/B page to see where I publicly stated I’d be voting for Sharon Weston Broome for BR Mayor. Why? Bodi White’s actions in killing a bill to strengthen shill bidding penalties, which he did at the DIRECT behest of convicted felon Marvin Henderson. I also publically stated I’d support Ike Jackson for AG if the runoff were between him and Caldwell (Broussard-Baloney had not announced at that point). The reason? Caldwell’s corruption.
With that, I am humbly asking that more readers consider F/B sharing this article. If for nothing else, as a show of support for Tom. He has worked tirelessly to expose LSP corruption and just let the chips fall where they may. This is just me, but I feel his efforts warrant more than a mere 32 F/B shares on this outstanding post.
Robert, I appreciate the effort to get more shares on Facebook, but it’s not as bad as you may think. The story got more than 6,900 hits, so it got spread around pretty well—including to at least 90 percent of the legislators who subscribe.
Thanks for that uplifting report, Tom! I’m glad to know it has spread well! This was outstanding work (ALL of the LSP efforts on your part have been), and I’m glad to know it attracted a ton of traffic.
I guess I should have surmised as much because each video has gotten triple-digit viewership, and YouTube now has its setting to reduce the count accordingly if someone watches multiple times. Hence, that’s over 100 unique viewers for virtually every video, with Bucky’s comments consistently rated as most viewed.
I can’t wait to see how they handle your public records request for Doss’ test messages! That just MAY pose a huge problem because we all know, if there’s one medium wherein people let their guard down, it’s text messages!!
Again, great job, Tom!!
I was quite impressed with Mr. Millet’s statement about the nation of sheep breeding government wolves. I had never heard that before and now will have to search for who first said it.
Thanks for investing the time to watch the video!
[…] 6. Tom Aswell’s post entailing the Cathy Derbonne’s forced resignation for having reported illegal campaign contributions, some of which were to Gov. Edwards’ campaign (though at least he did refund the money, which is more than can be said of Jindal), to the Louisiana State Board of Ethics. [Note: CLICK HERE for companion article in The Advocate]. […]
This is an incredible house of horrors. I find it absolutely astounding that these types of improprieties are taking place right under the noses of the good citizens of this state.