forgotston.com

— that is the question.

Following the latest quadrennial announcement by former U.S. Senator and current or former citizen of Louisiana or Maryland, John Breaux, that he will once again not be a candidate for governor of Louisiana a lot of pressure has been put on me. Because of the precedent set by Breaux, failing to announce that one is not going to run for governor may be construed that one, in fact, may be planning to run.

This weekend politicians and movers and shakers from all over came to the Strawberry Festival in Ponchatoula. In the midst of all the festivities, people began to ask whether I would consider running for governor. I explained that I had not intended to run if Breaux ran. However, his announcement of his non-candidacy and the subsequent pressures on me to run, would cause me to have to consider all my options.

First, there are some minor legal issues that must be cleared up before I can make an announcement. Otherwise, the Republicans may spend a bunch of money exposing the fact that I have Lifetime Residential Louisiana Hunting and Fishing License.

I am an elector/voter (I did the motor/voter thing; told them that I used to live in the Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans and got my card without an i.d. or other documentation.) in Tangipahoa Parish.

My citizenship is another matter. My birth certificate was lost as a result of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers flooding New Orleans and my safety deposit box following a recent Category 1 hurricane.

Thus, before I can publicly announce my future political plans, the question of whether I am a citizen of the U.S. and Louisiana must be resolved.

I was born in Mississippi, lived as a baby for a while in Missouri and the rest of the time in LA so the legal conundrum is obvious.

I am unable to get two leges from the two different predominant political parties in LA to request an opinion on my qualifications from Attorney General Charlie Foti. It’s just as well because Foti would likely punt anyway. (Can you imagine a lawyer without an opinion on something.)

I’ve decided to go where I know I can get a real legal opinion.

Through my friend and statewide radio talk show host, Moon Griffon, I am going to request a formal legal ruling on my citizenship from the Official Lawyer (”OL”) of the Moon Griffon Show, Mr. Paul Hurd, Esquire. Though Hurd lives in Monroe, he is eminently qualified as he is a graduate of the law school of a prestigious private university in Orleans Parish.

I have not discussed this matter with Griffon or Hurd, but assume that they will be willing to honor the long-time precedent of the Office of OL in such matters.

When I get an opinion, I will be in a position to announce my decision. I will be guided by, but not bound by the opinion. I will not forgo any other legal options allowed me as a citizen of LA and the United States should I be found to be one.

Until then, I will take no questions from the media. I will be busy meeting privately with my family.

C.B.

Uncategorized CB 7:00 am

We know that the state-run casualty insurance program can’t access its own records to determine if it is making money or losing money. Auditors cannot audit the books because of the lack of records. The bank statements have not been reconciled since 2005.

Insurance Commish Jim Donelon assures us that no money has been stolen or misappropriated. This from the guy (a lawyer) who just found out that he had the legal authority to hire new management at Citizens.

Last week, Donelon said: “I’m going to get blamed or credited with whatever happens going forward….” Times Picayune April 5, 2007.

This begs the question, who gets the blame for the past. Wasn’t Donelon in charge?

Where’s the accountability?

More missing info

Tuesday, a member of the “Crack Mullet Research Team” was looking for minutes of the Citizen Board meetings that are supposed to posted on its website. The last posting was for the minutes of the meeting on October 5, 2006. That was over 6 months ago and the board has been recently meeting weekly.

It should take less than 5 minutes to post the minutes on-line.

The lack of information and the failure to ask questions how this agency got into the mess it is in.

This involves the taxpayers’ money, but little is being said, less seems to be getting done (other than uncovering more problems) and information is hard to get.

C.B.

Uncategorized CB 7:00 am

Post-Katrina Mayor Ray Nagin’s plan for the New Orleans economic recovery was for a “casino district” in Downtown New Orleans with numerous casinos.

Nagin claimed that the additional casinos would bring people/tourists back to the city. The Harrah’s experience outlined in a recent Associated Press story which shows clearly the folly of Nagin’s economically-challenged plan.

The Harrah’s casino is now bringing in approximately the same amount of money it was pre-K, but now virtually all of it is coming from the locals.

The existing casino is only cannibalizing the existing businesses by sucking money out of the retail economy of New Orleans at a time when the local retailers are hanging on by their fingernails.

If anything the casino will serve to further setback the economic recovery of the city while killing off existing businesses.

C.B.

Uncategorized CB 7:00 am