www.thecentersquare.com – By Nolan McKendry | The Center Square – (The Center Square – ) 2025-02-17 08:00:00
(The Center Square) − The Louisiana Legislative Auditor’s latest annual report details over $3 billion in missing, misappropriated, overstated or understated funds across 18 state agencies and political subdivisions.
The Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness had one of the most significant financial accountability failures. The agency failed to properly document expenses, exceeded cost estimates, and violated procurement guidelines in reimbursement requests, totaling $177.8 million in unsupported costs and another $52.6 million in improper contract spending.
Similarly, the Louisiana Department of Health misreported federal Medicaid expenditures, leading to $18.3 million in questioned costs. This includes duplicate reporting of a $16.6 million Medicaid expense, raising concerns about potential waste and fraud. Further, LDH spent $720.5 million on Medicaid Managed Care Organizations for beneficiaries who did not receive services, raising major accountability questions.
The Louisiana Workforce Commission failed to adequately oversee $47.1 million in subrecipient funds for job training programs, and its failure to comply with federal reporting rules affected $38.7 million in workforce program funding.
The Louisiana Department of Education overreported $2.3 billion in federal child nutrition grants and misclassified nearly $1 million in education stabilization funds. The agency also failed to properly track LaCarte and travel card purchases.
At the local level, the Grant Parish School Board may have been overbilled by contractors for mold remediation, resulting in $4.6 million in potential improper payments. In the city of Bogalusa, officials improperly used $468,125 in federal COVID-19 relief funds for employee bonuses, violating federal spending guidelines.
Despite years of audits, some agencies continue to repeat financial missteps. the homeland security office alone has amassed $2.4 billion in flagged expenditures over the years, with $256.7 million newly identified in this report. The health department has failed to correct Medicaid eligibility determination errors for four consecutive years, contributing to millions in improper payments.
Many of these issues persist year after year and underscore a need for stronger accountability measures to ensure taxpayer dollars are used appropriately.
Louisiana Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley is urging Louisiana K-12 schools to comply with guidance from President Donald Trump’s administration as it threatens to revoke federal funding from campuses that use race-conscious practices in admissions, programming, training, hiring, scholarships and other aspects of student life.
The new federal guidelines came in the form of a non-legally binding “dear colleagues” letter Acting Assistant U.S. Secretary of Education for Civil Rights Craig Trainor sent to schools last week. The letter advised K-12 schools, colleges and universities to comply by Feb. 28 or risk losing federal funding.
It’s the latest example of the Trump administration’s ongoing crackdown on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) measures.
Brumley, a conservative Republican, endorsed the administration’s guidance in a letter he sent to Louisiana K-12 system leaders Wednesday. Read the full letter below.
“The Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE) agrees with [federal] guidance and belief that ‘[d]iscrimination [under any banner] on the basis of race, color, or national origin is illegal and morally reprehensible,’” Brumley wrote. “Furthermore, LDOE commends Governor Landry for his proactive Executive Order as well as his unwavering support of LDOE’s work to stop inherently divisive concepts, like Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), from infiltrating Louisiana’s K-12 public education system.”
Gov. Jeff Landry, who is ideologically aligned with Brumley and Trump, issued an executive order last year prohibiting the teaching of critical race theory in K-12 schools. Critical race theory (CRT) is an advanced academic concept that holds that race is socially constructed, and it examines how legal structures are used to oppress people of color. Most classes that take the theory into consideration are in graduate programs at the university level. There is no evidence these courses are being taught to children and teenagers in Louisiana.
The Trump administration’s letter is predicated on a very broad interpretation of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard in 2023, which prohibited the use of affirmative action in admissions. While that decision was limited to admissions, conservatives have favored a sweeping interpretation that applies the prohibition to other aspects of student life.
In his letter, Brumley advises schools to review programs, initiatives, awards and other items to ensure compliance with Trainor’s guidance.
Several Louisiana K-12 public schools engage in diversity, inclusion and equity practices, according to a report the Louisiana Department of Education submitted to the Legislature. However, separate reports from Louisiana’s four higher education systems showed minimal spending on DEI.
The resolution requires LSU to conduct a comprehensive review of all of its “programs and bureaucracies” in which classifications are maintained based on race, sex, color, ethnicity, political views or national origin. Any programs found to confer “any preferential treatment in violation of the rule of law outlined by the supreme court in SFA v. Harvard” will be eliminated, according to the resolution.
The board is expected to take action on this review at its meeting Friday, LSU President William Tate told state legislators at a House Education Committee meeting last week.
Janene Tate, spokeswoman for the Southern University System, the nation’s only system of historically Black colleges and universities, said in a statement the system is confident its current practices are “constitutional and legal.”
Other colleges and universities contacted for this report are taking a slower approach.
“I have seen a lot of expressions of angst… regarding the letter, but it really doesn’t apply to any of the efforts we have underway at Louisiana Tech,” university President Jim Henderson said “It does not affect us.”
“That doesn’t mean there won’t be further guidance that won’t be more restrictive, but it’s not in the four corners of that dear colleagues letter,” Henderson said.
The University of Louisiana at Lafayette “is analyzing the potential impact” of the federal guidance, spokesman Eric Maron said in a statement, adding it’s premature to comment on any specific required changes.
Southeastern Louisiana University is reviewing the letter and awaiting legal guidance, spokesman Mike Rivault said in a statement.
Rick Gallot, president of the University of Louisiana System, did not respond to multiple calls requesting comment for this report.
Chandler LeBeouf, spokesman for the Louisiana Community and Technical College System, said its schools “will remain adaptable to the evolving higher education landscape while ensuring that all Louisianans have the opportunity to pursue education and training in a learning environment that leads to meaningful careers.”
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Louisiana Illuminator is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Louisiana Illuminator maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Greg LaRose for questions: info@lailluminator.com.
www.thecentersquare.com – By Nolan McKendry | The Center Square – (The Center Square – ) 2025-02-19 14:15:00
(The Center Square) — The Louisiana Public Service Commission voted Wednesday to remove Commissioner Davante Lewis as vice chairman after he called Gov. Jeff Landry an “asshole” in a social media post last week.
The 3-2 vote stripped Lewis of his leadership role and appointed Commissioner Eric Skrmetta as his replacement.
The commission also approved a request from Entergy Louisiana to bill customers for $182 million in Hurricane Francine storm recovery fees.
The utility estimates it will add between 80 cents and $1.10 per month bills for customers who use 1,000 to 1,500 kilowatt hours of electricity to help pay for repair costs from the 2024 Category 2 storm that made landfall in Terrebone Parish.
The controversy erupted after Landry praised newly confirmed Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in a social media post, calling him a “major upgrade” over former Assistant Secretary of Health Rachel Levine.
In response, Lewis criticized Landry’s post, accusing conservatives of promoting “cruelty and chaos” and directly insulting the governor.
This tweet shows that conservatism right now is only about cruelty and chaos. They will find away to be cruel to someone just bc they can
Following his removal, Lewis condemned the decision as a “biased, dangerous, & retaliatory clap back on constitutional free speech,” thanking supporters who attended the meeting.
He later doubled down on his criticism, calling the Republican Party “hypocrites” and sharing a text exchange that appeared to show another commissioner using the same insult against him.
The Republican Party is full of hypocrites. The chairman motion to remove me for calling the Governor an asshole, but he wasn’t embarrassed to call me one.
Despite his removal as vice chairman, Lewis remains a voting member of the commission. Skrmetta, a Republican, will now serve as vice chairman. The commission did not publicly comment on whether further action against Lewis is being considered.
Several individuals testified before the LPSC in defense of Lewis, arguing that Lewis’ posts were “constitutionally protected.”
“We are here today because Chairman Mike Francis alleges that he was embarrassed that Devonte Lewis…exercised his first amendment right, a constitutional right to free speech, to criticize Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry,” Alfreda Tillman Bester, general counsel in Louisiana for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, said at Wednesday’s meeting. “I’m embarrassed that [Landry] posted a picture on social media of former Health and Human Services Director, Secretary Rachel Levine, a physician, a four star officer in the nation’s uniform services, beside a picture of vaccine denier Robert F. Kennedy Jr., in an apparent juvenile insult.”
SUMMARY: In today’s Wellness Wednesday, the importance of recovery alongside workout routines is emphasized. Low-intensity workout days, or “flush days,” accelerate muscle repair and improve circulation, helping alleviate post-workout soreness. Functional performance specialist Spencer Shellstone suggests incorporating activities like using an elliptical, stationary biking, or going for a walk to keep movement light and enjoyable without straining. This approach helps flush out lactic acid and allows for more calorie burn throughout the week, enhancing overall fitness. Additionally, these low-impact days maintain motivation, making intense workout days feel more manageable. Consistency is crucial for effective training and dieting.
Spencer Shilstone, Functional Performance Specialist explains Flush ride is a very low intensity (30% V02max) bout of cardio.
