tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6772573397620786539.post1227890589357667512..comments2023-04-18T06:03:23.944-05:00Comments on CenlaMedia: Louisiana State Legislature wants ethics? Humm.bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15576430046988045954noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6772573397620786539.post-58973036250869640042007-05-10T11:19:00.000-05:002007-05-10T11:19:00.000-05:00Retired Louisiana Congressman, Billy Tauzin, onces...Retired Louisiana Congressman, Billy Tauzin, once<BR/>said: "Half of Louisiana is under water and the other half is under<BR/>indictment." "Louisiana politicians have thrived on bad-boy images<BR/>and populist appeal," says Pearson Cross, an assistant professor of<BR/>political science at the University of Louisiana<BR/>Lafayette". "Louisiana traditionally ranks among the most corrupt<BR/>states in the nation, according to a 2004 report by the Corporate<BR/>Crime Reporter for the National Press Club." "In just the past<BR/>generation, the Pelican State has had a governor, an attorney<BR/>general, three successive insurance commissioners, a congressman, a<BR/>federal judge, a state Senate president and a swarm of local<BR/>officials convicted. Last year, three top officials at Louisiana's<BR/>Office of Emergency Preparedness were indicted on charges they<BR/>obstructed a probe into how federal money bought out flood-prone<BR/>homes. Last March the Federal Emergency Management Agency ordered<BR/>Louisiana to repay $30 million in flood-control grants it had<BR/>awarded to 23 parishes." In a speech given by Mr. Lou Reigel,<BR/>Special Agent in Charge, FBI New Orleans Crime Commission, on March<BR/>30, 2004, he stated:<BR/><BR/>... public corruption remains the number one criminal<BR/>program in the FBI. It is certainly the number one criminal program<BR/>in the NO office. It is said that money is the root of all evil.<BR/>While I don't know if that's true, it is at the root of most public<BR/>corruption – whether legislative, regulatory, judicial or law<BR/>enforcement.<BR/>There is good reason for it being at the top of our list of<BR/>criminal priorities, and the reason is this: like you, we in the FBI<BR/>believe that public corruption is among the most serious of criminal<BR/>violations. It is a betrayal of the public's sacred trust. If<BR/>allowed to grow, public corruption permeates all aspects of society<BR/>and affects all other criminal priorities. And if allowed to spread<BR/>unchecked, public corruption can threaten the very foundation of<BR/>democracy.<BR/> LA Ethics 1, a group of groups areound the state pushing ethics reform, cited an LSU studt which ranked political corruption tied with education as the number one reason given for businesses not locating in Louisiana.<BR/> Visit the LA Ethics 1 website at: http://www.laethics1.com/, and contact you resprentatives and deman that Louisiana adopt these ethics reforms. Also, another good question is why is our local Chmaber of COmmerce not listed as a supporter?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6772573397620786539.post-86402041339770105552007-05-10T09:28:00.000-05:002007-05-10T09:28:00.000-05:00Once again you ignore opportunities to get the cou...Once again you ignore opportunities to get the councilmen on record and go off in another easier direction. You seem far more interested in stories about journalism than doing journalism. The Brown interview, the Lawson interview, the Hobbs interview - where are they?<BR/><BR/>And you are offended and insulted when we consumers question your priorities. Your answer is always to remind us that we have the TV remote. Take it or leave it?????Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com