Louisiana State Police Commission (LSPC) Member Jared Caruso-Riecke, in a pose which could serve as symbolism from Gov. Jeff Landry to St. Tammany Parish residents given that, on January 10, 2025, Landry chose Riecke to represent the First Congressional District over former popular Parish President and GOHSEP Director Kevin Davis.
On January 10, 2025, Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry instructed Louisiana Secretary of State Nancy Landry to issue a Membership to the LSPC representing the First Congressional District to Jared Caruso-Riecke.
Gov. Landry did so even with the full knowledge that popular former St. Tammany Parish President and GOHSEP Director Kevin Davis expressed his desire to serve the people in the First Congressional District on the LSPC.
Why did Gov. Landry’s decision upset so many people in St. Tammany Parish (trust us, his action infuriated many of them!)?
We have previously drawn extensive attention to the myriads of controversies surrounding Riecke, but what makes Landry’s decision all the more galling to the people in St. Tammany Parish are these three (3) facts:
- As we’ve illustrated before in Episode 9 of this thorough Counter Clock podcast, Riecke signed a felony plea on behalf of his company which entailed a $2.1 million fine (along with agreement to extend $12 million in already-spent remedies by making another $800,000 in remedies) to atone for, “millions of gallons of raw sewage” dumped into St. Tammany Parish waterways, with said millions of gallons of raw sewage eventually making their way into Lake Pontchartrain.
- It was former St. Tammany Parish President and GOHSEP Director Kevin Davis who was tasked with dealing with the fallout from Riecke’s company’s actions.
- On December 30, 2024, Kevin Davis made it known to Gov. Landry that he would like to serve the residents of the First Congressional District on the LSPC, yet Landry chose Riecke anyway!
Let’s present 10 minutes of audio excerpts from the above-referenced podcast focusing on the Riecke/Davis raw sewage matter:
Audio excepts from this podcast feature outlining the raw sewage problems associated with Riecke which former Parish President Kevin Davis had to resolve.
Pretty intriguing set of audio excerpts, no?
When Davis applied for the LSPC, he provided an extensive resume and bio. Let’s reproduce his email to Gov. Landry’s Office seeking appointment to the LSPC:
From:Kevin Davis
Cc:Ryan Roberts (Governor’s Office)
Subject:Louisiana State Police Commission
Date:Monday, December 30, 2024 12:50:55 PM
Attachments:Kevin Davis Resume with Bio 2024.pdf
Dr. Guillory,
I am writing to you to express my interest in being appointed to the Louisiana State Police Commission. I believe my experience and qualifications make me a strong candidate.
For your review, I have attached my detailed resume and bio. Should you have any questions or need further information please do not hesitate to contact me.
Thank you for considering me to serve on the LSP commission. I greatly appreciate your time and look forward to the possibility of contributing to the commission’s work.
Thank you, Kevin Davis
Now, as we gave thanks to former Dillard University President Walter Kimbrough for exposing the sham nature of LSPC appointments, he made this important observation that he wanted made known:
……..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.
Kimbrough is right in that any single State Senator, provided the appointee resides in that Senator’s District, can essentially block the confirmation of an appointee.
Close followers of Louisiana politics may recall that scenario playing out with regard to then-Senator Karen Carter Peterson who, though refusing to comment on the matter publicly, has been credited with single-handedly blocking then-Gov. John Bel Edwards’ appointee to head the Louisiana Gaming Control Board, Ronnie Jones.
So, if the voters of St. Tammany Parish feel incensed enough about Gov. Landry’s appointment of Riecke to the LSPC (particularly given his other option of Kevin Davis), perhaps they may wish to contact Riecke’s State Senator, Patrick McMath, and ask him to block Riecke’s nomination just as Karen Carter-Peterson is widely believed to have done with Ronnie Jones’ nomination.
To facilitate St. Tammany Parish residents who may wish to contact McMath, here’s a copy and paste from his Legislative webpage to assist them in their efforts:
Senator Patrick McMath
409 East Boston Street
Suite 200
Covington, LA 70433(985) 900-6278
Legislative Assistant: Noble-Bates Young
Even if someone does not reside in St. Tammany Parish but does reside in the First Congressional District, that person would still be represented by Riecke and therefore may also wish to reach out to Sen. McMath. Furthermore, that First Congressional District resident is certainly free to reach out to his or her own State Senator indicating a desire for the Senate to reject Riecke’s appointment.
After all, if McMath turns out to be unwilling to adhere to the will of St. Tammany Parish voters entailing Riecke (assuming enough of them feel strongly enough on the matter to reach out to him), those same voters just may wish to reevaluate whether he is the State Senator they want to continue serving them once his reelection efforts get underway in 2027.
In closing, we know what many people are asking: How did Gov. Landry appoint Riecke to serve on the LSPC when Dillard University President Dr. Monique Guillory did not even nominate Riecke? Wouldn’t that be a blatant violation of Louisiana’s Constitution?
We will provide the answer to those two questions, along with revealing many of the other behind-the-scenes shenanigans we’ve been able to uncover in this sordid episode, in the second installment of this feature. We just KNOW you’ll want to see that next feature and find out just what all transpired!
I have never met a more honest man in Louisiana State Government than Kevin Davis!!
I refuse to believe the Governor was made aware of all the details of this matter.
It is no secret that Kevin Davis is not afraid to call it what it is, no matter who’s involved in the fraud waste and abuse or fabrication of evidence by….!!!!
Governor Jeff Landry and/or President Trump (DOGE) Elon Musk need good men like Kevin Davis on their team!!
Really?
We talk about the Washington swamp, heck Landry is and has been neck deep in the deep, deep Louisiana swamp. This article confirms this. Do you need anymore convincing???
He is a total corrupt scumbag. Many of us who were endorsing ajohn Schroeder were besting the drum about who Jeff Landry is and was. Since taking office he has done little but to give perks to his rich donors. Somehow getting rid of state income taxes required a 3 percent reduction in corporate taxes, that was a hook up. Somehow the medical Marijuana grow operations were taken from the two universities and given to two billionaires to run, one of which owns Bollinger shipyard. So no private individual even got the opportunity to invest themselves in this industry. Lastly, go look at that 8 week homeless encampment they opened for the superbowl. It cost double what new orleans estimated to run it for an entire year, but look at the lemoine family it benefitted and follow the trail. Weird how the state constitution requires the governors job, and attorney generals job to be full time positions yet Jeff landry still runs 8 companies, all with the same address, and not one employee listed as working there. Where does he find the time?
Landry seems compromised at best. Sad I had high hopes for him.
Really?