Alternative New Media for the Gulf South
Between a candidate funded by corporate and out of state special interests including “dark money” and one funded by a large number of individual contributions? Assuming the candidates have no political affiliations, which candidate would you vote for? I’ve asked this question to several people over the past few weeks and now I’d like to see what you guys think.
According to Geoff Pender at the Clarion Ledger the FBI is looking at State Auditor Stacey Pickering’s use of campaign funds for personal expenses, the suggested criminal angle being that Pickering may have evaded paying income taxes when he converted his campaign cash to personal use. Following is the link:
Sources: FBI probing Pickering campaign funds
There are two things that really stand out to me in the story the first being the FBI actually taking a look at Mr. Pickering based upon the on the record comments made to Pender by Tiffany Parrish, who worked on Pickering’s first campaign for State Auditor back in 2007. That said this does not mean the FBI is looking at anything regarding Pickering today. Since the FBI does not generally comment on its investigations how would anyone know otherwise for certain? All that said the Clarion Ledger running this story twelve days before the primary election strongly suggests otherwise.
The second thing that stands out to me is the allegation that Mr. Pickering was living out of his campaign funds. This would explain a few things regarding the State Auditor’s dreadful handling of the DMR scandal from the ill advised Joe Cloyd fundraiser that inspired a grassroots protest to the public records coverup orchestrated by Pickering via the misuse of a federal grand jury subpoena, for which he was later found to be in contempt of court.
Of course my long held opinion when it came to Mr. Pickering’s friends that were looting the DMR, is that Pickering’s role was to contain, rather than investigate Mississippi DMR. Continue reading “Anyone that witnessed the performance of the State Auditor in the DMR Scandal should not be surprised……”
Doug, was hoping you would be covering the war chest info the SH listed today. Lots of those people earned “frequent riding miles” on the DMR yachts and the public needs to be reminded. Also, they need to see who is donating the big bucks to who so we don’t forget to vote them all out!!! This article is for the representatives of the coast.
Story Bump: April Havens | Jackson County supervisor Barry Cumbest claims he doesn’t know how to contact Pascagoula State Senator Brice Wiggins, with questions and concerns over SRHS legislation
I’d add that Senator Wiggins is like Rep. Steve Scalise in that he will meet with anyone to talk public policy. He opened up his law office last Labor Day to meet with Slabbed and other DMR stakeholders for example. Against that backdrop, Supervisor Cumbest’s reasoning for not supporting Senator Wiggins’ Public Hospitable Reform legislation is telling.
Nine Louisiana officials got a total $370,000 in excess contributions since 2006 election, review shows ~ Manuel Torres
Big dawg himself leads the list. Rules are evidently for the schmucks in Louisiana. Vital background on Alario here.
He did folks, just the other night in fact. Here is a very small snippet:
Jefferson Parish District Attorney Paul Connick did not run for re-election last year. But he still spent close to $100,000 of campaign money.
Many of the charges came from restaurants: $665 at Gautreau’s, $608 at Crescent City Steakhouse, $365 at Lilette, $330 at Clancy’s, $1400 at Antoine’s. In 2011, Connick charged meals to his campaign 88 different times.
He also bought a $140 wedding gift at Adler’s. In late May, he bought three holiday gifts from Friend and Company worth $567. And he bought a $2600 computer from Best Buy.
Now I noted that Fox 8 has gone to a new internet video platform and I hoped I’d be able to embed the video report here on Slabbed since Lee does Tee Vee news but alas I’m still having technical difficulties that way. That said Lee did not get the whole story and he should keep digging. Here is a video hint below the fold: Continue reading “So Lee Zurik decided to take on Jefferson Parish DA Paul Connick…..”
Sources familiar with the DEMOPAC Ethics Board investigation indicate to Slabbed the decision came down late last week under seal and today it appears on the internet as the Louisiana Ethics Board investigation into strawman political contributions involving the failed Lite Gov campaign of Caroline Fayard will move forward including an examination of DEMOPAC’s banking records (among many others) including class action lawyer Calvin “Calhoun” Fayard.
Those wanting to catch up with the Fayard Ethics Board saga should click here to start with updates that chronicled the legal fight here and here. We wove the Gulf Oil Spill litigation into the narrative here and tied in national politic$ here.
Though not directly related to the 2010 Gulf Oil Spill this post kicks off a series of posts as Slabbed will examine the intersection of the legal profession, politics and the oil spill litigation where competing conflict of interest are seemingly the norm.
sop
Boy this past week has been like the old days with an Aaron Broussard story a minute as the Times Picayune has done a bang up job examining the latest Broussard era turds to surface lately. We’ve done so much on Broussard lets do some semi-free association in a change of pace:
Politicians recall Aaron Broussard’s annual retreats in Lake Tahoe ~ Rich Rainey
And I to have tempted you! I, who tired
Your soul, no doubt, till it sank! Unwise,
I loved and was lowly, loved and aspired,
Loved, grieving or glad, till I made you mad,
And you meant to have hated and despised—
Whereas, you deceived me nor inquired!
Aaron Broussard hires new attorney as defense team employs new strategy ~ Rich Rainey
NOW, don’t, sir! Don’t expose me!
Just this once! This was the first and only time, I’ll swear,— Continue reading “Broussard sleazery on my mind as Aaron’s drama queen tendencies enter the corrption lexicon.”
I’d say more folks but I’d be facing a fine of $2,000 and jail time so I’ll let the readers draw their own inferences there. My previous posts on this subject can be found here and here. ~ sop
O’Bell (now of Magnum fame) was one of Calvin’s “contract” attorneys who wrote me an email a while back telling me how Calvin gave him and 2 other attorneys written instructions to make a check payable to a Senator. He also wrote that he received verbal orders from Calvin for other contributions. O’Bell told me he was instructed to “work the contributions into expenses on a class action case” where he was reimbursed for his contributions.
I really want to post that email because it’s very insightful, but O’Bell has threatened to sue me if I make it public.
Yes, Prisoner’s dilemma is a very real. Squeal first and you get the best deal except when the local prosecutor doesn’t give a sh!t. Here is a portion of the reply: Continue reading “Campaign Finance again on the Slabb as my Gabby cousin Slabb O’Leak strikes strawman gold.”
Question: Does Calhoun read Slabbed?
Answer: What local lawyer doesn’t read Slabbed?
Yesterday afternoon I received a bat signal from a reader that Team Calhoun filed new motions with the 19th JDC regarding the Ethics Administration investigation and, of course, Slabbed’s coverage was attached as an exhibit to one of the court filings. Slabbed lifers know this has happened on several occasions but IMHO the post we did back on the 15th of this month hit the topic like a laser beam in a way not seen on these pages since the Beef Plant prosecution here in Mississippi and my seminal post “Give us this day our daily” beef which was a big hit with the commercial construction communities in both Georgia and north Mississippi.
Now the latest filings from Team Calhoun were supposedly filed under seal but that is a Fayard fantasy as it was they who let the Ethics genie out of the bottle going to the 19th JDC to stop the previously confidential ethics administration investigation into the funding behind daughter Caroline’s failed 2010 Lite Gov campaign. In addition to the motion to stay, Calhoun and company have also filed for appellate writs pulling out all the stops to stop the Ethics Administration from doing their job. With that set up one of Slabbed’s legal observers made the following observations about the latest: Continue reading “To be filed on da Slabb: Calhoun and company file Slabbed at the 19th JDC seeking an expedited stay on the adminsitrative subpoenas”