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A Lafourche Parish Grand Jury has indicted Lafourche Parish Council Member James Bourgeois on a charge of filing false public records.
Bourgeois faces allegations that he falsely declared he was living in Lafourche Parish District 5 when he attempted to qualify for the special election to fill that district’s empty seat in December 2015. Bourgeois won the seat in an April 2016 runoff of that special election to replace John Arnold, who was disqualified from the September 2015 election for overdue election fees. Arnold himself dropped out of that special election and later pled guilty to two counts of criminal mischief related to falsifying his address to qualify for the District 5 race.
District Attorney Cam Morvant’s office announced the charge last Wednesday. The announcement said the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office conducted an “extensive investigation” after receiving a complaint from a voter questioning Bourgeois’s eligibility. Assistant District Attorney Jason Chatagnier presented the case to the grand jury, which chose to indict Bourgeois.
Bourgeois said he was settling his grandmother’s estate in west Texas when he heard the news, adding he was shocked by the announcement. He said he spends a lot of time away from home as part of his travels and his duties as a Lt. Colonel in the Army Reserve. Bourgeois said he does not understand where the charges came from and plans on fighting them. He brought up the similar charges against Arnold as evidence that there is an agenda against his district.
“This is politically motivated, and it’s a shame. It seems to be against District 5,” Bourgeois said. “Because why did they do it to the last guy, and why did they do it to me? Other people in government and elected office are gone significantly, but why is it they only come after District 5 in Lafourche Parish Council? Is that a coincidence or what?”
Bourgeois noted one key difference between his own charges and Arnold’s situation: he has owned his home in Raceland since 2002 while Arnold was a renter. Bourgeois said he was rankled by the LPSO’s questioning of his ties to the community, as he can trace his family back seven generations to the Thibodaux/Raceland area.
“I’m gone a lot. It doesn’t mean I don’t live there,” Bourgeois said. “That’s the bottom line: I’m gone a lot. I’m sorry if someone doesn’t like the fact that I’m gone.”
Bourgeois turned himself into Lafourche authorities and posted bond on Thursday. He also faces a Dec. 28 arraignment for violating the law regarding permanent registration of homestead exemption.
Bourgeois pointed to his previous work as a contractor demolishing blighted properties for the parish – what he had to forego to become a council member – as proof of no impropriety on his part. He said he will remain in his seat as the case plays out so he can continue his work as a council member.
“I’m talking tens and $20,000 contracts doing work for the parish that I gave up for $17,000 a year salary. Is that money-motivated?” Bourgeois said. “I’m a bad business guy if that’s the case. I got into it because I wanted to help people. And that’s still the case; I want to help people.”
Staff Writer
