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Audit says EBR Council on Aging may have broken state, federal election laws
Posted by tke857 on 5/8/17 at 8:05 am731
The East Baton Rouge Council on Aging used public funds and resources throughout much of 2016 to campaign for a dedicated property tax—an apparent violation of state and federal law that could jeopardize the nonprofit organization’s tax-exempt status, according to a long-awaited Louisiana Legislative Auditor’s report released this morning.
The audit details several potential violations of state and federal election law by COA management and staff in the months leading up to the Nov. 8 election for the 10-year, 2.25-mill property tax, which voters narrowly approved and is estimated to generate nearly $8 million a year for the COA.
Though many of the violations have been previously alleged and reported on, the audit is the first official confirmation from a governmental entity that the COA engaged in apparent wrongdoing, whether intentional or not.
Among the findings, the audit says:
COA management and staff spent work hours and used work-related resources such as email accounts to operate the Support Our Seniors political action committee, which campaigned for the tax.
Nearly $25,000 in revenues from political ads placed in the COA’s quarterly magazine were donated to the PAC.
The COA used the agency credit card to pay for some $15,000 of the PAC’s campaign expenses.
Additionally, the audit says the COA used its U.S. Postal Service nonprofit postage permit to mail more than 34,000 pieces of mail for the PAC at a discounted rate. The COA has previously acknowledged this was a mistake and has reimbursed the U.S Postal Service some $1,450. The audit found the discount actually came to nearly $3,700.
In a published response to the audit findings, COA’s attorney Murphy J. Foster III says the agency’s management did not intentionally violate campaign finance laws but, rather, did not fully understand what was legally permissible.
“The COA received very little in the way of advice as to what could and could not, what should and should not be done for or in the name of the PAC,” Foster writes. “Unfortunately, the legal nuances of permitted and prohibited dealings were never fully explained to the leadership at the COA such that all the t’s would be crossed and i’s dotted … in maintaining the relationship (as well as the distance) between the two entities.”
Foster does not say in the response where the advice should have come from, but mentions that political consulting firm Ourso Beychok initially “pitched” the COA in early 2016 on hiring it to handle the tax campaign and helped the COA form the PAC. He notes that COA never contracted with Ourso Beychok to manage the campaign, but suggests COA management thought the firm was helping with the campaign pro bono.
“Given that this was the COA’s first and only foray into the political arena and first and only dealing with the concept of a PAC, the leadership and the agency should have been better informed and advised on the nuances of campaign finance law,” Foster says.
It is unclear whether any state or federal charges will be filed against the agency, which has been at the center of controversy on multiple fronts since allegations surrounding the campaign first surfaced late last year.
See a summary of the audit, or the full report. Read Daily Report AM for more on this story, and check out a recent Business Report cover story on the COA.
LINK
The audit details several potential violations of state and federal election law by COA management and staff in the months leading up to the Nov. 8 election for the 10-year, 2.25-mill property tax, which voters narrowly approved and is estimated to generate nearly $8 million a year for the COA.
Though many of the violations have been previously alleged and reported on, the audit is the first official confirmation from a governmental entity that the COA engaged in apparent wrongdoing, whether intentional or not.
Among the findings, the audit says:
COA management and staff spent work hours and used work-related resources such as email accounts to operate the Support Our Seniors political action committee, which campaigned for the tax.
Nearly $25,000 in revenues from political ads placed in the COA’s quarterly magazine were donated to the PAC.
The COA used the agency credit card to pay for some $15,000 of the PAC’s campaign expenses.
Additionally, the audit says the COA used its U.S. Postal Service nonprofit postage permit to mail more than 34,000 pieces of mail for the PAC at a discounted rate. The COA has previously acknowledged this was a mistake and has reimbursed the U.S Postal Service some $1,450. The audit found the discount actually came to nearly $3,700.
In a published response to the audit findings, COA’s attorney Murphy J. Foster III says the agency’s management did not intentionally violate campaign finance laws but, rather, did not fully understand what was legally permissible.
“The COA received very little in the way of advice as to what could and could not, what should and should not be done for or in the name of the PAC,” Foster writes. “Unfortunately, the legal nuances of permitted and prohibited dealings were never fully explained to the leadership at the COA such that all the t’s would be crossed and i’s dotted … in maintaining the relationship (as well as the distance) between the two entities.”
Foster does not say in the response where the advice should have come from, but mentions that political consulting firm Ourso Beychok initially “pitched” the COA in early 2016 on hiring it to handle the tax campaign and helped the COA form the PAC. He notes that COA never contracted with Ourso Beychok to manage the campaign, but suggests COA management thought the firm was helping with the campaign pro bono.
“Given that this was the COA’s first and only foray into the political arena and first and only dealing with the concept of a PAC, the leadership and the agency should have been better informed and advised on the nuances of campaign finance law,” Foster says.
It is unclear whether any state or federal charges will be filed against the agency, which has been at the center of controversy on multiple fronts since allegations surrounding the campaign first surfaced late last year.
See a summary of the audit, or the full report. Read Daily Report AM for more on this story, and check out a recent Business Report cover story on the COA.
LINK
This post was edited on 5/8 at 8:07 am
re: Audit says EBR Council on Aging may have broken state, federal election lawsPosted by saint tiger225 on 5/8/17 at 8:09 am to tke857
I really wish they'd burn that, and all the crooked bitches who work there, down.
ETA - did anyone ever make that "IN" gif from the "We accept EBT/We deliver meats" ice cream truck that was on LIVE PD this past weekend? That was pure gold.
ETA2 - for anyone who missed it...
ETA - did anyone ever make that "IN" gif from the "We accept EBT/We deliver meats" ice cream truck that was on LIVE PD this past weekend? That was pure gold.
ETA2 - for anyone who missed it...
This post was edited on 5/8 at 8:16 am
re: Audit says EBR Council on Aging may have broken state, federal election lawsPosted by Will Cover on 5/8/17 at 8:09 am to tke857
Tarsha also purchased a home in 2010. 1 year later, in 2011, her house was foreclosed on.
Makes one wonder how did she obtain a personal loan for payroll for EBRCOA employees?
No smart lending institution would loan money again to someone within 7 years to someone that has proven to be not responsible enough to handle her own finances.
Makes one wonder how did she obtain a personal loan for payroll for EBRCOA employees?
No smart lending institution would loan money again to someone within 7 years to someone that has proven to be not responsible enough to handle her own finances.
This post was edited on 5/8 at 9:04 am
re: Audit says EBR Council on Aging may have broken state, federal election lawsPosted by Loungefly85 on 5/8/17 at 8:10 am to tke857
Real shocker there
But the Gravy Bunch says it's a witch hunt because..... racism.
But the Gravy Bunch says it's a witch hunt because..... racism.
This post was edited on 5/8 at 8:11 am
re: Audit says EBR Council on Aging may have broken state, federal election lawsPosted by Antonio Moss on 5/8/17 at 8:10 am to tke857
quote:
“The COA received very little in the way of advice as to what could and could not, what should and should not be done for or in the name of the PAC,”
The directly funded the PAC with COA revenue. Not being able to do that is not that difficult of a concept to grasp.
They were either too stupid or so arrogant to misdirected/launder the money.
re: Audit says EBR Council on Aging may have broken state, federal election lawsPosted by SlowFlowPro on 5/8/17 at 8:14 am to tke857
quote:
In a published response to the audit findings, COA’s attorney Murphy J. Foster III says the agency’s management did not intentionally violate campaign finance laws but, rather, did not fully understand what was legally permissible.
wow
i mean that's an amazing defense when the big issue with COA is that they've been given tens of millions of dollars of public funds. "we may use this money to break various laws, but we need this money and you can trust us with it". great marketing angle
quote:
“The COA received very little in the way of advice as to what could and could not, what should and should not be done for or in the name of the PAC,” Foster writes. “Unfortunately, the legal nuances of permitted and prohibited dealings were never fully explained to the leadership at the COA such that all the t’s would be crossed and i’s dotted … in maintaining the relationship (as well as the distance) between the two entities.”
again...they break a ton of laws while promoting their political friends in order to benefit their agency
this wasn't some isolated incident that can be chalked up as a mistake. this isn't like an improper dinner or giving a forum to candidates they shouldn't have, or even a serious, isolated incident like endorsing a political candidate once. this was lawbreaking on a MASS scale over a long period of time
either they're criminals or incredibly incompetent, and they want tens of millions of public dollars to fund an enterprise that isn't even controlled by the democratic process (as it's a private organization). warning bells are ringing
re: Audit says EBR Council on Aging may have broken state, federal election lawsPosted by member12 on 5/8/17 at 8:14 am to Antonio Moss
quote:
They were either too stupid or so arrogant to misdirected/launder the money
They think the law should not have to apply to them. It's a crime family.
re: Audit says EBR Council on Aging may have broken state, federal election lawsPosted by tke857 on 5/8/17 at 8:15 am to SlowFlowPro
quote:
“The COA received very little in the way of advice as to what could and could not, what should and should not be done for or in the name of the PAC,” Foster writes. “Unfortunately, the legal nuances of permitted and prohibited dealings were never fully explained to the leadership at the COA such that all the t’s would be crossed and i’s dotted … in maintaining the relationship (as well as the distance) between the two entities.
negligence is negligence. It is up to the person responsible for those funds to educate ones self.
re: Audit says EBR Council on Aging may have broken state, federal election lawsPosted by lsu13lsu on 5/8/17 at 8:16 am to Antonio Moss
quote:
too stupid
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re: Audit says EBR Council on Aging may have broken state, federal election lawsPosted by SlowFlowPro on 5/8/17 at 8:16 am to Antonio Moss
quote:
They were either too stupid or so arrogant to misdirected/launder the money.
i mean their argument is that they were too stupid to properly manage the money
that's the best interpretation of the events for them
i'm sure they've learned every necessary lesson to manage $10M extra per year and none of that money will be used improperly ever again
Again, ridiculous. A slap on the wrist, is that the only thing that is going to come out of all of this? The fact that nothing will be done is what's wrong with this government to begin with. You try to pull something so crooked in the private sector and you'd be fired in a heart beat. Unbelievable.
re: Audit says EBR Council on Aging may have broken state, federal election lawsPosted by lsu13lsu on 5/8/17 at 8:17 am to SlowFlowPro
quote:
did not fully understand what was legally permissible.
That is a legal defense?
quote:
“The COA received very little in the way of advice as to what could and could not, what should and should not be done for or in the name of the PAC,
So a group with several lawyers is having a hard time deciphering the law?
re: Audit says EBR Council on Aging may have broken state, federal election lawsPosted by SlowFlowPro on 5/8/17 at 8:18 am to lsu13lsu
quote:
That is a legal defense?
it worked for Hillary Clinton
but i wouldn't rely on that defense, generally
re: Audit says EBR Council on Aging may have broken state, federal election lawsPosted by SlowFlowPro on 5/8/17 at 8:18 am to Puck82
quote:
So a group with several lawyers is having a hard time deciphering the law?
why i wouldn't rely on the argument
re: Audit says EBR Council on Aging may have broken state, federal election lawsPosted by terd ferguson on 5/8/17 at 8:20 am to SlowFlowPro
quote:
That is a legal defense?
it worked for Hillary Clinton
Do you even intent, bro?
re: Audit says EBR Council on Aging may have broken state, federal election lawsPosted by Abadeebadaba on 5/8/17 at 8:21 am to SlowFlowPro
quote:
the agency’s management did not intentionally violate campaign finance laws but, rather, did not fully understand what was legally permissible.
Ah, The ol' Hillary Clinton excuse. These types are some scum of the Earth.
re: Audit says EBR Council on Aging may have broken state, federal election lawsPosted by Bunta on 5/8/17 at 8:23 am to SlowFlowPro
quote:
it worked for Hillary Clinton
but i wouldn't rely on that defense, generally
And apparently Huma.
re: Audit says EBR Council on Aging may have broken state, federal election lawsPosted by Nado Jenkins83 on 5/8/17 at 8:24 am to tke857
IN
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