By Sara Pagones | Nola.com | February 16, 2020 A St. Tammany Parish task force studied a proposal to create a parish inspector general’s office for months in 2013 before finally scrapping the idea. Now, the citizens group that had pushed the proposal appears ready for another go. During a panel discussion on public corruption…
By Tom Aswell | Louisiana Voice | February 14, 2020 A two-hour public corruption forum in Abita Springs Thursday night produced little in the way of solutions to the growing problem of official wrongdoing in St. Tammany Parish but one question from an audience member did produce a buzz among the audience and some uncomfortable…
By Zeta Cross | Louisiana Record | February 9, 2020 Thanks to the Metropolitan Crime Commission (MCC), Louisiana citizens now have easy access to the same basic financial information about judges that is readily available about all other Louisiana elected officials. “If a judge is deciding a case that may affect somebody’s life, citizens have…
By Kenny Kuhn | WWL.com | February 7, 2020 Juvenile crime, particularly vehicle burglary, is a growing problem for residents and city leaders in New Orleans. But city leaders announced they are taking action in the form of electronic ankle monitors. “This monitor is a mechanism, that forces the child the juvenile to comply or…
By David Hammer | WWL Tv | February 7, 2020 NEW ORLEANS — Two top city officials met with the media Friday to explain why Mayor LaToya Cantrell signed a $50,000 contract with former U.S. Attorney Kenneth Polite last week, saying they sought an outside investigation of the city’s permitting office in response to a…
By David Hammer | WWL Tv | February 6, 2020 NEW ORLEANS — The city of New Orleans is spending $50,000 for a New York-based law firm to investigate possible bribery and misconduct in its Safety & Permits Department, even as at least four local and federal law enforcement agencies and the City Council are…
By Natasha Robin | Fox 8 | February 6, 2020 NEW ORLEANS, La. (WVUE) – “The offenders appear to have gotten more consideration than the victims of these crimes of violence,” says Rafael Goyeneche. Goyeneche, of the Metropolitan Crime Commission, calls some recent bonds at Criminal District Court, unfortunate. Three suspects appeared before a Magistrate…
By Sam Hanna Jr. | The Franklin Sun | February 5, 2020 Twelve years ago in Gov. Bobby Jindal’s first year in office, the newly elected governor called a special session for lawmakers to entertain a package of reform bills to improve ethics in state government. Jindal specifically targeted politicians, and one of the cornerstones…
By John Simerman | Nola.com | February 3, 2020 Orleans Parish Criminal District Court Judge Arthur Hunter has stepped down after 24 years on the bench, filing his resignation letter on Monday. He is rumored to be readying a run for district attorney. Hunter, who was considered to be among the most liberal of the…
By Editorial | Nola.com | February 2, 2020 In 2008, Gov. Bobby Jindal and the Legislature pledged the state to attain the “gold standard” of ethics in government. And when it comes to filling out forms, particularly for financial disclosures by elected officials, in many ways it was. But there turned out to be ways…