Gotta love it.

I believe the wheelchair row at the Council meetings is the first row. So maybe you could tickle John’s ear a little or perhaps you can practice on your elevated leg bending your middle toe up when Chrissy “The Special Man” or LargASSE say something insulting and anti-good government like they have done recently.

http://youtu.be/HeGlj6q7o_E

I have read both of Ms. Vandenweghe’s Whistleblower claims, the original and amended. I have read her appeal that was filed in response to the hearing officer’s rather strange ruling that the issues raised by Ms. Vandenweghe were to be considered moot. I have read her PRR lawsuit, Judge LaDart’s seemingly tainted decision, and the definitive opinion by the La.5th Circuit Court of Appeal reversing Judge LaDart’s ruling. And of course I have read the exhaustive fact pleading allegations in her Federal Court action. Additionally I have archived as much material as I could from both posts and comments on Slabbed. Frankly there has been little or no covererage by the New Orleans media to reference the subject of Ms. Vandenweghe’s travails with the Jefferson Parish Government. Her story has for some unknown and non-apparent reason to me or the public has largely been avoided and/or ignored.

With the above said, I should qualify that the only dog I have in this fight is myself and other Jefferson Parish taxpayers. So the question is how much more of my money to do I think should be spent “Defending the Indefensible” as many commenters here on Slabbed and elsewhere have characterized lawsuits such as Ms.Vandenweghe’s now settled PRR case and her present litigation in Federal Court. And my educated and experienced answer is for Jefferson Parish to cut it’s losses beginning now, in other words stop wasting our money.

The indictments of Broussard and Wilkinson, along with Parker who has subsequently pled guilty can only be seen as adding rocket fuel to Ms. Vanderweghe’s already solidified allegations of wrong doing by those who have continued to cover up the very same corrupt conduct that induced the Federal Investigation in the first place. And I would also suggest, as others have here on Slabbed have previously, that Phelps, Dunbar’s representation of the Parish of Jefferson so far borders on possible malpractice IMHO: in failing to identify their client, the Jefferson Parish taxpayers, and in their failure to perform due diligence by not performing a thorough investigation of the allegations set forth in Ms. Vandenweghe’s Whistleblower Claim. And lest I forget to mention Phelps, Dunbar’s very questionable advise to file a lawsuit on behalf of Jefferson Parish and Steve Theriot against the blogosphere, and also in precipitating Ms.Vandenweghe’s PRR litigation as though it were simply an exercise in generating fees.

As more and more individuals in Parish Government get indicted, probably along with their associated consultants and contractors, many of whom are named in Ms. Vandenweghe’s allegations of wrong doing, it is more likely that a Judge or Jury will be more sympathetic to the demands of Ms. Vandenweghe that she be compensated for not only the wrongful discharge from her position of Asst Parish Attorney, but punitive damages for the egresious retaliation she was subjected to for doing what every employee of Jefferson Parish is mandated to do, report wrong doing.

During my practce of law conventional wisdom held that taxpayers were reluctant to award their taxpaying money to plaintiffs. However if other taxpayers are feeling the anger that I have towards our political establishment, which I feel certain we all as taxpayers do considering the widespread corruption that has been taking place under cover of the general public’c view, this anger element alone will probably increase any damage award in Ms. Vandenweghe’s favor. Any lawyer would be hard pressed to try and convince a Judge or Jury that they should consider who pays these judgements in light of the millions of dollars already wasted to pay outside counsel to litigate in “Defending the Indefensible” in so many previous lawsuits that were settled in the plaintiffs’ favor.

It is my educated and experienced opinion that Ms. Vandenweghe will be rewarded with a large award for doing the right thing which is always the right thing to do. Ms. Vandenweghe has been true to her convictions and has displayed the courage to stand alone armed by both. I’ll represent that kind of client before any Court with any Judge or Jury anytime anywhere.