Audit Reveals Loophole That Allowed Stan "Pampy" Barre & Oliver Thomas To Carry Out Their Scheme

Do you want to know why it was so easy for imprisoned ex-council president, Oliver Thomas and convicted felon, Stan "Pampy" Barre to carry out their bribery scheme? The answer:

"The city does not have systems of internal controls in place to deter and detect improper influences related to awarding contracts for public works and purchases of material and supplies."

The City's response:

"We created the Inspector General's Office, last year, as a means to stave off fraud and corruption."

Well that sounds like a couple of bribes too late before the Inspector General's office was created.

Former Kenner City Councilman Nick Baroni vs. Former New Orleans City Council President Oliver Thomas

Can anyone explain the sentencing guidelines for these two council members?

Former Kenner City Councilman Nick Baroni sentencing guidelines calls for a range of 15 to 21 months in prison for defrauding the Navy of almost $120,000.

Former New Orleans City Council President Oliver Thomas sentencing guidelines extended to 37 months in prison for one count of bribery of $20,000.

Dilemma: Defrauding the Navy of $120,000 vs. Accepting a bribe of $20,000. Something is definitely wrong with this picture.

Another Oliver Thomas Update

From the T-P:

Former New Orleans City Council President Oliver Thomas reported to an Atlanta federal prison Thursday to begin a three-year sentence for accepting $20,000 in bribes and kickbacks from Stan "Pampy" Barre who was seeking to retain a public parking garage contract, federal officials said.

Thomas, 50, was sentenced by a federal judge in November to serve 37 months for the felony, which he plead guilty to last summer. Thomas, whose resignation in August ended his 13-year career on the council, can reduce his stay behind bars by about 5 1/2 months through good behavior.

Under the so-called "good time'' provision, a well-behaved inmate can shave 54 days per year from a sentence.

Thomas entered the U.S. Penitentiary in Atlanta shortly after 12:30 p.m. Thursday, according to Felicia Ponce, a Bureau of Prisons spokeswoman

Former New Orleans Councilman Oliver Thomas Reports To Prison Today

Former New Orleans City Council President Oliver Thomas reports to a federal prison, in Atlanta, at noon today.

According to the Times Picayune, Thomas has said the following:

I just want to pay my debt to society,"; "I'm not angry at anybody. I've asked God to forgive me and I'm working to forgive myself. I want to move on with my life."

What the former Councilman failed to realize is that his debt to society will never be paid since he failed to cooperate with the federal governments' probe into political corruption. Yes, God will forgive him but can he really move on if deception remains a large part of his life?

One has to wonder: Why did Stan "Pampy" Barre feel so comfortable with approaching him in the first place? It is obvious that Stan "Pampy" Barre, did not feel that he could approach Nagin with such an offer. Stan "Pampy" Barre may be an ignorant individual but what did he see in Oliver Thomas? Apparently he felt that bribing Oliver Thomas would not be reported to the feds.

Additionally, it was reported several times that Oliver Thomas' guilty plea was part of a plea agreement between him and the U.S. attorney's office. At no time did he say that there was no plea agreement. Why would he later tell the judge that he could not "make up stuff"?

This statement is also troubling: On Wednesday, Thomas declined to elaborate on the matter but indicated he was at peace with the decision to maintain his silence.

If Oliver Thomas had no other information to provide to the feds, then why would he feel the need to "be at peace with the decision to maintain his silence"?

Lastly, Oliver Thomas should be placed in the Guinness Book of World Records if he want the citizens of New Orleans to believe that he will be serving a 37 month prison sentence for committing one crime. A criminal getting caught after their first crime is something that children may read about in fairy tales but adults know that that sort of thing NEVER HAPPENS.

Judgement Day for Oliver Thomas

Ollie will be reporting to the federal pen tomorrow as a result of accepting a bribe from Stan "Pampy" Barre. He will always be known for his refusal to cooperate with the government that would have helped the City rid itself of other corrupt individuals.

I hope he can live with that decision. One thing he should realize though is that the citizens of New Orleans will never forget "his lack of cooperation".

Former Councilman's Middleman Sentenced To Probation

Yesterday, Judge Vance sentenced Joseph Jourdain to probation for his role in acting as a middleman in the bribery scheme between convicted Councilman Oliver Thomas and convicted ex-restaurateur and ex-political operative Stan "Pampy" Barre. While sentencing Jourdain, she noted the major role he played in obtaining a conviction against Thomas.

"Without your assistance, it would have been Mr. Thomas' word against Mr. Barre's," she said, noting that corruption cases are difficult to detect unless those involved turn against each other.

We all know this was crucial to the case because Stan "Pampy" Barre's word can never be trusted.