| Advisory Opinion request as to any potential ethics violations as to the purchase of the local newspaper "The Banner Democrat," which serves as the official paper of record for legal notices and advertisements for the Town of Lake Providence, by the Lake Providence Town Clerk, LeeAnn Clement, and her husband, Roger Clement. |
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The Lake Providence Town Clerk, LeeAnn Clement, and her husband, Roger Clement, are considering purchasing the local newspaper, "The Banner Democrat." The paper serves as the official record for Lake Providence for legal notices, town minutes, proposed ordinances, and other related matters. Lake Providence pays the paper to run the required notices.
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La. R.S. 42:1111C(2)(d) provides that no public servant and no legal entity in which the public servant exercises control or owns an interest in excess of twenty-five percent, shall receive any thing of economic value for or in consideration of services rendered, or to be rendered, to or for any person during his public service unless such services are: (d) Neither performed for nor compensated by any person or from any officer, director, agent, or employee of such person, if such public servant knows or reasonably should know that such person has or is seeking to obtain contractual or other business or financial relationships with the public servant's agency; conducts operations or activities which are regulated by the public employee's agency; or has substantial economic interests which may be substantially affected by the performance or nonperformance of the public employee's official duty.
La. R.S. 42:1112A prohibits a public servant from participating in a transaction involving his governmental entity in which he has a substantial economic interest.
La. R.S. 42:1112B(1) states that no public servant shall participate in a transaction involving the governmental entity in which, to his actual knowledge, any member of his immediate family has a substantial economic interest.
La. R.S. 42:1112B(3) states that no public servant shall participate in a transaction involving the governmental entity in which, to his actual knowledge, any person of which he is an officer, director, trustee, partner, or employee has a substantial economic interest.
La. R.S. 42:1113A states no public servant, or a member of such a public servant's immediate family, or a legal entity in which he has a controlling interest shall bid on or enter into any contract, subcontract or other transaction that is under the supervision or jurisdiction of the agency of such public servant.
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Adopt the draft advisory opinion.
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| Assigned Attorney: |
David Bordelon |
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