Patrick Leblanc embroiled in Corruption Allegations - still running for STATE REP?

Here is a BLOG and NEWS ROUND UP on PATRICK LEBLANC and his apparent corrupt dealings with officials in Texas... So much for wanting to CLEAN UP POLITICS IN LOUISIANA.

San Antonio Lightning
MORE STRANGE TALES FROM LOUISIANA
'Fancy Nancy's Other Shoes'
Three State Political Bribery Scheme,
Dope; And a Few Get-Out-Of-Jail Cards
'LeBlanc Boys' Plan To Control Private Prisons
PART TWO OF A SERIESDETAILS AT NOON - ONLY IN THE LIGHTNING

http://www.sanantoniolightning.com/ralph30.html


Candidate linked to bribe case


By KEVIN BLANCHARDAdvocate Acadiana bureau Published: Sep 8, 2007 - Page: 1BA

LAFAYETTE — This week’s conviction of a San Antonio area sheriff for his involvement in a bribery and money laundering scheme has ties to a Lafayette company owned by a candidate for the state House of Representatives.

http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/acadiana/9656012.html



Premier's benefits didn't stop in Bexar

Web Posted: 09/09/2007 12:41 AM CDT
Todd BensmanExpress-News
KINGSVILLE — Bexar County Sheriff Ralph Lopez and some of his friends weren't the only ones in South Texas who enjoyed the benefits of helping Premier Management Enterprises secure lucrative jail commissary contracts, according to interviews and records examined by the San Antonio Express-News.



Lopez pleads no contest
Web Posted: 09/06/2007 01:56 AM CDT
Guillermo Contreras, Todd Bensman and Tracy HamiltonExpress-News
Longtime Bexar County Sheriff Ralph Lopez on Tuesday decided not to fight criminal charges he took a free trip to Costa Rica from a private company that obtained a lucrative jail contract he'd ramrodded.


Officials look into local business dealings
Texas sheriff indicted on three counts
Claire Taylor ctaylor@theadvertiser.com
A Lafayette company that sells candy bars and sodas to prison inmates is at the center of an investigation that led to three misdemeanor indictments against a Texas sheriff.
The company, Premier Management Enterprises LLC of Lafayette, is owned by brothers Mike LeBlanc and Patrick LeBlanc, who also operate for-profit prisons through LCS Corrections Services Inc.


TV coverage of Lopez resignation on Sept. 1


Sheriff Lopez Resigns
Proposal calls for fine, guilty pleas on misdemeanor charges
Web Posted: 09/01/2007 01:56 AM CDT
Guillermo Contreras and Todd BensmanExpress-News Staff Writers
With an indictment hanging over his head, Sheriff Ralph Lopez resigned Friday in a deal struck with prosecutors that guarantees him no jail time in exchange for a no contest plea an $10,000 fine, a source familiar with the negotiations told the San Antonio Express-News.


Sept 4
Bexar County District Attorney Susan Reed said the plea deal will allow for an investigation to continue.
"It allows us to develop further evidence against the rotten fruit in the barrel," Reed said.


Bad Cop News Covers story 9/1/2007


Investigators also zero in on wife of Bexar sheriff
Web Posted: 08/25/2007 02:31 AM CDT
Todd BensmanExpress-News
Public corruption investigators named Nancy Lopez, the wife of Sheriff Ralph Lopez, as a suspect Friday in bribery, money laundering and other crimes related to a jail commissary contract her husband awarded to a Louisiana prison services company



August 24, 2007
Sheriff's wife suspected of crimes
Bexar County Sheriff Ralph Lopez's wife, Nancy Lopez, has been named in a search warrant affidavit that alleges she is suspected of commercial bribery, bribery, tampering with evidence, money laundering and Election Code violations.


Bexar County Sheriff Ralph Lopez testified this morning before a criminal grand jury, the Express-News has learned.


New allegations in jail commissary case
Web Posted: 08/24/2007 10:31 AM CDT
Todd BensmanExpress-News Staff Writer
Sheriff Ralph Lopez's longtime friend and campaign manager orchestrated a cover-up of payments he took from a Bexar County jail contractor by handing out envelopes full of cash to his friends, purportedly for scholarships for their children, according to new allegations from the district attorney's office Thursday.



UPDATED: Bexar County Sheriff indicted
Web Posted: 08/16/2007 05:10 PM CDT
Guillermo Contreras and Todd BensmanExpress-News
A grand jury on Thursday indicted Bexar County Sheriff Ralph Lopez on three misdemeanor charges related to an all-expenses paid golf and fishing excursion to Costa Rica he acknowledges accepting from a company he later gave lucrative jail contracts.



Texas Hall of Shame Website

August 15, 2007 San Antonio Express-NewsBexar County Sheriff Ralph Lopez was indicted Thursday on three misdemeanor criminal charges related to benefits he allegedly took from a jail contractor, but the four-term officeholder avoided the indignity of getting booked into his own jail. The indictments accused Lopez of accepting and failing to report a gift and an "honorarium" — both involving the same 2005 all-expenses paid golfing/fishing trip to Costa Rica — from a company he helped get the contract to run his jail's food commissaries. In particular, the indictments…….

July 29, 2007 San Antonio News-ExpressIn the summer of 2005, a determined effort by Bexar County Sheriff Ralph Lopez to privatize the county jail commissary stores — which generated some $2 million a year in gross sales — was on the verge of foundering. In Texas, elected sheriffs enjoy wide leeway and independence in managing and operating county jails, including the jail commissary, where inmates can purchase everything from snacks to toiletries. But Lopez had met strong resistance from several board members of a nonprofit "Benevolent Fund" corporation that he had established several years earlier to run the commissaries. They saw no good reason to contract out the operation to a private vendor of Lopez's choice, Premier Management Enterprises, or any other business……..

http://www.privateci.org/texas.htm

David Vitter -

Yes, it happens a LOT. I agree with Nick Bouterie - "The Conservative Cajun" - David Vitter Should Resign.

Here's the thing - you can't run as the golden boy - "Mr. Truth and Morality" all the while you are paying "call girls". It is the hypocrisy of it that is the problem here. He pillaged hundreds of thousands of dollars (likely millions over the years) from constituents that thought he was the REAL DEAL. He accused reporters of LYING about him and tarnishing their names. The bottom line is - this is a bad man, period.

His political aspirations are done, there is no more for him. He is not on the fast track to the White House - in fact NOW the republican base will like RUDY better now without Vitter.

I predict Vitter will resign before the end of the year. Reports are now surfacing all over that this wasn't a "ONE TIME THING" in fact we are getting reports that he was a regular many other places as well.

Perhaps he will pull a "Rush Limbaugh" and go into REHAB for Sexual Addiction - either way he is damaged goods and from what I am hearing there are more folks getting ready to call for his resignation now that the French Quarter Madame has come out and admitted to having him as a regular client.

You see, Vitter told his supporters FACE TO FACE that those were dirty lies about him - he gave his personal word to them that they were just trying to attack him and dirty his pristine name - HE FREAKING CAMPAIGNED ON THIS! He has many here in Acadiana completely beside themselves.

Vitter should resign now - I can't imagine what his kids must be thinking and how hurt his wife must be. For a man with such high FAMILY VALUES - this is a new low to treat his family like THIS!

He is done, it is all over - the question is what will he do? Will he do what is BEST for his family and resign NOW to spare them of all of this and allow Governor Blanco to name a TEMPORARY replacement until a special election next year for the seat - OR will he put his family through HELL for the rest of this year by keeping his position in hopes that “Bobby” will win and then resign?

Either way, Louisiana suffers.

LeftBlog: Oh Bobby and Joeys new ATM

Greetings All,

It's an all new LEFT BLOG and this week we explore "Bobby" Jindal's comments on KVOL AM1330 where he said "Good Christians pray to God, not saints."

Then we look into the new "FREE" RED LIGHT Cameras that we are getting here in Lafayette that are just RIPE with problems.

Then ofcourse we point to Sammy Kershaw and his what will likely be a short run for Lt. Governor - why? Because less than 6 months ago he filed for Bankruptcy in Tennessee listing his residence there - NOT in Louisiana. So surely if a YEAR OLD fishing license where Non-Resident is checked disqualifies John Breaux for running for Governor - SURELY a 5 month old Bankruptcy filing showing residency in Tennessee will disqualify this '90's country crooner.

All this and so much more in this week's LEFTBLOG.

Kershaw NOT a resident of Louisiana

Greetings All,

Well it seems that Sammy Kershaw is just about to be OUT of the race for Lt. Governor, almost as fast as he got into the race. Just a few months ago, February of 2007, Kershaw filed for Federal Bankruptcy protection and listed his residence as Tennessee - nowhere on the forms does he list his Louisiana residence. Clearly this more than a freaking fishing license establishes residency. Not to mention if we are to put a man who is still going through bankruptcy into our second highest office in the state...

To read the entire filing for Bankruptsy, perhaps to see how the other side lives, check out this link.

Boustany at it AGAIN

The Daily Advertiser is reporting today... well actually it looks more like a COPY AND PASTE from an Offical Boustany Press Release that...

Boustany introduces health savings accounts bill

This is like putting a band-aid on a gunshot wound. HSA's are only good for RICH people who can afford to invest and shuttle money into different accounts to reap the benefits - how about the tens of thousands of working poor in this congressional district that are without healthcare insurance adequate to take care of a real emergency or provide for meaningful preventative treatments and exams? When is the good Doctor going to address this issue?

If we had an extra $200 a month to sock into a "RAINY DAY SICK FUND" we likely would... however this plan will only help those fortunate enough to have the money to invest in themselves it will do nothing for the seniors who are still being forced to decide between food in their refrigerators or medicine to keep them healthy and alive. When will THEY be given the respect THEY deserve by legislation supported by this congressman?

It is time for a complete MODERNIZATION of our healthcare system in this country.

F&*% You!

Seems the Bush Administration gets it's own words used against them in a court ruling.

A New York Apeals court has struct down an FCC ruling that was leveling fines against broadcasters for "Fleeting explatives" - their reason - Well the President and Vice President use them... so... could they really be that bad?

But in a lengthy judgment, the court also examined the wider issue of profanity on American TV and in public life, and First Amendment protection of
profanity,as it rejected the FCC's policy that the words 'f***' or 's****' always had asexual or excretory connotation. Specifically it noted that both President Bush and Vice-President Cheney were on record as having used those words in anon-literal way, Mr Bush when he told Tony Blair that the United Nations needed to "get Syria to stop Hezbollah to stop doing this s***' and Mr Cheney when he told a senator, on the floor of the Senate, to "f*** yourself'.

Oh I wonder what Cheney has to say about this one?

"Bobby" Jindal gets his butt handed to him on the floor of the House

"Bobby" Jindal gets his rear end handed to him by Congressman Barney Frank. Barney completely shows Jindal that he doesn't even KNOW the existing law. Jindal files a bill that is ALREADY LAW - So he is making a DOUBLE LAW.

And not only that, but he is clearly doing this to pander.

The best part is - Frank yields to Jindal to try to explain him self several times... finally he asks again and Frank says 'No I will not yield', "I tried 5 times." In this same exchange Frank says "I do have my own doubts for this administrations predilection for following the law."

He also states very clearly that this bill would only affect those in New Orleans who's homes have been washed away. Why would they not want to have the same rules for Mississippi? Why special rules just for New Orleans?

At the end the "acting speaker" states - "The Gentleman's time has expired" to which Frank responds - "Thank you Mr. Speaker, because so has my patience."

Amen, Brother Frank! PREACH!

Blue Mondays

All New Blue Monday's this week - Check them out!



For Part 2 Click the above link...

LeftBlog: A new year, some light at the end of the tunnel?

So it is a whole new year, and we are seeing a great deal of activity with the changing of the guard in Washington DC.
I can’t tell you the amount of pride and optimism I have for our country with breaking down yet another barrier for Women, as I saw Speaker of the House; Nancy Pelosi sworn in and take the gavel for the first time. I was basically raised by a single mother in a time where it was extremely difficult for women who have been divorced. Times have definitely changed for the better and I think that the breaking of this glass (actually Speaker Pelosi calls it Marble) ceiling MUST be seen as a good thing no matter what your political views of Representative Pelosi.

... Read the full Column, click the link above

Blue Mondays

This week we have a great interview with Susan Hamilton of the Lafayette Parish Library Board of Controls where she discusses with Ruth Yeager the plans for the coming years – two new locations and one major renovation. You will definitely want to “check this out.” But first, as always – Progressive News and Commentary by Stephen Handwerk

Here is Part ONE - Click the Link Above for PART TWO.