Mandeville county faces political corruption probe
From Sunshine Review
12 August 2008
Mandeville County in New Orleans is facing a political corruption probe after it was revealed that Mayor Eddie Price and other officials have received gifts of golf and hunting trips by those doing business with the city. Other revelations show that Price and others used city credit cards for personal spending; and that city employees worked on city time on a campaign golf tournament for Price.[1]
Price denies all allegations against him.[1]
[edit] Audit findings
The audit's findings include the following:[1]
- $9,000 in personal credit card charges
- $36,000 for meals he charged without proper documentation
- 15 charges for "parties and celebratory functions" totaling more than $6,000.
- A police-run charity, the Citizen's Service Fund, spent only 28 percent of the $217,938 it raised over five years for charities and roughly 72 percent on "gifts, food, celebrations and sponsorships.
[edit] Price's drunk driving
In May of 2008 Price, who, according to police, acknowledged he had been drinking after plowing his city-owned sport utility vehicle through a wooden barricade at the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway.
Causeway police stopped Price, ticketed him and had his son-in-law drive him home, but his blood-alcohol level was never checked. The resulting public recation led to the firing, resignation or demotion of four police officers and the eventual resignation of Causeway Police Chief Felix Loicano.
