Editorial: Attorney's ties to tribe are troubling

Thursday, December 20, 2007  

"When Bobby Jindal was running for governor, he promised an ethical administration far above the standards of the past. But Jindal’s pick for executive counsel, an enormously influential position as the Governor’s Office attorney, hopes to retain some interest, of some sort, in his law firm in Pineville while serving the state full-time in Baton Rouge.

Unfortunately, among the main clients of Jimmy Faircloth’s Pineville firm is the Coushatta tribe and its giant casino complex in Kinder.

This puts gambling interests in a key position in the Governor’s Office.

What the incoming administration is going to do about this is not clear, but the initial responses to criticism of Faircloth’s appointment are not encouraging.

Jindal spokeswoman Melissa Sellers said that Faircloth is arranging a buy-out of his interest in the firm, but Faircloth said in an interview that he would retain some tie to it.

Faircloth said he would recommend that Jindal appoint a special counsel to handle Indian gambling questions facing the new administration.

We don’t think that’s enough."

Get the Story:
Our Views: Jindal lawyer ties troubling (The Baton Rouge Advocate 12/20)

More on Jindal Hire:
Blanco stirs hiring flap (The Baton Rouge Advocate 12/19)
Pineville man Jindal’s executive counsel (The Baton Rouge Advocate 12/15)

$rl Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana - http://www.coushatta.org

Last Coushatta ally of Abramoff resigns from council (08/15)
Coushatta Tribe footed DeLay's trip to the opera (08/12)
New Coushatta leaders already making changes (06/27)
Coushatta Tribe gave millions to lobbyists, campaigns (6/22)
New Coushatta chairman hopes to sort out scandal (06/10)
Coushatta Tribe swears in first new chair in 20 years (6/9)
Coushatta Tribe elects ex-police chief as chairman (6/6)
Abramoff supporter in running for Coushatta chair (5/30)
Coushatta tribal member went on DeLay golf outing (05/06)
Coushatta Tribe sues Abramoff, Scanlon in state court (04/22)
Coushatta Tribe hires law firm linked to DeLay (03/18)
Coushatta Tribe sues ex-lobbyists for $32M (11/17)
Coushatta Tribe to sue lobbyists for $32M (10/4)
Coushattas used lobbyists to spy on tribes, critics (09/13)
Senate hearing on tribal lobbying probe set (8/26)
Coushatta member threatened over recall effort (08/09)
Coushatta Tribe's lobbying records subpoenaed (07/23)
GOP strategist denies secretly taking tribal money (7/15)
Tribal money secretly funneled to GOP strategist (06/25)
Busy Indian Affairs Committee hits snag on big issues (06/17)
Indian Affairs Committee activity this week (6/15)
Indian Country awaits outcome of lobbying probe (05/18)
Coushatta treasurer accuses NIGC of lax oversight (04/12)
Coushatta leaders used tribal money to pay lobbyists (4/8)
Coushatta Tribe paid $32M to lobbyist Jack Abramoff (4/6)
McCain begins investigation into high tribal fees (3/4)
McCain calls for investigation into tribal spending (2/27)
Four tribes spent $45M on lobbying and PR firms (2/23)