A federal jury has convicted businessman Mark St. Pierre of funneling cash, strippers, trips, and other inducements to New Orleans City Hall officials in exchange for city contracts worth millions. Read more…
ACLU demands apology for graduation prayer May 26 2011 1:58PM Posted 1 day 12 hrs 38 mins ago In a strongly-worded letter, the American Civil Liberties Union today said they are “deeply troubled” by a student-led prayer at the graduation ceremonies of Bastrop High School earlier this month. Read more…
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Jury gets case in NOLA city hall corruption trial May 26 2011 7:11AM Posted 1 day 19 hrs 25 mins ago Do stripper parties on luxury yachts constitute a bribe, or just two old buddies having a good time? That’s one question a federal jury is being asked to answer, as it deliberates the bribery charges against former city of New Orleans technology supplier Mark St. Pierre. Read more
A federal jury has convicted businessman Mark St. Pierre of funneling cash, strippers, trips, and other inducements to New Orleans City Hall officials in exchange for city contracts worth millions. Read more…
ACLU demands apology for graduation prayer May 26 2011 1:58PM Posted 1 day 5 hrs 51 mins ago In a strongly-worded letter, the American Civil Liberties Union today said they are “deeply troubled” by a student-led prayer at the graduation ceremonies of Bastrop High School earlier this month. Read more…
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Jury gets case in NOLA city hall corruption trial May 26 2011 7:11AM Posted 1 day 12 hrs 38 mins ago Do stripper parties on luxury yachts constitute a bribe, or just two old buddies having a good time? That’s one question a federal jury is being asked to answer, as it deliberates the bribery charges against former city of New Orleans technology supplier Mark St. Pierre. Read more
New Orleans Strip Clubs: Mark St. Pierre’s conviction shows New Orleans City Hall is not for sale: An …
May 27, 2011
Evidently, the jury had concluded the same by the time it began deliberations Thursday. It took them only half a day to convict Mr. St. Pierre on all 53 counts of bribery, conspiracy and wire fraud charges for paying $880,000 in kickbacks to then-city officials.
That shows that south Louisianians have had enough of corrupt contractors and the officials who take their bribes.
Mr. St. Pierre was immediately taken into custody, and he faces sentencing Sept. 1. U.S. District Judge Eldon Fallon should throw the book at him.
For more than two years Mr. St. Pierre had maintained he was innocent. But his castle of lies crashed as former New Orleans technology chief Greg Meffert and others testified how Mr. St. Pierre used credit cards, direct payments and even parties with strippers at his private yacht to thank Mr. Meffert for millions in illicit public contracts.
See the full article from “NOLA.com”
Our society and media are often criticized for building people up into icons, only to relish and revel in tearing them down. But this is often a gloss-over or simplification of the individual’s contributions to his own downfall. History and pop culture are replete with examples of people who have risen to prominence or power on a message or course of action that has come back to bite them.
Locally, we can look to such “family values” personalities as David Vitter and the “Reverend” Grant Storms, both vocal supporters of so-called “traditional family values” and opponents of gays, gay rights, pornography, gambling and prostitution. Yet, both were caught with their pants down. (One literally!) From their actions and speech, it is clear that neither thought that they would ever get caught doing the things that they themselves were publicly railing against. This is hubris.
See the full article from “Bayoubuzz”
NEW ORLEANS, LA—
Former City Vendor Mark St. Pierre was convicted on 53 counts of bribery, money laundering and conspiracy charges by a federal jury in New Orleans Thursday.
“St. Pierre bought city hall,” said U.S. Attorney Jim Letten.
Testionmy showed that St. Pierre gave former Chief Deputy in the Nagin Adminstration, Greg Meffert nearly $900 thousand dollars in kickbacks for city work. St. Pierre had the crime camera contract.
Meffert was the government star witness who admitted St. Pierre also provided strippers and credit cards. Mefferet told the jury he also had access to St. Pierre’s yacht.
The government said this favorable treatment was just one big bribe.
The government showed that St. Pierre also gave the Nagin campaign more than $40 thousand dollars, In addition to paying for a number of tropical vacations for the former Mayor.
See the full article from “Bayoubuzz”
New Orleans Strip Clubs: Ex-city contractor guilty on all 53 counts in bribery, fraud trial
May 26, 2011
NEW ORLEANS – A former city contractor has been found guilty of all 53 counts he was facing in his trial on conspiracy, bribery, wire fraud and money-laundering charges. After listening to a few weeks of testimony that included lurid details of yachts, strippers and even alleged sexual acts, the jury took about six hours to return the verdict. St. Pierre was remanded to custody following the verdict. He will face sentencing on September 1.
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Meffert pleaded guilty in November to taking bribes from St. Pierre and faces a maximum of eight years in prison. On the stand, he told jurors how St. Pierre gained influence by plying people with gifts, strippers and paid-for sex acts aboard a yacht.
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St. Pierre took the stand in his defense, denying the paid-for sex acts but acknowledging parties to a strip club in New Orleans and bringing strippers aboard the yacht.
See the full article from “WWL”
A federal jury has convicted businessman Mark St. Pierre of funneling cash, strippers, trips, and other inducements to New Orleans City Hall officials in exchange for city contracts worth millions. Read more…
BP asks judge to dismiss many spill claims May 26 2011 1:07PM Posted 5 hrs 29 mins ago BP PLC is asking a federal judge to dismiss most of the court claims filed against the oil giant by businesses and individuals who say they suffered economic damage from last year’s massive Gulf oil spill. Read more…
Jury gets case in NOLA city hall corruption trial May 26 2011 7:11AM Posted 11 hrs 25 mins ago Do stripper parties on luxury yachts constitute a bribe, or just two old buddies having a good time? That’s one question a federal jury is being asked to answer, as it deliberates the bribery charges against former city of New Orleans technology supplier Mark St. Pierre. Read more
Jury gets case in NOLA city hall corruption trial
Posted 5 hrs 1 min ago
Do stripper parties on luxury yachts constitute a bribe, or just two old buddies having a good time? That’s one question a federal jury is being asked to answer, as it deliberates the bribery charges against former city of New Orleans technology supplier Mark St. Pierre. Read more
River threat starting to subside May 26 2011 7:03AM Posted 5 hrs 9 mins ago The threat is not over, but there is increased optimism that South Louisiana has survived the worst the Mississippi River had to offer. Crews are beginning to scale back the flood fight… Read more
NOPD suspends mother & son officers after bar fight May 25 2011 9:33PM Posted 14 hrs 39 mins ago The New Orleans Police Department today suspended two officers: Emelda Blanco, a 25-year-veteran of the force, and her son, a 3-year member of the NOPD. The two were arrested today following a weekend bar fight. Read more…
Posted: Thursday, 26 May 2011 7:10AM Jury gets case in NOLA city hall corruption trial Chris Miller Reporting
Do stripper parties on luxury yachts constitute a bribe, or just two old buddies having a good time? That’s one question a federal jury is being asked to answer, as it deliberates the bribery charges against former city of New Orleans technology supplier Mark St. Pierre.
Federal prosecutors say St. Pierre helped get government business for his company by bribing former city technology director Greg Meffert with cash and gifts. Meffert, who worked for former New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin, has already pleaded guilty in connection with the charges, and testified during this trial that those gifts included parties on a yacht complete with exotic dancers. Loyola law professor legal analyst Dane Ciolino says prosecutors present that as pretty compelling evidence.
The 4th District, which represents most of Kenner, sent seven precincts near David and Transcontinental drives and West Napoleon and West Metairie boulevards to the 2nd District. The 3rd District sent three precincts south of West Metairie Boulevard and west of David Drive to the 4th District.
Staying in line with federal elections law, the 3rd District will remain mostly African American. The exchange of precincts keeps that population at 63.3 percent, well above the mandatory 62 percent population that existed when the district was created.
Fifth District Councilwoman Cynthia Lee-Sheng amended the first proposed map on May 11 to hold onto three precincts along Airline Drive east of Clearview Parkway. Lee-Sheng said she wanted to keep her district’s borders as straight as possible as well as to keep tabs on several hotels that had been raided recently for drugs and prostitution. In exchange, the 5th District gave up precinct 72 in to Councilman Elton Lagasse’s 2nd District.
See the full article from “NOLA.com”