Like I’ve consistently said folks, Congressman Steve Scalise will meet with anyone to discuss public policy, including corrupt former big city mayors like Marc Morial per Bruce Alpert’s report for NOLA.com.
To set things up Morial’s reputation drastically declined since he left office as his former staffers were indicted and convicted on public corruption charges. Later a former top aide to Morial would also plead guilty to taking bribes and kickbacks.
More recently both Morial and former Congressman Leon Panetta joined the Board of Directors of scandal ridden Corinthian Colleges, which had previously donated heavily to the Urban League. Per a Washington Post story dated February 3, 2015, “Corinthian has become the poster child for the worst practices in the for-profit education sector, including high loan defaults and dubious programs. Clouded by allegations of deceptive marketing and lying to the government about its graduation rates, Corinthian lost its access to federal funds last year, forcing the company to sell or close its schools”
Finally, the Urban League itself was the subject of a major scandal in Seattle Washington involving vendors who received “questionable” payments from a Seattle Public Schools program that was the focus of a criminal investigation. More recently in August, 2014 as part of the HUD OIG investigation into the money designated for substance abuse programs in Rhode Island, the Federal Bureau of Investigation was brought in at the HUD’s request to specifically look into the Urban League’s role in the misuse of federal funds. Safe Haven then closed permanently. In January, 2015 the scandal claimed the career of long time Rhode Island Housing Director Richard Godfrey who resigned his office. This scandal continues to unfold.
Against that backdrop I wonder why anyone in their right minds would be associating with either the Urban League or Marc Morial but such is the job of a politician I reckon. Here at Slabbed we’ll continue to not hold such meetings against Rep. Scalise.
Moving right along noted New Orleans Mardi Gras historian Arthur Hardy remembered Mel Leavitt today for the New Orleans Advocate. I well remember Mel from Prep Quiz Bowl as well as his legendary fondness for tipping his elbow so it is natural he would love Mardi Gras so.
Finally is Bobby Jindal completely out of touch with his peeps in Louisiana? Elizabeth Crisp has the answer today for the Baton Rouge Advocate and sadly it is yes.