Louisiana Voice

State Rep. Kellee Hennessy Dickerson of Livingston Parish, a former TV news personality who surely knows the value of good photo-op PR, poses with a group of students from Live Oak Middle School on the floor of the Louisiana House. Was it a coincidence that she is wearing an orange prison jumpsuit to remind librarians that she wants to toss them in jail? Talk about cold vindictiveness, she even had the audacity to put this photo on her Facebook page:

State Rep. Kellee Hennessee Dickerson wanted to toss librarians in jail who spend library funds for membership in the American Library Association or who attend any ALA continuing education functions on public funds. But after catching much-deserved heat for advocating jail time for any librarian who used library funds for purposes of strengthening and improving libraries, she has amended out the prison sentence provision the bill originally included. Oh, good. That should make everything okey-dokey.

Her bill, HB 777, was referred to the House Municipal, Parochial and Cultural Affairs Committee which has yet to hear testimony on this lunacy-inspired bill.

In crafting her bill, Dickerson is obviously taking her marching orders from one Michael Lunsford of St. Martinville, head of something called Citizens for a New Louisiana. Lunsford, in an interview, even suggested that the jail stipulation would be removed, which raises the obvious question of did Dickerson not have enough originality beneath her blonde hair to come up with something on her own without coaching from a crackpot such as Lunsford or at least perhaps offer something a little less brittle and a bit more constructive instead of attacking librarians as if they were some sort of criminal enterprise?

But here’s the real kicker: The House Municipal, Parochial and Cultural Affairs Committee which will consider the bill has 19 members, 21 counting ex-official members House Speaker Mike Johnson (no, not that one, but a Republican nonetheless, from Pineville) and Phillip DeVillier, a Republican from Eunice.

Of those 21 members, 11 accounted for the expenditure of $52,807.42 of your taxpayer dollars (wait for it…) mostly on attending 18 out-of-state conferences and meetings in just the past three years. And that figure doesn’t even include registration fees for attending those 18 conferences, some of which cost as much as $500.

Rep. Barbara Freiberg, a Baton Rouge Republican, was the sweepstakes winner, racking up $13,256.89 for taxpayer-funded trips to conferences in Charleston, S.C., Indianapolis, Orlando, Denver and Tampa. She was followed loosely by Rep. Candace Newell, a New Orleans Democrat, who spent $11,078.88 on taxpayer-funded trips to Atlanta, Salt Lake City, Denver, Las Vegas and Indianapolis.

And get this, not only did Louisiana taxpayers pick up the tab for her airfare, registration fees for meetings, hotel lodging, meals and ground transportation, but the 11 committee members were also paid per diem ranging between $168 and $175 per day, depending on the rate for the years that they attending.

And even though the state did not pay for their early arrivals (most arrived for the meetings a day before the events actually began), they still received their per diem payments even though there was no state business to conduct.

All that’s over and above their $16,800 salaries, office rental, office telephone, clerical pay and $175 per diem for each day they are in Baton Rouge.

But yeah, let’s come down hard on those librarians who waste precious state dollars on things like ALA memberships.

Here are the committee’s frequent flyers:

Barbara Freiberg, R-Baton Rouge: $13,256.89

Candace Newell, D- New Orleans: $11,078.88

Rodney Lyons, D-Marrero: $8,709.80C.

C. Denise Marcelle, D-Baton Rouge: $4,725.74

Foy Gadberry, R-Monroe: $3,095.74*

*(Amount does not include $608.40 for a guest, most likely his wife, for whom it’s assumed he paid out of personal funds during his one out-of-state trip to Salt Lake City)

Les Farnum, R-Sulphur: $2,283.40

Patricia Moore, D-Monroe: $2,276.77 (all in-state)

Matthew Willard, D-New Orleans: $2,809.30 (all in-state)

Rashid Young, D-Homer: $332 (for 2 days’ in-state)

Steven Jackson, D-Shreveport: $332 (for 2 days’ in-state)

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Pineville, ex-officio member: $3,721.90

But yeah, let’s come down hard on those subversive librarians for wasting precious state dollars on things like ALA memberships.

• When is an LSUS Faculty Senate public meeting not a public meeting?
• Were LSUS Faculty Senate meetings held in secret – and illegally?
• When is it legal to refuse public attendance at a public hearing?
• Did LSUS illegally send hazardous chemicals to be burned at the Clean Harbors Colfax facility? (administrators finally say no three years after being asked, but were they being truthful?)
• Did the LSUS Facility Services Department improperly remove and dispose of moldy materials in the Science Building?
• DID LSUS’s then-Chancellor Larry Clark harass and/or attempt to intimidate the wife of a faculty member with whom Clark had personal issues?
• Did LSUS administrators access outspoken faculty member Dr. Brian Salvatore’s university-owned laptop computer and delete more than 20,000 files?
• Has the First Amendment, which guarantees freedom of speech, been arbitrarily suspended by administrators at LSUS in an effort to fire Salvatore?

The aforementioned allegations, and others, were investigated and each found to have no basis in fact.

But the investigations were conducted internally. In other words, the administration of LSUS investigated itself before Chancellor Robert T. Smith fired off a letter to Salvatore last November informing the 21-year chemistry and physics professor that he was recommending that Salvatore’s employment with the university be terminated. LSU System President William Tate and Provost Helen Taylor were copied with that letter.

The whole affair is eerily reminiscent of the firings of Steven Hatfill who was wrongly implicated in a series of anthrax letters in 2002 and Ivor van Heerden, axed in 2009 after he voiced criticism (correctly, it turned out) over the structural integrity of levees that collapsed during Hurricane Katrina, flooding much of New Orleans. In each case, LSU, rather than stand on principle and display loyalty even to controversial employees, cratered with lightning speed and efficiency under political the intense pressure of losing lucrative federal grants, demonstrating even in the halls of academia, money talks loudest.

I always thought that higher education was synonymous with critical thinking and asking probing questions. Simply put, folks, there’s a disturbing pattern here on the part of LSU.

Foremost among those seven cases cited by attorney Smith is the 1964 landmark US Supreme Court decision New York Times v. Sullivan. That decision resulted from a lawsuit filed by the Montgomery, Alabama, Police Chief L.B. Sullivan over a full-page Times advertisement critical of the Montgomery police during civil rights riots in that city. That decision, considered one of the greatest Supreme Court decisions in US history, said that First Amendment rights can only be forfeited in cases where false statements were made with knowledge that the statement was made with “reckless disregard” to whether it was true or false.

Smith also cited Garcetti v Ceballos, a decision which said, “A state cannot condition public employment on a basis that infringes on the employee’s constitutional[ly] protected interest in freedom of expression.”

In still another case, Kennedy v. Sheriff of East Baton Rouge, the Louisiana Supreme Court cited a need for constitutional privilege to protect “uninhibited, robust and wide-open debate…”

But LSUS, in an apparent attempt to emulate its flagship university in Baton Rouge, appears hell-bent on imposing its own rules and retributions against recalcitrant personnel.

One might say it’s a case of the squeaky wheel getting the shaft.

Each of the allegations against Salvatore are steeped in the First Amendment and Salvatore’s attorney, J. Arthur Smith of Baton Rouge, has been quick to cite no fewer that seven cases which support the right of freedom of speech, even when utterances can upset the status quo. And there can be no doubt that Salvatore has upset the status quo at LSUS – bigly. Space, even on the Internet, does not allow commentary on the flimsy nature of each of those allegations, but we will touch on the most egregious ones.

Salvatore’s sins?

He fought the EPA in its efforts to open burn 16 million pounds of hazardous chemicals at nearby Camp Minden, the site of a major explosion in 2012. Such brazen actions could jeopardize federal grants for the university and we just can’t have that.

When the EPA backed down, the result was the design and construction of a state-of-the-art system to clean-burn and remove the chemicals. The state subsequently awarded the contract to ESI. But when ESI subsequently announced plans to partner with David Madden in efforts to retain the burn system in Minden and to import millions of pounds of additional hazardous chemicals, things got a little dicey, especially when ESI claimed ownership of the system. Gov. John Bel Edwards sided with Salvatore and informed ESI and Madden that the system was owned by the state. Salvatore’s opposition to that arrangement resulted in a letter of complaint from Madden to then-LSU President F. King Alexander. Salvatore said Clark’s attitude toward him was suddenly much cooler and that Salvatore was suddenly shut out from receiving any awards, recognition or promotions and LSUS began a practice of documenting matters that were professionally detrimental to him. He was twice denied so much as even an interview for the position of dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, even though his immediate supervisor had suggested that he apply for the position.

Salvatore later had the audacity to speak out in opposition to the proposed hydraulic fracturing (fracking) in the process of drilling for natural gas near Cross Lake in Caddo Parish. Besides citing accidents that had occurred during fracking in the ArkLaTex area, Salvatore cited the use of hazardous chemicals used as surfactants in fracking that posed a potential danger to water quality. Cross Lake, incidentally, supplies drinking water to Shreveport, the state’s third-largest municipality, a fact that would make any contamination a matter of no small concern. Of course, the oil and gas industry was not thrilled at his opposition – and said so to Clark, who Salvatore said told him that he (Clark) had been told to “go after” Salvatore.

“I believe that my proposed termination is motivated as a response to the exercise of my rights under the First Amendment,” said Salvatore. Gee, you think?

Salvatore and others, including Gen. Russell Honore (US Army Ret.), lobbied unsuccessfully for state and federal regulators to require Clean Harbors to install a safe contained burn system in Colfax.

In January 2020, Salvatore said he learned that the university planned to send hazardous chemicals to Clean Harbors for disposal. Clean Harbors had already been cited for “numerous environmental violations,” Salvatore said so, naturally, he asked Facilities Services Director Art Shilling for assurance that no LSUS chemicals would go to the Clean Harbors facility in Colfax. “But this (assurance) was not done,” he said, adding that no university administrator copied on his email to Shilling ever responded about Salvatore’s concerns.

Three years elapsed following his email to Shilling and other administrators and in March 2023, after having received no response, he posted his concerns on his social media platform. It was only then that he received a response from LSUS Director of Environmental Health & Safety Blake Rodgers on April 4 who claimed (without providing supporting evidence) that no chemicals from LSUS had been burned in Colfax.

Capping things off, a non-public “public” hearing was held earlier this week. As provided under State Civil Service rules, an individual may request that any hearing about that individual shall be held in open, public session if the subject so requests. That’s an ironclad “shall,” not a tenuous maybe.

But LSUS officials, apparently without consulting the legalities (or at least without seeking guidance from lawyers) arbitrarily decided that the meeting was not a public meeting as advertised despite the presence of a few members of the general public who were allowed in for whatever reason.

But when reporters for the Shreveport-Bossier Advocate attempted to enter the hearing on Monday, school Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Helen Taylor told wannabe attendees, “This is not a public meeting. Another LSUS employee said “chairs were filled” in the meeting room, that no more chairs could be set up and that standing was not allowed. This despite a head count by reporters that found only 14 audience members and several empty chairs.

Attorney J. Arthur Smith said he is not solicitating clients but that should anyone shut out of the so-called “public” hearing contact him, he would be open to filing an open meetings lawsuit against the university on their behalf.

He did just that a couple of years ago when Southern University arbitrarily decided on a closed-door hearing despite request from four professors being terminated that the hearing be held in open session. Smith won a judgment against Southern on behalf of each of the four professors and a reporter.

As for Salvatore’s case, attorney Smith said “There is a definite line” that can be drawn on free speech. “Right up until the time you hurt someone,” he told the Shreveport-Bossier Advocate. “You cannot defame someone,” he said. “Defamation law says you must act with malice and knowingly state falsities. You must have a reckless disregard for the truth.” Salvatore, he added, did not do that.

As evidence offered by this VIDEO, Salvatore has a large base of support from students and the general public.

Unless Jeff Landry and family stand at full attention at home when the National Anthem is played on TV during a sporting event, he should keep his mouth shut about a team’s remaining in the locker room in last-minute preperations for a game. Just sayin’.

From the rumor mill: Early word is Kim Mulkey is already fed up with our new governor and is seeking the exit door. Might she next pop up in Fayetteville or Knoxville?

Could Jeff Landry’s grandstanding over the National Anthem be the straw that might break the camel’s back. Stay tuned.

I suppose you could say it’s official: State Rep. Kelee Hennessy Dickerson, who represents House District 64, which comprises part of Livingston Parish, is an official member of the bedbug crazy MAGAmites.

The freshman legislator has introduced three bills which appear to put her on the same moral equivalence level as one Marjorie Taylor Greene, the Cro-Magnon congresswoman from Georgia.

Here’s what Dickerson has offered thus far in her brief tenure:

• HB644 (authorizes students enrolled in home study programs to participate in public school activities)
• HB737 (prohibits a person from engaging in picketing at the residence or dwelling of an individual)
• HB777 (provides criminal penalties for certain use of public library funds)

Now, let’s look at each one individually.

HB644 would allow home study students to participate in public school activities. Sounds pretty self-explanatory. But taking a deeper dive, one of the driving forces behind home schooling is to avoid having to learn unpleasant topics like global warming, certain American history, i.e. slavery and the Civil War, and evolution. But this bill, while shielding home schoolers from such unpleasantries, nevertheless wants them to be able to participate in sports and, I suppose, certain club activities). So, Dickerson apparently wants it both ways.

HB737 would prohibit picketing of residences or dwellings (and all this time, thought the terms residences and dwellings were interchangeable) of an individual. Never mind the fact that Dickerson regurgitates the familiar Trumpian banalities and that Trump supporters had no problem disclosing the names and addresses of prosecutors and grand juror members in his Georgia criminal case. There’s something about this bill that just doesn’t smell right. Maybe it’s that thing called the First Amendment and something about freedom of assembly (on public property such as sidewalks and easements).

HB777 would subject a public employee (read: librarian) to up to two years’ imprisonment and/or a fine of up to $1000 for membership in the American Library Association or for attending any of its continuing education functions. Are you kidding me? Jail time for a librarian attending a continuing education course sponsored by ALA? Has Dickerson gone completely batshit crazy? The entire legislative process, state legislature to congress, has devolved into a sorry one-upmanship game of who-flung-dung.

Bear in mind that literally dozens of legislators annually attend American Legislative Exchange Council (an arm of the radical-right Repugnantcan Party) on the state dime. Moreover, a large plurality, if not a majority, of legislators attend legislative conferences, all expenses paid by the Louisiana taxpayers. Several even fine creative ways to claim “official state business” as a means of having travel, lodging and meals provided by taxpayers so they can attend Washington Mardi Gras balls (I almost typed Mardi Bras, which might have been a Freudian slip).

There’s more. Several legislators get the nice little perk they don’t want you to know about in the form of fully furnished Pentagon Apartments across the street from the Capitol at year-round rental agreements the average tenant can only dream about (think 1950s rent rates). Here’s another perk. For the 85- and 60-day legislative sessions, lawmakers receive (in addition to their salaries, office expenses and travel) per diem payments. Per diem, of course, means daily and that’s just what they get. Daily payments for all 85 days in even-numbered years and 60 days in odd-numbered years – even though the House doesn’t meet on Saturdays and Sundays and the Senate takes Fridays off. Oh, and for those Fridays that 39 senators take off, add another $58,500 for 85-day sessions, a tad less for 60-day sessions.

That’s 20 extra days this year that they get paid but don’t work. Let’s see, at $175 per day times 20 days times 144 legislators, that’s a cool $504,000 per year for not working – or an extra $3,500 per legislator. And that doesn’t include special sessions.

And Dickerson has her britches in a wad over librarians? Get real, lady. The former TV newsperson (a-la Arizona’s Kari Lake) campaigned against a tax to finance teacher pay raises in Livingston Parish last year (though she now apparently wants public school teachers to take on the additional responsibility of monitoring home-schooled kids at public school functions) and before that, when she served on the Livingston Parish School Board, she was penalized by the State Board of Ethics for improper assistance in getting a buddy a contract job at Live Oak High School.

So, let me understand; in Louisiana, we have abysmal health, equally inadequate general health and mental healthcare, poverty, pollution, floods, shoreline erosion, cities with high crime rates and myriad other problems but we’re going to go after the librarians.

Got it.