07 June 2007

sb14 vote shows who the senatorial rats are

**updated 6:26 pm cdt thursday 07 june 2007**

sec'y kennedy and state senator "doc" hines appeared on wwl.com's garland robinette "think tank" show today.

here is a link to the .mp3 audio file of todays show

after-interview caller "randy from uptown" (talking about senator hines): "was that a commercial for legislative term limits? you just kind of repackaged it? the longer he talked (hines) the better kennedy looked. i've never met a worse advocate for his position, he basically threw the temper-tantrum that kennedy accused him of having thats why hes doing this"
garland robinette: "two things were amazing, number one he (hines) never did answer the question. one of his biggest things is, kennedy has to be taken out of this position because he selectively stops people from getting their agenda on the board." "randy from uptown" "GOOD!"

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----ORIGINAL POST----
sb14 is a bill filed for revenge against state treasurer john kennedy by senator "doc" hines and representative joe salter.

last year senator hines and agricultural commissioner bob odom (who recently the state supreme court reinstated theft, bribery and money laundering charges against) wanted to squander $135 million [100.2 eur] taxpayer dollars on a syrup mill that was to be located in senator hines district. according to sec'y kennedy who did "two financial studies indicated that the mill would go bankrupt." also senator hines son-in-law had a "vested interest" in the syrup mill. so sec'y kennedy kept it off the state bond commission agenda.

so in typical louisiana corrupt fashion senator hines and his sidekick state representative joe salter filed sb14 which would take away most of sec'y kennedy's power and authority at the state bond commission. this is despite the fact that the state bond commission eventually overrode sec'y kennedy and added the syrup mill to the agenda and it was (after a public outcry) eventually killed.

this vividly illustrates the fact that louisiana politicians are more interested in corruption than in honesty and morals. louisiana politicians arent interested in creating a better louisiana because they dont know how. after all, you cant make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. indeed, all they know is corruption because they are corruption.


click link to view from the legislatures website

disgustingly, our own senator joe mcpherson voted for corruption and the good ol' boy network.
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By MARSHA SHULER
Advocate Capitol News Bureau
Published: Jun 6, 2007 - Page: 7a

Senate President Don Hines on Tuesday backed off his attempt to oust state Treasurer John Kennedy as permanent chairman of the state Bond Commission.

But the bill the Senate approved on a 25-9 vote would still give the Legislature’s top leaders majority control of what projects end up on the commission’s agenda.

And the Senate added another twist, deciding a majority of the Bond Commission members could place an item on the agenda with a week’s written notice.

The bill now heads to the House for debate.

“It’s only 50 percent as bad as it was but it’s still bad,” Kennedy said after the vote. “It just politicizes the Bond Commission.”

The Bond Commission oversees borrowing for projects using public money.

Kennedy added: “I don’t think most people are fooled about what this is about. This is Doc’s payback for me not supporting his sugar mill.”

Hines is a physician and his nickname is “Doc.”

Kennedy kept a Bunkie syrup mill project — pushed by Hines and Agriculture Commissioner Bob Odom — off the Bond Commission agenda.

The two-year dispute ended when the commission rejected the $135 million project in November.

As Senate Bill 14 came up, Hines asked senators to strip the provision that would have rotated the chairmanship of the Bond Commission among the state treasurer, the speaker of the House and the president of the Senate.

Hines said he was taking the step in response to senators’ reluctance to embrace the idea because of “news media and conservative talk radio” questioning “of the motivation of this bill.”

Hines said the executive committee that he proposed is needed because of “the arrogant and arbitrary manner,” in which Kennedy decides what the bond commission should hear.

Kennedy’s approach is “not in the best interest of the people of this state,” he said.

Other people have complained about Kennedy’s treatment of projects, Hines said.

“People should be able to make applications to the Bond Commission and not be hassled,” Hines said.

Kennedy said backers of the Bunkie mill project would not submit required paperwork. The commission overrode his decision and added the project to the agenda.

Hines’ son-in-law had a vested interest in the project and two financial studies indicated the mill would go bankrupt, Kennedy said.

Kennedy said he had no objection to the amendment offered by Sen. Reggie Dupré, D-Houma, which allowed a majority of the Bond Commission members to place an item on the agenda by filing a written request with the treasurer.

Under Dupré’s change, the item would have to be in compliance with commission rules and regulations.

Dupré originally offered an amendment that would have eliminated Hines’ executive committee but it was withdrawn.
  • sec'y kennedy takes dotd to task
  • draft kennedy!
  • gov. blanco not to run
  • sb14 treasury sec'y kennedy needs your help!
  • sec'y john kennedy on lra & the road home
  • unanswered
  • cutting the budget kennedy puts pressure on blanco
  • more on la state treasurer john kennedy
  • state treasurer 'in shock' by the budget
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