Louisiana Voice

Once again, it’s time for our semi-annual fundraiser here at LouisianaVoice.

Our appeals court hearing on our public records lawsuit against former Commissioner of Administration Kristy Nichols is scheduled for later this month and there have been expenses related to filing fees.

We need your continued help in keeping an uninterrupted flow of news about our state. We are being asked more and more to look into wrongdoing in the far reaches of the state and that results in expenses.

To help encourage you to contribute this time, I’m doing something I said I’d never do.

I have a huge collection of old country and classic rock ‘n’ roll records, some of which I consider collectibles and fairly valuable. I vowed to hold on to them, CDs, iPods, MP3s and downloaded songs be damned.

But my wife of nearly 48 years tells me:

1. My thousands of 45 rpm records and LPs are taking up far too much room;
2. Every record I have is duplicated by CDs I purchased or burned;
3. If something happens to me (I’m nearly 73), she’s tossing them.

I cannot stand the thought of my prized records ending up in a dumpster. Accordingly, I have decided to part with every last phonograph record.

I am offering the more valuable records for sale as part of our April fundraiser, which begins this week. The rest I suppose will be donated to a used record store or an antique store. It’ll be like saying goodbye to an old friend. But what has to be has to be.

Here is a partial list that might generate some interest:

Elvis Presley Sun records

• That’s All Right b/w Blue Moon of Kentucky (his very first commercial recording);
• Good Rockin’ Tonight b/w I Don’t Care if the Sun Don’t Shine;
• You’re a Heart Breaker b/w Milkcow Blues Boogie;
• I’m Left, You’re Right, She’s Gone b/w Baby Let’s Play House;
• Mystery Train b/w I Forgot to Remember to Forget.

I also have hundreds of RCA Elvis records, some of which are promotional copies issued to radio stations and which were not for sale (but now they are), including the four-song EP from his first movie, Love Me Tender. I also have several dozen LP albums by Elvis, including Blue Hawaii and King Creole. Details on other singles and LPs available upon request.

Jerry Lee Lewis Sun original recordings

• Whole Lot of Shakin’ Going On b/w It’ll Be Me;
• Breathless b/w Down the Line;
• High School Confidential b/w Fools Like Me;
• Great Balls of Fire b/w You Win Again (two copies);
• Sweet Little Sixteen b/w How’s My Ex Treating You;
• Cold Cold Heart b/w It Won’t Happen with Me;
• Good Golly Miss Molly b/w I Can’t Trust Me. The last two (Cold Cold Heart and Good Golly Miss Molly are disc jockey promotional records on special white labels stamped not for sale.

I also have many Jerry Lee Lewis LP albums and details are available upon request.

Johnny Cash Sun original recordings

• I Walk the Line b/w Get Rhythm;
• Ballad of a Teenage Queen b/w Big River;
• There You Go b/w Train of Love;
• Cry! Cry! Cry! b/w Hey, Porter;
• Guess Things Happen That Way b/w Come in Stranger;
• Next in Line b/w Don’t Make Me Go;
• The Ways of a Woman in Love b/w You’re the Nearest Thing to Heaven;
• It’s Just About Time b/w I Just Thought You’d Like to Know.

The Beatles original records

Several of these records are promotional disc jockey records which makes them collectibles and one of those, a four-song EP (that’s extended play for the uninitiated) that about 20 years ago sold for $11,000. I’ll start with that one.

• Misery and Taste of Honey b/w Ask Me Why and Anna (on the old VJ label, now defunct)(current bid: $100);
• Ain’t She Sweet b/w Nobody’s Child (Atco, a division of Atlantic Records, and a promotional record (current bid: $100);
• The Saints b/w My Bonnie, an MGM promotional “Not for Sale” disc jockey copy. (What makes this record really interesting is that both songs feature Tony Sheridan. He is one of only two non-Beatles to record with the group and he recorded just this one record. The songs were recorded on June 22-23, 1961, on a stage at Hamburg’s Friedrich-Ebert-Hatte school and the Beatles’ fee was 300 marks. Sheridan died in 2013 (current bid: $100).
• Another EP featuring This Boy and Please Mister Postman b/w Roll Over Beethoven and All My Loving (current bid: $100);
• Their first USA release: I Want to Hold Your Hand b/w I Saw Her Standing There (This record is in the original sleeve.) (current bid: $100)
• She Loves You b/w I’ll Get You on the Swan label with the printed message “Don’t Drop Out” on both sides of the record. (current bid: $100)
• Do You Want to Know a Secret b/w Thank You Girl (on the old VJ label) (current bid: $100);
• Twist and Shout b/w There’s a Place (what makes this record especially interesting is that it’s on the obscure Tollie To my knowledge, it’s the original song and the only release by the band on this label.) (current bid: $100)

I also have several Beatles LP albums. Details can be provided upon request.

Buddy Holly

The inspiration for Don McLean’s American Pie died far too soon. I’m fortunate to own five original 45 rpm recordings by him and several LP albums. Here are the five singles:

• True Love Ways b/w Bo Diddley on the Coral label;
• That’ll Be the Day b/w I’m Lookin’ for Someone to Love (on Vogue Coral);
• You Are My One Desire b/w Love Me (on the Decca label);
• Ting-A-Ling b/w Girl on My Mind (Decca);
• Think it Over b/w Fool’s Paradise (on the Brunswick label)

I have many hundreds more, including as only a few examples: Brenda Lee, a couple of other Sun records (one by Charlie Rich), the Rolling Stones, the Animals, Simon and Garfunkel, John Denver, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Jerry Jeff Walker, Bob Wills, Kris Kristofferson, and my all-time favorite, Roy Orbison.

I’m not setting a price on them, though I do request a minimum bid of $100 per record listed (Records not on the list above will be sold for less). Instead, I’ll let you bid on them as part of our April fundraiser and the highest bidder will get the record.

So, by making your contribution, you not only will own a collector’s item record (or a complete set), but you will be helping LouisianaVoice continue its expanding investigative reporting so that we can keep you informed about what your elected officials and their appointees are doing with taxpayer dollars.

You may inquire about these or any of my records by emailing me at louisianavoice@yahoo.com.

You may bid on each record individually or for an entire set. The high bid will be listed daily for each record until close of bids Saturday, April 16 at midnight.

The bidding is now open.

For those who simply wish to donate to our fundraiser, you may either pay by credit card by simply clicking on the yellow “donate” button over to the upper right or by mail a check to:

LouisianaVoice

P.O. Box 922

Denham Springs, Louisiana 70727

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In anticipation of legislative passage and voter approval of Senate Bill 76, state agency heads have already begun setting up “volunteer” payroll deductions that would enable classified state employees to contribute to the campaigns of political candidates.

SB 76, by State Sen. Ryan Gatti (R-Bossier City) would greatly change the landscape of statewide political campaigns by allowing state classified employees, historically barred from political activity, to participate in and contribute to political campaigns.

The bill, which calls for a constitutional amendment, would need approval of two-thirds of the House (70 votes) and the Senate (26) as well as approval of a simple majority of Louisiana voters—with the emphasis being on “simple.”

The current provisions of the Louisiana Constitution say this about political activity by classified employees:

Article X. Public Officials and Employees. Part I. State and City Civil Service. § 9. Prohibitions Against Political Activities

 Section 9. (A) Party Membership; Elections. No member of a civil service commission and no officer or employee in the classified service shall participate or engage in political activity; be a candidate for nomination or election to public office except to seek election as the classified state employee serving on the State Civil Service Commission; or be a member of any national, state, or local committee of a political party or faction; make or solicit contributions for any political party, faction, or candidate; or take active part in the management of the affairs of a political party, faction, candidate, or any political campaign, except to exercise his right as a citizen to express his opinion privately, to serve as a commissioner or official watcher at the polls, and to cast his vote as he desires.

 (B) Contributions. No person shall solicit contributions for political purposes from any classified employee or official or use or attempt to use his position in the state or city service to punish or coerce the political action of a classified employee.

 (C) Political Activity Defined. As used in this Part, “political activity” means an effort to support or oppose the election of a candidate for political office or to support a particular political party in an election. The support of issues involving bonded indebtedness, tax referenda, or constitutional amendments shall not be prohibited.

The Louisiana State Police Association and three members of the State Police Commission are the only ones exempted from those prohibitions.

The restrictions were put in place by Gov. Sam H. Jones (1940-1944) as a means of preventing Huey Long’s political allies from using the favored “deduct box” withholdings as a means of keeping them in power. They remained in place during the term (1944-1948) of Jones’s successor, Jimmie H. Davis but were abolished when Huey’s brother, Earl K. Long, was elected in 1948. The constraints on political activity were not reinstated until Davis’s second term (1960-1964.

Now, a half-century later, state classified employees will apparently again be free to openly support the candidates of their choice—or at least the candidates of their agency heads’ choice. At the same time, however, Gatti’s bill makes it clear that the prohibition against classified employees seeking office remains unchanged.

A memorandum leaked to LouisianaVoice spells out the scenario whereby state classified employees may set up payroll deductions to political candidates.

From: [Redacted]
Sent: Thursday, March 31, 2016 6:12 PM
To: Dept. of [Redacted]
Subject: RE: Political activity

 Approval of Senate Bill 76 by Sen. Gatti appears to be on the fast track for approval by the Louisiana Legislature. If approved as expected, state classified employees will no longer be encumbered by unfair restrictions on political activity. Instead, you will enjoy the freedom to express your political sentiments the same as any other Louisiana citizen.

 Moreover, you will be free to provide financial support to the candidate(s) of your choice once the bill is voted into law.

 In the expectation of your political emancipation, a process is being set up whereby you, as a state employee, will be empowered to authorize payroll deductions to political candidates on the local, state and national level.

 For those who equate this to the old “deduct box” system of the Huey Long era as alluded to by a political blogger who shall remain unnamed, please be assured this is not the case at all. In fact, the new payroll contribution system will be officially known as the “Giving Opportunity to Taste Governmental Activity Satisfaction” (GOTGAS).

 To be completely fair, the system will be set up initially with mandatory deductions of $1 per pay period per classified employee for each incumbent legislator and each incumbent statewide elected official. That will amount to “volunteer” contributions of $151 every two weeks, a small sacrifice to make to ensure continued good government. You will be happy to know that in addition to contributions from lobbyists, PACs, state contractors and other political hangers-on, all incumbents will receive an additional $1.5 million per year, or $6 million for a four-year term of office, thanks to your generosity.

You will be pleased to know that this will allow legislators and the seven statewide elected officials to purchase even more expensive meals at the finest restaurants, to stay in better hotel rooms while on travel, to lease more luxurious automobiles, to pay ethics fines (on the rare occasions they are imposed), to pay income taxes, and, of course, to purchase even more LSU, Saints and Pelicans season tickets for their friends.

 These mandatory voluntary contributions will begin immediately and you can see the deductions reflected in your next online pay stub.

 As always, thank you for your continued dedication to helping move Louisiana forward.

 Signed, [Redacted]

Yes, folks, it’s April 1.

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Bobby Jindal just won’t go away.

The best explanation we can come up with is the psychiatric definition of denial: “A primitive-ego defense–mechanism by which a person unconsciously negates the existence of… stress-producing reality in his environment by disavowing thoughts, feelings, wishes, needs, or external reality factors that are consciously intolerable.”

The stress-producing reality in this case is:

• He is no longer governor;
• He was a disastrous laughingstock of a presidential candidate;
• In the last two presidential nomination sweepstakes, he has endorsed candidates (Rick Perry and Marco Rubio) who failed to capture voters’ interest;
• He has been reduced to just another talking head spouting misrepresentations about his miserable eight years of botched fiscal policies.

And so it was that last Thursday (March 24) Bobby Jindal was the featured speaker at something called the Mary Elizabeth Babcock Lectureship in the American Conservative Tradition at Denison University in Granville, Ohio.

It was enough that Bobby the Boy Blunder spoke at the event that in the past has showcased such conservative notables as William F. Buckley, Jr., James Kilpatrick, George Will, Zbigniew Brzezinski, David Gergen, Jack Kemp, Robert Bork, Bob Dole, and J.C. Watts.

But in terms of pure, undiluted B.S., the advance press release from Denison on Jindal’s “Challenges and Opportunities in America’s Political Landscape: the 2016 Election and Beyond” was way over the top.

Some examples of the drivel contained in that press release:

• Bobby Jindal has a well-earned reputation as one of America’s most successful public sector executives and one of the boldest innovators in the health care and education sectors.
• Jindal used his two terms as Governor of Louisiana to rebuild and diversify the state’s economy and financial footing in the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
• Jindal’s agenda included top-to-bottom reformation and privatization of the state-run charity hospital and the state’s healthcare payer systems. Fiscally, Jindal reduced the state budget by 26 percent, reduced the state employee headcount by 30,000, and implemented the largest income tax reduction in state history. With a bipartisan consensus, Jindal implemented statewide school choice programs and moved the state from the bottom five in ethics laws to the top five.
• Jindal’s dramatic rework of Louisiana’s policy structure paid measurable dividends in the form of eight credit upgrades, $60 million in private capital investment and a ranking in the top ten in the nation for job creation and the highest ever per-capita income ranking in state history.
• Despite being the nation’s youngest governor when he was elected in 2007, Jindal had been well-prepared to become the state’s CEO, with stints as the head of the state Department of Health and Hospitals, as president of the University of Louisiana System, assistant secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and executive director of the National Bipartisan Commission on the Future of Medicare—all before his 30^th birthday.
• In the private sector, Jindal advised senior management of Fortune 500 firms as an associate at McKinsey & Co. Jindal analyzed potential acquisition targets, assisted with product launches, and evaluated manufacturing processes versus best practices. Jindal managed teams of clients and consultants and aided health care payer, pharmaceutical, manufacturing and information technology clients.

Of course, Denison’s fairy tale press release, obviously written either by Jindal, Rolfe McCollister or some other delusional member of his team, neglected to say that:

• He served less than a year with McKinsey & Co.—not exactly supportive of all the accomplishments claimed in the news release;
• That “well-earned reputation as one of America’s most successful public sector executives” is pure fiction, concocted by someone likely smoking some really good stuff.
• “…rebuild and diversify the state’s economy and financial footing” after Katrina and Rita? Jindal, for once in your miserable, deceitful career, tell the truth: You squandered a $1 billion surplus you inherited when taking office, thanks to federal funds for Katrina and Rita recovery, and left office with a $2 billion black hole of a deficit.
• As far as his “top-to-bottom reformation and privatization” of the charity hospital system and his school choice programs, we’ll just let the record speak for itself. Ethics? That word isn’t even in his vocabulary.
• “Well-prepared” to become the state’s CEO? The only thing he was well-prepared for was racking up frequent flyer miles in pursuit of higher office and running up monumental costs in the use of State Police security—a tab picked up by the taxpayers of Louisiana.

No, Jindal just won’t go away and he is doing everything he can to perpetuate the myth that he was an innovator who pulled the state from the brink of disaster.

That’s denial of the obvious.

For the real story of how his administration was rotten from top to bottom, you can pre-order a signed copy of my latest book, Bobby Jindal: His Destiny and Obsession.

After a couple of delays in the editing process, the book is now on track to be released around mid-April.

You may pre-order by clicking on the illustration of the book cover located on the upper right side of this post. You will be placing your order through Cavalier House Books of Denham Springs, which is only about three blocks from my home. When the books are received by Cavalier, the owner will summon me to the bookstore to sign each book to each purchaser before they are mailed out.

I can promise a much more accurate picture of our former governor, presidential wannabe than was provided in the Denison press release. The book, unlike that claptrap, is rooted in reality.

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People like John Alario, Scott Angelle, Chris Broadwater, Jay Dardenne, and Bobby Jindal may want to get their checkbooks out and start writing refund checks from their election campaign funds.

LouisianaVoice has learned from sources within State Police headquarters in Baton Rouge that “subpoenas have been served” and the FBI is actively investigating the method in which the Louisiana State Troopers Association funneled money to political candidates, including Gov. John Bel Edwards, through the organization’s executive director David Young.

More than $45,000 in campaign cash is funneled through Executive Director by Louisiana State Troopers Association

At the same time, LouisianaVoice also learned that the State Office of Inspector General is conducting its own investigation into the Louisiana State Board of Dentistry over the way in which it fines dentists for such offenses as too large lettering in its advertisements to bankrupting a surgeon who treated diseases of the head and neck but who had the misfortune of also having a dental license but no anesthesia permit from the dental board—even though he has “never filled a tooth, made a denture, made a crown, cleaned teeth, restored a tooth, or anything that one would consider a dental practice.” https://louisianavoice.com/2015/04/16/13976/

Both investigations come after LouisianaVoice published numerous stories about both LSTA’s campaign contributions and the dental board’s harsh investigatory and punishment methods.

Edwards, who received six separate contributions totaling $10,000 from the LSTA, refunded his contributions when he deemed the method in which the money found its way into his campaign was questionable.

The method used to transfer LSTA money into the various political campaigns saw Young make the actual contributions with the LSTA, with its board’s approval, reimbursing Young for “expenses.”

The Code of Governmental Ethics, Section VIII of R.S. 18:1505.2 (B) also lists the making of contributions or loans “through or in the name of another” as a prohibited practice.

http://ethics.la.gov/Pub/Laws/cfdasum.pdf

Young even admitted the maneuver was an attempt by LSTA to attempt to circumvent civil service and commission rules when he told the commission he made the contributions as a non-state employee so “there could never be a question later that a state employee made a contribution.”https://louisianavoice.com/2016/01/15/louisianavoice-exclusive-at-long-last-it-can-be-disclosed-that-the-reason-for-all-the-problems-at-state-police-is-us/

So why would the FBI concern itself over violation of state laws, something that would appear to fall under the purview of the local district attorney?

Simply this: The LSTA is organized under section 501(c) (5) of the Internal Revenue Code and the Louisiana Troopers Charities run by LSTA is a 501(c) (3) charitable organization. https://www.latroopers.org/about

All 501(c) (3) organizations are strictly prohibited from any type of political activity, including endorsing candidates or contributing to political campaigns. LSTA, in addition to contributing to 28 different political candidates and two political organizations, also officially endorsed John Bel Edwards for governor in his runoff election against U.S. Sen. David Vitter.

And while 501(c) (5) organizations may participate in political campaigns, there are strict limitations as to what type of activities are approved. For example, any expenditures it makes for political activities may be subject to tax under section 527(f). https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-tege/eotopicl03.pdf

The feds probably have a lot of questions about why the contributions were made in the manner they were. Like why send Young to make the contributions and then reimburse him? Even LSTA legal counsel Floyd Falcon said he did not know why the checks to various political candidates were made in Young’s name. And they probably want to see if any of the charity’s funds were co-mingled with the money that went to political candidates.

Lloyd Grafton of Ruston, vice chairman of the State Police Commission, said the way the contributions were made “almost makes me think there was something suspect here because of the check writing. Why wouldn’t the association have made the contribution? It looks like someone was trying to circumvent something,” he said

“LSTA wasn’t set up for this kind of activity,” one retired trooper said. “Its main purpose is to provide support for trooper who have suffered misfortune, such as when a child has a major illness or when a trooper’s home burns down. We’re not supposed to get all involved in politics.”

Another source said it was not Young’s idea for the LSTA endorsement of Edwards or to make the political contributions and that in fact, he advised against the endorsement. “He (Young) has tried his best to keep Edmonson out of the LSTA’s operations. He and Frank (former President Frank Besson) butted heads constantly over that issue (the endorsement). But when it came down to it, Frank was President and David did as instructed.”

Promoted to the rank of captain several months ago, Besson was named commander of Troop C in Gray in Terrebonne Parish earlier this month. Troop C covers all of the parishes of Assumption, Terrebonne and Lafourche and the west banks of St. James and St. John the Baptist.

LouisianaVoice has also learned that the “punishment” meted out to former Troop D Commander Capt. Chris Guillory apparently was more for appearance sake than for any actual punishment.

We originally reported that he had been relieved of his command after lying that he had not refused a complaint from a Lake Charles citizen. Internal Affairs initially found Guillory had not violated any state police regulations and ruled the complaint by Dwight Gerst but LouisianaVoice published a recording of Guillory telling Gerst he would not accept Gerst’s complaint. https://louisianavoice.com/2015/08/17/state-police-headquarters-sat-on-complaint-against-troop-d-trooper-for-harassment-captain-for-turning-a-blind-eye-to-it/

But shortly after being relieved of command and transferred to Baton Rouge, Guillory was quietly given statewide control of the State Police Transportation and Environmental Safety Section (TESS) which, in the final analysis, appears to be more of a lateral transfer than a demotion.

That, of course, raises the obvious question that must be asked of State Police Superintendent Mike Edmonson: What does it take for an officer already found guilty of prescription drug addiction, who allowed a suspended officer to keep working during his suspension and who lies to his superiors about a citizen’s complaint to be terminated?

And what does it take to rein in rogue regulatory boards like the Board of Dentistry? The board has been accused of operating like a crime syndicate, responsible for harassment, extortion, money laundering, and fraud of its agents. https://louisianavoice.com/2015/11/16/dentistry-board-facing-difficult-future-because-of-policies-contracts-with-attorney-private-investigator-are-cancelled/

LouisianaVoice said last November that state and federal criminal charges are expected and at least one legal expert said he expected federal racketeering laws to be used to prosecute former dentistry board agents.

While it is not a federal investigation, at least three separate sources told LouisianaVoice on Monday that the Louisiana Office of Inspector General is actively investigating the board.

Inspector General Stephen Street would not confirm or deny those reports when contacted.

LouisianaVoice will continue to follow developments concerning the LSTA, the dentistry board and the emerging issues surrounding the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners.

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