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At last! Bobby Jindal: His Destiny and Obsession is now available in e-books. Book version scheduled for April 15

April 4, 2016 by tomaswell

For those who have been so patient during the inevitable unseen delays that somehow always seem to occur in the publishing world, my book Bobby Jindal: His Destiny and Obsession, is finally available—on Kindle.

The actual book is scheduled for release on April 15 but for those of you who like e-books, you may now order your copy for $26.55 at this site: http://www.amazon.com/BOBBY-JINDAL-HIS-DESTINY-OBSESSION-ebook/dp/B01DTHMSNM/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1459802517&sr=1-1

Folks, I would be less than honest if I said I wasn’t excited about this book. Like my earlier book, Louisiana Rocks: The True Genesis of Rock & Roll, this work is the result of years of research—eight years, in fact, for that’s the length of His reign of error as Louisiana’s largely absentee governor.

Even as he raised his right hand to take the oath of office way back in 2007, he already had his focus firmly fixed on what he somehow assumed in his narcissistic temperament was his ultimate destiny: POTUS. Family members in attendance that day, in fact, were overheard already discussing that very destiny as though karma already ruled the day.

But it didn’t happen—and it won’t. Not this year, not in 2020, not ever. Try as he might to convince voters otherwise, he simply doesn’t have the creds, the cojones, to play with the big boys. He fooled Louisiana’s voters—twice. Elevating his game to the national stage and pulling the hat trick is another proposition altogether.

That’s what the book is about: his disastrous programs, his bull-headed dogma, his disdain for voters who he seemed to feel were beneath him once he won “the only job he ever wanted.” Yes, he even lied about that, not that a single person believed it for a nano-second. We all knew he was wanted to run for president in the worst way—and he certainly did.

To borrow a line from Kris Kristofferson’s The Pilgrim:

He’s a walkin’ contradiction, partly truth and partly fiction

Takin’ every wrong direction on his lonely way back home

He first ran in 2003 but lost when Protestant voters in North Louisiana (who, ironically, would embrace him in 2007 and 2011) rejected him. So, he ran for Congress in 2004, running in a Congressional district that included mostly white conservative Republican Jefferson Parish even though his official residence was in Baton Rouge. He won that election and was re-elected in 2006 before capturing the governor’s office the following year.

While we do touch on those three years in Congress, during which time he mysteriously increased his net worth to the status of millionaire, it is those wretched years as governor on which we devoted most of the book.

So, if you are one of those who love electronic books, get your order in now.

If you prefer a book you can hold in your hands (as I do) and you would like a copy signed personally to you by me, click on the book cover’s image to the right and place your order with Cavalier House Books of Denham Springs.

Cavalier House Books is about three blocks from my home and when your copy comes in, he will call me and I will dutifully hop on my bicycle and ride up to this store and sign your copy before he mails it to you.

I recommend this for two reasons: John Cavalier, who, along with his wife Michelle, owns the store, built the LouisianaVoice blog page as a favor to me and his is the only advertisement LouisianaVoice accepts on our Web page. Just as he did not charge me for building our blog page, I do not charge him for the advertising.

The other reason is I am a strong supporter of mom and pop businesses in general. I strongly urge you to support their bookstore by ordering your signed copy from Cavalier House Books.

 

 

Posted in Book Review, Corruption, Ethics, Governor's Office | 1 Comment »

Jindal ‘gold standard of ethics’ included selling his book to his Super PAC and pocketing the money, sources reveal

April 2, 2016 by tomaswell

For those who may have forgotten or if the eighties were before your time, there was a Speaker of the U.S. House named Jim Wright, a Texas Democrat who was forced to resign his speakership—and Congress—over a questionable book deal that allowed him to circumvent federal campaign finance laws. http://www.nytimes.com/1988/06/12/us/behind-jim-wright-s-book-his-friends.html?pagewanted=2

That was in 1988. Six years later, in 1994, House Speaker Newt Gingrich, a Georgia Republican, announced he would not accept a $4.5 million book advance following sharp criticism of his cashing in on Republicans’ victories in the November elections. http://www.nytimes.com/1994/12/31/us/gingrich-gives-up-4-million-advance-on-his-book-deal.html

Four years later, he resigned. http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,15676,00.html

And then you have Bobby Jindal’s Super Pac, Believe Again. http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2015/01/22/jindal-supporters-file-paperwork-for-super-pac-believe-again/

Previously known as Stand Up to Washington, the Super PAC was established in January 2015 to help fund his all but imaginary presidential campaign. Of course, federal campaign finance laws prohibit his conversion of Super PAC money for personal use.

Later that same year, he published his second ghostwritten book, American Will. Though marked down to $21 by Amazon.com, the list price for the book was $28.

AMERICAN WILL

Jindal, who, in his continuing efforts to make himself relevant, claims to have personally built the Louisiana House of Ethics brick by brick, then was said to have done something that smacks of Jim Wright and New Gingrich and most certainly not something expected of the architect of Louisiana’s “Gold Standards of Ethics.”

Sources have told LouisianaVoice that Jindal “sold” 5,000 of his books to Believe Again. At first blush, it would appear that deal was done so that he could give books to supporters—although an estimate of 5,000 supporters (nationwide, much less in Louisiana) might have been a tad on the high side.

Left unsaid was that by selling the books to Believe Again, approximately $140,000 was transferred from the Super Pac to Jindal’s personal bank account—money he otherwise would not be allowed to convert to his own use.

And presto! He’s $140,000 richer.

And he probably still has most of those 5,000 books gathering dust in a closet somewhere.

And he’s still laying claim in speeches and op-eds to raising governmental ethics to new heights in Louisiana.

Perhaps this title and book cover would have been more appropriate:

NEW JINDAL BOOK

Posted in Book Review, Campaign Contributions, Corruption, Ethics, Finances, Governor's Office, PACs | 16 Comments »

Payroll deductions for political contributions set to kick in; incumbents reap campaign windfall, LouisianaVoice learns

April 1, 2016 by tomaswell

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.

Posted in Politics | 16 Comments »

Campaign contribution reports belie claim by State Police commissioner he ceased political activity after 2013 letter; meanwhile, Senator’s bill poses a danger to civil service

March 31, 2016 by tomaswell

State Police Commission member William Goldring claims in an email that he ceased making political contributions after he received a letter from former Gov. Bobby Jindal’s office nearly three years ago informing him of a constitutional prohibition against political activity.

Copies of campaign reports obtained by LouisianaVoice, however, indicate that four companies controlled by Goldring contributed more than $95,000 to various political campaigns subsequent to the July 3, 2013 letter.

The State Police Commission is currently wrestling with an investigation of political contributions by the Louisiana State Police Association (LSTA) even as three commission members, including Goldring, have come under scrutiny for their own contributions to political campaigns.

Meanwhile, LouisianaVoice has learned of a bill currently pending in the legislature that would repeal the constitutional prohibition against political activity not only by commission members and state police, but state civil service workers as well.

Senate Bill 76 by State Sen. Ryan Gatti (R-Bossier City) calls for a constitutional amendment to be approved by voters that would repeal the prohibition against political activity but would leave intact the prohibition against civil service employees seeking political office. http://www.legis.la.gov/legis/ViewDocument.aspx?d=978216

Gatti’s bill, which would require two-thirds passage of both chambers, would delete the passage of the current law that says no person shall “solicit contributions for political purposes from any classified employee or official” while leaving in the prohibition against “use or attempt to use (one’s) position in the state or city service to punish or coerce the political action of a classified employee.”

All that sounds great in theory but we also know how the subtleties of the system work. Refuse to contribute to the boss’s candidate and suddenly the employee begins to get less than favorable performance reviews. He starts getting written up for minor infractions considered insignificant before. The chances for promotion dwindle and eventually disappear altogether.

That’s precisely why Civil Service was created in Louisiana in the first place by Gov. Sam Jones (1940-1944). Gov. Earl Long (1944-1948) dismantled Civil Service in favor of the old spoils system but Gov. Jimmie Davis reinstated Civil Service during his second term (1960-1964).

It’s not enough, apparently, to siphon contributions from the lobbyists, state contractors and PACs, but now they want to bleed state employees already fearful for their jobs after the eight-year reign of terror by Bobby Jindal. To put it simply as possible, this bill would be nothing but a return to the Huey Long Deduct Box era.

While restricting political activity on the part of classified employees, civil service rules also give them protection from just the kind of coercion they will be forced to endure should Gatti’s bill succeed. And if you don’t believe that intimidation will become a reality, I have a beautiful bridge in Brooklyn I’ll sell you cheap.

But back to Goldring, Freddie Pitcher and Commission Chairman Franklin Kyle, the three whose political contributions have put them in the spotlight because of their role in investigating political contributions by LSTA.

LouisianaVoice made another public records request, this one for “all correspondence from any commission members relative to any notice of resignation from the commission.”

We learned from that request that each of the three fell back on the explanation that they didn’t know the rules. That’s a thin excuse. For Pitcher who served as a district court judge and then as a judge on the First Circuit Court of Appeal, pleading ignorance of the law is especially disappointing.

This is the email string we received pursuant to our request:

From: Franklin Kyle
Sent: Tuesday, March 29, 2016 5:15 PM
To: Freddie Pitcher Jr.
Cc: Cathy Derbonne; Lenore Feeney; Thomas Doss; lfgrafton; Donald Breaux; Calvin W. Braxton, Sr.; Bill Goldring
Subject: RE: State Police Commission / Resignation

Freddie:

 I appreciate this email, and completely understand your position.  I, too, in my first term, was appointed, sworn in, and given an extensive rule book in which to abide by.  It is a cumbersome document, but admittedly one that was provided.  I think it would behoove all new in-coming commissioners to be fully briefed on the restrictions placed upon their appointment by the Executive Director and staff so these issues will not occur in the future.  Had that been done, I am confident that this issue would have never arisen. 

 With regards to your service on the Commission, I can’t thank you enough for your time, insight, and experience in dealing with the charges of this body.  You have truly been an asset to the Commission, and a wonderful blessing to work with.  On behalf of the entire Commission and staff, I wish the best in all you do.

 Franklin Kyle, Chairman

 

From: Freddie Pitcher Jr.
Sent: Tuesday, March 29, 2016 3:15 PM
To: Franklin Kyle
Cc: Cathy Derbonne; Lenore Feeney; Thomas Doss; lfgrafton; Donald Breaux; Calvin W. Braxton, Sr.; bill@
Subject: Re: State Police Commission / Resignation

Dear Chairman Kyle,

After reading Bill Goldring’s email I feel compelled to weigh in on the conversation regarding Commission members making campaign contributions. Like Bill, I did not have the benefit of an orientation when I was sworn in as commission member. Nor was I made aware of such prohibition when Bill or our esteemed Chairman was made aware of the prohibition. It was not until this controversy regarding the State Trooper’s Association members questioning the use of association funds to make campaign contribution that I was made privy to the rule  through Commissioner Braxton. I then had to call Cathy to find that my name was being mentioned very prominently in a Blog that was reporting on the contribution issue. But for the last minute heads up, I would have been completely caught off guard by the reporter last week who wanted to know if I was being forced or pressured to step down from the Commission. As you may have read, I responded by stating that “I am stepping down of my on volition.”

 Now that I am fully aware of the prohibition,  I feel that I must step down as a Commission Member so I will not feel constrained in my desire to help persons who I would like to support politically. I ran for elective office twice and would not have been successful but the campaign contributions I received from my friends and supporters. 

 Like all of us who serve on the Commission, it was a fulfillment of my civic responsibility. At no time during my service was I presented with an issue where I was conflicted because a contribution I may have made. And had one presented itself I surely would have recused myself.

 I wish the Commission members and staff all the best as you carry out the charge of the Commission.

 Freddie Pitcher 

 

On Mar 29, 2016, at 12:42 PM, Bill Goldring wrote:

Cathy,

After reading Franklin Kyle’s letter, I felt a need to go the record to be responsive. When first asked to go on the Louisiana State Police Commission by Governor Jindal I hesitated, in that over many decades I had been asked by many governors to serve on various boards and commissions, all of which I had turned down (i.e. Louisiana Board of Regents). Only because of my keen interest and involvement and support of law enforcement for the past 30 years, did I accept. Upon joining the commission there was absolutely no orientation or rules that were given to me. Approximately 3 years ago, there was a vacancy on the commission and I was asked who might be a suitable candidate to fill the spot. I suggested a prominent businessman, Boysie Bollinger who was accepted and sworn in. Within 24 hours he resigned when his attorney informed him of a ruling forbidding anyone on the commission to make political contributions or be involved in a political campaign. Mr. Bollinger personally called me to make me aware of the ruling which I was never informed. I then called and wrote to the governors office to get a full explanation of the responsibilities of commission members, which were never given to me. Since then I have been solicited personally (orally and by mail) by hundreds of people who I have continually turned down as well as sent them a copy of my enclosed correspondence. Just a few are listed below (feel free to contact them).

U.S. SENATOR DAVID VITTER

U.S. SENATOR MARY LANDRIEU

MAYOR MITCH LANDRIEU

U.S. SENATOR WILLIAM CASSIDY

U.S. CONGRESMAN CEDRIC RICHMOND

U.S. CONGRESSMAN JOHN FLEMING

CITY COUNCILPERSONS STACY HEAD, LATOYA CANTRELL AND SUSAN GUIDRY.

 I certainly take my duties and responsibilities seriously and have abided by the framework and regulation of the commission. There is no reward or personal gain by my serving on the Louisiana State Police Commission and only do so as a civic responsibility.

 With regards,

Bill Goldring

 PS- as a final note, I fully understand rules and regulations put on state troopers, but cannot understand commission members having to adhere to same in that we do not come in contact with the public.

It’s perception, Mr. Goldring and when you’re in public service, perception is everything.

Candor is part of the equation making up perception and you haven’t been completely candid.

While Goldring did in fact cease all individual political contributions following that 2013 letter from Jindal Executive Counsel Thomas Enright, companies that he controls most certainly did not.

LETTER TO GOLDRING

Among the recipients of his corporate generosity were legislators, political action committees, State Treasurer John Kennedy, New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu, failed attorney general candidate John Young, Gov. John Bel Edwards, and several minor candidates.

CRESCENT CROWN CONTRIBUTIONS

MAGNOLIA MARKETING

REPUBLIC NATIONAL DISTRIBUTION

SAZERAC

 

Posted in Commissions, Corruption, Elections, Ethics, Governor's Office, Legislature, Legislators, Politicians, State Police, Transparency | 9 Comments »

DHH Secretary’s ‘personal issues’ reason given for missing legislative committee hearing turns out to be spring break

March 30, 2016 by tomaswell

The timeliness of Tuesday’s observation about holding our public officials accountable has come into play less than 24 hours after the post went up.

Today’s (March30) Baton Rouge Advocate revealed that only two of Bobby Jindal’s nine public-private partnership hospital contracts will be funded in the next fiscal year, a move that is certain to adversely affect low-income residents seeking medical care. http://theadvocate.com/news/15333761-70/seven-out-nine-public-hospitals-unfunded-in-next-years-budget-including-baton-rouge-and-lafayette

As severe as the projected cuts are ($58.4 million to Our Lady of the Lake Medical Center in Baton Rouge and $51.2 million to Lafayette General Health Center alone), Gov. John Bel Edwards appointee Department of Health and Hospitals Secretary Dr. Rebekah Gee has been AWOL at hearings before the House Appropriations Committee and the Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget.

The latest crisis is, of course, directly attributable to the short-sightedness of Bobby Jindal and his obsession with privatizing everything in state government that moved—even to the extent of having his lap dog LSU Board of Supervisors approve a contract turning over medical facilities in Shreveport and Monroe to private concerns which contained 50 blank pages.

As things now stand, it appears the only hospitals to be spared the knife (if you will pardon a terrible pun) are the LSU Medical Centers in New Orleans and Shreveport and they survived only because they house LSU medical schools.

The fiscal year 2017 budget calls for a 10 percent funding cut for DHH. That comes to $283 million right off the top but the number escalates to $750 million when the loss of federal matching funds are factored into the equation.

Besides OLOL in Baton Rouge and Lafayette General, other public-private hospitals impacted by the cuts include those in Alexandria, Monroe, Houma, Bogalusa and Lake Charles.

LSU Health Sciences Center Chancellor Dr. Larry Hollier testified that he was worried about the prospect of seeing the public-private arrangements go belly up. OLOL, he said, has 150 residents in training and Lafayette has 82. In all, LSU has about 800 residents scattered about the state.

State Rep. Ted James (D-Baton Rouge) noted that residents of north Baton Rouge, a predominantly black area, have lost both inner community hospitals when Earl K. Long was closed and later torn down and when Baton Rouge General-Mid City closed down its emergency room a year ago Thursday (March 31).

So with all this bad news swirling about, where was the DHH secretary?

Sure, DHH Undersecretary Jeff Reynolds testified but was unable to give clear cut answers to legislators’ questions about how funds saved from Medicaid expansion might be used to offset the DHH shortfall.

But Gee was still MIA. Reynolds said she was absent because of personal issues but that lame excuse was quickly shot down by DHH spokesperson Bob Johannessen told LSU’s Manship School News Service that Gee was spending spring break with her family.

Johannessen’s candor could get him in hot water. The boss never likes it when a subordinate reveals something that puts him or her in a bad light. And face it, this is a pretty bad light. He did recover some lost ground, however, when he added that legislators who were critical of her absence were “grandstanding.”

Well, yeah. That’s what politicians do. So why make it so easy for them?

Rep. Bob Hensgens (R-Abbeville) said he doesn’t recall seeing Gee at any Appropriations Committee or Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget meetings.

Rep. John Schroder (R-Covington) was even more critical. “It’s getting a little troublesome that the secretary doesn’t come,” he said. “The taxpayers want to hear from the boss when we start talking about these kinds of dollars.” http://www.thenewsstar.com/story/news/local/2016/03/29/millions-dollars-cut-state-hospitals/82402336/

Spring break? Whiskey Tango Foxtrot? (the new polite way of saying WTF?)

Edwards appointed Gee, a professor of health policy and management in obstetrics and gynecology at LSU, to head DHH in early January. http://new.dhh.louisiana.gov/index.cfm/page/7/n/55

We just had a DHH secretary (Kathy Kliebert) whose brother-in-law got into hot water with the Louisiana Board of Ethics (does anyone have any idea how difficult that is to do after Jindal revamped the ethics board in 2008?) because he failed to disclose his employment by state Medicaid contractor Magellan Health Services. http://www.theneworleansadvocate.com/news/11707352-123/brother-in-law-of-state-health-secretary

We just got rid of a governor who for eight years steadfastly refused to be held accountable for his action (or inaction, as the case may be).

Her appointment was described as “among the most important appointments Edwards will make in his new administration” by NOLA.com back in January.

At the time of the announcement of her appointment, she said, “I pledge to you I will use all of the skills I’ve used as a physician, a patient, a parent, and a policymaker to do everything I can to improve the lives and health of people in this great state.”

http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2016/01/john_bel_edwards_dhh_secretary.html

Dr. Gee, those noble words might mean a little more to the taxpayers of this state if you would take your position more seriously and appear at important committee hearings. A public face on an agency in crisis mode is more than important: it’s critical.

It’s all about accountability.

We’ve already had one agency head (Kristy Nichols) to duck out on a committee hearing to attend a boy band concert in New Orleans. We don’t need an encore of that performance. https://louisianavoice.com/2014/10/06/kristy-kreme-knows-one-direction-ducks-out-on-legislative-committee-for-boy-band-concert-at-n-o-smoothie-king-arena/

Going on spring break at a time when the low-income residents of this state are staring at having to overcome even greater hurdles to obtain decent health care sends the wrong message—a message that we’ve become all too familiar with over the past eight years.

And that message is arrogance.

Posted in Budget, DHH, Ethics, Finances, Governor's Office, Health Care, Legislature, Legislators, LSU, Politicians | 8 Comments »

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