| Request for an advisory opinion regarding New Orleans City Councilman, Oliver Thomas, being employed at WBOK as a talk show host. |
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Jeffery Thomas is a partner in Equity Media, a company that owns and operates WBOK 1230 am radio. WBOK is a talk show format station that discusses a wide array of issues relevant to the nation, the State of Louisiana, and New Orleans, including local political issues.
Oliver Thomas (no relation to Jeffery Thomas) was employed by WBOK prior to his taking a leave of absence to run for a seat on the New Orleans City Council, which he won on December 11, 2021.
Mr. Thomas returned to work at WBOK on February 1, 2022 as a radio talk show host where he discusses, among other things, political issues dealing with the City of New Orleans and has already received compensation for his re-employment.
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La. R.S. 42:1111C(1)(a) prohibits a public servant from receiving any thing of economic value for any service, the subject matter of which is devoted substantially to the responsibilities, programs, or operations of the agency of the public servant and in which the public servant has participated.
La. R.S. 42:1102. Definitions
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(2)(a) "Agency" means a department, office, division, agency, commission, board, committee, or other organizational unit of a governmental entity. For purposes of this Chapter, "agency of the public servant" and "his agency" when used in reference to the agency of a public servant shall mean:
(vi) For public servants of political subdivision, it shall mean the agency in which the public servant serves, except that for members of any governing authority and for the elected or appointed chief executive of a governmental entity, it shall mean the governmental entity. Public servants of political subdivisions shall include, but shall not be limited to, elected officials and public employees of municipalities, parishes, and other political subdivisions.
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| Assigned Attorney: |
Greg Thibodeaux |
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