Day: December 13, 2012

DMR friends and family scandal day 49: Phil Bryant’s political cronies at DMR exact a human toll as well.

According to sources familiar with the tragedy that would be the suicide of Michaela Hill, Bill Walker’s secretary on August 18, 2012, weeks before the OIG issued their DMR friends and family preliminary report.  Those same sources indicate to Slabbed certain elements of Hill’s family harbor strong feelings toward her former boss, the reasons for which have since bubbled up on these pages along with the Topix Forums and the Sun Herald.

Phil Bryant is officially MIA.

The crooks at the Jefferson Parish Housing Authority are alright: Board refuses to fire Barry Bordelon

It is in your face corruption folks.  Those catching up may recall the HUD OIG issued a scathing report on the Jefferson Parish Housing Authority including potential criminal misdeeds on part of former executive director Barry Bordelon.  Naomi Martin at NOLA filed a very good report on the topic as it appears the gang of malfeasants on the Housing Authority Board are conspiring to insure Bordelon gets his full state retirement, despite the fact OIG makes clear he is as crooked as the day is long.  Martin’s story is a must read because she named names folks.

This kind of in your face, public disregard for fiduciary duty does not happen often folks as Hunley Dufour Jr. feigned ignorance of the kind that would have resulted in both tar and feather in an earlier day as Monica Hernandez at WWL Tee Vee illustrates:

Folks this kind of disregard for both the law and community can be cleaned up but people are gonna have to make noise.  I think ‘Gate once pointed out there is a criminal malfeasance statute in Louisiana.  Buddy Caldwell would be the guy to pursue anything along those lines and if enough people call his office and raise cain, well “tickle my ass with a feather” ol boy may just do something to earn his paycheck.  And of course there is the new guy Dana over at Car 54.

Movement????

The other day I ran a guest post from Uptown Music and it was well received.  I edited out the last paragraph though as it made a good post all on its own.

Seems to me that if the goal is to do quality journalism that can be accomplished.  Money to fuel “the movement” is a game changer though as money corrupts.  I know one way around that, at least short term but it too comes with its own “baggage”. In any event the rest of Uptown Music’s email:

What little faith I have left is now invested in Slabbed and your ilk. I am hoping in about 6-8 months to get out from under a pile of debt so that I can start contributing to your fine efforts. My fear is: What will eventually occur to this mass movement? However, at this point the main task is to create the mass movement for transparency and honesty. A man can dream, anyway.

Maybe this is a bridge too far but Steve pointed out there is one place that gives grants for transparency projects, national security and human rights but I fear the Faux news crowd would choke. It is rich considering Rupert Murdoch’s pedigree but there are lots of simple minds that need educating ’round here. :mrgreen: