DA: Spouse of parish president holds no influence

George Randolph, husband of Lafourche Parish President Charlotte Randolph, allegedly tried to intimidate the Lafourche Parish Council’s clerk into preventing the hire of an administrative watchdog.

The revelation came in an opinion issued by District Attorney Cam Morvant II, who wrote that spouses of elected officials or parish employees do not have the authority to direct or influence parish employees.

“It is alleged that Mr. George Randolph visited the Council Clerk’s office on or about March 22 and inquired about the proposed hiring of an internal auditor,” the opinion reads. “Mr. Randolph allegedly stated that if the Council Clerk did not do what she could to prevent the hiring of an internal auditor, then perhaps she would be moved to the Parish Complex in Matthews.”

Carleen Babin, the clerk, works at the government complex in Thibodaux. She did not respond to a phone message left at her office. George Randolph did not immediately respond to a phone message left with his wife.

“Neither the spouse of the Parish President nor the spouse of any elected official or the spouse of any parish employee has the right or authority to direct or influence or attempt to direct or influence any parish employee no matter what the circumstance,” Morvant’s opinion continues. “Employees that feel as though they have been subjected to this type of behavior should report it to their immediate supervisor as was done in this case.”

The council clerk answers to the Lafourche Parish Council, according to the parish’s Home Rule Charter.

The council has wrestled with the decision of hiring an internal auditor since an amendment to the 2012 budget late last year dedicated $78,500 toward funding the position. The auditor would answer to lawmakers.

A three-man committee, comprised of councilmen Joe Fertitta, John Arnold and Daniel Lorraine, culled resumes and were set to nominate Tommy Lasseigne, who failed in his bid to unseat Charlotte Randolph as parish president last fall.

Instead, the council voted to defer the decision indefinitely by a 5-4 vote. Lorraine, a longtime critic of the parish president who has led the charge for the internal auditor, proposed a vote on having Lasseigne fill the position last night. Lorraine and others contend the auditor would give the council a much-needed ally that could review items and report to the council as desired by the lawmakers.

Opponents have insisted that the finance department is capable and willing to handle inquiries so long as the inquiries are presented, and they suggest the auditor would be used to undercut Randolph and her administration.

The result of last night’s vote was unknown as of press time.

The district attorney’s opinion came in response to a trio of requests the council unanimously approved at its April 10 meeting.

The resolutions, proposed by Fertitta, requested opinions “as to who owns Lafourche Parish Government buildings,” “as to the consequences of individuals who demonstrate unfitting behavior within parish buildings,” and “as to whether the spouse of the parish president has the authority to direct, attempt to direct or influence” parish employees.

Fertitta said after the meeting the resolutions were in reference to “an incident in the council clerk’s office,” but he declined to elaborate further. When reached Monday, he declined to answer whether Morvant’s responses were satisfactory or if he felt they resolved the issue. “I don’t want to get involved in that one,” he said.

The parish president could not confirm her husband’s alleged wrongdoing.

“I was not a party to that,” Charlotte Randolph said. The parish president went on to say she found nothing objectionable in the opinion. “That’s not a surprise to me. I don’t think any member of the public can do that,“ she said.

Morvant also responded to the council’s other two requests. The Tri-Parish Times obtained copies of the opinions, dated April 16, 2012.

As it pertains to ownership of government buildings, Morvant said that lies with the public: “The Parish of Lafourche is considered a juridical person capable of owning property. The Parish of Lafourche is the entity that owns the buildings that have been purchased by the Parish,” it reads.

The district attorney went on to say that any person whose behavior is deemed “unbefitting,” can be “requested to leave a public building and if necessary, escorted out by qualified law enforcement officials.”