| With apologies to The Reduct Box, I changed the title for clarity.
This afternoon, Democratic State Rep. Cedric Richmond struck a blow for Louisiana by pushing and passing an amendment to HB 906, written by Republican State Rep. Nita Hutter which is a bill that requires the Ethics Board to do the following (emphasis added):
"A certified copy of the vote; a detailed explanation of the matter, including the specific factual allegations upon which the board based its decision to investigate; and a copy of any complaint received by the board, which includes the name of the complainant and the name of any other person providing information that the board has considered in the matter shall be sent by certified mail to the accused and the complainant within ten days after the vote occurs or after receipt of a signed sworn complaint.
I have one BIG problem with this bill, in that it provides absolutely no protection for whistle-blowers. A copy of the complaint shall be sent to the accused within 10 days of a vote or a signed sworn complaint? Now our legislators never have to worry about their staff turning them in, if the staffer wants to keep their job, anyway.
But that amendment ... ahhh, it's beautiful. State Rep. Cedric Richmond convinced a majority of his colleagues to restore the original standard of substantial for all complaints that the Ethics Board must prove in order to have a judge adjudicate the matter. Here are the results of the vote:
 The red = Republican. Blue = Democrat. There are two Independents in the House - Richard (YES) and Robideaux (NOT VOTING), with 48 GOPers in the House and 54 Democrats. There is one vacancy, thanks to Cazayoux's election to the US House.
Do you notice something? A majority of the Republians voted AGAINST this amendment. There are 48 GOPers in the State House. Thirteen (13) voted YES, twenty-eight (28) voted NAY, and seven (7) didn't vote. Thus, Republicans voted to make it harder for corrupt politicians to be found guilty of ethics charges.
And the Republicans say they are the reformers? Wake up, Louisiana, your Republican politicians are lying to you, yet again. |
