| Reconsideration of an Advisory Opinion issued by the Board at its June 2024 meeting regarding whether the Code of Governmental Ethics (Ethics Code) prohibits the Henry Whitehorn, Jr. from being re-employed with the Caddo Parish Sheriff's Office prior to his father, Henry Whitehorn, Sr., taking office on July 1, 2024. |
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Staff was contacted by Sheriff Jay Long, who is no longer in office, advising that he believes incorrect information was provided by Mr. Whitehorn during his appearance at the June 2024 meeting. Sheriff Long wants the Board to know he was not the catalyst for Mr. Whitehorn seeking the opinion and that he did not contact, recruit or express an interest in having Mr. Whitehorn apply for employment with the Sheriff's Office. Sheriff Long states that following the election of Mr. Whitehorn's father, Mr. Whitehorn requested a meeting with Sheriff Long. Sheriff Long did meet with Mr. Whitehorn where he was handed a letter requesting Sheriff Long hire Mr. Whitehorn. Sheriff Long knew that such employment would be prohibited by the Code of Ethics and told Mr. Whitehorn to obtain an ethics advisory opinion.
Sheriff Long states that the issued Advisory Opinion contains a fact that an agreement existed between himself and Mr. Whitehorn is false as there was no agreement because he knew the employment would violate the Code of Ethics. Sheriff Long further points out that Mr. Whitehorn voluntarily resigned adn withdrew his pension contributions. He has had no contact or involvement with the Sheriff's Office for 2 1/2 years.
Sheriff Long would like the Advisory Opinion be amended to reflect accurate facts.
Sheriff Long did hire Sheriff Elect Whitehorn to help with the transition and to his knowledge Sheriff Elect Whitehorn has never mentioned or been involved with any attempt of his son to gain employment.
Initial Request
Henry Whitehorn, Jr. was previously employed with the Caddo Parish Sheriff's Office for 19 years and 3 months. You stated that you were employed between September 26, 2022 until December 31, 2021.
Henry Whitehorn, Sr., father of Henry Whitehorn, Jr., has been elected to the office of Caddo Parish Sheriff and will take office on July 1, 2024. The current Sheriff is willing to hire Whitehorn, Jr. prior to his father taking office on July 1, 2024 and would like his prior employment with the Sheriff's office to count toward the one year calculation in R.S. 42:1119C(2).
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La. R.S. 42:1119A states that no member of the immediate family of an agency head shall be employed in his agency.
La. R.S. 42:1119C(2) provides that the provisions of this Section shall not prohibit the continued employment of any public employee nor shall it be construed to hinder, alter, or in any way affect normal promotional advancements for such public employee where a member of public employee's immediate family becomes the agency head of such public employee's agency, provided that such public employee has been employed in the agency for a period of at least one year prior to the member of the public employee's immediate family becoming the agency head.
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Recall, vacate and remove from the Board's website the Advisory Opinion issued in this Docket No. at the June 2024 meeting.
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| Assigned Attorney: |
Tracy Barker |
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