U. S. Senator David Vitter, Hodge, LA Town Hall – 8/6/12
U. S. Senator David Vitter this afternoon told a town hall meeting in Hodge that he cannot intervene directly into the ongoing criminal investigation of the Town of Jonesboro’s finances that has been stalled by Second Judicial (Bienville, Claiborne, Jackson parishes) District Attorney Jonathan Stewart, a close political ally of the town’s controversial mayor Leslie Thompson.
Said Vitter, “As a member of congress/member of the senate I’m not privy to details of any ongoing investigation, nor should I be.” He added that it would be “more worrisome than helpful” if politicians could directly intervene on cases.
The answer was in response to this reporter’s question about what he could do as far as soliciting assitance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) or the U. S. Department of Justice (DOJ) regarding the ongoing case.
However, Vitter noted that he encourages federal law enforcement to be aggressive in investigating corruption in Louisiana, and that he met recently with the new head of the state’s FBI office where that issue was extensively discussed.
08/06/2012 at 6:33 pm |
Well,well, does that surprise anyone? What was he doing here anyway?
08/06/2012 at 7:10 pm |
SEWER is my guess…
08/06/2012 at 10:19 pm |
Mayor Thompson looks very exhausted on the news tonight.
Think he is worried about the big day tomorrow….just keep on driving when you get to S’port…..move on to Big D….keep on trucking baby!
Resign and maybe they will hire you in Dallas as an economic adviser!!!
08/07/2012 at 7:01 am |
RESIGN Thompson!!!!!!
08/07/2012 at 7:44 am |
If the Appeals Courts is “racist” like the local court, perhaps all those crying “racism” need to just relocate to a place without racism.
Move on up the road to Grambling if you do not want to move too far. The town has had money problems but no one is crying racism.
Doug Stokes needs to resign as the town’s attorney. If he had done the job he is paid to do, there would not be so much time and money spend on court.
Doug could not prevent Les from pushing Renee though….can not blame him for that court case.
08/24/2012 at 5:42 pm |
Doug Stokes is not at fault in this matter. Doug has given the mayor opinions of law on matters when requested and Leslie has chosen to do what Leslie deems right against the advise of Doug. Leslie has refused the advise of several leaders in the black community in many of these matters. Leslie has even ignored the advise of Herbert in a few matters. The paralegal narcissist has an ego bigger than imaginable. Doug also does not control Jonathan Stewart. If you want to place blame directly where it belongs…… this is the pecking order:
Leslie – inept in business matters, inept in matters of law, inept in being able to run a town for the benefit of its citizens,
possible criminal actions (to be determined).
Jonathan Stewart – this matter has progressed to the boiling point due to the inaction of Jonathan. Once the materials had been presented to him from the Sheriff-LSP-AG team he should have issued a statement that he felt the case had no merit or moved on to a presentation to a Grand Jury. Once at Grand Jury it would have had to be returned a True Bill or a No True Bill. If the later, then the issue would have been closed. If a True Bill would be returned then Leslie would have his day in court before a jury of his peers. As it is now, Jonathan Stewart has allowed this to fester to the point that this whole matter has divided the town and the parish with racial motives being proclaimed over and over and it actually has nothing to do with race…..just apparent stupidity on the part of Leslie and Jonathan Stewart.
3/5 of City Council – I do not cast aspersions on these people but they are apparently blindly following what Leslie and his people are telling them rather than using their heads and looking at the facts of budget, government and the fact they are to oversee the safety and well-being of the citizens of Jonesboro which includes a balanced budget comprised of EXPENSES vs INCOME. ASSETS are NOT used to balance a budget or determine the ability a an entity to meet its financial obligations.
The Citizens of Jonesboro – I’m not going into the voting percentage for that would imply that if more people voted then Leslie wouldn’t have been elected……we have no idea if that would be correct or not. I lay blame at the citizens of Jonesboro not contacting the correct public officials concerning this matter rather than some railing at all of our elected officials. If you are not happy with things, start with the mayor and let him know how you feel. Your councilperson, call them and let them know your feelings. Our officials on the state level have done all that can be done by law to help in this matter of apparent mismanagement. There is no venue to remove the mayor or a councilperson other than malfesance in office. If you feel the mayor, councilperson or the DA is not doing their job to your satisfaction, then contact the Sec. of State office and register to start recall petitions on any or all of the above.
Side Note: Mr. Lamkin, foolishly and honestly upholding to advise given to him abstained on the budget where the police department was de-funded. He holds a position with the Coroner’s Office and was advised that anything having to do with that office he should abstain. There is a line item in the budget concerning expenses reimbursed to the coroner’s office. Therefore he felt he should abstain – honesty. Foolishly – his first priority is to represent the people of his District. His NO vote would not have affected the outcome of the vote and he would have properly represented his constituents. If someone wanted to later challenge his vote then so be it.
Most of the agnst of this situation can and should be resolved by the immediate action of Jonathan Stewart. If you are a citizen of Jonesboro just pick up your phone and call JONATHAN STEWART and ask for action on this matter, one way or the other……..just get it resolved.
INNOCENT-BY-STANDER
08/07/2012 at 8:05 am |
I find it very interesting that no one from the Town of Jonesboro attended the Annual Louisiana Municipal Association meeting in Lake Charles this past week.
Seems if the council members and mayor REALLY wanted to learn anything by attending, they would have covered their own expenses to attend some of the classes.
Just proves the real motive for attending….. if the town ain’t paying, it ain’t gonna happen!
08/07/2012 at 9:12 am |
I was told everything that is taught there can be obtained via Webinar, so not all the Council members ever intended to attend that particular meeting. I heard Ms. Stringer say she wouldn’t go because there were other issues that needed to be addressed with the money it would have taken to attend that meeting.
Why not ask questions as to why all members didn’t attend instead of spouting off accusations instead of facts?
08/07/2012 at 11:57 am |
Really was thinking about the Mayor, his three amigos and driver Dill regarding learning something.
The Mayor’s wife and her “First Lady of Jonesboro” shirt did not get to be seen this year.
08/07/2012 at 1:12 pm |
All of which brings up an interesting point. If everything that goes on in these meetings can be obtained by website, why should we ever pay for the mayor and council members to attend them? That would be a good thing to look into even after the fiscal administrator is finished with his work here.
08/07/2012 at 1:18 pm |
Anonymous of 7:44 a.m. suggests that those crying “racism” should move to a place like Grambling that has no racism. I have never lived there, but I doubt very seriously that there is “no racism” there, in fact could well be more than there is in Jonesboro, only in reverse.
08/07/2012 at 1:41 pm |
Hollywood has J-Lo but we have Flo-J!!! That’s First Lady of Jonesboro. Lol!!
08/07/2012 at 10:23 pm |
Per capita income in Grambling is the highest in Lincoln parish, so it should be a utiopian paradise.
08/08/2012 at 12:50 am |
Ms.P says: As a child I was always taught to respect d position even if you don’t respect d person. D First Lady of Jonesboro, LA is a lovely woman. And as for all u haters look around and use common sense. Jonesboro is slowly dying. Young people are leaving 4 better opportunities, older ones are leaving 4 their heavenly homes and what little bit of industry Jonesboro once had have all but left. Leaving d town with industries that take your money rather than make u money [jobs].
08/12/2012 at 4:08 pm |
sorry for the late reply but I have been crusing in the Caribbean. Listen closely – T H E R E A I N ‘ T N O S U C H P O S I T I O N A S First Lady of Jonesboro. She wasn’t on the ballot, didn’t receive any votes, and was thrust upon us because we screwed up and elected her incompentent husband mayor. Then I might be wrong – maybe the wife of each member of the school board and police jury is the first lady of their particular district. Perhaps the First Lady of Jonesboro should call all of the other first ladies in for a meeting of some sort.