Month: January 2025

Louisiana State Police Commission (LSPC) Executive Director Jason Hannaman.

With the possible exceptions of our August 10, 2018 appeal hearing for LSP Trooper Joseph Jones and our September 10, 2020 breaking of the Ronald Greene matter, our series of features entailing Gov. Landry’s filling the vacancy for the First Congressional District of the LSPC has elicited the strongest emotions of any matter upon which we’ve ever reported.

We’ve already referenced the revelations made by Dr. Walter Kimbrough entailing University Presidents, “simply being used as cover for these LSPC appointments,” and his emphatic statement that defying any Governor’s choice in making the selection is, “political suicide.”

Well, our feature wherein former LSPC Commissioner Lloyd Grafton referenced Jared Caruso-Riecke as a “disgrace,” and in which Belinda Parker-Brown, who supplied a photo of Riecke and his wife making obscene gestures at a 2024 Mardi Gras Ball, and who stated that Riecke, who had served on the LSPC since mid-2016 (to include a reappointment in December of 2018), “does not reflect the values of Dillard University” generated strong emotions as well.

In the feature, we quoted an LSP retired Lieutenant regarding his contention that LSPC Executive Director Jason Hannaman engaged in “lobbying” for Riecke to be reappointed.  From the feature entailing the retired Lieutenant’s quote:

He had some strong sentiments about LSPC’s Executive Director, Jason Hannaman, regarding the section of Hannaman’s December 5, 2024 letter to Guillory which he characterized as, “nothing short of direct lobbying for Guillory to place Riecke’s name on the list and for Riecke to be reappointed.”

From the wording of Hannaman’s letter, which was placed on prominent display in our last feature, with the following segment deemed particularly objectionable by the retired Lieutenant:

he is interested in continuing his service and bringing his unique business insight to the Commission; and, he is hopeful to be nominated once again so that he may be considered for a new term on the Commission.

The retired Lieutenant took it a step further by indicating that Riecke’s name should not have been even mentioned in the letter but, instead, the responsibility should be upon Riecke to reach out to Guillory and make any desire he may have to be reappointed made known to her.  His logic is that, by having such wording on the letter to Guillory, it defeats the whole purpose of having the independence of the university Presidents make the selections, and we do find it hard to argue against the point he makes.

Well, as we said, emotions have run high for this series.

As we’ve indicated, Dr. Kimbro wasn’t happy with Sound Off Louisiana’s feature wherein Kimbro indicated that even tasking University Presidents with involvement in the process constitutes an, “exercise in futility,” and poses an “undue burden” upon them.

Similarly, LSPC Executive Director, Jason Hannaman, took exception to both the retired LSP Lieutenant’s assessment above together with us giving that assessment more prominence in our most recent feature.

Accordingly, on Friday, January 3, 2025, at 10:32 a.m., Hannaman fired off this email to us, which included a number of past letters sent to University Presidents.

We are going to afford Hannaman the same courtesy that we afforded to Dr. Kimbro who, incidentally, sent an email expressing gratitude to us after we praised him for exposing the “raw naked truth about the sham nature of these appointments.”

Accordingly, we are about to present a video we’ve produced along with the embedding of every single word Hannaman had to say on the matter.

However, we want to stress one thing before presenting the wording of Hannaman’s email (and it’s stated early on in the video).

We had no knowledge of any death in Hannaman’s wife’s family at the time we corresponded with him.  We want that emphasized lest anyone obtain the false impressing that Burns be characterized as, “one of the most cold-hearted people around.”  With that disclaimer out of the way, here’s the video:

 January 5, 2025:  Burns outlines Hannaman’s email and provides his occasional commentary.  [Note:  There is occasional blurring of the video, but it does not last long.]

Now here is the entirety of Hannaman’s email but, as indicated above, the email Hannaman sent which is linked above contains several past letters sent to University Presidents, including Riecke’s 2018 letter for reappointment.:

From: Jason Hannaman <[email protected]>
Sent: Friday, January 3, 2025 10:32 AM
To: Robert Burns <[email protected]>
Subject: Good morning.

Good morning, Mr. Burns,

I am reading through the final draft of the eulogy I have prepared for today’s services; however, I would be remiss if I didn’t pause to provide a brief clarification since I am so prominently featured in your most recent post.

In my nomination letters to college and university presidents for an expiring term, I always indicate whether or not the current member is interested in being nominated once again. The letter to each president attempts to succinctly (re)introduce them to the process, answer the reasonable question of who is serving in that capacity now, highlight the requirement that three nominees be submitted to the governor for consideration, and provide a deadline that ensures timely receipt within the parameters outlined in the Louisiana Constitution.

Early in my role as Executive Director, I recall conversations with Dan Sullivan of the Louisiana Civil Service League regarding obtaining nominations. He noted that some college and university presidents simply did not want to be bothered with nominations to the State Civil Service Commission or State Police Commission, but that it was part of their job as outlined in the Louisiana Constitution. He also noted that looking at an alumni database and filtering by zip code was a simple start in finding a qualified nominee to represent the college or university.

Contrary to how I have been portrayed in your article, I have no horse in this race or any nomination. I have only ever attempted to ensure that the nomination process for vacancies and expiring terms, as well as the employee election process, is followed to the letter of the law in each and every instance – which, as you have reported, was not always the case.

Regards,

 

Jason Hannaman, PHR, SHRM-CP Executive Director Louisiana State Police Commission Phone: 225-925-7057 Fax: 225-925-7058 Email: [email protected] 5825 Florida Blvd., Suite 1180 Baton Rouge, LA 70806 www.laspc.com

Entailing that segment of the video above referencing Riecke and whether Hannaman should have seen fit to include other revelations about Riecke vs. keeping a University President in the dark regarding same:

==>  Riecke signed a guilty plea (on behalf of his company) regarding dumping raw sewage in various waterways in St. Tammany Parish, which constitutes a violation of the Federal Clean Water Act,

==> Former St Tammany Parish President Kevin Davis clearly outlined all of the problems he had to deal with entailing Riecke’s so-called “unique business insight,”

==>  Anyone is welcome to verify same by viewing the documents and by simply playing the recording associated with Counter-Clock podcast, Season 5, Episode 9.

So, in the end, it’s up to our site visitors to decide whether Hannaman’s characterizations of Riecke constitute “lobbying” or not.

We’ve provided the sentiments of a retired LSP Trooper who is very emphatic in his belief that those characterizations do in fact constitute “lobbying,” and we’ve presented Hannaman’s contention, in full, that his characterizations of Riecke do not constitute “lobbying.”

Our site visitors are the final judges, and we leave that assessment up to them!

Louisiana State Police Commission (LSPC) Executive Director Jason Hannaman, who is alleged to have engaged in, “nothing short of direct lobbying” for the reappointment of one of his then-bosses, Jared Caruso-Riecke.  That allegation arises from a December 5, 2024 letter from Hannaman to Dillard University President Monique Guillory informing her of the vacancy created by Riecke’s term expiring the same day of the letter (12/5/24).

It has been quite some time since we’ve had the intense interest in a Sound Off Louisiana series to compare with that which has been generated by the vacancy on the LSPC as a result of long-time Commissioner Jared Caruso-Riecke’s term expiring on December 5, 2024.

We’ve learned plenty since we began the series on December 16, 2024.

Perhaps no discovery is more revealing than former Dillard University President Walter Kimbrough making it crystal clear that University Presidents are, “simply cover for these appointments,” together with his emphatic statement that, “defying a Governor’s choice is political suicide.”

In making his revelations, Dr. Kimbrough provided irrefutable evidence of what many individuals (including us at Sound Off Louisiana) have theorized for a long time:  that the whole nomination process by University Presidents is nothing short of a total and complete sham!

It was on Sunday, December 22, 2024 that we published this feature outlining the many controversies of Riecke.  The feature even contained a lead photo of he and his wife displaying obscene gestures on Facebook at a Mardi Gras Ball in 2024.

Perhaps it’s not coincidental then that, the very next day, Monday, December 23, 2024, which was also two days after being named Dillard’s permanent President, Monique Guillory drafted this letter to Gov. Jeff Landry indicating that her nominee for the position is Mr. Stephen L. Guidry, Jr.  Gov. Landry previously appointed Guidry to the  Louisiana Highway and Safety Commission earlier in 2024, and he serves as Chairman of that Commission.

In conformity with Kimbrough’s contention about University Presidents, “serving as cover” for appointments that are, in reality, dictated to them by the Governor, Guidry’s name was the only one submitted by Guillory.

Guillory also supplied a brief paragraph about Guidry that would serve the dual purpose of making an easy copy and paste whenever Gov. Landry’s Office formally announces Guidry’s appointment.

From President Guillory’s 12/23/24 letter (which was received by the LSPC on Thursday, December 26, 2024 @ 4:53 p.m.):

Mr. Guidry is an established business owner in the community, supporter of local charity organizations and dedicated public servant. He has served as a Commissioner for the Louisiana Motor Vehicle Commission since 2016, and in 2024 was named Chairman of the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission.

With Guidry’s appointment, Gov. Landry has essentially placed his own footprint on the LSPC by his near complete overhaul of its composition.

The only Edwards holdover on the LSPC is Commissioner Mark “Aubrey” Cole, whom then-WBRZ reporter Chris Nakamoto aired this feature entailing, “racism claimed by an employee of Cole.”

[Note:  Monty Montelongo serves as the elected active LSP Trooper representative and is thus not appointed by the Governor.]

Speaking of Nakamoto, his non-compete agreement with WBRZ is now up.  In fact, on Monday, January 6, 2025, his first feature on WAFB is being touted.

That feature entails former St. Tammany Parish Sheriff Jack Strain and the fact that he has been receiving his $11,000/month pension while serving in prison for his conviction on molesting a number of young boys.

We’re anxious to see Nakamoto back on air in the Baton Rouge market, and he’ll also be anchoring WAFB’s 5 p.m. newscast.

We wish the very best to Gov. Landry’s new appointees to the LSPC because, God knows, they can’t possibly be much worse than those of Gov. Edwards.

Furthermore,  we know from all the emails, phone calls, and the social media shares of our series on Riecke’s vacancy that he had a massive level of opposition to any reappointment of him by Gov. Landry.

Accordingly, we strongly commend Landry on not making a Riecke reappointment despite many folk, including former Dillard President Kimbrough, assessing LSPC Executive Director Hannaman as having engaged in “lobbying” to Dillard University President Guillory for Landry to make such a reappointment.

Former Dillard University President Walter M. Kimbrough.

In 1991, Louisiana voters approved, in the form of a Constitutional Amendment, permitting the Louisiana State Police (LSP) to have its own civil service department, and that department is the Louisiana State Police Commission (LSPC).

An important sales pitch made to voters for the formation of the LSPC was that its Members would be “independent” of the Governor and would instead be comprised of individuals who were recommended by private university Presidents across Louisiana.

Many folk have quietly contended that the entire process for obtaining nominees for these appointments is essentially a sham and that the Governor merely tells the University Presidents who should be nominated, and that’s who makes the list.  Nevertheless, until this week, there has been no way to supply definitive proof that voters’ assurance that these selections are independent of the Governor is being violated and that Louisiana’s Constitution is being blatantly violated by Governors choosing to circumvent both the letter and the spirit of that Constitutional provision.

Sure, we saw it essentially play out when former LSPC Executive Director Cathy Derbonne allegedly got told to,  “shut the f— up” by former Gov. John Bel Edwards’ Office.  She got that alleged directive from Gov. Edwards’ Office after she complained that the Constitution was not being adhered to.

Nevertheless, the alleged action by Edwards’ Office to Derbonne is just that:  an allegation.  Thus, even though the allegation got formalized in pleadings filed in court as Derbonne sued the LSPC asserting a “constructive discharge,” her allegation doesn’t constitute authoritative proof that this entire process is a complete and total sham.

All that changed this week, however, when former Dillard University President Dr. Walter Kimbrough responded to our most recent feature  by indicating that University Presidents are, “simply being used as cover” for the appointments and that, by appointing anyone other than the one the Governor tells them to appoint, they would be committing “political suicide.”

In the video for today’s feature, Sound Off Louisiana‘s founder, Robert Burns, expresses his heartfelt appreciation to Dr. Kimbrough for exposing the raw naked truth of this entire sham process for precisely what it is:  a sham!  Here’s the video:

 12/31/24:  Burns expresses his heartfelt gratitude to former Dillard University President Walter Kimbrough for exposing the, “raw and naked truth of the sham nature of these LSPC appointments.”  Regarding Kimbrough’s reference to Congressman Fields, beginning at the 6:45 mark, we replicate Fields’ ditching of his bill to abolish the LSPC and the fact that Fields actually had the bill, “withdrawn from the files of the Senate.”

Click here to see Dr. Walter Kimbrough’s email in its entirety, which we are also incorporating into this feature.  Here’s Dr. Kimbrough’s email:

Mr. Burns-

Thank you for including me after you published your blog without getting my insight. Since you found my email address, clearly you had a motive for the approach you took.

I found it interesting that you made me the subject of your hit piece (picture included) when over the past decade there have been scores of issues with this commission. I can’t find you attacking the school that nominated Sabrina Richardson (who was it anyway?) and she has been in the news the most.

Your post is misleading. We submit names for consideration- the Governor decides. And while you were able to access written communication, you did not have access to all communications.

You then conveniently left out the fact that over 70% of citizens voted in 2022 to give the Senate veto authority on any nominee. In essence, Senator Cleo Fields raised the same issues I had, created a constitutional amendment, and it passed. This now provides a great check and balance so that any Senator can prevent a problematic nominee from being confirmed. This now removes universities from the politics of this appointment, which is good.

Louisiana Amendment 3, Senate Confirmation for Appointees to State Police Commission Measure (December 2022) – Ballotpedia

The fair thing would be to include this fact. But again, you had a motive. And your attempt to pit me against the Black community and the Ronald Greene tragedy was insulting.

In the end, university presidents are simply being used as cover for these appointments. I stand by my letter that we don’t have the time to thoroughly vet positions that ultimately we don’t select, and as even you figured out in Hannaman’s December 5th letter to President Guillory, lobbying is and has been done to ensure preferred candidates are one of the 3 nominees. Asking people to send her nominees is great, but understand that if any Governor wants a particular candidate as one of the 3, they will be included. There is no incentive for any president to defy a Governor over a matter that does not directly impact their operations. That’s political suicide.

So again, tell me why anyone should waste time and energy to find nominees, especially if a Governor has a preferred candidate and they ultimately choose?

Don’t attack the presidents. The process is broken. The 2022 amendment is a good step forward.

Walter M. Kimbrough

Interim President

Talladega College

It probably comes as no surprise that we’ll remain on top of this whole process of filling the vacancy of LSPC Member Jared Riecke, whose term expired on December 5, 2024, in real time.

Happy New Year!