Derosier’s Blatant Misuse of Taxpayer Funds Continues

LAKE CHARLES, La. - Oct. 6, 2014 - PRLog -- In mid-August, Calcasieu Parish D.A. John Derosier posted 30-second videos online and on television promoting his office - but what they really promote is John Derosier.

"Sixty percent of each of those videos contains John Derosier's name, voice or likeness," said James Hartman, campaign consultant for Christian Chesson, who is challenging Derosier. "What's more, nearly two dozen billboards have been placed around the parish, almost all featuring Derosier's stock campaign portrait."

When an independent news source in Calcasieu submitted a Freedom of Information Act request demanding documentation that a former first assistant D.A. turned himself in and posted bond following a February indictment for malfeasance in office and sexual battery, the videos disappeared from YouTube - only to reappear later with a disclaimer that they were paid for by the D.A.'s Office.

The D.A.'s Office never did respond to the initial FOIA request, so last week Chesson submitted his own - under his law firm's imprimatur - requesting the same information and details of how much Derosier's campaign is costing the taxpayers.

"The public needs to have confidence in its elected officials and when that confidence is eroding, then we need to do anything we can to short stop that erosion and maintain that public confidence," DeRosier said during a 2011 KPLC interview about a former elected official resigning from office after being charged with malfeasance.

“It doesn't really matter at this point,” Hartman said. “If his campaign paid for them, they were illegal because they didn't say so.  If the Office used tax dollars to fund them, they are a political use of public money, which is both unethical and illegal."

In April, voters approved Derosier's 3.6-mill Criminal Justice Tax.   "It is an important tax. It funds about one-third of the office's day-to-day operations," Derosier told the Southwest Daily News. In 2009, it was a .75-mill increase. In 2010, it was a Local Agency Compensation Enforcement program that was formed.

"These tax increases were promoted to the public as funding to increase retention of District Attorney's staff with appropriate compensation, but it seems some of those dollars are being used for shameless self-promotion," Hartman said.  "That's hardly in the best interests of the public."