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Archive for March, 2017

LSP in ‘Shoot the messenger’ mode: IT works overtime in effort to learn ID of critics; suit against LV also rumored

Posted in Attorney General, Corruption, Ethics, Fraud, Lawsuits, State Police on March 11, 2017| 19 Comments »

It’s such a truism that it’s almost a cliché: if you don’t like the news, shoot the messenger.

That is precisely the scenario that is unfolding as this is being written, according to three separate reports received today by LouisianaVoice.

  • The first is an unsubstantiated (to this point, at least) report that LouisianaVoice is about to be named a defendant in a defamation/libel suit by certain employees of the Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections.

That would be the Louisiana State Police (LSP), since those are virtually the only DPS personnel I’ve written about.

And if they want to play that game, I’m more than ready because any litigation on their part will open them up for discovery of every questionable, unethical or illegal act they have ever committed during their entire careers. If they don’t have a little dirty laundry they don’t want exposed, then bring it on.

Anyone can sue and whenever feathers are ruffled, the potential for litigation is a given, but it does not come without risks on the part of the plaintiffs. They will be propounded with more interrogatories and requests for documents than they ever thought possible.

But the other two actions, in my opinion, are far more ominous.

  • A terse email from one person says simply, “Rest assured, he (State Police Superintendent Mike Edmonson) has already begun trying to destroy you. He is frantically trying to learn who emailed you.”
  • That’s a normal reaction by someone backed into a corner but for the third message received today by telephone. The caller said simply, “LSP has IT (Information Technology section) being paid overtime in efforts to determine who is communicating with LouisianaVoice and who is the ‘Trooper Underground.’”

If Edmonson is indeed finished at LSP as several sources have indicated, then there are two possible explanations about the timing of these efforts. One is they were initiated prior to the serving of those 18 subpoenas and while he was still trying to hang on to his job by discrediting his critics—and most likely cleaning house of those he deemed to be malcontents.

The second possible explanation is that as he exits, he fully intends to pull others down with him. And if the right (for Edmonson) person is appointed to succeed him, it will be a seamless transition and the witch hunt will continue unabated and heads will roll with collateral damage hopefully extending to the pesky media, i.e. bloggers.

And just to clear the air a little, LouisianaVoice is a Web blog which covers the entire spectrum of Louisiana politics and Trooper Underground is a Facebook blog that concentrates on matters of concern exclusively to Louisiana State Troopers and retired troopers. We are separate entities.

The ones behind this effort should know that if this is true, and they’re doing this without a valid search warrant, there well could be serious legal (read civil and criminal) repercussions for their actions.

Be that as it may, the efforts to out whistleblowers and to discredit those who report waste, favoritism, fraud, and other nefarious activities within the agency charged with protecting the state’s citizens presents a chilling prospect not just for LouisianaVoice or the Trooper Underground, but for all of us.

This is reminiscent of Terrebonne Parish Sheriff Jerry Larpenter’s raid on the home of a Houma blogger because the blogger, a city policeman, dared to criticize Larpenter. More puzzling even than the sheriff’s efforts to silence a critic fully protected under the First Amendment was the fact that a sitting judge actually signed the search warrant. Thankfully, it was quickly ruled unconstitutional by an appeal court.

It’s also reminiscent of a number of other tyrants, dictators, despots and demagogues down through history. Names like Joe McCarthy and Richard Nixon come immediately to mind. There are others who ruled entire countries and waged wars while silencing critics. You know who they are.

These are the acts of desperate people who will go to any end to exact revenge on those who, unable to improve things from within, go outside the agency for help. Whether or you agree with them, were it not for the Baton Rouge Advocate (see its recent outstanding series on the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola), New Orleans TV reporter Lee Zurik, retired TV reporter Ken Booth, Lamar White’s CenLamar, Bob Mann’s Something Like the Truth, Robert Burns’ Sound Off Louisiana and yes, LouisianaVoice, to whom could these people turn?

The Attorney General? He’s too busy running for governor. The East Baton Rouge Parish District Attorney? We don’t know where the hell he is. The Louisiana Office of Inspector General? (Insert chortles, yuks and guffaws here).

So, let them come after us. We’re ready. If we go down, we go down swinging.

Lawsuits can be filed in both directions.

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Louisiana needs a strong, one-term governor (There’s plenty other state news to cover; it can’t be all about State Police)

Posted in Budget, Elections, Governor's Office, House, Senate, Legislature, Legislators, Media, Politicians, State Fire Marshal on March 11, 2017| 18 Comments »

By Steve Winham, guest columnist

I have a regular monthly breakfast with venerable politician and retired state fire marshal, V. J. Bella.  As a legislator, V. J.  never shied away from taking bold actions (think cabbages inside motorcycle helmets hit with baseball bats) and his background and devotion to the cause made him uniquely qualified as fire marshal.  He is also a good friend.

Among other topics, we always have lengthy discussions about Gov. Edwards.  At our most recent breakfast last week, V. J. said he believes Gov. Edwards is running for re-election too early.  He may have a strong point and, based on recent press reports, the game is already afoot to discredit him every way possible by at least one Republican PAC (America Rising). It has already launched a website to gather negatives about Edwards.  The plan, of course, is to stress his failures, including those dealing with our budget, economy, infrastructure, education, etc.

If the governor attempts to please as many people as possible over the remainder of this term in hope of being re-elected, how can he possibly recommend the very difficult and unpopular solutions necessary to begin to move us up from dead last among the states by most measures.  In an ideal world, making those hard choices would endear him to the public and ensure his re-election.  Unfortunately, the real world is not the political world.

If, in my dreams, I was Gov. Edwards, I would announce today that I am not running for re-election as governor, nor running for anything else.  I would then make dramatic changes unilaterally and push a legislative agenda that would move our state forward without a care for my personal political future.

As a bonus, taking bold, but politically unpopular actions would allow legislators to blame everything their constituents didn’t like on me.  That worked well for legislators even in the good times, so it could work even better now  –  “I put that rodeo arena in the capital outlay bill, but the governor vetoed it.  Vote for me and I’ll get it in there when we get rid of him next election.”

There is no question our budget is seriously broken.  Nor is there any question that is our major problem.  Our infrastructure is crumbling.  Our educational system continues to decline – Both strongly contribute to our stagnant economy and enhance a basic distrust of our government.  Businesses cannot reasonably plan because they have no idea how they will be taxed over time.  People dependent on state services have no assurances for the future.

All state services not completely protected continue a steady march toward total breakdown.  At the same time, we see almost daily news reports of waste, fraud, and corruption within government.  The public has lost faith in the ability of government to do anything right.

The first thing I would do is call my cabinet together and tell them I am tired of seeing news reports about things they should have been paying enough attention to catch and fix.  It’s not that hard to get a handle on these things.  It is a simple matter of working down the chain of command and holding people accountable at every level.   More on this later.

I would use the excellent January 2017 report of the Task Force on Structural Changes in Budget and Tax Policy and other information to put together a firm proposal of both expenditure cuts and revenue measures to permanently fix the gap of $1.2 billion that will result from expiration of sales taxes in July 2018.  Further cuts are unlikely to be popular, but they will be much more popular than additional taxes.

Since people are fed up with government, and because I believe it is needed now more than ever, I would do something I recommended in 1990.  I would take existing staff from the budget and accounting sections of the Division of Administration to create a small entity called the Office of Effectiveness and Efficiency.  I would send this team to every department, beginning with the most troublesome one and working down. They would take a common-sense look at how things are being done and recommend changes to make them better.  I would expect full cooperation from my cabinet secretaries.

Restoring the public’s faith in government is a daunting task, but it should be of highest priority.  Until people begin to have this faith, they will never believe anybody in government cares about waste or providing the best services possible and they will certainly not enthusiastically support sacrifices to support such a system.  It is simply not possible to begin to restore faith in government if political commitments override all other concerns.

We desperately need stability to achieve anything in this state.  Pandering to popular beliefs not supported by facts to win elections clearly does not work for the greater good.  An objective look at what has happened since our most recent presidential election should tell you that.

So, I would challenge Gov. Edwards to take the bold step of not seeking re-election and to announce it immediately so he can be free to fight the battles necessary to set us straight.  If he did, he might just find people begging him to change his mind and run again after all – And, if that happened, it would put a whole new, and ironic, spin on V. J.’s view.

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LSP’s Cain denies report Supt. Mike Edmonson forced out by Gov. Edwards in wake of investigation and federal subpoenas

Posted in Corruption, Ethics, Governor's Office, Public Records, State Police on March 10, 2017| 44 Comments »

Gov. John Bel Edwards has seen and heard enough.

Or has he?

Today, Edwards apparently decided the advantages of keeping the Louisiana Sheriffs’ Association happy by retaining Louisiana State Police (LSP) Superintendent did not outweigh the political liabilities.

A formal announcement was said to have been scheduled for today that Michael Edmonson will step down after 36 years with LSP and slightly more than nine years as the state’s top cop. Now, it looks as though a “retirement” announcement won’t be forthcoming until Monday at the earliest.

State Police public information officer Maj. Doug Cain denied the report. “I just talked to the colonel and he said he is not resigning, nor has he been asked to resign.” he said.

Calls to the governor’s office for comment were not returned.

An interim superintendent will be named by Edwards until a permanent replacement can be found, LouisianaVoice has learned. Speculation that Edmonson’s second in command, Deputy Superintendent Lt. Col. Charles Dupuy would be elevated to Edmonson’s post apparently is not true as sources say Dupuy will not get the post.

Dupuy was among those who took that trip to San Diego back in October and it was his state vehicle in which four troopers drove to San Diego with stops in Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon.

Even before the California trip, Edmonson has been the subject of scrutiny by LouisianaVoice since July 2014. It was then that State Sen. Neil Riser slipped an amendment to an otherwise benign bill in the last hours of the regular legislative session which would have given Edmonson an illegal retirement increase. Initial reports said that increase would have been around $55,000.

His retirement was frozen at a rate based on his $76,000 per year salary at the time he entered DROP. The amendment would have adjusted that retirement based on his salary of $131,000 in 2014. Since that time, however, his salary has been increased to $177,500 which would have ended up giving him an additional $101,500 in retirement income had Claitor not filed his legal action voiding the illegal maneuver.

Edwards was among those in the House who voted in favor of the bill with the amendment attached which would have allowed Edmonson to circumvent requirements of the so-called DROP program which froze his retirement at a rank lower than his present colonel rank. The decision to enter DROP was supposed to be irrevocable but the bill allowed Edmonson, and coincidentally, one other trooper, to make an end-run around the requirements.

Even as then-Rep. Edwards was calling unsuccessfully for then-House Speaker Chuck Kleckley to call for an investigation into the matter (Kleckley refused), State Sen. Dan Claitor filed suit in 19th Judicial District Court and obtained a ruling legally blocking the raise.

But LouisianaVoice continued revealing lapses in Edmonson’s leadership of LSP. Those included cases of payroll fraud; promotions of a trooper who had a documented prescription addiction but was promoted nonetheless to troop commander; and another who was promoted to troop commander after being caught by Mississippi authorities sneaking an underage woman into a Vicksburg casino; examples of token punishment for other troopers, including one who twice had sex with an informant while on duty—once in his patrol unit, were also reported by LouisianaVoice.

LouisianaVoice has presented LSP with scores of public records requests in efforts to determine how the LSP metes out punishment on those troopers found in disfavor as well as how it spends its money.

A recent request for a record of expenditures at Mardi Gras in New Orleans, other than on those who were detailed to the event for security, was met with a response that there were no such records for expenditures other than for SECURITY.

But Suzanne Edmonson, wife of the LSP Superintendent, posted this 2014 Facebook photo with the caption “Here to protect & serve but mostly drink.”

This photo, as well as other photos and messages, have been removed from Suzanne Edmonson’s (on right) Facebook page.

Edmonson was first appointed Superintendent by Gov. Bobby Jindal in January 2008. Prior to that, he was best known as the ever-present bodyguard first for Nick Saban and then for Les Miles at LSU football games. Before that, he was public information for LSP and had never served in a supervisory capacity.

He was reappointed by Edwards in January 2016 as a trade-off for the much-needed endorsement of the Louisiana Sheriffs’ Association in his 2015 runoff election against U.S. Sen. David Vitter.

Edwards’ brother, Daniel Edwards, is the sheriff of Tangipahoa Parish and his office was raided by the FBI last year as part of an ongoing investigation by the federal Drug Enforcement Agency.

Gov. Edwards has steadfastly stood behind Edmonson throughout his superintendent’s turbulent tenure marked by sporadic rumors of partying and lax administration of subordinates, particularly his troop commanders who were pretty much given free rein.

He also has been linked to the Louisiana State Troopers Association’s (LSTA) political contributions even though he says he has nothing to do with the LSTA operations. But LouisianaVoice was able to document that Edmonson approached LSTA right after Edwards’ election victory over Vitter to request the association to write a letter to Edwards endorsing him for reappointment.

LSTA’s board denied that request but did wash members’ money through the personal bank account of its executive director, David Young. Jindal and Edwards, at different points in time, each received $10,000 from Young, who subsequently filed expense reports for reimbursement from LSTA.

Edwards returned his contributions but Jindal never did.

Earlier this week, the FBI walked in on a board meeting of LSTA and served each of its board members with subpoenas to appear before a federal grand jury. The date of that grand jury has not been announced. In all, 18 subpoenas were served on current and former board members and Young.

In another surprise move, former Lafayette Parish Sheriff Donald Breaux resigned from the Louisiana State Police Commission (LSPC). He was the second member to quit the commission in just over a month. Commission executive director Cathy Derbonne resigned under pressure, prompting Lloyd Grafton, a retired career federal agent, to also resign, saying he had tried without success to bring integrity to the board.

Following that meeting yesterday, commission members Eulis Simien and Calvin Braxton met with Gov. Edwards for more than an hour. Braxton, contacted by LouisianaVoice, acknowledged that the meeting took place, “but I’m not saying what was discussed,” he said.

LouisianaVoice will have more details about Edmonson’s resignation as they become available.

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18 State Troopers served subpoenas for federal grand jury even as DPS declines to investigate Millet LSTA complaint

Posted in Corruption, Courts, Crime, DOA, Elections, Ethics, Governor's Office, Media, State Police on March 8, 2017| 22 Comments »

Perhaps it’s time to direct some hard questions to Department of Public Safety and Corrections (DPSC) Secretary Jimmy LeBlanc.

LeBlanc, after all, is technically Mike Edmonson’s boss. Besides holding the title of Superintendent of State Police, Edmonson is also Deputy Secretary of DPSC.

LeBlanc only recently came through an intensive investigation into the Corrections, also under the DPSC umbrella. That investigation cost Angola Warden Burl Cain and several of his family members their jobs.

And yet DPSC general counsel Kathy Williams notified retired State Trooper Leon “Bucky” Millet by letter dated last Thursday (March 2) that DPS would not consider his complaint against the Louisiana State Troopers’ Association because Louisiana State Police (LSP) “considers the matter closed.”

She may wish to revisit that decision.

Today, FBI agents fanned out across the state to simultaneously serve federal grand jury subpoenas on 18 State Troopers, LouisianaVoice has learned. Included among those served were officers and directors of that very same LSTA that DPSC refuses to investigate.

One report indicated that the LSTA board of directors was in its monthly meeting Wednesday when federal agents walked in and served each board member with his subpoena.

LouisianaVoice has not learned the date of the grand jury nor was the specific subject readily available. But because troopers from across the state were served, it would seem reasonable to assume that the thrust of the federal investigation is the laundering of campaign contributions by the LSTA through the association’s executive director David Young, a story LouisianaVoice broke more than a year ago.

It was not immediately known if Young was one of those served on Wednesday.

It was also learned that the FBI has already interviewed some of those slapped with subpoenas today.

The LSTA board is comprised of trooper representatives from each of the eight state police troops. The individual troop headquarters are located in Baton Rouge in East Baton Rouge Parish, Kenner in Jefferson Parish, Mandeville in St. Tammany Parish, Lake Charles in Calcasieu Parish, Lafayette in Lafayette Parish, Monroe in Ouachita Parish, Bossier City in Bossier Parish and Gray in Terrebonne Parish.

Neither Edmonson, Deputy Superintendent Lt. Col. Charles Dupuy nor Director of Management and Finance Lt. Col. Jason Starnes were among those handed subpoenas. Only LSTA officers, directors and former officers and directors were served.

Regardless, reports out of State Police headquarters in Baton Rouge say command personnel have been in “full panic mode” all afternoon as they hunkered down in meetings. As my grandfather used to say, you probably couldn’t pull a needle out of their butts with a John Deere tractor. A federal grand jury subpoena, after all, is less welcome than an IRS audit letter—and who knows? That might not be far behind.

LSTA general counsel Floyd Falcon cannot represent any of those served if their legal interests should conflict with those of the association, as they quite likely will. That means that each of those served will have to retain his own legal counsel.

With that many having been served subpoenas, it’s likely that at least one, maybe several, will roll over and give the feds information they’re looking for in order to cut a deal. The scramble will be to see who can give up whom first because that’s will will likely get the best deal. What’s not likely is for any of them to lie because we’re sure they are all keenly aware that lying to the FBI, even if not under oath, can get a quick trip to a federal facility where one can work in the laundry for 20 cents per hour.

One thing you can expect out of all of this: there will be no united front. Targets are almost certain to turn on each other as the cannibalization begins in earnest. Edmonson already has thrown the four men who drove the expedition to California—and his secretary—under the bus.

And make no mistake: the clock is ticking on Gov. John Bel Edwards. Mike Edmonson, Charles Dupuy and Jason Starnes represent baggage he simply cannot afford to carry into his campaign for reelection. That campaign cranks up in less than two years.

Edmonson needs to go and he needs to take LeBlanc with him.

Back to you, Kathy Williams.

 

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Mike Edmonson hobnobs with BR man with outstanding warrant, arrested for bribing way into LSU football games

Posted in Ethics, State Police on March 8, 2017| 10 Comments »

LSP Policy: P. O. 901 – Code of Conduct and Ethics

47 Associations

  1. i)Commissioned officers shall avoid regular or continuous associations or dealings with persons whom they know are suspected felons, persons under criminal investigation or indictment, or who have a reputation in the community for present involvement in felonious or criminal behavior.  

That seems pretty straightforward and easy to understand.

Yet, there Louisiana State Police (LSP) Superintendent Mike Edmonson is hobnobbing with Casey Adam McKenzie in all those Facebook photographs posted by…McKenzie.

Edmonson on left, McKenzie in center. Man on right unidentified.

McKenzie, a Baton Rouge insurance agent, a self-promoting individual who also works as a booking agent for local bands and who likes to gate-crash LSU sporting events to scarf off sideline passes. He was even arrested for that once. http://www.wbrz.com/news/lsu-police-gate-workers-paid-off/.

He was initially booked on a charge of felony theft but that was later reduced to a misdemeanor.

Casey_LSU

So what’s wrong with Edmonson and McKenzie paling around together?

Left to right: Edmonson, wife Suzanne Edmonson, McKenzie. Others unidentified.

McKenzie doesn’t think there’s anything inappropriate about their friendship. “Mike’s a terrific guy,” he told LouisianaVoice in a recent telephone interview.

In fact, it was McKenzie who initiated the phone call. I had emailed LSP public information officer Maj. Doug Cain asking what the relationship between Edmonson and McKenzie. (I never got a response to that inquiry). Other than that, the only other contact I made with anyone about the two was with a sound engineer who I was told had issues with McKenzie over McKenzie’s alleged short-changing the sound company, Premier Production and Sound Services of Baton Rouge, following a band performance.

McKenzie and Edmonson enjoy a harmonica solo together onstage

Within 30 minute of those two contact, McKenzie was on the phone wanting to know why I was asking about him.

Well, regarding that Oct. 12, 2013, charge of theft of LSU “event pass” wristbands, I couldn’t help but be a little curious as to why, after getting the charge reduced to a misdemeanor, the matter has yet to be resolved in court. There have been numerous continuances, with the most recent being on Feb. 13 with the next court date set for 9:30 on May 5 in 19th Judicial District Judge Mike Erwin’s courtroom.

An apparently surprised McKenzie with Edmonson and unidentified women.

Other minor violations on McKenzie’s part that indicate something of a pattern include:

  • Improper equipment on his auto, to which he pled guilty in 2004;
  • Speeding and driving under suspension on Sept. 2, 2010: “Presented without evidence and no action taken.  Case closed” on Dec. 20, 2013 (How did this charge manage to languish for more than three years?);
  • Speeding on June 1, 2014: State moved to drop charges and case dismissed on Sept. 22, 2015;
  • No seat belt on Nov. 22, 2014: No activity on charge since that date;
  • Expired vehicle inspection on Jan. 8, 2015: No activity on charge since that date;
  • Expired vehicle inspection on Jan. 21, 2015: “Presented without evidence on May 9, 2015,” case dismissed;
  • Driving with suspended license on May 9, 2016: Failed to appear for arraignment on Sept. 30, 2016. Bench warrant issued for his arrest and warrant remains outstanding (Erwin is judge).

Casey_Speeding

Casey_No_License

Granted, these offenses don’t thrust McKenzie into the same class as John Dillinger but there are other incidents for which he was not arrested but which call his dealings with others into question.

Patio partying with Edmonson (left foreground), wife Suzanne and McKenzie (purple LSU shirt). Possibly a selfie taken by Edmonson?

One person told LouisianaVoice, “I was personally taken for several thousand dollars, and others (for) much more over the past few years.” That writer continued, saying there was “one despicable incident” of McKenzie’s “ripping off a disabled wheelchair-bound activist for ALS.”

And with a warrant for his arrest pending, one might question the wisdom of Edmonson’s chumming around with McKenzie.

That same writer describes McKenzie as being “obsessed with the social media platforms of Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, and Twitter. He provide plenty of photo and videos for reference that confirm his close and frequent ties with Mike Edmonson.”

 

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