Politicker.com -- Louisiana News

[WDSU] LA Police Chief To Step Down

Wed, 05 Aug 2009 16:22:00 -0400

LOS ANGELES -- Los Angeles Police Chief William Bratton says he's stepping down after a seven-year tenure in which he instituted major reforms of the once-scandalized police department.

Bratton announced Wednesday he is leaving Oct. 31 with three years left in his second five-year term.

The chief says that when he came to Los Angeles, the department was a troubled organization in a troubled city, but now is the "right time" to leave.

A judge recently released the department from eight years of oversight by the U.

[The Advocate] Jefferson jury to deliberate for 4th day

Gerard Shields — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 14:24:00 -0400

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Jurors in the bribery trial of former U.S. Rep. William Jefferson spent their third day in deliberations Monday, the fourth anniversary of when FBI agents raided Jefferson’s homes.

FBI agents on Aug. 3, 2005, found $90,000 in the freezer of Jefferson’s Washington home. The money was part of $100,000 given days earlier to an FBI informant. The Virginia businesswoman gave the money to Jefferson to allegedly bribe the vice president of Nigeria.

Jurors assembled before the trial judge, U.S. District Court Judge T.S. Ellis III, at the end of Monday’s session. Prior to the jury coming in, Ellis held a conference to the side of the bench with prosecutors and Jefferson’s attorneys.

[The Advocate] Inside politics for Aug. 2, 2009

Advocate Capitol News Bureau — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 14:24:00 -0400

Gov. Bobby Jindal and Texas Gov. Rick Perry made a friendly wager weeks ago on the outcome of the College World Series.

During a helicopter trip Tuesday, Gov. Bobby Jindal said he still is waiting for Perry to deliver on the bet by providing him with a barbecue dinner, since LSU beat Texas.

The Advocate called the Texas Governor’s Office to inquire about the delay. Less than two hours later, Perry’s press office announced that barbecue from The Salt Lick in Driftwood, Texas, should be on its way in two weeks.

Perry’s press secretary, Allison Castle, said it took time to arrange the delivery.

“They’re going to get some amazing barbecue,” she said.

[The Advocate] Jefferson jury to continue deliberations on Monday

Gerard Shields — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 14:24:00 -0400

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The jury in the bribery trial of former U.S. Rep. William Jefferson completed its first full day of deliberations Friday without reaching a verdict.

Jurors were told by the federal judge presiding over the trial to return Monday morning to continue the talks. The only action of the day occurred when the panel sent a note to the judge telling him that they didn’t need a written copy of the jury instructions.

On Thursday, the jury met for four hours and asked U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III if they could have a copy of the 135 pages of instructions. Ellis had given them a recording of the charge.

[The Advocate] Jury deliberates in Jefferson case

Gerard Shields — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 14:24:00 -0400

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — A federal judge on Thursday placed the fate of former U.S. Rep. William Jefferson into the hands of the jury overseeing his seven-week bribery trial.

U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III spent close to three hours reading the 135 pages of jury instructions.

Jefferson has pleaded innocent to 16 counts of public corruption, including bribery, conspiracy, money laundering and racketeering. The theme throughout the jury charge was that Jefferson need not have completed his alleged acts, only that he intended to commit the offenses.

On the racketeering charge, jurors will have to unanimously conclude that Jefferson committed two of the 12 alleged business schemes he set out to complete, Ellis said.

[The Advocate] State officials probe Jindal blog

Michelle Millhollon — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 14:24:00 -0400

State officials are looking into a complaint that the Jindal administration is breaking the law by using taxpayer money to publish an Internet blog.

At issue is whether “The Ledger” is purely informational or rises to political commentary.

Legislative Auditor Steve Theriot and Attorney General Buddy Caldwell said they are investigating the blog at the request of state Sen. Robert Adley.

“We’re going to do some due diligence to take a look at it,” Theriot said.

Adley, R-Benton, contends that Gov. Bobby Jindal is using taxpayer money to pay for a political blog. State law prohibits the use of tax dollars for personal political purposes.

Jindal’s Division of Administration, which publishes the blog, counters that the postings are designed to explain the state budget to the public.

[The Advocate] Jindal resumes raising funds

Michelle Millhollon — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 14:24:00 -0400

Gov. Bobby Jindal traveled to Destin, Fla., on Thursday to resume the out-of-state campaign fundraising that halted during the legislative session.

State law prohibits the governor from accepting campaign contributions during the regular legislative session and 30 days afterward.

The restriction ended earlier this week.

Jindal deflected questions Tuesday about when he would resume the fundraising trips that took him to multiple states before the session began April 27.

At the time, Jindal questioned whether he could even resume raising money yet, later saying that he probably could without acknowledging the Florida trip.

His office announced Thursday morning that the governor was traveling to Florida to talk to the Louisiana chapter of Associated Builders and Contractors at a convention.

[The Advocate] Bobby Jindal resumes fundraising

Associated Press (ap) — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 14:24:00 -0400

Gov. Bobby Jindal is back on the campaign money trail.

Jindal's office says the governor is attending a fundraiser Thursday in Destin, Fla., for his 2011 re-election bid. Jindal also was speaking at a convention for the Louisiana Chapter of Associated Builders and Contractors while in Destin, before returning to Baton Rouge.

The campaign fundraiser comes within days since restrictions on Jindal's ability to raise money were lifted.

State law bars the governor from raising campaign cash for his re-election during a legislative session or within 30 days after the session ends. The 2009 regular session ended June 25, so Jindal couldn't resume fundraising until this week.

[The Advocate] More focus sought on children in disasters

Sarah Chacko — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 14:24:00 -0400

Government hurricane recovery efforts spend more time and money on pets than children, a U.S. Senate subcommittee on disaster planning heard Tuesday.

Meanwhile, on a state level, the Department of Social Services Secretary Kristy Nichols said her agency would better address children’s needs and avoid the problems that haunted hurricane evacuations in the past.

“We know today that when people get off the bus and get to a shelter, they need a shower, then they need to have basic services, basic hygiene met,” Nichols said Tuesday.

Emergency shelters for the next hurricane would provide more immediate access to medical care, showers and toilets, she said.

[The Advocate] Jefferson jury still out for fourth day

Gerard Shields — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 14:24:00 -0400

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Jurors in the bribery trial of former U.S. Rep. William Jefferson deliberated for a fourth day Tuesday without a verdict.

U.S. District Court Judge T.S. Ellis III called the prosecutors and defense attorneys into the courtroom about noon after being sent a note from the jury. Ellis did not divulge anything about the note but held a five-minute bench conference with the attorneys. Ellis then recessed for 15 minutes and called the attorneys back for another 15-minute side conference.

Meanwhile, legal scholars monitoring the case said Tuesday that the longer the jury is out, the better it is for Jefferson. That the deliberations have lasted four days is not a surprise given the complexity of the case and its 16 charges, said Carl Tobias, a University of Richmond law professor.