DMR State Pleas and Trudy Fisher dominate the news here on the coast

DMR because yesterday 3 former employees pleaded guilty to felonies and Trudy Fisher because of the local rumor mill fueled by at least one OIG report.  We start with Ms. Fisher:

Head of Mississippi environmental agency to resign ~ Jeff Amy

And of course it was Jeff’s story that Anita Lee and I chatted about before we entered the courtroom for the DMR plea hearing before Circuit Court Judge Roger Clark yesterday in Biloxi.  I was disappointed in not being able to use Twitter, especially since still photography was allowed inside the court room per the court’s own rules.  Those rules were written before the rise of social media and it shows.  Nonetheless, when the court’s bailiff comes out two times before the start of the hearing to let everyone else know they better turn off all their electronic devices it behooved those assembled to heed the good word.

Let’s start with Anita’s story for the Sun Herald:

3 former DMR employees plead guilty, sentenced ~ Anita Lee

She does a good job recounting the events of the hearing, where Tina Shumate was clearly the boogie man de jour.  After Larsen’s attorney made some statements regarding how Shumate allegedly treated Larsen when he tried repaying the travel over payment, Shumate’s lawyer Tim Holliman’s reaction upon hearing Team Larsen’s statement tells me her story will beg to differ.  We’ll see.

What Anita’s story does not say is what I am going to cover because it is clear to me that Continue reading “DMR State Pleas and Trudy Fisher dominate the news here on the coast”

Speaking of people that need to submit resignations…..

And here is today’s local news roundup.  We start with the legendary boozing constable, Tony Thomassie, who is harmless enough, except for the boozing while on tower and long rumored badge selling:

Embattled constable sues Jefferson Parish court for not using his services ~ Chad Calder

Next up things are not looking too good for the home team:

Bankruptcy trustee seeks sale of Brennan’s name, assets ~ Jaquetta White

Turns out that like Slabbed, Gordon Russell, John Simerman and company rake their muck the old fashioned way:

Reporters: FBI agents didn’t provide information of Telly Hankton’s probe ~ Manuel Torres

So this was, in reality, a fishing expedition for a reporter’s sources.  Gordon and John actually visited the FBI over on Leon C. Simon and signed into the official log documenting they were there, a truly cloak and dagger action if I ever saw one.   These guys do not need me to tell them how to best meet with the FBI but all the Hankton defense team did was reinforce a lesson with me on never meeting with the FBI at the FBI HQ on Leon C. Simon because you have to sign a log when you enter the building.  I’m glad to see the G men did not do anything stupid like two certain former US Attorneys.

Moving right along from the victory lap department, we have this on Team Ray Nagin: Continue reading “Speaking of people that need to submit resignations…..”

When I suggested resignation, I did not mean the hospital board…..

File this one under too little, too late:

DA Walter Reed resigns as outside legal counsel for St. Tammany Parish Hospital ~ Heather Nolan

Like I said earlier, I expect a Peter Galvan type outcome here. The only question in my mind is whether or not I excoriate resident talking head / lickspittle Rafael Goyeneche for drawing distinctions between Paul Connick’s outside gig that profits off Parish contracts and Reed’s. I’ve been leaning towards not but I’ll add Rafael has not burnished his rep by carrying DA Connick’s water. Just sayin’.