WEBRE'S ATTEMPT TO UNDERMINE ETHICS POLICING THROUGH THE MASS MEDIA

Webre has used many ploys in trying to undermine the Ethics Board's authority. One of the most bizarre is a public relations stunt with FOX 8 CNN in New Orleans.

Most Lafourche Parish victims of Webre's ethics violations already are reluctant to come forward with information. This is a business owned by the sheriff.

Preying on that already prevalent fear, Webre arranged for New Orleans CNN FOX 8 reporter Rob Masson to do an news interview on Smart Start. Problem was, during the story Mr. Masson conveniently forgot to mention to viewers that Webre was the current target of an active Ethics Board investigation concerning his involvement with Smart Start ( BD 2007-527) . The investigation is not for a single violation but for Webre's ongoing five-year mass of violations of the Board's 2002 ruling.

Webre was going to do anything to undermine the Board's current investigation, even if it involved manipulating a normally responsible investigative reporter. We now have FOX 8 convincing citizens that mass ethics violator Webre is just an innocent entrepreneur who is trying to keep drunks off the road ? What a bizarre situation; a major news network helping an alleged mass ethics violator boost his image.

Sanctions need to be placed in the new code revisions for such brazen public dis-information campaigns during board investigation. All interference with a pending investigation, whether by hook or crook, needs to be punished. If state officials under investigation attempt to use the press and media to impede investigators, they should be subject to substantial and severe penalties.