Morial Friend Agrees to Deal in Tax Probe

"New Orleans political consultant William Schultz, a member of former Mayor Marc Morial's inner circle, was charged Tuesday with failing to file federal tax returns for two years during which he made money from companies run by other Morial associates.

Schultz, 57, has agreed to plead guilty to the charges and has paid nearly $187,000 in back taxes as part of a deal with federal prosecutors that requires him to help the government with other investigations, according to U.S. Attorney Jim Letten.

Schultz, for whom the deal proposes a one-year prison term, is accused of not reporting his 2001 and 2002 income to the Internal Revenue Service, including consulting fees he was paid by restaurateur Stan Barre's firm, Pampy's Inc., and Moss Creek Development, a construction company owned by Reginald Walker." |Read more|

4 Plead Not Guilty In City Corruption Probe

"A businessman close to ex-New Orleans Mayor Marc Morial, the city's former top property manager and two others pleaded not guilty Tuesday to charges that resulted from an ongoing federal probe into municipal corruption." |Read more|

City Hall Graft Trial Delayed

"The long-anticipated corruption trial of four men charged with looting a massive energy-efficiency contract signed by former Mayor Marc Morial, has been delayed from September to January because one of the principal defendants says he is suffering complications from a recent kidney transplant, court records show.

Attorneys for Kerry DeCay, who served as Morial's director of property management, asked for the deferral in federal court in mid-July, saying that DeCay is having trouble concentrating because of various medications he is taking after the operation, and is thus not fit to stand trial.

DeCay received a kidney transplant from his wife on Feb. 14, court records indicate. The trial was originally set for Sept. 5, but has been rescheduled for Jan. 16 by U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier.

The case revolves around the alleged siphoning of more than $1 million from a contract Morial signed with Johnson Controls Inc. of Milwaukee valued at up to $81 million. It was the largest contract let by the Morial administration, and the court case has the highest profile of any yielded thus far by a multiyear federal probe of contracting practices during Morial's eight years in office.

Defendants in the case, along with DeCay, include restaurateur and Morial confidant Stan "Pampy" Barre and businessmen Reginald Walker and Julius Lips Jr. Given the close ties between Morial and some of the defendants, the case is expected to shed new light on the ways that business and politics often intersect in New Orleans.

Another six people charged in the case have pleaded guilty to felony charges. They include Terry Songy, who was a project manager for Johnson Controls, and five subcontractors to the company. All six are cooperating with prosecutors." |Read more|

Former Mayor Morial Let Down by Allies' Guilty Pleas

"New Orleans lawyer Pat Fanning, who represents Morial, said that during a phone conversation this week with his client, the ex-mayor relayed feelings of sympathy for his three former associates, but added that he is "disappointed" by their courtroom admissions.

"He is sad for his friends, and particularly their families, because there is a distinct possibility they will go to jail," Fanning said. "At the same time, if they did what the government said they did -- and he has no knowledge of the facts of this case other then what he has read in the media -- he is very disappointed that they would have done those things."

For the record, businessman and Morial confidant Stan "Pampy" Barre; Kerry DeCay, the city's former property management director; and construction company owner Reginald Walker have pleaded guilty to multiple felonies in connection with a scheme to loot a massive energy-management contract awarded by Morial in the waning months of his eight years in office. As part of their respective pleas, all three men have agreed to cooperate with prosecutors." |Read more|

Six More Charged In Orleans City Hall Probe

"Court hearings were scheduled Wednesday for four men indicted as part of the investigation into corruption at City Hall under former Mayor Marc Morial's administration.

A city contract with a Milwaukee-based company, Johnson Controls, remains at the center of the investigation, which resulted earlier this year in grand jury indictments against four people with ties to Morial or his administration — restaurateur and Morial friend Stan "Pampy" Barre; Kerry De Cay, the director of property management under Morial; and subcontractors Reginald Walker and Julius Lips Jr.." |Read more

Feds Imply More Graft by Morial Associates

"None of the evidence is described in the original 24-page indictment.

Prosecutors will allege that Walker, who had City Hall subcontracts through waste hauler Browning-Ferris Industries to pick up office recycling and handle customer complaints, "kicked back" some of the money from one of those deals to Barre, according to the defense motions.

Prosecutors also will claim that DeCay "forced" SMG, a company that manages the Superdome and the New Orleans Cultural Center, to "take on Barre's friend and tax preparer" Nile Vincent as part of its contract with the city. DeCay oversaw the cultural center as part of his City Hall job." |Read more|

Morial Associates Turn Over Documents To Grand Jury - News Story - WDSU New Orleans

"Attorney Jack Martzell, who represents Haydel and Barre, said both his clients intend to appear in court Thursday to personally deliver the documents requested. He said prosecutors are seeking a wide range of records from Barre about numerous companies he has been involved with. Haydel's subpoena is narrower." |Read more|

Councilman Oliver Thomas Pleads Guilty To Accepting Bribes

Today, Councilman Oliver Thomas pleaded guilty to taking bribes from Stan "Pampy" Barre. During his tearful admission, he apologized to the City of New Orleans for his actions. Boo Hew Hew! Oliver Thomas. It is too bad you are not familiar with the old saying: "He who lay down with dogs, get up with fleas".

You chose to lay down with that number one dog Stan "Pampy" Barre. To you former Mayor Marc Morial; are you on pins and needles right now? Bad boy, bad boy, what are you going to do if the feds come after you? You know that "yellow belly" Stan "Pampy"
Barre is spilling his guts with the hope that he does not spend too many of his golden years in Federal Prison. After all, who is left to make his "Swamp Tasting Gumbo"? Since he is such a lowlife thief, I wouldn't be surprise if one of his main ingredients, in his gumbo, was alligator piss he stole out of the bayou.

Councilman Oliver Thomas - Another Corrupt Individual

Later on today, we will learn more about the charges that Councilman Oliver Thomas is facing. He always held himself out to be such an ethical man. I guess we can't believe what he says since his actions have given us a gigantic leap into his character.