1997-092 (2) - Laserfiche WebLink

• Opinion No. 97 -092 Page 4 (2)(a) "Agency" means a department, office, division, agency, commission, board, committee, or other organizational unit of a governmental entity. (23) "Transaction involving the governmental entity" means any proceeding, application, submission, quest for a ruling or other determination, contract, claim, case, or other such particular matter which the public servant or former public servant of the governmental entity in question knows or should know: (a) Is, or will be, the subject of action by the governmental entity. (b) Is one to which the governmental entity is or will be a party. (c) Is one in which the governmental entity has a direct interest. A transaction involving the agency of a governmental entity shall have the same meaning with respect to the agency. III. OPINION It is the opinion of the Board that Royce McMahon, Bobby Hutchins, Donny • Rowlands, Wiley Murphy and Farris Jennings violated Section 1113A of the Code by purchasing items, including vehicles, at the Webster Parish Sheriff Office's auction on April 18, 1996 while they were employed by the Webster Parish Sheriff's Office. As a public servant for the Webster Parish Sheriff's Office, the sheriff and his deputies were prohibited from bidding on or entering into a contract or other transaction under the supervision and jurisdiction of the sheriff's office. The Louisiana Board of Ethics is authorized to impose penalties of up to $10,000 for each of the above violations of the Code. However, Bobby Hutchins, Donny Rowlands, Wiley Murphy and Farris Jennings, the sheriff deputies, were erroneously advised by the sheriff, Royce McMahon, that they could purchase the items at the auction without any legal • ramifications. Mr. McMahon fully cooperated throughout the course of the investigation;