Letter to La. DOTD Secretary Sheri LeBas

Secretary LeBas,

 Over this weekend some rather disturbing information has come to light.  Apparently, the more changes are attempted at the Crescent City Connection, the more they stay the same.  This last bait and switch is right up there with the best of them.

Let me preface this information by stating I have not met you personally, but did attend the meetings where you spoke in Algiers and West Jefferson Hospital.  You have an impressive history working at DOTD and obviously have the trust and confidence of Governor Jindal.  I believe that you want what is best for the CCC.  I believe, because you stated so, you have made it a priority with your staff to ensure things are done properly and transparently at the CCC.  The last thing you want are any more shenanigans.

Despite this, the shenanigans continue.  I will skip over the incidents which have come to light this year regarding contracts, signed after work performed and unsigned.  The task force is my focus.  First, the task force chairman, Mr. William Aaron, announces he will lead the task force effort to discuss renewal of the tolls as tolls are a source of revenue.  No matter what the exact language in the legislation may be, it is abundantly clear the legislative intent was for the task force to study how to run the bridge if the tolls are not renewed.  The Times Picayune and WWL4 have taken editorial positions coming to the same conclusion as myself.  But this is only on the border line of shenanigans.

Upon reading an article in the Times Picayune about the task force meeting Friday I did some research and was dismayed at what I easily found on the internet.  The article on the meeting clearly quotes the Executive Director of Legislative Services, Ms. Mary Quaid, stating she was unaware her employee, Mr. Clifford Williams, would be giving a legal opinion to the task force.  Who told him to attend the meeting and to render a legal opinion on the legislation?  The article also states Mr. Williams was introduced at the meeting by a DOTD attorney as a “senior attorney” from legislative services.  On the surface this information can be dismissed as miscommunication and innocent mistakes, nothing bad happening here.

The serious problem I have with the above information is that the chairman of the task force, who I believe has made it apparent in the media that he favors renewing the tolls, played some role in this incident which may soon become a fiasco for DOTD.  I looked up the disciplinary record of Mr. Clifford Williams and why he was banned for life from the practice of law.  It seems Mr. Williams can be referred to as a lying, deceptive maniac who after he was advised by the La. Office of Attorney Discipline that he was under investigation for practicing law without a license continued to take on cases representing clients in civil and criminal matters.  He lied to judges and falsified legal documents as well.  Humorously, he was receiving service on all the cases at the state office building where he worked, unbelievable.

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Now that this man is employed by the state in the position he is in is a matter for some discussion.  But that is not my focus.  My focus is what role, what actions or inactions, did Mr. William Aaron play in Mr. Williams presentation to the task force.  You see, Mr. William Aaron has a long history with the Office of Attorney Discipline and in fact participated in the investigation of Mr. Clifford Williams and signed the majority opinion that Mr. Williams’ actions were egregious with recommendation that he be barred from the practice of law for life.  This transpired in 2007.  Being barred for life from practicing law is a very rare event in attorney discipline and it’s unimaginable that Mr. Aaron doesn’t know and remember Mr. Williams quite well.  How can it be that Mr. Aaron let Mr. Williams be introduced to his task force as a “senior attorney” and then render a legal opinion to the task force right in front of him?

The answer to that question is as I stated at the start my letter.  Despite the capable best efforts of the secretary of DOTD to eradicate corruption, failed policies, personal fiefdoms, and incompetence at the division of CCC it all apparently continues.  I’m quite sure you are able to visualize the media reports from just this year concerning the CCC.  The only way to stop the ingrained decades long blood sucking vampire the CCC has been for the residents of the westbank is to put a stake through its heart and kill it once and for all.  For your part, this only requires you to recommend to the Governor that the tolls be allowed to expire next year.  I would also hope that you will recommend to the Governor the task force now be disbanded as its established that it cannot be trusted to perform as the legislation that created it intended and its chairman, in my opinion, has been discredited.

Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

John K Roberts

Chairman

Taxpayers Union of Louisiana

Westbank resident and business owner