Paranoia may destroy ya but is sometimes necessary folks. I mention this because I’ve been followed, my house and office cased plus a canvass or two has been run. When you blog about generations of entrenched corruption it does not make certain people very happy, especially here in the south where such things can get very nasty.
I mention this because our friend Jason over at AZ has evidently been hacked. Jason has hung more skins on his blog to the betterment of society than any of us and he has been targeted by some of the folks he has exposed repeatedly.
I mention all this because yesterday I shared a bit of wisdom regarding recent site traffic here on Slabbed with a critical source. Without revealing any specifics I’ll add the word is that Team Uncle Sam has brought in Mongo to take care of Team Heebe and I think recent events such as last Saturday’s reporting in the Times Picayune on River Birch buying Oklahoma Senator Inhofe is a sign how much pressure is on right now. I’ve had people tell me that Heebe will never be indicted. To that I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, not only will Heebe be indicted but Mongo brought his friend RICO with him to help.
The only question in my mind is how far the feds will go because under RICO the statute of limitations begins to run with the last predicate act and covers everything from day 1 of the conspiracy. This folks, means that even Big Dog himself is potentially in play. The key is in the Louisiana’s unique “counter letter” law which effectively allows silent ownership of certain business ventures such as a landfill and I think the FBI snagged them when they visited River Birch HQ back in September 2010. I’ll add gratis that there is no such law in Nova Scotia which means those pieces of paper evidencing ownership that some of our readers possess regarding a certain wilderness lodge are worthless except for things like lining the birdcage.
In any event the die is cast and all that’s left is a waiting game. What makes this saga unique is how the media, both old and new are so intertwined in the story. We ain’t in Kansas anymore Toto.
sop
Worth repeating take note:
Maurepas permalink
January 8, 2012 3:51 pm
Lock, What the TP reported was first reported by the Baton Rouge Advocate back in 2007:
8/6/07: BR Advocate:
“”Connections unproven
Both Nagin and McDaniel also told The Advocate last week they could not prove any connection between the silent partners and the current operators of the Gentilly landfill.
The River Birch Landfill is owned by Fred and Adrea Heebe, who have donated a total of $9,500 to Vitter campaigns since 2000, according to records posted on the Internet by Congressional Quarterly. The couple has also donated $45,000 to the Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee since the hurricane, the records show.
Calls to Fred Heebe’s office for comment on Wednesday and Thursday were not returned by Friday.
After testifying at a House committee hearing on Wednesday, Nagin told The Advocate that Vitter had sent several letters to his office raising concerns about the Old Gentilly Landfill. Nagin said he was surprised to learn about the contributions to Vitter ‘s campaigns from the owners of the River Birch Landfill.
“Get out of here, man,” Nagin said. “All I can do is laugh. All I can say is that is unbelievable.” “””
“”””” The concern about the Old Gentilly Landfill is genuine and had ****nothing to do with the campaign contributions, Vitter said Tuesday. *******Vitter said he did not introduce any legislation or play any role in drafting or negotiating any provision in the recent water resources act as it pertains to landfills.
******** “I certainly raised the issue several times because I’m concerned about the situation at the Gentilly landfill,” Vitter said.
Lobby payments jumped Records provided by the Center for Responsive Politics show that River Birch lobbying payments jumped ***********from $50,000 in 2005 to $400,000 ******** last year. Former U.S. Rep. ******Bob Livingston, R-Metairie, who also had served as Speaker of the House, received the bulk of the payments, through a ******** $180,000 lobbying contract after leaving office.
Livingston, whom Vitter replaced in the House in 1999, declined Wednesday to comment on his representation of River Birch.
The River Birch Landfill is in the congressional district previously represented by Livingston and then by Vitter , who later became a senator.
Though he could not give specifics, Vitter also pointed out that the operators of the Old Gentilly Landfill and lawyers representing the group have also contributed to his campaign. The Old Gentilly Landfill is operated through a partnership of Stephen Stumpf, Donna Stumpf and Jimmie Woods. Donna Stumpf, president of Durr Heavy Construction, which operates the landfill, could not be reached for comment. Numerous messages to her office on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday were not returned by Friday.””””””
“””””Nagin said he was worried about the proposed amendment calling for stricter standards for the Old Gentilly Landfill. The amendment, however, never made it into the final bill considered by the House and Senate.
+++++++++The final language in the bill, which is stalled in the Senate, states that no federal money can go toward paying for reimbursement for disposal in a facility that does not meet federal construction and debris guidelines. Gentilly meets the standards, according to the state Department of Environmental Quality.
+++++++The language was inserted by U.S. Sen. James Inhofe, R-Okla., who until January served as the chairman of the Senate Environmental and Public Works Committee, on which Vitter also sits.
Inhofe’s concerns came as early as September 2005, when he and Vitter sent a letter to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency questioning the reopening of the Old Gentilly Landfill.”
Slabbed was on this last year.
What cracks me up is how the TP knows about this stuff and then just up and sends out a notice telling people, ‘hey something’s about to happen and we’re going to pretend like this is all new.’ The Advocate ran this story in 2007 but did the TP? I don’t know but let’s guess probably not. And if not… well why not? The only truly new info in that most recent TP report is about the aides at the very bottom of the article:
“Garret Graves, one of Vitter’s top aides during the debate over the 2007 water resources bill and now the top coastal restoration aide to Gov. Bobby Jindal, wouldn’t respond to a question on the rider authored by his former boss and Inhofe.
“Due to the ongoing federal investigation, I have been advised by the Senate office of counsel not to comment,” Graves said.
Graves, Russell and Inhofe staffer Charli Coon were identified as “lobbyists” on a list that federal investigators seized from River Birch. The list included nearly three dozen lawyers, consultants, journalists, political officials and some who are registered as lobbyists. Graves, Russell and most of the other non-lobbyists on the list said they did no lobbying for Heebe or his landfill.”
http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2012/01/pr…
Funny how this gets dropped just after the Fazzio ruling. Timing, timing. Here’s guessing something’s about to happen (well albeit maybe not right away) because the TP only drops these notices when that’s the case, at least as far as this lil’ imbroglio’s concerned.
Don't newspapers monitor stories published in other newspapers especially if such stories mention local news It's funny then when a Baton Rouge newspaper reports on two landfills in the NOLA metropolitan area and the T/P doesn't pick-up the story, investigate and/or publish it also. Hmmmm
Maybe the Advocate article was too hot a potato for the T/P to serve up and offend the tender tongues of certain political friends and/or commercial entities.
Now with River Birch conspiracy lawsuits/indictments all over the local media and that certain radio personalities received related payola, the T/P wants to prove it doesn't protect any privileged individuals by not only serving the same hot potato 5 1/2 years later, but with it fully loaded and the waiter saying," Please Enjoy".
News paper clips? See Dicky Scruggs, also King Of Torts. Ha! sop, time will tell if that crystal ball was worth it. RICO requirements are very strick involve lots of dough and must by pass most political interest. Lobbyists, see Boss Hog. The rabbit hole can be very deep.
Robert I think the feds had the RICO case made when they issued the first set of indictments against Broussard and Wilkinson. As I understand it for RICO to apply there must be a conspiracy and at least 2 predicate acts. I think one could easily argue the multiple instances of payroll fraud qualify. You are correct that criminal RICO prosecutions are very complicated critters. That said when Team Fed wants someone crushed RICO is a great tool.
Anyone else notice that Tim Whitmer is noticeably absent. I get the feeling more and more people believe as I do that Whitmer has rolled over.
sop
RICO http://slabbed.wordpress.com/2011/07/22/since-im-…
RICO http://slabbed.wordpress.com/2011/04/13/the-jeffe…
Do a search and place your link. This place is littered with newspaper clippings.
sop
You gotta put the Advocate coverage in context Lockie as Heebe was not working them like he was the Picayune. There are two types of sins: Omission and Comission. Sometimes not telling the story is the bias, though I'm reluctant to cast apsersions on the after the fact reporting in this case.
The article deserves its own post but consider what Jason at AZ found in the Camsoft suit regarding the involvement of Mary Landrieu, Hilliary Clinton and firms like Patton Boggs in the crime camera boondoggle. With River Birch the same playbook is being used and the trail of filth goes from here to DC before the tax money is followed back and skimmed off or more specifically the only competition is eliminated.
Multiply this by 100 and add a few zeros and now you know why the country is broke.
sop
My namesake WHITMER has been under the radar here on Slabbed far too long …
Consequently I will be devoting a lot of time reviewing my WHITMER FILES to insure Timmy is back in the limelight as he should be…
The last time I remember hearing from his lawyer Dane Ciolino … at least six months ago … Dane announced that his client was close to a compromise with Pyush's morally bankrupt State Ethics Commission … whatever …
Remember this … WHITMER, while CAO, was selling Heebe interests insurance and pressing for a "fishing expedition" to further facilitate the River Birch criminal conspiracy to award Heebe and Ward an illegal landfill monopoly …
The fact is… Whitmer is one of the most influential of all Jefferson Parish Politico Mafioso and should be prosecuted and sent to prison for a long, long time !!!!
Civil Rico naming Heebe and others as defendants went from LAED Judge Berrigan to Judge Ivan Lemelle and NOW is with just seated Judge Nanette Jolivette-Brown, Section G.
FRILOT law firm status conference last week was about the filed suit by Jefferson Parish by former Executive Broussard and Wilkinson. Jeff Parish NOW wants Judge Jolivette-Brown to dismiss their civil Rico but defendant Wast MGT. wants FRILOT their attorney fees paid.
FRILOT civil Rico filed in Sept. 2011 naming Frederick R. Heebe, River Burch and others as defendants with Waste MGT. as the plaintiff could get interesting now with CFO Dominick Fazzio under indictment. Fazzio's atty's are now disqualified due to Heebe trying to pay Fazzio's atty fees in this unrelated criminal indictment.
Hey mutha, glad to see someone mention that.
Let's see:
1. the person who renegotiated the contract between CNO for Mitch Landrieu with River Birch as CNO city attorney (that contract by the way has her signature on it on the city of new orleans website);
2. is the same person who was sanitation director for Marc Morial – and there may or may not have been prior contracts with River Birch with CNO and according to one TP report based on a report from Guidry there was (but we do know Gambit pointed out that there were what 2-3 amendments and an original RB contract that have not been posted to the CNO website) (this is a question, not a statement y'all);
3. is the same person who pops up in Gordon Russell's 2007 TP story on River Birch and the Old Gentilly Landfill (and no one knows how or why she ended up in that story);
4. is now the same person who is now judge over the RB contract dispute in JP?
And they all just waited until -now- to bring this major request?
Wow, life is funny, what a series of coincidences.
To Kerelec:That person's name wouldn't be "Jolivette-Brown" would it? The more things change, the more they remain the same. Might sua sponte disqualification or recusal be in order here? Ashton O'Dwyer.
Absofuckinglutely Ashton. I was going to comment on her Phelps,Dunbar conflict, that firm having been paid over $130,000 from January 1, 2009 to date on Waste management matters … ostensibly to councel Wilkinson on the Parish's ill-conceived and negligent lawsuit to pre-maturely breech the Waste Management contract …
Do I smell an E & O claim … yes I do … we all do … don't you Ms. Foshee ?
FOOTNOTE: To her credit Judge Jolivette-Brown, and upon her motion, recused herself from the Vandenweghe case in Federal Court citing Phelps,Dunbar conflicts … and for that she should be commended …