Louisiana Voice

There are a couple of items on tomorrow’s (Thursday, April 24) meeting of the Board of Supervisors for the University of Louisiana System that have some observers scratching their heads.

One of those was a mysterious audit and the other appears to be an attempt to a heretofore civil mater, libel and defamation, into a criminal matter and which edges dangerously close to an affront to the First Amendment.

The board is the governing board for nine colleges and universities that do not have their own specific governing boards. LSU and Southern are the two exceptions that have their own governing boards.

One of the agenda items is Item F. 1, which says in its executive summary:

Attached is a list of internal and external reports completed by various auditors since the February Board meeting. The internal audit reports are prepared based on an independent review of university departments and functions. The internal audits are designed to ascertain compliance with established policies and procedures, to evaluate operational efficiencies of business and management practices, and to determine adequacy of internal controls. The internal audits are conducted to provide management with recommendations and comments designed to improve the operations of university departments and functions. External audits are conducted in accordance with laws, regulations, or contracts. Also included are internal audits that are currently in progress and a Follow-up Time Table to ensure recommendations made in prior reports are implemented.

 This is a report only and no action by the Board is necessary.

Under that item is a list of a number of apparently routine audits for Grambling State University, Louisiana Tech University, Northwestern State University, Southeastern Louisiana University, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, the University of Louisiana at Monroe and the University of New Orleans.

Among the six items under Southeastern Louisiana University was Item 6 on page 19: “Follow-Up of MILESTONE, INC. Fraud Investigation.”

No one on the Hammond campus seems to know much of anything about Milestone, Inc. A search of corporate filings on the Secretary of State’s web page found dozens of Milestone companies. The one that seemed most obvious however, The Milestone Corporation was listed in the Whitney Bank Building in New Orleans but it was also listed as “inactive,” first organized in February 1974 and having filed its last report in January 1975.

Not only is Milestone unknown, but more than a few Southeastern employees have a vested interest in knowing what kind of fraud is being investigated – especially an investigation of a fraud on which “no action by the Board is necessary.”

The second item, if were a federal offense and applied retroactively, might have landed candidate Donald Trump behind bars during his debate with Nancy Pelosi – and on numerous occasions since.

This little agenda item, if approved, would require anyone testifying during any meeting of the Board of Supervisors to sign an AFFIDAVIT affirming that they are speaking under oath and that they would be subject to penalties for perjury “or other applicable legal consequences in the event of an intentional false statement that is material to the matter or issue before the Board.”

“Individuals who knowingly provide materially false testimony may be subject to legal and administrative consequences, including but not limited to referral to law enforcement or other appropriate oversight authorities,” it goes on to say.

But wait. As something of an afterthought, it says, “Exceptions to this policy may only be granted by the Board Chair or System President, and must be documented in writing and retained as part of the official record of the proceeding.”

So, if you’re scheduled to testify before the board and you intend to or if you know for certain that you are going to tell the board a whopper, you must first get permission in writing.

Then it’s okay.

Funny thing, witnesses who testify before legislative committees do so with the understanding that they are testifying under oath. Yet, I’ve seen witnesses sit there stone-faced and lie through their teeth and nother is ever done.

Does the Board of Supervisors for University of Louisiana System think their title carries more weight than a do-nothing legislative committee?

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Four Louisiana congressmen could be facing a dilemma of sorts if it should ever come down to the House voting on cutting Medicaid as has been rumored since Agent Orange became IMPOTUS.

Here’s the thing: of the top nine Republican congressional districts with the highest number of expanded Medicaid enrollments, four are from Louisiana – including that of Speaker of the House Mike Johnson.

That could pose a problem since all four are dedicated Trump bootlickers (I cleaned that up for the more delicate reads).

California’s House District 22, represented by David Valadao who also just happens to be a Trump Repugnantcan. His district led the way with 139,800 adult Affordable Care Act enrollees.

But looky-look at number 2! That’s Louisiana’s 05^th District, represented by Julia Letlow, an avid Trumpette. Her district had 131,300 adult enrollees.

Next at third was Oregon’s District 02, represented by another Good Ol’ Party boy, Cliff Bentz. His district rang in with 131,000. Fourth was Kentucky District 5, represented by Hal Rogers (Republican, what else?) with 130,300 ACA enrollees.

Coming in at number 05 is Louisiana District 3. The big dog in that district is one Clay Higgins and 126,400 of his constituents are enrolled in ACA.

Sixth is Louisiana House District 04. That is the district of U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, of whom we are so very proud – as are the 117,500 adult (maybe) voters enrolled in ACA.

In seventh place is Republican Jay Obernolte’s California District 23 (a bit southeast of Valadao’s District 22) with 109,400 enrollees.

Eighth place is held down by Louisiana District 01, represented by none other than Steve KKK Scalise, with 107,800 enrollees.

In the anchor spot of the bottom nine is West Virginia District 01, represented by Republican Carol Miller, with a paltry 98,900 ACA enrollees.

Isn’t it interesting to know that these Republican-controlled congressional districts have the highest adult Medicaid expansion ACA members? Especially since Trump and Musk seem hell-bent on trashing Medicaid and even more especially since each of the districts are loaded down with Trump supporters who are on Medicaid? Wow. Go figure.

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A reader who just happens to be a personal friend and sometime editor and proofreader of my book manuscripts sent the following link to me on Sunday. The last sentence asks that it be shared, so I am.

It’s loaded with links to news stories that support the writer’s assertions, so it’s important that you click on the links and read the stories of the shameful, disgusting history of Donald Trump and his supporting cast of MAGHATS. Note: In case you’re a diehard Trump supporter, please know that none of the linked stories are from either InfoWars, Fox News, WorldNetDaily, Breibart News or OANN, so you probably haven’t read or heard of any of the accounts. Unlike those outlets, the links are to reputable, reliable sources.

Here is the connecting link to the essay entitled JUST THE FACTS.

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Well, campers, here we are on April 18, with just 12 days left in our April fundraiser. I want to thank everyone who has contributed. No matter the amount, $5 or $50 of $100, every bit helps us keep the stories coming about ineptitude, corruption and just plain ignorance on the part of elected officials from the local level to the top.

I hate having to come to you like this (I would have never made it as a TV evangelist – or even a garden-variety preacher), but it’s only twice a year. And unlike one unhappy camper, I’m not begging for funds for personal use. True, some of it does pay for gasoline for trips to outlying parishes and to the State Capitol, but your contributions go mainly to the cost of obtaining public records – sometimes through the necessity of legal action.

Bear in mind, I don’t have a paywall and I don’t accept advertising because I want this to remain free to readers.

But all that aside, I would appreciate any help you can give. At the same time, I encourage you to give to your local food bank as well. If you can’t afford to give to both, give to the food bank. It’s important.

If you choose to do so, you may contribute to LouisianaVoice by clicking on the YELLOW BUTTON to the right of this post. Or you may mail a check to Tom Aswell, 107 North College West, Denham Springs, Louisiana 70726.

Remember, the largest single contribution will receive a first-edition copy of Huey Long’s autobiography, Every Man a King. All contributions of $50 or more will also receive a signed copy of my latest book, 101 Wrongful Convictions in Louisiana.

Thank you.

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At least one reader is of the opinion that I’m in failing health (I don’t really think macular degeneration falls within the purview of “failing”) and that I’m in dire financial straits (I can only guess he draws this conclusion from the twice-yearly fundraiser LouisianaVoice conducts which is currently taking place) and that LouisianaVoice is sub-par as a political blog.

Sub-par it may well be because I do not depend on it as a livelihood. I’m involved with several projects, but admittedly, I’m not hi-tech, though I do know the difference between A-1 and A-I.

I also can see that the first 100 days of Making America Great is nothing short of an unmitigated disaster.

But, as we were told repeatedly during the Vietnam War, I think I can see a light at the end of the tunnel – and I really don’t think it’s not an approaching train, which we got back when we were trying to wear down Ho Chi Minh in that ill-advised war of attrition.

Unlike Col. Bonespurs, I did enlist in the military just as Vietnam was heating up, but never set foot in the country.

But today, I see so many areas where this man is stripping us of our rights, of our dignity and of democracy itself.

He has targeted ATTORNEYS AND EDUCATORS, even AMERICAN CITIZENS. He’s deliberately UNDERCUT allies, DEFUNDED a refugee aid agency, threatened to ERADICATE an entire society in Gaza in favor of erecting a tourist mecca – to his own financial benefit, of course and launched an attack on the FIRST AMENDMENT.

And now, he wants to fire Central Bank Chairman Jerome Powell because he is somehow attempting to shift the blame for the coming recession, brought about by his own Daffy Duck-like economic policies, on Powell.

And now we learn that Col. Bonespurs wants a lavish military parade in honor of his 79th birthday next June. The event is anticipated to cost taxpayers a cool $92 million, including $21 million for public safety costs alone. All this, while imported goods are expected to increase for working Americans who haven’t seen him do anything about the price of eggs – one of his big campaign promises.

A military parade for a draft dodger who called military heroes “losers.” Can you spell arrogance, boys and girls?

And during all the chaos, Elon Musk and his DOGE has been running rampant through the federal government while downsizing his TARGETED CUTS of $2 trillion in waste to $150 billion. And yes, a billion here and a billion there, as Everett Dirkson once said, and soon you’re talking about real money. But $150 billion is light years from the anticipated $2 trillion.

But it’s interesting to note that while has been slashing and cutting with the precision of a meat cleaver, his own companies, Space X and Starlink have been mercifully SPARED. Meanwhile, Musk covered his own tracks with a series of OUTRIGHT LIES.

But wait.

It now seems that he has taken aim at a formidable foe by threatening to cut grants to HARVARD, which has the financial resources to fight back. The university, with its $53 billion endowment, may be just the schoolyard nerd to take on the bully and win.

The university, founded in 1636, long before Trump’s immigrant forebears made it to this country as unwashed foreigners, RESPONDED to IMPOTUS’s bluster by placing a chip on its symbolic shoulder and daring the buffoon to knock it off.

By standing up to GOLFER Ima Fraud, Harvard just may have gotten the attention of other schools and attorneys who might find the courage to lock arms with the Crimson.

Already, we’re seeing more frequent and larger demonstrations against this administration and its attempted trashing of the US Constitution.

Revolutions are ignited by a small spark and Col. Bonespurs may have provided that spark.

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