Scuttlebutt
FBI Election Warning
Jim Bernazzani, the tough-talking special agent-in-charge of the local FBI office,
offered a warning to political candidates and a message to voters in the Oct. 20
primary: FBI agents do not endorse candidates. ‘It is a fundamental breach of FBI
ethics,” Bernazzani says. The agent’s image and the FBI seal were posted on a campaign
Web site for Senate District 7 candidate Paul Richard, who hopes to succeed term-limited
state Sen. Francis Heitmeier in the West Bank district. Other candidates include
Heitmeier’s brother, David Heitmeier, and Jonathan Bolar. Bernazzani says Richard should
expect a call from FBI lawyers in Washington. ‘This was done obviously without my
knowledge and I was surprised,” Bernazzani says. ‘The general counsel in Washington,
D.C., has been notified and they will take immediate steps tomorrow morning to get my
image and the FBI seal removed.” Richard’s Web site last week featured televised images
of Bernazzani over a campaign message attacking Francis Heitmeier and, separately,
quotes from a recent press conference in which Bernazzani decried ‘brazen” corruption in
Louisiana. ” Johnson
GOP Neutrality
The Orleans Parish Republican Executive Committee has taken a neutral position in
several races in which there are GOP candidates on the Oct. 20 ballot, including the
race for lieutenant governor. Incumbent Lt. Gov. Mitch Landrieu, a Democrat, apparently
has a base of GOP support in New Orleans for his re-election effort, even though many
Republicans helped re-elect Mayor Ray Nagin last year over Landrieu. Landrieu faces two
Republican challengers ” Baton Rouge state Rep. Gary Beard and country singer Sammy
Kershaw. In other races, the local GOP committee has issued ‘no endorsement” in the
following legislative races: Senate District 4, where incumbent Democrat Ed Murray has
one GOP challenger, Thomas Kennedy; Senate District 5, an open seat where perennial
candidate Andrew Gressett, a Republican, is again running; and House District 95, an
open seat where Erin Anderson is the lone Republican candidate in a field of eight.
Meanwhile, in House District 98, where three GOP candidates have qualified, the local
committee has endorsed Murray Nelson; and in House District 94, the committee has
endorsed Republican challenger Adrian Bruneau over Republican incumbent Rep. Nick
Lorusso. In the New Orleans at-large City Council race, the committee endorsed Democrat
Jackie Clarkson. No Republican qualified in that contest. ” DuBos
The Word on WRDA
By now we all know how important the Water Resources Development Act could be for
Louisiana. Everyone from the governor down to the state senator from Bourg is touting
the measure as the key to coastal restoration, hurricane protection and flood control
(there’s also a sprinkling of pork in the bill for bridges and local programs). The bill
has at least $3.6 billion, or 17 percent of its total, set aside for Louisiana. Congress
passed the legislation overwhelmingly, but President George Bush has threatened a veto
even in the face of a promised override by lawmakers. Congress hasn’t passed a WRDA bill
in seven years. The latest buzz on Capitol Hill is that ‘W” may have the last word on
WRDA after all ” sort of ” by using a pocket veto, or taking no action on the bill
within 10 days of receiving it, thus making it an official law or act without his
official blessing. ‘Things are looking up,” says state Sen. Reggie Dupre, who spoke via
phone from Washington. ‘Either way, I think we have a bill.” Stephanie Allen, press
secretary for U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu, says the president has given no indication that
he won’t veto the bill. ‘Given the strong, bi-partisan votes on the conference report in
the House and Senate, it would make sense that he might reconsider and not have the
fight with Congress,” Allen says. When a bill is passed, technical corrections and other
work begin to make the bill absolutely perfect before it’s actually sent to the
president, Allen adds. While it is unclear as to exactly when the 10-day countdown will
begin, it should be very soon. ” Alford
13 Choices, Little Time
Thirteen candidates for the New Orleans City Council At-Large seat ” recently vacated by
the admitted corruption of Oliver Thomas ” are scheduled to face off at a two-hour forum
beginning at 7 p.m. next Thursday (Oct. 11) at Xavier University. The Xavier forum will
be co-hosted by the Urban League of Greater New Orleans, the Committee for a Better New
Orleans/Metropolitan Area Committee and the local League of Women Voters. ‘This is the
most important race in New Orleans,” says Keith Twitchell, president of the CBNO/MAC.
‘Clearly, the need for leadership in the city is great and council at-large is a
significant position. So, we really need to make a choice.” Twitchell says despite a
recent reconciliation, tensions between Mayor Ray Nagin’s administration and the council
have ‘reached an all-time high.” Attorney Scott Shea, who served as a District A City
Council member (2000-2002), agrees. ‘The current council is under enormous pressure
because of crime and the recovery.” Shea says. ” Johnson
Picking Horses
Monroe Mayor Jamie Mayo has endorsed gubernatorial candidate Walter Boasso, a state
senator from Arabi who is running as a Democrat. It’s proof that Boasso has been working
the black community as promised, but more endorsements will need to come out ” and fast
” if Boasso wants to build momentum in the black community. Statewide, many black
leaders are caucusing to determine whom to support in the governor’s race. Our sources
say the contest is between Democrat Boasso and Independent John Georges. To no one’s
surprise, those are also the two candidates with the most money. Meanwhile, Congressman
Bobby Jindal, the GOP contender from Kenner, got the nod from Louisiana Independent
Pharmacies Association this week, which represents more than 600 independent
pharmacists. ” Alford
Following Cleo
As veteran state Sen. Cleo Fields, a Democrat from Baton Rouge, waited to hear from the
Louisiana Supreme Court as to whether he can legally dodge term limits and seek a fourth
term in the Senate, other candidates for his job took their shots. The most aggressive
is Jason DeCuir, a fellow Democrat whom Fields blames for the lawsuit challenging his
candidacy. Fields was able to make a case for his candidacy because of a 2006 law
authored by ” get this ” conservative Republican then-Rep. Peppi Bruneau, who pushed the
bill to help fellow Republican state Rep. Wayne Waddell of Shreveport. Both Waddell and
Fields were elected mid-term in special elections, and the bill sought to clarify when
they officially took office for purposes of constitutionally imposed term limits. After
the measure passed the House, it was discovered that it would benefit Fields as well as
Waddell, but that did not stop GOP lawmakers from supporting it. Bruneau, in fact,
showed up at the Supreme Court hearing in a show of support for Fields’ cause. In case
Fields doesn’t make the cut, he has already chosen a successor who will benefit from his
legendary GOTV operation: Democratic state Rep. Yvonne Dorsey, the speaker pro tem of
the House, who is term-limited herself in the House. Fields told reporters last week in
New Orleans that he would have her back. Others running in Senate District 14 include
Republicans Scott Lemoine and Willis Reed and Democrat Steven K. Shilling. ” Alford
Tough Ordinance
The recent spat between Mayor Ray Nagin and the City Council over the availability of a
city department head could have been worse than the council’s issuance of a few
subpoenas and some hurt feelings. The City Charter allows the council to remove city
department heads and other ‘unclassified appointees” who do not enjoy full civil service
protection. Section 3-125 of the Charter states: ‘The Council may bring charges against
any person appointed to the unclassified service for lack of qualifications,
incompetence, neglect of duty” or job-related ‘gross misconduct.” An unclassified
appointee also may be removed for failure to comply with a lawful directive of the Civil
Service Commission or the new Inspector General. If the mayor or department head does
not remove the accused, the council may order a public hearing with lawyers, the calling
of witnesses and the presentation of evidence. If ‘found guilty as charged,” the council
may then suspend or fire the unclassifed appointee, after a majority vote of its seven
members, the charter states. No one at City Hall could recall the draconian measure
being used. ” Johnson
Back on the Road
Driving Louisiana Forward, a well-heeled coalition of local chambers and construction
and engineering interests, is launching a statewide media campaign this week to garner
support from legislative and statewide candidates. The campaign consists of more than
1,000 radio spots and online banner ads. The radio spots will run on statewide news-talk
stations and the banner ads will appear on select newspaper Web sites. ‘It’s imperative
that the next Legislature and the next governor address our transportation funding
crisis by providing additional, recurring funds to our roads, bridges and port
infrastructure,” says Jennifer Marusak, communications director for Driving Louisiana
Forward. The group proposes shifting transportation-related fees (such as vehicle sales
taxes) from the general fund to the Transportation Trust Fund, as well as shifting
nontransportation-related expenses currently in the trust fund (such as state police
traffic control and DOTD retirement and health benefits) to the general fund. “Alford
You Man Enough?
The New Orleans League of Women Voters is looking for a few more good men. The
nonpartisan voter information organization has lost 40 percent of its 173 members since
Hurricane Katrina hit two years ago. The League, which now has 15 male members, is
emphasizing diversity as it tries to meet increased demand for voter information. ‘We
welcome men,” says League president Lea Young. ‘Our main focus is voter information,
good government.” Young says her boss, Civil Sheriff Paul Valteau, is a member of the
League, and past League presidents include community activist Jim Segreto. But the
majority of the League’s membership consists of determined, strong-willed women. ‘It is
intimidating,” past-president Linda Walker warns. Members must be U.S. citizens and dues
are $60 a year. Visit www.lwvno.org for more information. ” Johnson
Morgan City Muck
Republicans don’t have it tied up just yet, but House District 51 in Morgan City is
looking like an easy flip for the GOP. Incumbent state Rep. Carla Dartez, a Democrat,
has become an easy target. Her husband, Lenny J. Dartez, a member of the Democratic
Party’s State Central Committee, was arrested Tuesday for harboring illegal aliens
through his construction business. Last month, Rep. Dartez was given a summons for
improper lane usage after hitting a pedestrian with her vehicle. That conjured memories
of other incidents. In 2003, she suffered four skull fractures and a dislocated shoulder
from a motorcycle accident during Mardi Gras. In 1998, she was booked with a
first-offense DWI in addition to driving without headlights, improper lane use and
speeding. The attack ads should write themselves in this race, and GOP sources claim
Dartez’s re-elect numbers had already dropped below 30 percent before the immigrant
issue surfaced. ” Alford