Is October the month indictments finally come down? Will DA Paul Connick, who has known about these allegations at least as long as everyone else, finally emerge from hiding and do his job? Is Jim Letten stonewalling the investigation as some folks allege? Unfortunately today’s Times Picayune Op Ed on the general subject of public payroll fraud in Jefferson Parish Government did not provide the answers to any of these questions but we do appreciate their editorial position and in fact applaud it.
The comments to it convey a good sense of the various cross sections public opinion on this topic. I’m going to focus on the very real frustration with US Attorney Jim Letten which echos some of what I’ve been told by several folks both off blog and on. While not a majority viewpoint IMHO the frustration is real and the allegations troubling. In light of the recent senate proceedings in the impeachment of Judge Tom Porteous the commenter has an appropriate name to boot: Gretna Mentality which is a kissing cousin to our own recent use of term ‘Gretna Style’. Here is the remark:
This is what happens when you allow US Attorneys to be selected by Politicians. When David Vitter holds off the appointment of other federal post because he demands that James Letten be assured a job you have to wonder why a whore is protecting a whore of a US Attorney. Letten is nothing more than another sleazebag corrupt lawyer himself. The record is public, Kurt Engelhardt was David Vitters Campaign manager, and somehow David Vitter managed to pay for whores in New Orleans for years without ever spending his own money. Continue reading “The Times Picayune calls for a Federal investigation into Jefferson Parish payroll fraud. Does the ‘Gretna Mentality’ slab US Attorney Jim Letten?”