Randolph cleared of ethics violations

Contributing Writer

By a unanimous vote, the Louisiana Board of Ethics found Lafourche Parish President Charlotte Randolph guilty of no wrongdoing in relation to an auto accident involving her husband in August 2005.

Golden Meadow attorney Car Chauvin filed the charge, saying that Randolph benefited from the Lafourche Parish Council paying for expenses relating to the crash. Randolph’s husband, George, was driving the parish vehicle en route to an official function when the accident occurred.

In the original complaint filed in March 2006, Chauvin alleged that because George Randolph was driving a parish-owned vehicle that he did not have authority to drive – citing a supposed council policy against non-parish employees using parish equipment – that the council’s payment of over $15,000 to settle the damage claims from the accident amounted to a conflict of interest for Charlotte Randolph and that she economically benefited by having the parish pay for the damages.

After considering the matter and hearing testimony from the parish administrator, council clerk and parish risk manager, the board dropped the charges, ruling that Randolph did not personally benefit from the accident.

When the wreck occurred, the Randolph’s vehicle was part of a caravan also carrying Gov. Kathleen Blanco and U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu en route to a coastal restoration event.

According to Randolph, her husband George was covered by the parish insurance policy to drive the vehicle at the time of the accident and there was no policy in place stipulating that only parish employees may drive parish vehicles when she took office in early 2004.

“There was no policy in place regarding who can drive parish vehicles when I assumed office, ” she said.

However, in subsequent conversations with Chauvin, he claims that there is clear legal language stating that only under “unique circumstances” is a non-employee of a political subdivision allowed to drive a parish vehicle, citing a legal opinion in the case of a Louisiana assessor who requested clarification on a similar matter.

“I wonder if the ethics board had all the facts before they rendered the decision,” he said.

Chauvin further disagreed with the ruling, noting “public opinion is also against George Randolph driving a vehicle and people’s tax dollars having to pay for a personal error.”

Since the accident, the Lafourche Parish Council has approved a policy that calls for only parish employees to drive parish-owned vehicles.

“I am greatly relieved at the outcome of this matter but at the same time I am angry that so much time had to be devoted to this, which takes away from doing the work of the parish,” said Randolph.

She went on to call Chauvin a “sad and pathetic human being who is attempting to stop any progress made in the parish.”