Just throwing this out to tantalize the Slabbed Nation. The latest rumor may in fact reference earlier publicized cases such as those involving the paralegals and/or Debbie Villio/ Karen Parker. I’m actively working to sort through the leads.
And yes Alyssa, sometimes in the search for the truth you publish partial leads. Thanks.
sop
sop: Didn’t Whitmergate write several Guest Posts on Peggy Barton’s collusion in the Payroll Fraud scandals? Whatever came of her involvement? Is she in the HR dept sanitizing files as we speak?
I understand the FBI took a look at the allegations against Barton Unslabbed. The changing of the Org chart before PRRs brings 10 years bad luck….
Ironically, this latest rumor Involves Barton as well.
sop
Antoine is just greedy, Karen a simple bimbo, Ken is small potatoes and anything involving corrupt Peggy and POS Villio them the seed can surely be traced back to Mrs. Wilkinson’s little boy Tommy! And it’ll be forever before either one “flips”. Both these skanks think they are “entitled” to do whatever strikes their simple fancy….so ipso facto: Nothing was wrong!
Guess they learned that when “Tommy-Dog” got out of their pants and into their heads!
Sad simple bitches: Hope they like prison!
Fuck the rumor shit …
The felonious Peggy Barton defines PAYROLL FRAUD and ALTERATION OF PUBLIC RECORDS in Jefferson Parish, and particularly the Parish Atty’s Office…
And although her criminal activity is not limited solely to her conduct cited above … Barton, as a principal, along with her co-conspirators: Tom Wilkinson, Louis Gruntz, Deano Bonano, Charlie Knope, Karen Parker Broussard,
WHERE is JIM LETTEN?
He’s supposed to be more QUALIFIED than HEBEE?
Looks like they are woven from the SAME CLOTH……….
ACTION or lack of…… DETERMINES INTENT….
Do you know where your US ATTORNEY is TONIGHT?????
Maybe he’s havin’ some Captain Morgan with Captian Jay?
He’s OBVIOUSLY NOT FULFILLING HIS JOB DESCRIPTION ~
3-2.140 Authority
Although the Attorney General has supervision over all litigation to which the United States or any agency thereof is a party, and has direction of all United States Attorneys, and their assistants, in the discharge of their respective duties (28 U.S.C. Secs. 514, 515, 519), each United States Attorney, within his/her district, has the responsibility and authority to: (a) prosecute for all offenses against the United States; (b) prosecute or defend, for the government, all civil actions, suits, or proceedings in which the United States is concerned; (c) appear on behalf of the defendants in all civil actions, suits or proceedings pending in the district against collectors, or other officers of the revenue or customs for any act done by them or for the recovery of any money exacted by or paid to such officers, and by them paid into the Treasury; (d) institute and prosecute proceedings for the collection of fines, penalties, and forfeitures incurred for violation of any revenue law unless satisfied upon investigation that justice does not require such proceedings; (e) make such reports as the Attorney General shall direct. 28 U.S.C. Sec. 547.
By virtue of this grant of statutory authority and the practical realities of representing the United States throughout the country, United States Attorneys conduct most of the trial work in which the United States is a party. They are the principal federal law enforcement officers in their judicial districts. In the exercise of their prosecutorial discretion, United States Attorneys construe and implement the policy of the Department of Justice. Their professional abilities and the need for their impartiality in administering justice directly affect the public’s perception of federal law enforcement.
IT’S ALL GREEK TO ME….
Butt, WTF is HE DOING in the guise of JUSTICE?
zelda..agreed to your questions on ‘Mr. Lettemgo’ and his failure to read his job description.
Moreover, where is the Jefferson Parish District Attorney ( CONNICK)…who conveniently & idly looks the other way on this ever present Jefferson Parish Governmental circus…(perhaps Mr. Connick doesn’t even have a job description…. )..
Zelda : I want to thank you and call the Slabbed Nation’s attention to the video you posted on OPEN THREAD yesterday July 22, 2011 entitled Hacking Democracy. Jefferson Parish has the honor of being cited therein for a very weird voting incident in 1996 which a republican candidate and challenger, Susan Bernecker, documented with a video camera.
What was so weird you ask. Well Susan discovered in her post election inspection of the voting machines in the Parish’s warehouse that on every voting machine on which she pressed her name on the touch screen that at the bottom of the machine in the video verification window up popped the name of her opponent Gambilluca.
Now isn’t that special. So Susan has to wonder exactly what did that mean. When a citizen pushed Susan’s name on election day did that citizen’s vote get registered to Susan or her opponent Nick Gambilluca.
Could be a good question to ask the current Registrar of Voters Dennis Di Marco at 736-6191 Monday morning and we as a Nation can compare our notes after he views the u-tube video and explains how that electronic error could occur post election as well as possibly on election day.
Dennis DiMarco is, has, and will be a key flunkey in the JP Political mob….Just another filthy bastard pos living the Marcello legacy to Jefferson Parish: crime & corruption. As far as connick’s job description, its “head of the mob”: he won’t solve the problem; he IS the problem.
Just like zits; won’t get clean ’till ya bust ’em!
Jim Letten seems to be following John Voltz’s lead…providing indemnity through mal-prosecution…or is it “mis-“?? Jim doesn’t seem near as stupid as John!
Barbara Namer
Education : High School scholar.
Previous Private Employment : Homemaker, baby sitter
Martial Status : Happily married to the famous Robert Namer, ex-WTIX political corruption investigative reporter.
Public Employment History : Appointed to and was salaried as a paralegal in Jefferson Attorney Office during the Coulon and Broussard administrations for over 12 years without a paralegal certificate. Terminated after being exposed as the very last fraudulent paralegal in Spring 2011.
Restitution of Payroll Fraud Money : None
Recent Education : Recently completed internet paralegal studies.
Current Public Employment : Rehired by Jefferson Attorney Office as a fully certified paralegal.
Current Salary : See Robert Namer
Political Affiliation : Squeeze Robert Namer and he will tell you all about it.
http://www.nola.com/religion/index.ssf/2011/07/disgraced_ex-priest_dino_cinel.html
Check out NOLA story on ex-priest and admitted pedophile sex offender Dino Cinel…particularly note the reference to Archbishop Philip Hannan tipping Cinel off about the investigation and New Orleans District Attorney Harry Connick declining to prosecute. The apple does not fall far from the tree: Jefferson Parish District Attorney Paul Connick must have learned all he knows at Uncle Harry’s knee.
A financial suggestion to all the other fraudulent paralegals of jefferson parish who got paid paralegal salaries for 12 or more years and were recently fired by the attorney’s office : Try taking a few weeks of internet study in paralegal courses and get rehired as a certified paralegal like Babara Namer. There’s no restitution of payroll fraud monies to repay, no jail time and maybe you too can retire soon at the paralegal salary level.
lockemup: Susan Bernecker was co-host on a radio show in New Orleans ( may still be). The name of the show is/was Health Connections,with Susan Bernecker. It is/was on WTIX-690 AM radio in New Orleans, Louisiana. It’s a health information program
and most of the time it is/was open to callers.
She also was on the radio with a guy co-host but I don’t remember his name.
Her mother is Joyce Sherlock, a BIG Republican Women’s Clubber who was always being appointed to committees etc…maybe also a paid position on something?
Odd all that and whatever DID happen with the voting machine fraud?
Ah ha here she is:
BOARD MEMBERS
The Board of Zoning Adjustments is composed of seven members. Each Jefferson Parish Council member appoints one member. Board members are as follows:
Jacquelyn R. “Jackie” Madden, Chairwoman
representing John F. Young, Jr., Councilman-At-Large, Division A
Diann C. Amstutz, Vice-Chairwoman
representing Chris L. Roberts, Councilman District 1
Donald R. Bonewitz, Board Secretary
representing Elton M. Lagasse, Councilman District 2
Joyce Sherlock,
representing Louis J. Congemi, Councilman District 4
Timothy Valenti,
representing Cynthia Lee-Sheng, Councilwoman District 5
Eddie L. Shepherd,
representing Byron L. Lee, Councilman District 3
Timothy A. Porteous,
representing Thomas J. Capella, Councilman-At-Large, Division B
Re: namer, is “Barbara Namer” related to the lunatic on the radio? If so, I’d love to get a listing of all the Jefferson Parish rightwingers caught up in all these frauds. How many times have I listened to that nutjob try to get people riled up about poor black people taking their hard-earned wages?
Oops, I just noticed the post confirming that she is his wife.
I would have to wonder how Barbara Namer 1.got her job( maybe the gun on the ankle incident?) and 2. If Piggy Barton needed a foil to buy time to create a cover story on another front?
Robert Namer finessed his way to nirvana for his wife Barbara. Well at least as far as it meant he got his way. But Barbara and Bob’s marital issues are about as important as his ability to jump from a standstill to a desktop. The gun in his ankle holster incident was gravy. He had them from Hello.
Watch out when all attention is being directed right because the real action is probably on the left.
Just sayin
2011 salary chart, not sure its says from when… .
http://www.jeffparish.net/downloads/3753/7045-Salary0623111wOTByLastName.pdf
On Zelda’s & Lockem’s point, but also as to Gegenheimer & Thomassie, this from the 10.17.95 TP:
“VOTERS WELCOME NEW MACHINES – SIMPLICITY, ACCESSIBILITY PRAISED
People came out in droves over the weekend to check out the new computerized voting machines that most Jefferson voters will use for the first time in Saturday’s election.
About 2,000 people took their first look at the new machines and cast fictitious votes, said Don Canino, deputy clerk of court, who put the event together at the request of Constable Tony Thomassie .
“Everybody was impressed with the simplicity of the computerized machine compared to the old mechanical machines, some dating back to 1947,” Canino said. “The last time we bought any of the old machines was in 1961. Some parts we can’t get anymore, so we’ve had to cannibalize parts from one machine to get others working.”
Although Canino said one man complained money shouldn’t have been spent on new machines when the old ones worked fine, most people were quite pleased.
“I’m only 5 feet tall. I had to stretch to reach the upper buttons on the old machines and I couldn’t see the upper part of the ballot real good reaching up like that,” said Maggie Percle of Marrero. She described the computerized machine, which was set up in the center court of Belle Promenade in Marrero, as “perfect for me.”
Sharing center court during Saturday’s demonstration was an information fair on the disabled. Wheelchair-bound Pat Johnson, director of the Jefferson Parish Office for Citizens with Disabilities, rolled her chair into the voting booth.
At first, the slanted screen with the ballot was too high for her to reach. A Deputy Constable Association volunteer tilted the adjustable machine toward her until she was within easy reach of everything on the ballot.
“Being in a wheelchair, you couldn’t reach the old machine’s voting levers,” Johnson said. “You had to take a person in with you to cast your ballot. Even with a close friend or spouse, it still didn’t give you that independence and privacy that these allow you.”
Donna Ott of Harvey said she didn’t have to ask any questions about operation of the computerized machine. “It’s pretty self-explanatory, and a lot less confusing than the old machines.”
On Saturday, after voters step behind the curtain, they will find the names of candidates and propositions in black letters on a large white screen with squares beside each.
When voters touch a square, an arrow lights up. If voters change their mind or make a mistake, they need only touch the same square, the arrow disappears and they can start over.
A red “cast vote” button is in the lower right corner of the machine. Once it is pressed, the voting process is over, Canino said.
Simple, three-step instructions for the machine are in the top left corner of the ballot.
The new machines should make tallying the vote at least two hours faster, Clerk of Court Jon Gegenheimer said. ”
**************************
This is the Registrar of Voters, Dennis DiMarco, 6/7/05 TP:
“Voter registrar offers to repay – He billed Jeff for auto crash, trips to tax talks
After billing Jefferson Parish $13,437 for travel to tax seminars and costing the parish roughly $7,000 to settle a crash involving his parish car, Registrar of Voters Dennis DiMarco , an accountant in private life, has offered to reimburse taxpayers for those expenses and “mistaken” contributions to his retirement fund.
Insisting he has “done nothing misleading, improper, illegal, or unethical,” DiMarco made the offer after reviewing records of his earnings, benefits and reimbursements requested last month by The Times-Picayune, he said, adding that the newspaper’s inquiry included topics identified in “a similar, anonymous complaint” made recently to a public agency, which he would not name.
Three parish officials said privately that the complaint was made to state Legislative Auditor Steve Theriot, though Theriot denied last week that his office has any complaint or investigation pending in Jefferson Parish.
Meanwhile, DiMarco vowed in his May 23 letter to Parish President Aaron Broussard and the Parish Council that if “I have received any compensation or benefits for which I was not entitled or eligible, I will make the parish ‘whole’ as quickly as possible.”
Records show that since he took over as elections chief, a quarter of the registrar’s office travel expenditures has been spent for DiMarco, a certified public accountant, to attend tax seminars in such locales as Las Vegas, Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts and on an Alaskan cruise, though state law does not require registrars to be accountants.
Documents also show that the parish approved an extra salary for DiMarco in July 1998 that by 2004 boosted his earnings to more than $110,800. His salary as mandated by the state was $65,327 in 2004, paid proportionately from state and parish coffers. Jefferson’s top elected official, Parish President Aaron Broussard, earned $105,780 in 2004.
DiMarco said last week that he never performed extra duties related to his extra salary, though he collected $24,050 in parish contributions to his parochial retirement account because of the extra pay, parish finance records show.
DiMarco said he now realizes the payment plan was “a mistake.”
“Of all of these allegations, this is the one area that I wish I could go back and change,” DiMarco said. “Does this look bad? Absolutely. But the only thing I can say is that it was done with honorable intent.”
Broussard said that because the parish attorney was drafting a memo Monday recommending council members discuss “potential litigation regarding Dennis DiMarco ” during an executive session at their Wednesday meeting, he would not comment.
Most council members also declined to comment or did not return calls.
Councilman Chris Roberts said he is studying whether DiMarco should have driven his parish car out of state on “nonpublic business” and also questioned why DiMarco did not seek a formal ruling on his retirement benefits.
“When you’re in public office, and you’re . . . a CPA, to play the role that you ‘just didn’t know’ is unacceptable on my terms,” Roberts said. “You know what the law states, and if there’s ever a question about what is or is not acceptable, you can always request an opinion from the ethics board or a ruling from the attorney general.”
Though DiMarco did not quantify the expenses he has offered to repay, he said in his letter to officials, he “will voluntarily agree to have the Parish immediately escrow” the portion of his salary that is not mandated by state law.
That sum grew to $45,552 last year from $29,748 in July 1998, when the council appointed DiMarco and approved his earnings package, records show.
Under the plan, DiMarco would earn his registrar’s salary and also receive a salary “separate and apart from his appointment as Registrar of Voters” and “continue in the Parish retirement system,” according to two memos written by then-Parish President Tim Coulon. DiMarco, who started working for the parish in 1982 as finance director, became Coulon’s top aide in 1995.
State law, which sets registrar salaries based on population and requires parishes to pay some share, allows parishes to supplement the mandated part of a registrar’s pay and remit a portion of it to the state’s Registrar of Voters Retirement System. Jefferson’s council approved a law allowing such an increase in 1989, calling it a “subsidy.”
Coulon’s memo, however, stressed that DiMarco’s additional fee “is not a supplement to his Registrar of Voters’ salary.” A subsequent council ordinance changed the old law to codify Coulon’s order.
Coulon could not be reached for comment.
DiMarco said last week that he always considered the extra salary a “supplement.” He said he did not consider himself a parish employee while working as registrar because he did not work the required 28 hours per week at a separate job, never was assigned additional duties and did not receive some benefits afforded to regular parish employees, including sick leave, overtime and tenure pay.
But DiMarco said he wanted to continue being employed by the parish to build his retirement savings, which is paid out based on years of service. “Yes, I thought it would benefit me, but I thought it wouldn’t harm the parish,” he said.
Lorraine Dees, director of the Registrar of Voters Retirement System, said registrars’ retirement benefits should not be paid into local parochial retirement systems. “They are not parish employees,” she said.
To further defend his position, DiMarco provided The Times-Picayune with a self-generated review of his travel expenses, which he said in some cases represented only a portion of the cost of many trips.
In a memo typed on Registrar of Voters letterhead, DiMarco said that of the $54,707 the parish claims his office has spent on travel since he took over, only $34,658 could be tied to him personally. The rest, he said, went to reimburse his employees for official travel.
Further, DiMarco said it was not inappropriate to spend $13,437 on meetings to improve his accounting skills because he handles the registrar’s annual budget. He provided his current statement of membership in the Louisiana Association of CPAs, which lists as his business “Jefferson Parish Registrar of Voters.”
DiMarco also said his total personal income from his home-based accounting office since he became registrar was $8,733, proving that he spent little time working as a private CPA.
Regarding a 1999 auto collision, DiMarco said it was proper for the parish to pay the driver who rear-ended DiMarco while he was driving his parish-owned 1998 Ford Explorer in Biloxi, Miss.
Jefferson Parish paid the uninsured driver of a Dodge Spirit $7,142.75 for bodily injury, property damage and claims adjustment in 1999 and 2000, claim notes provided by the parish show.
In a three-paragraph narrative of the event, DiMarco wrote that he drove to the Gulf Coast city on July 12 to deliver a transcription machine to his neighbor, who worked as a court reporter at the 24th Judicial District Court and wanted to use the equipment at her Mississippi home.
Reports from the parish’s Risk Management Department show that while DiMarco was heading back to Metairie around 5:30 p.m., his truck was rear-ended by the Dodge. Conditions were rainy, and the car’s driver could not stop, according to the report. It is unclear why the parish agreed to pay the claim.
DiMarco said he long has thought the incident was settled and said “somebody” has unearthed it, along with the other items at issue, “going back seven years, lumping it all together, to get the biggest halo effect,” he said.
He would not speculate on the complainant’s identity.
Though the Parish Council appoints the local registrar, it does not have power to unseat him. According to state law, the Louisiana Board of Election Supervisors can dismiss a registrar upon “willful misconduct relating to his official duty” or a felony conviction.
A resolution supported by a two-thirds majority of a parish council can trigger the board to vote for immediate suspension of a registrar, who then has a right to a hearing and an appeal of the board’s ultimate decision.”
*************************
11.28.06 TP:
“Audit takes Jefferson registrar to task – He double-dipped pension plans, it says
Dennis DiMarco , the Jefferson Parish registrar of voters, improperly participated in two public retirement systems between 1998 and 2005, according to a new report from the state legislative auditor.
When DiMarco left his job as chief administrative assistant to the Jefferson Parish president to become registrar of voters, he was eligible only for the retirement system that the state provides for all local election supervisors, the report says. But DiMarco also continued to build a nest egg through Jefferson Parish, even though Louisiana’s separate retirement system for parish employees prohibits such double dipping.
In a report published last week, the legislative auditor recommended that prosecutors examine the findings for possible malfeasance. DiMarco has said he has already reconciled the issue with local leaders by returning $26,700 that the parish contributed to the Jefferson retirement plan on his behalf.
The legislative auditor’s findings add new detail to a story first reported by The Times-Picayune in June 2005.
DiMarco has said his participation in two retirement systems was an honest mistake stemming from the arcane way money is pooled to pay registrars. Their salaries are a combination of state money, a mandated match from the parish government and an optional parish supplement. In 2004, the last year the report details, DiMarco’s total salary was $116,260.
DiMarco used his optional parish supplement to continue participating in the parish retirement account he had established in 1982, when he was hired by the Jefferson government administration. The state portion of the salary and the mandatory parish match supported his second retirement plan, in the registrars system.
“The honest answer I could give you is that I thought it would not make a difference,” DiMarco said. “The systems are reciprocal, and I thought I could stay in the parochial system with the supplement paid by the parish. I was wrong. The question is whether I benefited from that, and the answer is no.”
The legislative auditor takes a harder stance on the optional supplement. While DiMarco says he was earning the supplement in his capacity as registrar, the auditor says he was given the money to perform additional duties for the parish president’s office. But the report finds no evidence that Tim Coulon, the former parish president, ever assigned DiMarco extra duties after he became registrar in 1998.
Parish leaders take issue with this finding, noting that there is no money in the parish general fund to pay for a phantom job. All the local money that finances DiMarco’s salary, both the mandated match and the optional supplement, is listed under his name in the registrar’s budget.
Tom Wilkinson, the parish attorney, said Monday that Jefferson administrators always intended for the extra pay to represent a supplement that the parish is legally authorized to provide, not separate income for duties unrelated to the registrar’s office.
Payroll memos
But two memos included in the audit offer a different interpretation.
Coulon wrote in a June 1, 1998, memo to the payroll department that DiMarco’s additional pay “is to be considered separate and apart from his appointment as registrar of voters and as such, he is to continue in the parish retirement system for the amount paid under the memo.”
And a Dec. 4, 1998, memo from Coulon to a payroll officer says: “Again, this salary is not a supplement to his registrar of voter’s salary.”
In a written response to the legislative auditor, Coulon called the budget ordinance and his letters to the payroll department “confusing,” but insisted that extra pay wasn’t meant to compensate DiMarco for a separate job.
“It was never my intent to assign Mr. DiMarco specific duties other than those of the registrar of voters nor to view his supplement as compensation for additional duties inconsistent with the Jefferson Parish unclassified pay plan,” Coulon wrote.
Coulon also told the auditor that DiMarco penned the two memos and that he simply initialed them.
Council support
In addition to possible criminal charges, it was unclear what, if any, political implications the findings might have for DiMarco. The Parish Council appoints the registrar of voters for life, and for the most part, Jefferson leaders seemed satisfied that DiMarco had redressed the issue of two retirement accounts when he repaid the parish in September.
“He has made the parish whole with the reimbursement of $26,676,” Wilkinson said.
Parish President Aaron Broussard concurred.
“I don’t think there was any criminal intent there,” Broussard said. “The legislative auditor mentions referring the matter to the district attorney, but I do not know of anything in Dennis DiMarco ‘s long public career that would show he has done anything sinister.”
Councilman Chris Roberts said the audit pointed out “inconsistencies and inaccuracies” that should not have happened in the administration. But he said Broussard and his council colleagues largely inherited the problem from Coulon and the previous council, which Broussard chaired before becoming parish president in 2004. Roberts said he’s pleased that the auditor submitted the report to the Jefferson Parish district attorney.
“I still think somebody in law enforcement needs to determine whether or not there’s malfeasance,” Roberts said. “That’s not for us to decide.”
DiMarco said the legislative auditor tarred his image by mentioning in the last line of the Nov. 22 report that the findings would be sent to prosecutors for review.
“The legislative auditor makes all these allegations that ruin your reputation and then says, in essence, ‘It’s not up to us to determine if there’s wrongdoing . It is up to someone else. It is up to the district attorney,’ ” DiMarco said. “It is almost an unfair accusation that they can walk away from and have no responsibility for.” ”
*********************
About Bernecker – she and Richard Angelico actually did a live shot wher they went to the warehouse and opened the machiens and ran tests, that is permitted under Louisiana law.
11.2.95 TP:
“TAPE FURTHERS ELECTION FLAP – PLANTIFFS SAY IT CAPTURES MACHINE’S GLITCH
Plaintiffs in a lawsuit challenging the Oct. 21 primary results in Jefferson Parish produced a videotape Wednesday in an effort to show that some machines registered votes for the wrong candidate.
Their charges, which will be heard Friday in state District Court in Gretna, have drawn the attention of the voting machines’ New York manufacturer. The company is sending a representative to Louisiana for a firsthand look.
Phil Foster, a regional salesman and member of Sequoia Pacific Voting Equipment Inc.’s central management team, would not discuss specific allegations.
“I can tell you that this equipment has been subjected to more testing than any other voting machine in history,” said Foster, whose company has sold 6,000 computerized voting machines in 12 states, including 2,000 in Louisiana. “But as for these specifics, I just don’t know enough about the situation to comment.”
Six losing candidates alleged an array of election-day violations in a lawsuit Monday.
In a snippet of tape shown Wednesday at a news conference, Susan Bernecker of Metairie, who lost the Parish Council 6th District race to incumbent Councilman Nick Giambelluca , is shown pressing buttons beside candidates’ names on a voting machine. In some cases, the corresponding name lights up in the display panel at the bottom of the machine. In other cases, the name of another candidate in the same race appears.
Bernecker ‘s exercise took place Oct. 24, when election officials opened the machines to check their tallies. State and parish elections officials have said the exercise means nothing because the machines were by then in the “non-voting mode,” meaning the software that protects the integrity of votes no longer was functioning.
But A.F. “Sonny” Armond of Algiers, who is both a plaintiff in the case and attorney for the suing candidates, said Foster told him by phone that incorrect names should not appear in any mode of a properly functioning machine.
“The manufacturer said it doesn’t matter if it’s in the voting or nonvoting mode,” Armond said.
Foster disputed Armond’s account.
“I absolutely did not tell him such a thing,” Foster said. “I told him I can’t make any comment because there’s a court case in progress . . . and because I haven’t looked at anything myself yet.” ”
— 10.31.95 TP:
“FLAWED ELECTION NEEDS NEW VOTE, CANDIDATES SAY
Six losing candidates from the Oct. 21 primary went to court Monday to charge that malfunctioning voting machines, police interference, misleading campaign literature and a slip-up by election officials distorted the results of several Jefferson Parish Council and legislative races.
“This is not crying over spilled milk,” said A.F. “Sonny” Armond of Algiers, who is both a plaintiff and the attorney for the group.
“Sounds like sour grapes to me,” said the victor in Armond’s race, state Sen. Francis Heitmeier. “I think what you’ve got here is . . . one guy who’s an attorney who’s just filing a frivolous lawsuit.”
The other plaintiffs are state Senate candidate Lynn Cheramie of Gretna, House candidate Don James of Gretna, Parish Council candidates Danny Lamonte of Gretna, Susan Bernecker of Metairie and Robert Namer of River Ridge and the Jefferson Parish Republican Executive Committee. …
… Both sides have been ordered to appear Friday at 10 a.m. before Judge Walter E. Kollin of the 24th District Court in Gretna.
Election officials deny allegations that voting machines malfunctioned or were tampered with, but the Jefferson clerk of court’s office admitted Monday to one goof: It failed to notify candidates that they could examine voting machines before the primary, a right guaranteed by state law. The pre-election inspection lets candidates make sure the machines are functioning and haven’t been tampered with, said Alan Elkins, the state’s assistant commissioner of elections.
Deputy clerk Don Conino said his office did not realize until the day of the primary that it had failed to mail letters telling candidates they could check voting machines and watch them sealed Oct. 18.
“It’s my mistake, and I take responsibility for it, but it was inadvertent,” Conino said. “We run as honest an operation as we can, but you screw up once, and that’s all it takes,” Conino said. …
… That voting machines malfunctioned or were improperly programmed in the Parish Council’s 6th District race.
Bernecker said that during an examination of voting machines Oct. 24, she pressed the button by her name on several machines only “to see Nick Giambelluca ‘s name come up.”
“None of us were there to check out the machines before they were voted. And then afterwards, well, this is what I found,” she said.
Elkins and Conino said that Bernecker either does not understand how the machines operate or refuses to accept it.
Conino said the machines were in the “non-voting mode” when Bernecker examined them, as they had been since voting commissioners locked them the night of Oct. 21.
“In that mode, yes, if you start hitting a bunch of buttons, you’re liable to get another candidate,” Conino said. “But that cannot happen when the machines are in a voting mode.” … ”
****************
About that first article above, what role do the constables such as Thomassie (hired by Broussard, and though it’s a pretty common name so maybe they’re not related yes but yes also there are maybe three other persons named Thomassie on the JP payroll still) and clerks of court such as Gegenheimer (who apparently hired Broussard’s mother and a Muniz while Broussard also hired Gegenheimer’s wife) have to do with elections? Why is the deputy clerk of court putting on a demonstration of machines at the request of the constable?
here are some more constable names, according to this listing by the LA Attorney General, the Hon. Buddy Caldwell:
http://www.ag.state.la.us/JPC.aspx?articleID=0&catID=11
“Civello, Dan E.
Constable
Region 10: Parish of Jefferson: 5th Justict Court ”
Hey there’s another Constable name, Dan E Civello, Constable 5th Justice Court, Jefferson Parish, which if you look at that employee list posted above there is also a Daniel Civello employed by JP. Weird coincidence, huh?
How about:
“Bradberry, Sr., Leon F.
Constable
Region 10: Parish of Jefferson: 4th Justice Court ”
Oddly enough there is a woman named Bradberry working at “Sub-Dist No. 1 – Grand Isle” whose name is Bradberry. Odd coincidence.
Here’s another:
“Liberto, Jonathan
Constable
Region 10: Parish of Jefferson: 1st Justice Court”
Gosh, oddly enough there is a Kimberly Liberto working for the JP Council as a clerk.
Hey how about:
“Creppel, Albert T.
Constable
Region 10: Parish of Jefferson: 3rd Justice Court ”
Yep, why sure enough there is a Creppel listed under the animal shelter department. Weird, weird coincidence.
Three constable names left that I see, but admittedly these are all really common last names:
“Bourgeois, Earl J. “Joe”
Constable
Region 10: Parish of Jefferson: 6th Justice Court ”
There are eight people named Bourgeois working at JP.
“Cooper, James
Constable
Region 10: Parish of Jefferson: 7th Justice Court ”
There are five people named Cooper working at JP.
“Wilson, Charles L.
Constable
Region 10: Parish of Jefferson: 8th Justice Court ”
There are eight people named Wilson working at JP.
And of course Steve Mortillaro, who besides being known as a Justice of the Peace for years in JP was also listed as Constable on JP’s own website (maybe preceding Mr. Civello now shown by the LA AG for that district?):
http://www.jeffparish.net/index.cfm?DocID=1453
Some of those names are really common, but some are not, so isn’t it really, really odd that all of those last names – nine out of nine, including Mortillaro formerly – show up on the JP payroll? Or is that just coincidence?
What do constables do again?
LA. R.S. 18:1354:
“
“VOTING MACHINE LESSON SET
Demonstrations on how to use the voting machines that will make their West Jefferson debut in the Oct. 21 election will be this weekend in Belle Promenade’s center court.
Justice of the Peace Tony Thomassie said he and several members of the Deputy Constable Association will demonstrate the voting machines Saturday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5:30 p.m.
The machine is being provided by the Jefferson Parish clerk of court’s office, he said. ”
“VOTING MACHINE SEMINAR SET
Demonstrations on how to use the new voting machine that will make its West Jefferson debut in the Oct. 21 election will be held this weekend in Belle Promenade’s center court.
Constable Tony Thomassie said he and several members of the Deputy Constable Association will demonstrate the voting machine Saturday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5:30 p.m. The machine is being provided by the Jefferson Parish Clerk of Court’s Office, he said. ”
– 10.12.95 & 10.13.95 TP articles.
Hey Zelda and Roche: Maybe next election, in which the inspector general is the major issue, we as the SlabbedNation should have a 24/7 patrol outside of the JP voting machine warehouse.
Then we could see if clerk of court Gegenheimer actually posts guards as per R.S. 18:1461(B) and see if Constable Thomassie and others of the Deputy Constables Association ( isn’t that the association recently subject to TV investigation in which Thomassie charged an initiation fee plus yearly dues to meet in a bar room occasionally) go into the warehouse the night before the election machines are delivered to the polls or after the machines are returned.
So the Constables, as per above article, are experts on voting machines. Hmmmmm. And if they do a good job on the voting machines maybe they get rewarded with an illegal paralegal position .
If there was ever a political reason to hack into JP voting machines it would be this coming October to defeat the election of inspector general . That position is the cronies’ worse political opposition, nightmare and analogous to political roaches running away in fear after hearing the old Miller the Killer commercial – WE KILLTHEM ALL.
As far as Di Marco , JP registrar of voters, being selected for life, receiving additional salary pay and permission to double dip into two retirements plans as OKed by Coulon, Broussard and the Council in above article – my question is what has Di Marco over the years done for them.
Roche : I salute you for you have a way of making JP political corruption history come to life again including names from the past that have recently again made political corruption headlines. The FBI and U.S. Attorneys Office in Wash,D.C. need to read the above names and stories and realize the corruption has been around too long a time.
Maybe just a few U.S. Marshals to guard the voting machines this October would be nice and would give the voters a chance to elect an Inspector General to do what the feds have not been able to do.
Zelda and Roche : Maybe we as members of the Slabbed Nation should post guards inside and outside of the JP voting machine warehouse for this October election. We could see if clerk of court Gegenheimer actually posts guards over the machines as mandated by R.S.18:1461(B) .
So the Constables like ThomASSie are and have been experts on the voting machines since 1995. Hmmmmmmmmm. Maybe if the Constables do a good JOB on the voting machines they get rewarded with an illegal paralegal appointment.
In regard to Di Marco, JP registrar of voters, receiving a lifetime appointment, supplemental parish pay and OKed to double dip into two retirement plans by Coulon, Broussard and the Council – Wonder what Di Marco has done in return over the years for the gang.
This October election the position of Inspector General is the gang’s worse political opposition, nightmare and analogous to electing Miller the Killer to eliminate the infestation of political roaches in JP. Washington, D.C. – How about sending some outside U.S.Marshals to stand guard inside and outside the voting machine warehouse so we can rest assured of an honest election of the Inspector General position. With the Inspector General even if more roaches are elected they won’t be able to eat in the kitchen with all the lights on.
Roche : I salute you as you have the patriotic ability to bring back old political corruption stories in the Times-Picayune which should serve as a warning to us that if we are not watchful history can come back to life and can repeat itself. Isn’t it tragic how so many of the names in past corruption stories keep popping up today again and again and again.
MILLER THE KILLER – MILLER THE KILLER -MILLER THE KILLER- MILLER THE KILLER
Sorry for the repeat but a virus took my above post off and I didn’t realize it was posted.
Referencing the new pay schedule it appears that our council aides are way overpaid. According to the schedule, Chris Roberts makes 102K/yr and his aide Bonano makes 91K. Hell with being a councilperson, I want to be the aide. You are behind the scene and don’t have to put up with the BS.
I’m IN….STILL DO NOT BELIEVE SISSY CRISSY WON!…NAGIN RE-elected after KATRINA…IMPOSSIBLE! (ciber supplied software for vote count)
Posted on Saturday, April 25, 2009 – 3:13 pm: Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)
In the documentary “Hacking Democracy” you may remember a scene where I interviewed voting machine examiner Shawn Southworth using a hidden camera, as he fumbled questions about shoddy voting machine testing practices. The Ciber voting machine examination lab was a subsidiary of Colorado-based Ciber Inc., which is implicated in this story in a New Orleans pay-to-play controversy.
The deal in New Orleans, described in the story below, involved companies dumping cash into campaigns and related political action committees, and letting certain politicians run up expenses on credit cards — a common mechanism for bribery. Mayor Ray Nagin appears unable to explain why his wife’s expenses show up on a vendor’s credit card.
Ciber has many divisions; the scandal below involves its “governmental services division.”
Ciber’s voting machine testing unit has been in and out of play in the elections industry, due to its propensity for unexplainable omissions in its software examinations. This article is relevant because it illustrates some of the mechanics for influence-peddling, as well as the ethics of one of the main companies that has handled voting machine certification.
http://www.bbvforums.org/forums/messages/146/80326.html?1240697630
http://www.blackboxvoting.org/presskit.html
I suggest registering at blackboxvoting.org for detailed instructions on HOW to VERIFY THE ELECTION PROCESS….
TOP 10 THINGS CITIZENS CAN DO TO OVERSEE ELECTIONS
1. Ask questions. If you need help getting started, download the Citizens Tool Kit or go to Black Box Voting One on One area and ask a question about how to what to do in your location or situation. For less public individual consultation, e-mail [email protected]
2. Begin to actively manage your own government: Pick an action — any action — from the Black Box Voting Citizen’s Toolkit. The Tool Kit contains 20 different modules, for citizens with different interests and skill sets. Just pick one and get started. Fight the temptation to spend your time trying to organize other groups to be on the same page. Complete a meaningful action, even if just on one area. Spend your time actually doing, not on office politics, turf wars, making yourself famous or building little kingdoms. Citizen oversight requires many different independent thinkers, each using their own common sense. This is called the “swarm” method. It is not necessary to march in lockstep.
3. Each one teach one: Get other citizens involved.
– Host a house party. http://www.blackboxvoting.org/toolkit-house-p arty.pdf
– Host a town meeting: http://www.blackboxvoting.org/toolkit-town-m eeting.pdf
– Speak to groups about elections. http://www.blackboxvoting.org/toolkit-speaking.p df
4. Adopt a piece of an election.
Watch the voting system testing
Check the accuracy of voter registration rolls
Become a pollworker or election judge
Watch the voting
Watch the counting
Watch the chain of custody
Audit the election
5. Be the media: Spread the evidence you find to every blog, listserv, forum you know and throughout your personal network. Talk about it at work and to people you meet everywhere. Learn to write an effective press release. http://www.bbvdocs.org/tools/media.pdf”
6. Adopt a public official: Choose a public official and educate, monitor, encourage and hold them accountable. How to Adopt a Public Official
7. Do quality checks on your government: Collect information on what is supposed to be done (laws, statutes, administrative rules), then find out if it is being done (review public records, attend public meetings). Government accountability module
8. Find out who’s getting paid: How to follow the money trail
9. Count the votes yourself: How to Count the Votes
10. File a lawsuit. Guidelines for election-related lawsuits
11. (And you thought there were only 10 things to do): If you’re a famous citizen: Download the Elections Toolkit for Famous Voices: What celebrities can do to get better elections
12. If you are affluent: Elections Tool Kit for High Net Worth Individuals
Kids, you will not believe this ****.
This, as you will find in many places is where the voting machines are kept:
http://www.dexknows.com/business_profiles/state_of_louisiana_voting_machine_warehouses-l809979641
3280 Barataria Blvd., Marrero. Right by the Dollar General, about a block down (the google map’s not exact, you have to go about a block down on Barataria (LA Hwy. 45) from the Dollar General and look for the warehouse on the right as you head south, past Marrero, through Estelle, almost on the way to Crown Point).
Not much turns up for the address 3280 Bartaria Blvd., but THIS does, in the 2.29.04 TP:
+++++++++”3280 Barataria Blvd., voting machine service, $436,800, Petsaled LLC.”
Here’s the LA SOS info on that company:
“Name Type City Status
PETSALED, L.L.C. Limited Liability Company HARVEY Active
Business: PETSALED, L.L.C.
Charter Number: 35436636 K
Registration Date: 2/28/2003
Domicile Address
1909 INDUSTRIAL BOULEVARD
HARVEY, LA 70058
Mailing Address
C/O EDWARD P. BENEZECH, III
1909 INDUSTRIAL BOULEVARD
HARVEY, LA 70058
Status
Status: Active
Annual Report Status: Not In Good Standing for failure to file Annual Report
File Date: 2/28/2003
Last Report Filed: 2/4/2010
Type: Limited Liability Company
Registered Agent(s)
Agent: EDWARD P. BENEZECH, III
Address 1: 1909 INDUSTRIAL BOULEVARD
City, State, Zip: HARVEY, LA 70058
Appointment Date: 2/28/2003
Officer(s) Additional Officers: No
Officer: PETER R. RUSSO
Title: Member
Address 1: 5173 WOODCREST DRIVE
City, State, Zip: MARRERO, LA 70072
Officer: EDWARD P. BENEZECH, III
Title: Member
Address 1: 1909 INDUSTRIAL BOULEVARD
City, State, Zip: HARVEY, LA 70058
Amendments on File (1)
Description Date
Appointing, Change, or Resign of Officer 5/14/2003”
That also shows up here:
http://start.cortera.com/company/research/k8p7sys7p/pet-saled-llc/
Now it just so happens that the phone number for that company is the same as the phone number for this company, LASCO:
http://www.superpages.com/bp/Harvey-LA/Lasco-Inc-L0014461396.htm
Now there are a few companies called “LASCO” in the LA SOS database.
A LASCO in Harvey shows up in April 7, 1998 making a $300 contribution to Llyod Giardina $2000 to Tim Coulon 5/17/97; $1000 to Paul Connick 11/1/96; $500 to Ross LaDart 9/12/96; $2500 (or $3000) to Tim Coulon 10/19/95. (Those dates are all the dates of the reports in the TP).
As with Petsaled, LASCO can be found at 1909 Industrial Blvd. Harvey.
LASCO apparently stands for: COMPANY, INC.
There are a LOT of companies that have been listed at 1909 Industrial Blvd.
No immediate major political connections turn up but still, have to wonder what “voting machine service” from a company randomly located in Harvey and with almost no other public background supposedly means?
Best I can figure it’s an anagram for “pedestal” but doubtful.
This, as you will find in many places is where the voting machines are kept:
http://www.dexknows.com/business_profiles/state_of_louisiana_voting_machine_warehouses-l809979641
3280 Barataria Blvd., Marrero. Right by the Dollar General, about a block down (the google map’s not exact, you have to go about a block down on Barataria (LA Hwy. 45) from the Dollar General and look for the warehouse on the right as you head south, past Marrero, through Estelle, almost on the way to Crown Point).
Not much turns up for the address 3280 Bartaria Blvd., but THIS does, in the 2.29.04 TP:
+++++++++”3280 Barataria Blvd., voting machine service, $436,800, Petsaled LLC.”
Here’s the LA SOS info on that company:
“Name Type City Status
PETSALED, L.L.C. Limited Liability Company HARVEY Active
Business: PETSALED, L.L.C.
Charter Number: 35436636 K
Registration Date: 2/28/2003
Domicile Address
1909 INDUSTRIAL BOULEVARD
HARVEY, LA 70058
Mailing Address
C/O EDWARD P. BENEZECH, III
1909 INDUSTRIAL BOULEVARD
HARVEY, LA 70058
Status
Status: Active
Annual Report Status: Not In Good Standing for failure to file Annual Report
File Date: 2/28/2003
Last Report Filed: 2/4/2010
Type: Limited Liability Company
Registered Agent(s)
Agent: EDWARD P. BENEZECH, III
Address 1: 1909 INDUSTRIAL BOULEVARD
City, State, Zip: HARVEY, LA 70058
Appointment Date: 2/28/2003
Officer(s) Additional Officers: No
Officer: PETER R. RUSSO
Title: Member
Address 1: 5173 WOODCREST DRIVE
City, State, Zip: MARRERO, LA 70072
Officer: EDWARD P. BENEZECH, III
Title: Member
Address 1: 1909 INDUSTRIAL BOULEVARD
City, State, Zip: HARVEY, LA 70058
Amendments on File (1)
Description Date
Appointing, Change, or Resign of Officer 5/14/2003”
That also shows up here:
http://start.cortera.com/company/research/k8p7sys7p/pet-saled-llc/
Now it just so happens that the phone number for that company is the same as the phone number for this company, LASCO:
http://www.superpages.com/bp/Harvey-LA/Lasco-Inc-L0014461396.htm
Now there are a few companies called “LASCO” in the LA SOS database.
A LASCO in Harvey shows up in April 7, 1998 making a $300 contribution to Llyod Giardina $2000 to Tim Coulon 5/17/97; $1000 to Paul Connick 11/1/96; $500 to Ross LaDart 9/12/96; $2500 (or $3000) to Tim Coulon 10/19/95. (Those dates are all the dates of the reports in the TP).
As with Petsaled, LASCO can be found at 1909 Industrial Blvd. Harvey.
LASCO apparently stands for: COMPANY, INC.
There are a LOT of companies that have been listed at 1909 Industrial Blvd.
No immediate major political connections turn up but still, have to wonder what “voting machine service” from a company randomly located in Harvey and with almost no other public background supposedly means?
Best I can figure it’s an anagram for “pedestal” but doubtful.
I should have given the full reference for the above, from the 2.29.04 TP:
“JEFFERSON BUILDING PERMITS
The following building permits were issued by the Jefferson Parish Department of Inspection and Code Enforcement Feb. 9-13: …
… 3280 Barataria Blvd., voting machine service, $436,800, Petsaled LLC. … ”
“PET” must be Peter, for Peter Russo; “ED” must be for Benezech; and the “SAL” is for… ?
There was a Peter Russo who was a 37 year employee of the Parish and he was the Utilities Director for years.
If the Peter R. Russo is the same as the Peter Russo who was an employee of Paul Connick Sr. – who was CAO for six parish presidents – and the Yennis…. well…. the word sketchy does not capture what that would mean.
Which ties back into payroll scandals:
“RETIRED CHIEF OF JEFF UTILITIES STILL ON PAYROLL
Five months after retiring with a full pension and praise for an illustrious career, longtime Jefferson Parish Public Utilities Director Peter Russo remains on the parish payroll at $31.41 an hour.
The arrangement has drawn criticism from several parish councilmen, who say Russo performs few if any duties in Parish President Mike Yenni’s administration. They also question the legality of his employment.
Yenni Chief Administrative Assistant Tim Coulon says the hiring was legal, though he said Russo’s status is unique among parish employees.
Russo, 64, retired Sept. 30 after a 37-year career that brought him credit for restoring public confidence in a department rocked by scandal in the 1970s. Beginning Oct. 1, he received a monthly retirement benefit of $4,764.50, or $57,174 a year, which is 100 percent of his pay before retirement.
But Russo’s retirement lasted only a weekend. On Oct. 3, he returned to the parish payroll at an hourly wage roughly equivalent to the salary he received as public utilities director.
Though Russo is working full time, he will work no more than 480 hours during a calendar year, parish Finance Director Dennis DiMarco said, because working more hours at any job would lessen Russo’s retirement benefits.
If he works the full 480 hours, he will make $15,076.80 on top of his retirement income.
Yenni defended the arrangement Thursday, saying Russo is needed as a technical and historical adviser on various projects, including West Bank levee construction and lawsuits resulting from Hurricane Juan in 1985.
Russo also is working with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which is re-evaluating parish flood protection and insurance rates, Yenni said.
“We just see it as a good deal for the parish,” Yenni said. “He’s the only guy who can fill in some of the blanks for us. If you don’t have a Pete Russo on this, you’d have to hire a consultant.”
But councilmen and some members of the administration said Yenni’s former chief administrative assistant, Paul Connick Sr., arranged for Russo to retire and then be rehired. They said the move was engineered to make room for B.K. Sneed, who was named director of the public works/public utilities department last summer.
Connick was recently removed as chief administrative assistant and named one of Yenni’s five executive assistants. That move came after months of unrest among parish employees and councilmen, who grumbled that Connick was exerting undue influence over Yenni and was dominating the administration’s major decisions.
On Thursday, Connick denied the accusation that he planned the Russo arrangement. Both he and Russo were department heads under Yenni’s father, the late Parish President Joe Yenni.
Councilmen Lloyd Giardina, T.J. “Butch” Ward, Ed Muniz, Larry Hooper and James Lawson Jr. have all questioned Russo’s continued employment. Councilman Robert DeViney Jr. said Tuesday he was not even aware Russo is still on the payroll.
Only Council Chairman Robert Evans Jr. defended Russo’s hiring. He said Russo was needed to help Sneed with the transition.
Giardina lashed out at the arrangement, saying Russo is one of many people in the upper level of Yenni’s administration who draw fat salaries and perform little work.
“I just put it aside as another administrative stockpiling of employees that don’t do anything,” Giardina said. “They seem to be stockpiling employees who don’t have specific jobs. They’re all floaters.”
Repeated telephone calls to Russo on Wednesday and Thursday were not returned.
Muniz criticized the administration for keeping both Russo and Connick on board.
“I don’t like the trend of so many people getting shipped into other jobs once they lose their main jobs,” Muniz said.
Councilmen said they intend to question Yenni about Russo and the president’s five executive assistants. The assistants’ positions were added to the administration by Yenni on the recommendation of a UNO study. Two of the positions were filled by people active in Yenni’s 1987 campaign.
The assistant positions were approved by the parish council and could be eliminated, Ward said.
Russo started with the parish’s Water Department in 1951 and worked his way to the top of the massive Public Utilities Department. Throughout his career, he has had the reputation of an honest, hard-working employee.
Because of his dedication, Russo continued working for the parish even though he could have retired at full pension in 1985, Yenni said.
“He could have been making the same salary by staying home,” he said. ”
*****************
3.22.97 TP:
“JEFF POLITICAL TALENT SCOUT PAUL CONNICK SR. RETIRING
In more than a quarter-century in the rough-and-tumble world of Jefferson Parish politics, Paul Connick Sr. has never been involved in a losing election.
Except his own.
Connick, 65, retires today from his last parish job, director of emergency management. But that is only one of many titles he has held since he joined Tom Donelon’s administration in 1972, none of which reflect his most influential role: political adviser to five parish presidents and recruiter and groomer of up-and-coming administrators and candidates.
He leaves on a high note. His protege, Tim Coulon, is parish president. His son, Paul Jr., is district attorney.
“I’ve been told that I’ve been in an unclassified position longer than anybody else in the parish. I could have been fired at any time,” he said.
Connick spent 10 years in charge of the parish’s emergency management center and is widely credited with modernizing it after the devastating May 1978 flood.
But he said he is most proud of helping Donelon and parish Presidents Joseph Yenni and Michael Yenni professionalize the ranks of parish employees.
“I was sort of a talent scout,” he said. “In the old days, you had the people who were in and the people who were out and wanted to be in. These days, we look for the best people, regardless of which side they’re on.”
Connick urged Coulon to join the Recreation Department in the 1970s. With Connick’s backing, Coulon rose through the ranks until he became Michael Yenni’s chief administrative assistant, and he ascended to the presidency when Yenni died in 1995.
“He always encouraged me to step outside the things I had already done,” Coulon said. “He opened my campaign account for parish president before I had decided to run myself.”
Connick, whose brother is Orleans District Attorney Harry Connick, has spent most of his tenure as an executive assistant to Jefferson Parish presidents, a job with a nebulous description but a clear mandate: Get things done. He was known for doing just that, sometimes at the expense of diplomacy.
“They called me the assassin because I would be the one to fire people who had to go,” he said. “But if we got rid of them, it was because of their performance, not because of a personal grudge.”
Over the years, there were many who wanted to get rid of Connick, especially when he was Michael Yenni’s top aide. Yenni had little political or administrative experience when he took office in 1987 and relied heavily on Connick’s advice during his first year in office, a time when Yenni faced a hostile Parish Council that had backed his opponent in the race, Willie Hof.
Critics said it was Connick who really ran the administration in those early months. Yenni himself conceded that he let Connick call too many of the shots.
“I became the lightning rod for a lot of animosity,” Connick said.
Parish Councilman T.J. “Butch” Ward, who often butted heads with Connick, agreed.
“He was the one who was up there,” Ward said. “I had problems with what the administration was doing, and he was the point man. But I’ve never had any problems with Paul personally. He’s loyal to the person he works for, as he should be.”
Former council Chairman Bob Evans said Connick’s habit of plain speaking sometimes stung.
“But the fact that he spoke the truth instead of what was politically wisest was to his credit,” he said.
When Connick stepped down from the job of chief administrative assistant to executive assistant in 1988, he urged Yenni to elevate Coulon, even though Coulon wasn’t the obvious choice. He said Coulon was competent, focused on getting the job done and would not let ego get in the way of doing it.
“Timmy is modest, and he thought there was too much jockeying around for Mike’s attention, so he offered to step down,” Connick said. “But I told him that even if everybody else goes, he would be the one to stay.”
Coulon today confirms the story.
Evans said he admires Connick’s commitment to public service.
“He was always in there for the right reasons, and you can’t say that about everybody,” Evans said. “He’s got a lot to be proud of, not only because of what he has contributed to the community, but for what his family has.”
For all his public service and political advice, however, Connick lost the only times he himself was ever a candidate, for Parish Council in 1964 and state representative in 1971.
He went to work on Tom Donelon’s successful re-election campaign for parish president and joined the administration in March 1972 as West Bank coordinator, a job that entailed meeting with constituents and ensuring their needs were fulfilled.
Connick said that is what he has enjoyed most about working in government.
“I’ve always felt the desire to serve the public,” he said.
“People say that government ought to be run like a business, but it can’t be, because they have different objectives,” Connick said. “A business is there to make a profit. Government is there to meet the needs of the people.”
Paul Connick Sr., right, talks with friend Calvin Kass during the 10th annual West Bank Governor’s Luncheon in Harvey Wednesday. Connick is retiring today.
******************
12.19.09 TP:
“…The Whitmer e-mails also list $1,890 in commissions for a health insurance deal with Kass Brothers of Harvey.
Kass has a two-year Jefferson Parish contract worth as much as $6 million to repair concrete streets and two contracts worth about $1.5 million each to prepare the site for Parc des Familles near Lafitte and to repair sidewalk and driveway aprons. The contracts were competitively bid, with Kass being the low bidder, parish records show.
Kass President Jean Kass Connick said Katz began selling her company health insurance in 2004.
“I know Hippo Katz is the agent of record and Dawn Whitmer serviced the account,” said Connick, sister-in-law of Jefferson District Attorney Paul Connick Jr. “I didn’t realize we were with Lagniappe .”
It’s common practice for companies to buy insurance policies through intermediary brokerages such as Lagniappe or Coulon Consultants. In many cases, however, it’s unclear which brokerage is involved because individual agents might be affiliated with more than one brokerage.
Connick said Kass Brothers pays $14,000 to $15,000 a month in premiums for coverage from Coventry Health Insurance, an underwriter represented by Lagniappe ‘s agents. The commissions are negotiated between the insurance company and the agents who sell and service the policy. … ”
******************
IF that’s the SAME Peter Russo, the Connick guy, and that company’s permit wasn’t for painting voting machines or some other cockamamie suggestion, then, really, what else is there to say.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCQTr8ZYdhg
Roche : What intrigues me most is the jefferson parish code department issuing a building permit for a services contract at 3280 barataria blvd in February, 2004. Was it to build the building that houses the voting machines. Do we know the building code permit number from the TP article.
LASCO of marrero is into asbestos and lead removal maybe the building permit was for asbestos removal in the building at 3280 Barataria Blvd but why was the contract termed ‘services’.
As per Zelda above, Ciber was big in NOLA during the tech scandal there. During the St.Pierre trial does anyone remember if Ciber had any service contracts in jefferson, and if so for what. If they had contracts in the tech field then we need to look for details and credit cards.
How come Ciber tech was not charged criminally in the St.Pierre tech scandal. And as for as that goes across the nation if there are allegations of error in its voting machine operations nationwide.
Zelda : You can’t believe Naygin won after Katrina and I also can’t believe Broussard won after Katrina Especially after he said he evacuated the pump operators to save their lives then affied at a depo that he didn’t trying to escape responsibility for flooding thousands of homes and causing untold heart attacks and subsequent deaths among said homeowners.
And as long as we’re STILL talking SHIT, PISS and CORRUPTION in Jefferson Parish Government (SPIT!), let’s not forget the fact that the presiding Judge in “the Broussard Flood” litigation (which has not resulted in one PENNY paid to a property owner) is the FATHER (The “DisHonorable” John L. Peytavin) of an attorney representing the Parish of Jefferson in the Waste Management litigation pending before Lemelle (SPIT!), whose name is “Stephen D. Peytavin”. The son has collected “hundreds of thousands” in fees from the Parish. His firm has collected even “more”. But NONE OF THIS was disclosed by the Judge in “the Broussard Flood” litigation, in which the Parish is “winning” and the innocent property owners are “losing”. Surprise, sur-fucking-prise. Ashton O’Dwyer.
OK, Lock, more:
Why PETSALED, and not LASCO then?
So look up on JP assessor 3280 Bartaria. No results, righ? I get no results.
Now enter PETSALED as owner / first name, you get:
“Parcel# Owner Location Description Assessment Action
0430000911 PETSALED LLC 1909 INDUSTRIAL BLVD LOT 6 SQ 3 ROBERT J PERKINS TRACT 101440 ”
The kicker?
If you go to Jeff WebMap and use the 3280 Bartaria address, you get a building and a piece of land separately shown.
The building is shown as:
“Address: 3280 BARATARIA BLVD
Lot: 6
Square: 3
Section: 00
Subdivision: ROBERT PERKINS
Area: MARRERO
Zip Code: 70072
Neighborhood: WILLOWDALE & ORLEANS VILLAGE
Council District: 1 – BILL TOWNSEND
Primary Zoning: C2 with CPZ overlay
Overlays: CPZ
Square Footage: 16800 sq. ft.
1995 FIRM Flood Zone: AE Elev. 3.5
Pile Zone: 17
Code Inspection Area: F
FEMA Damage Percent: N/A
Cause:
DEVELOPMENT RESTRICTIONS: LACKS UTILITIES
US Congress: Dist# 3
State Representative: Dist# 84
State Senate: Dist# 8
Voter Precinct: # 199
Playground Area: PARD PLAYGROUND
BESE: Dist# 1
Judicial: Dist# 1
Justice: Dist# 2
PSC: Dist# 1
School Board: Dist# 3
Census Tract: 27704
Block Group: 1
Low/Mod Income: NO”
The Land/Parcel info is:
“Lot: 6
Square: 3
Section: 00
Subdivision: ROBERT PERKINS
Area: MARRERO
Zip Code: 70072
Neighborhood: WILLOWDALE & ORLEANS VILLAGE
Council District: 1 – BILL TOWNSEND
Primary Zoning: C2 with CPZ overlay
Overlays: CPZ
Square Footage: 56708 sq. ft.
1995 FIRM Flood Zone: AE Elev. 3.5
Pile Zone: 17
Code Inspection Area: F
DEVELOPMENT RESTRICTIONS: LACKS UTILITIES
US Congress: Dist# 3
State Representative: Dist# 84
State Senate: Dist# 8
Voter Precinct: # 199
Playground Area: PARD PLAYGROUND
BESE: Dist# 1
Judicial: Dist# 1
Justice: Dist# 2
PSC: Dist# 1
School Board: Dist# 3
Census Tract: 27704
Block Group: 1
Low/Mod Income: NO ”
Right. PetSalEd LLC had a permit for “voting machine service”, it has no history or background or other work performed by the looks of it but it’s supposedly in a warehouse in Harvey with another company that does building remediation, the company happens to be partly owned by a guy with the same name as a guy with an eons long stay at JP government a good deal of which was apparently under PC Sr. (who basicaly ran JP for a long time, who happens to be the DA’s dad, who also threw Russo back on the payroll after rettirement per the TP), and the building and land appear to be owned by the same company, and it just happens to be in the Ward/Roberts/Townsend district (Townsend by the way who does not even mention the names of his former employers on his council resume), which also happens to be in the middle of nowhere literally on the edge of a swamp, and that just happens to be where they keep the voting machines.
And perhaps they were doing asbestos removal in that tin shed. Or maybe painting. Maybe the shed had to be newly built. And maybe Peter Russo is not the old JP Peter Russo or his son or anything like that. And maybe it’s cool if JP rents its voting machine warehouse from some random guy and some random company. And maybe they were just getting ready for the big 2004 election. For half a million dollars.
Actually I believe all that and I believe it’s hard to see Iceland from a periscope off the coast of Maine, which is what looking for bits of data off the internet is, that is indeed true.
Check.
And….
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kHhnrJuF7E
Roche : Great basket for a white european . Who said they can’t jump.
My inquiry into the dark bowels of the assessor’s office shows 3280 barataria blvd is parcel # 043000091 owned by Petsaled located at 1909 Industrial Blvd, and appraised in 2010 at $101,440. Sounds a bit low for a 17,000 sq. ft warehouse on 57,000 sq. ft lot.
Even if it was appraised at $200,000 that would be $12 sq. ft for both land and building.Not a bad appraisal deal at $6 sq. ft for a metal warehouse, slab and land even at the edge of the swamp.
From a reliable source – the east bank storage facility is at 3920 Ford St, Metairie and the west bank storage warehouse is still 3280 Barataria blvd, Marrero. I’ll try to research the ownership of the east bank storage facility in a little while but the question in my mind is why does the parish need more than one storage facility when there is 17,000 sq. ft. in 3280 Bartaria Blvd. warehouse.
Lock, thanks for the follow up, interesting as always.
The Ford Street address takes me to something called DCL Development, run by 2-3 brothers named Rusich. There is a LA State Rep named Nita Rusich but that is all I can think of. However DCL Development also has perhaps 2 other properties,both of which do not show up anywhere.
“Parcel# Owner Location Description Assessment Action
0920007002 DCL DEVELOPMENT LLC 2520 DELAWARE AVE 36A 37A SQ 373 HIGHWAY PARK 151270
0920001624 DCL DEVELOPMENT LLC 2520 DELAWARE AVE LOTS 17A & 18A SQ 373 HIGHWAY PARK 22490 ”
I have no idea where those addresses are because they do not show up on either Jeff webmap or JP assessor.
However that 2520 Delaware Kenner LA address does lead here:
doa.louisiana.gov/orm/excel/uwpdschd.xls
This is described on google as a “schedule of property values”, obviously from the state.
Now, I’m starting to feel like schizo Jim Garrison on acid after a bottle of Rebel Yell and that is not a good thing.
Here’s what I find when I look at that chart.
“JEFFERSON PARISH VOTING MACHINES … 1004 MCARTHUR Harvey LA …”
“(JEFFERSON PAR.VOT.MACH) … 123 LAFAYETTE AVENUE Gretna LA …”
1004 McArthur: Nothing direct on the JP assessor. Jeff webmap shows for 1004 mAcarthur Lots 1 and 8 on Square L. Marrero Industrial subdivision.
It seems like 90% everything in that Marero Industrial subdivision classification shows up under THE MARRERO LAND AND IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION LIMITED, a company that goes back to 1905 – yes 1905 – and obviously belongs to the old Marerro family.
It also is listed as 5201 Westbank Expressway Marrero or PO Box Marrero, which basically takes you to here:
http://www.harveycanal.org/members.html
That’s right, the Harvey Canal Industrial Association. (In the Open Thread I randomly posted that an Any Wilkinson has been the president there for many years, is he related to Tom Wilkinson by any chance?). Now just take a look at the membership listing there. This seems to me like a hell of a leap, but let me know if you find anything better.
The other address, 123 Lafayette Gretna, has no info on JP assessor site and turns up this on Jeff webmap:
“Address: 123 LAFAYETTE ST
Lot: N/A
Square: N/A
Section: N/A
Subdivision: N/A ”
Yeah.
What was I expecting?
Oh I don’t know, maybe clean, clear warehouses in normal general city locales with the ownership of Jefferson Parish clearly marked both on the building and in the property records. So far, none of that has occurred for a single warehouse publicly listed as locations for storage of voting machines.
Correction on the above, clarifying that the Marrero Land company PO is PO Box 607 and it shows up for Square L:
“Parcel# Owner Location Description Assessment Action
0400002026 MARRERO LAND & IMP ASSN P O BOX 607 LOTS 2 3 & 5 SQ L SEC B MARRERO INDUSTRIAL 62750 ”
And that is what leads to the HCIA, etc.
Roche: All I can tell you is the 3920 Ford St. is a rock solid address but unsure if its in Metairie or Jefferson. Nothing is turning up on assessor’s site of course under either Metairie or Jefferson.What’s the first names of the Rusich brothers?
Roche: Typed in all three brothers names in assessor site and nothing. Are you sure about Rusich name owning 3920 Ford either in Metairie or Jefferson?
Lock, what I found for 3920 Ford Street is on Jefferson Parish webmap, which turns up this:
“Address: 3920 FORD ST
Lot: 104A
Square: 104
Section: 00
Subdivision: MANSON ”
It’s not exact, but JP assessor shows this:
“Parcel# Owner Location Description Assessment Action
0820038945 DCL DEVELOPMENT LLC 2520 DELAWARE AVE LOT 104A MANSON 114110 ”
This is what LA SOS shows for that company:
“Name Type City Status
DCL DEVELOPMENT, L.L.C. Limited Liability Company KENNER Active
Business: DCL DEVELOPMENT, L.L.C.
Charter Number: 34616068 K
Registration Date: 3/6/1998
Domicile Address
2520 DELAWARE AVENUE
KENNER, LA 70062
Mailing Address
C/O BRYON RUSICH
2520 DELAWARE AVENUE
KENNER, LA 70062
Status
Status: Active
Annual Report Status: In Good Standing
File Date: 3/6/1998
Last Report Filed: 6/20/2011
Type: Limited Liability Company
Registered Agent(s)
Agent: BYRON RUSICH
Address 1: 2520 DELAWARE AVENUE
City, State, Zip: KENNER, LA 70062
Appointment Date: 3/6/1998
Officer(s) Additional Officers: No
Officer: BRYON RUSICH
Title: Manager
Address 1: 2520 DELAWARE AVENUE
City, State, Zip: KENNER, LA 70062
Officer: LAWRENCE RUSICH
Title: Member
Address 1: 2520 DELAWARE AVENUE
City, State, Zip: KENNER, LA 70062
Officer: GARY RUSICH
Title: Member
Address 1: 2520 DELAWARE AVENUE
City, State, Zip: KENNER, LA 70062 ”
3920 Ford is right off Cleary between Vets and I-10.
It’s really funny if you google map this, as with the Barataria address, google actually shows it as “At this address: Voting Machine?”.
As you may know this is a pretty sketchy part of town, but then warehouses often are.
Now, does any of this make any sense? I see no connection to anything here, either nefarious like political connections or the totally banal like simply why is JP storing their voting machines in this random warehouse owned by some random company – because after all they have to put them somewhere?
I have to tell you, this thing, the internet google device, is really something.
Above you will see a Lawrence Rusich.
Guess what the Google 8-Ball turns up?
A long time employee at JP named…. Lawrence Rusich:
“CONGRATULATIONS! Congratulations to Lawrence Rusich. Lawrence retired from our West Bank Lift Stations Division on January 16, 2011, with over 22 years of service.”
Page 3:
http://www.jeffparish.net/downloads/3326/7379-EnRealiteFeb2011.pdf
Now, this guy shows up as a “machinist” in the 2010 west bank sewerage department making under $50K / year.
http://media.nola.com/politics/other/JeffParish%20payroll%205.27.10.pdf
Now voting machines are stored in a building owned by a company partly owned by a JP employee? Really, someone tell me I’m doing something incorrectly here because I really don’t mind.
Marrero Land and Improvement Association:
“The Tournament Players Club Louisiana Golf Course (TPC) has proved to be the real money pit for the state. Promoted by Sen. John Alario of Westwego and developer Buckner Barkley, Jr., TPC has been a money loser from the outset. The course was developed in an effort to pull a major PGA tournament into Jefferson Parish.
The state, during the administration of Gov. Mike Foster, entered into an agreement with TPC and Marrero Land and Improvement Association whereby the state guaranteed a minimum number of rounds played. The rounds were required to be booked through New Orleans hotel concierges promoting the course. The hotel industry initially was not informed of the agreement and was unable to meet booking quotas.
The annual Zurich Classic is played at TPC and the fear was that it would lose the tournament and should that have happened, the property, with no professional tournament facilitator, would revert to Marrero Land. To avert that occurrence, the Superdome Commission and commission chairman Doug Thornton negotiated a new deal whereby the state would pay off TPC
Roche and Zelda : After Roche disclosed that the part owner of the JP westbank voting machine warehouse is a politically connected ,retired 37 year ex-JP employee and the eastbank voting machine warehouse was partially owned by a retired JP mechanic I got concerned and went to the Louisiana Secretary of State’s internet site and researched voting machines.
Pursuant to a directive from the Louisiana State Secretary of State’s Office the local clerk of court has to provide a specific day for the state technicians to simulate voting, test,verify, certify and seal all voting machines before each election. The general public is also permitted to be present.
In the 1999 JP election debacle 24th JDC deputy clerk Mr. Don Conino stated he forgot to notify the candidates of the pre-election voting machine inspection day .
Also, according to the same directive issued in January 2005, termed the Voting Machine Standards, issued by the late Fox Mc Keithen all machines need to be tested in the pre-election and post-election state and an electronic log maintained on each and every machine as to whatever electronic procedures were done before, during and after the election. The general public again has the right to be present in addition to the candidates
The entire Secretary of State’s directive of 2005 is available on its internet site and seems to go well beyond La.R.S. 18:1354 which Roche printed out above especially by allowing the public to be present during pre and post machine inspections.
Had this directive been implemented in the infamous 1999 election there would not have been allowed any machines to be vote counted in which when the button for one candidate was pressed, namely Susan Bernecker, the name of a different candidate, Nick Gambelluca was displayed on the screen.
I suggest we get the local Slabbed Nation ready to appear in mass at each warehouse on both pre-election and post election days. Let’s let those warehouse owners know we know they are politically connected and mechanics and we are watching them with eagle eyes.