[StBernard] Louisiana's Dr. Jindal and Mr. Hide

[Westley Annis]

What is Bobby Jindal hiding?  Why won't he and his staff answer basic
questions?  Is he fit to be Governor when he preaches one thing and does
something totally inapposite? 

 

These are the questions I ask myself as I look at campaign expenditure
records that were sent to me.  These records absolutely raises a big
question--who the real Bobby Jindal?

 

For months, all we have received from Bobby Jindal is bone silence.  We know
nothing about his real abilities to deal with the basic issues of health,
welfare, security of this state.  We know he is bright, was accepted to the
top Ivy League medical and law schools, is a fast talker, but, know he is a
dodger and won't answer basic questions or discuss hard issues with his
opponents or with reporters concerning his past or our future.  

 

Before I get slammed as being anti-Jindal or anti-Republican, remember, I
voted for Jindal him four years ago, wrote that Governor Blanco should not
run, wrote that John Breaux should not run, voted for George Bush and have
championed many Republican causes in the past.  

 

As far as Mr. Jindal, I once thought he was about openness.  Now, I know, he
is about being silence and hiding  That concerns me greatly.  It tells me
his administration will be anything but transparent.  

 

Since Jindal is running with "ethics on his sleeves", since I have reviewed
public records sent to me, I am now very concerned about his credibility
concerning his values and ethics. To wit:

 

After Bobby Jindal lost his Gubernatorial campaign in late 2003, he filed
his intent with the Federal Election Commission to run for federal office on
February 3, 2004.  After that he started to raise money as he began to run
for Congress.  However, on February 16, 2004, he paid $31,688 to Strategic
Directon.com. Inc, of Tallahasse, FL from money from his Governor's race
account.   Then, on March 2, 2004, he paid $13,660 to The Anderson Group,
Bowie, of Maryland.   Why were these large expenses paid so late after his
Governor's race and while he was running for Congress?  Almost all political
firms get their money for political campaigns up front, so why would he be
disbursing money from his Governor's account after filing to run for federal
office and months after losing to Governor Blanco?  What were the purposes
of these expenditures?  We don't know.  He refuses to tell us.

 

Then, on June 15, 2004, Jindal paid from his Gubernatorial account, $11,368
to Haynes Motor Lines  for  "Moving Expense".  Moving expense for what?  For
his move to Kenner so he could run for Congress?  The major ethical problem
with this transaction is -this money came out of his Gubernatorial account.
What would give him the right to use his gubernatorial race money to move
his personal residence, if that is what he did?  He certainly cannot use
gubernatorial money for a Congressional race.  What could possibly have cost
over eleven thousand dollars?  Why was it paid over seven months after he
lost his gubernatorial campaign?  Campaigns use volunteers to move tables,
phones and other items.  They certainly do not use moving companies.   

 

Later, Jindal won his Congressional bid.    

 

 

Later, in June of 2006, Jindal raised money for his 2007 gubernatorial run
and at the same time, he paid some very interesting expenses from his
Congressional account.  At that time, he ran for re-election for his
Congressional seat.  He was a complete "shoe-in" had little or no
competition and while running for Congress, according to the Advocate,
Jindal collected $140,000 from 28 Baton Rouge donors on June 5, 2006 for his
Governor's run.

 

So, while running a Congressional race where he was a "slam dunk", he was
prancing around the state priming for his gubernatorial race spending gobs
of money on that Congressional race where nobody knew his opponent.  Then,
the numbers get even funkier.  Starting March 27, 2006, Jindal spent over
one hundred thousand dollars with GCR & Associates for Computer software and
development for that "no-competition" Congressional race.  By comparison,
Mayor C. Ray Nagin, spent approximately $25,000 with the same company for
what seems to be similar type of services in his race for Mayor.  Again,
Jindal spent four times the amount of money with GCR & Associates to run a
Congressional race he could not lose, yet Ray Nagin spent one fourth of the
money to run a race where he had serious competition.  During this time,
Jindal was raising money for his Governor's race.   

 

Which raises the ultimate question-in 2006, was Bobby Jindal then using his
Congressional election money to pay for expenses that were really related to
his gubernatorial 2007 gubernatorial run?  Why would Jindal spend over
$100,000 for computer expenses for a congressional run for a seat he had a
"lock" and at the same time, he was traveling around the state really
running for Governor?  

 

I do not have answers, but I am asking the questions because he and his
campaign refuse to talk.  We all should be asking these questions and
forcing the answers.  He has refused to answer questions about his record
post-Katrina and has refused to face the public in open debate on the issues
At a time when Louisiana so desperately needs full discussion on all of the
issues, he is mute.  I am told by experts he is a certainty to win, but some
of us have real concerns about his policies and will keep an open mind but
won't vote along party lines for anyone.

 

After raising my concerns about his refusal to debate, I still had questions
about his positions.  I received nothing but stone from a campaign that has
millions to run an election and hire press secretaries.  Certainly his
campaign could answer questions, but after well over a dozen attempts for
information, I received zilch.  

 

So, very recently, I received information that disturbed me related to his
supposed high ethics, openness in government and honesty-the basic tenets of
his campaign.

 

On Tuesday, I wrote his campaign manager asking for some information:

 

Here is a copy of the e-mail to Tim Teepell:

 

Timmy,

As publisher of Bayoubuzz asking you to discuss with me on the record all
information relative to these items which I wrote about in my column on
Tuesday.   Bayoubuzz will be looking very hard at all candidates for
information about their past as it relates to their policy issues including
the Bobby Jindal campaign.  Since your campaign has refused to respond to my
simple innocuous requests in the past, I am assuming you will not respond to
this one.

 

Again, as a former voter for Bobby Jindal (because he was open about his
finances and his positions) and as someone who could vote for him again this
fall, I personally am not out to "get" any candidate.  I share his and your
concern about making Louisiana as ethical, as viable and as competitive as
possible.  However, I want to make sure that my writing is accurate and that
Bayoubuzz maintains the high credibility it has enjoyed over the years.  If
I am wrong about anything, I will be the first to apologize in public.
I am very confused about these items and you can clarify my confusion by
providing me information and documentation.

 

I will be writing about this issue again on Thursday and hopefully I will be
able to accompany it with a full disclosure and explanation from your
campaign about these expenditures.    I look forward to talking to you and
my door is always open.  My phone number again is 504-339-3254.

 

 

These items below are from the 2003 Gubernatorial campaign, as you know.  

 

Last, as I have mentioned to you personally and publicly, I have always
known Bobby to be "above board".  But the campaign silence on this now and
other issues dealing with policy raises various questions which I believe
should be addressed.  So, please get with me as soon as possible so I can
address this matter openly and honestly with my readers and so they will
know there was nothing improper.   At a later time, I hope that we can
discuss policy issues so I can better educate my readers and so they can get
this information directly from Bobby.

Steve

Haynes Motor Lines Inc.
 Baton Rouge
 LA
  
 6/15/2004
 Moving Expense
 11368.22
  

 

 
 

 

 

Strategic Direction.Com Inc.
 P.O. Box 795
 Tallahasse
 FL
  
 2/16/2004
 Campaign Consulting
 31688.47
 

 

On Wednesday, I discussed the matter with a Michael DiResto who has been
hired by the Republican party as a spokespersont.  Mr. DiResto told me he
would discuss my concerns   with the Jindal campaign.

 

I then followed that conversation with this letter (My italics)

 

"Michael,

I enjoyed our chat.

Let me explain, I do not have a horse in this race.  I dislike all political
to the extent that they demand loyalties.  

I do have serious questions about Bobby Jindal's fundraising.  I have called
their office in the past about policy issues as I have done with other
candidates so I understand the issues better, as I did with you tonight .  I
also want to discuss policy, not muck  

 

I am not saying there are not points Bobby and I do not have disagreements.
But, I do try to be responsible and get information first before shooting
from the hip.  I have called or emailed them well over a dozen times.
Whoever is calling the shots is making a big mistake, not just in my case
because I have been trying to get to the truth about policy and issues, but
I believe definitely among the media who I believe feel like they cannot get
any information.  

 

So, now, someone sent me information that is public record and I do have
real questions regarding campaign ethics.  I am hoping they can be cleared
up but I am not getting any response whatsoever from the Jindal camp.   I
gave them to Thursday.  I will extend it to Friday.  Simple answers and
documentation can clarify this and can satisfy me if it makes sense.   I am
not trying to torpedo anyone, just do my job and I think my audience expects
this from me.  So, since you have contact with their camp, I will wait until
Friday before publishing.  Again, I am not trying to do a job on anyone.  I
am treating all candidates equally and when I am presented information on
the other candidates that do not make sense, I probe and decide if it is
worthwhile.

 

So, I hope you can penetrate them so I can get some basic answers.
Otherwise, I will write my column on this issue on Friday.  I do appreciate
your help here as I always appreciated your efforts and Cong. Baker's
efforts with his Baker plan.  

 

Again, simple answers and documentation hopefully would be more than
sufficient.  I look forward to your help.

Steve" (My italics)

 

Then, yesterday, I again wrote Mr. DiResto and said, "Michael,

I do hope you help bridge the gap.  I will run what I have and just ask
questions. That is not what I want to do, but think the information is
important enough it should be out there.  

I have not heard from the Jindal campaign.  I will run my story tomorrow.
Again, I look forward to your assistance so I get all the facts.

Steve"  (My italics)

 

I did not receive any response from anyone on this issue and have not
received a single answer from the Jindal campaign about any issue for
months.  Nor, has Louisiana heard from Jindal in open debate and due to his
refusal to engage in forums, we will only have one state wide discussion
although our state has been devastated due to Katrina and Rita and remains
at the top of all of the "bad lists" and at the bottom of all of the "good
lists".    .

 

Ethic is Jindal's main campaign policy plank and other than providing us
wish lists, he is not providing us with answers about himself.  If he will
not answer questions now about his past, about his policies, about the
future, what type of Governor will he be in the future?

 

There are more important issues in this world than winning a Governor's
race.  There is his honor and his valor.  When he goes into a bunker
mentality and runs a canned campaign, refuses to let the media know where he
will be so they can ask him questions, refuses to debate the burning
questions of the day, refuses to face the public under scrutiny instead of a
staged speech, I have serious problems with that candidate, his courage and
his honesty.  Who he is means everything to this state's future.  After
refusing to answer any questions about anything of substance other than
blasting the past and posting policy positions that require the crucible of
a debate, Bobby Jindal now has the burden to show this state that he has the
ability and the ethics to be Governor of Louisiana.  It is time that Mr.
Jindal, stops clowning round like a mime.   It is time he tells us why he is
worthy to be our Governor.  It is time for him to face the public, face his
competition and discuss the issues.  And it is certainly time that he
responds to serious questions about his prior campaign financing.  His
credibility and his ethics are on the line.  Unfortunately, he cannot hear
him since he refuses to speak.