Richard Rainey steps up for the Times Picayune with 400 companies are asked about ties to Tim Whitmer.
The Jefferson Parish Council has mailed 404 letters — one to every company making money on a parish contract — in a new effort to map the extent of former chief administrator Tim Whitmer’s private insurance business with the government and its vendors…
The effort has already coaxed one more parish contractor to disclose its arrangement with Lagniappe Industries, the agency Whitmer owns with his wife, Dawn, Deputy Parish Attorney Louis Gruntz said. He said Beta Testing and Inspection, a construction inspection firm, confirmed it did business with Lagniappe, making it the eighth parish contractor known to be connected to Whitmer or his associates. Seven companies were previously identified by the news media or parish officials.
Lagniappe lies at the center of the continuing controversy that has spawned a federal criminal investigation and led to the resignations of Broussard, Whitmer and parish attorney Tom Wilkinson…
Parish officials and federal authorities began their investigations after The Times-Picayune reported in November that Lagniappe was making commissions off insurance policies sold to employees at West Jefferson Medical Center, the publicly owned hospital in Marrero. Continue reading “Times Picayune rejoins the Jefferson Parish conversation – reports 400 companies asked about ties to Whitmer”