Ethics

From the Shreveport Times: Jindal’s lack of transparency, wealth of hypocrisy is wearing thin.

From the Advocate: Responding to implications that he worked with the Jindal administration to gut ethics reforms by changing the standard of proof by which ethics charges are prosecuted, Senator Bob Kostelka contends that there was no hidden agenda.

According to Kostelka, meetings were had on the issue of changing the standard prior to his last minute inlcusion of the amendment raising the standard from “reliable and substantial” evidence to “clear and convincing”. However Kostelka provides no details as to who, other than Jindal’s executive counsel Jimmy Faircloth, attended this meeting.

From the News Star: Tactics of Governor’s office during voucher debate suggests that nothing has “changed” when it comes to how Baton Rouge does business as Freshman lawmakers accuse Governor of leveraging state money against support for his controversial proposal.

From the Associated Press: One “bad list” the Governor never mentions is the one that has Louisiana ranked last in Governor’s office transparency. The reason is because he wants to keep it that way.

From the Advocate: In documents obtained by the paper, the state ethics board warned Governor Jindal that his move to raise the standard of proof for prosecuting ethics charges to “clear and convincing” threaten the board’s ability to enforce the Governor’s ethics “gold standard.”

In a fiery rebuke of the board’s actions, Senator Bob Kostelka, Jindal’s Senate floor manager and shepherd of the Governor’s ethics package, said the board’s request for the Governor to veto a portion of the ethics package that Jindal had called for was “asking the impossible.”

The big question that remains is exactly why did the Governor request this change in the first place?

From the Associate Press: Ethics Board administrator and general counsel Richard Sherburne says the Ethics Board is not equipped to prosecute ethics charges under the new ”clear and convincing” standard.

From the Times-Picayune: Once the champion of openess and transparency, the Jindal administration is now fighting tooth and nail to beat back attempts to limit public records exemptions in the Governor’s office.

Asked why the Louisiana Governor deserves greater exemptions that most other state, Jindal top lawyer Jimmy Faircloth chalked it up, cryptically, to “a hundred years of Louisiana politics.”

From the Associated Press: Over the objection of Jindal executive counsel, House and Governmental Affairs committee approved legislation that would limit public records exemption for the Governor and his staff.

From the Adovcate: Monroe Senator Bob Kostelka, Governor Jindal’s senate floor leader, is expected to strongly oppose the House’s move to return the standard for prosecuting alleged ethics violations from “clear and convincing” back to its original “reliable and substantial evidence” standard. Taking its cue from the Jindal administration, a majority of House Republicans opposed the amendment by State Rep. Cedric Richmond though it still passed by a narrow 45-42 vote with 17 members not voting.

From the Associated Press: In a 45-42 vote, the Louisiana House returned the standard by which ethics complaints are judged to “any substantial evidence” from “clear and convincing.” The standard was raised at the last minute during last February’s special session, through an amendment submitted by Jindal floor chief Sen. Bob Kostelka.

Since the discovery of the change of standard, the Jindal administration has come under fire for essentially gutting the very ethics package he had been touting. Allegations that Jindal’s executive counsel, Jimmy Faircloth actually drafted the amendment has gone without comment by the Jindal administration.

The bill now goes to the Senate where it is likely that Kostelka will work to have the amendment, sponsored by State Rep. Cedric Richmond, stripped.