The Louisiana Justice Institute, believing in the importance of an Office of Inspector General, has stepped into the discussion with a new report that highlights both the problems of the office as well as clear solutions.

The report, "A Vote of No Confidence:  A Case for Reorganization of the New Orleans Ethics Review Board and Office of Inspector General," presents the governance structure and mandate of the ERB and OIG, a summary of the currently known controversies involving these offices and their genesis, and recommendations for structural change that can restore public trust in these fledgling offices so that they can perform the work required for effective governmental oversight.

The Louisiana Justice Institute (LJI) which is a nonprofit, civil rights legal advocacy organization, devoted to fostering social justice campaigns across Louisiana for communities of color and for impoverished communities, understands that as a state-based civil rights organization, it can and must serve as an agent for social change in Louisiana. Its creation is responsive to a specific and urgent need to resurrect capacity for statewide, systemic, legal advocacy on behalf of those most in need of assistance - Louisiana's minority and poor residents.

According to LJI Managing Co-Director Tracie L. Wash_ington,  "The Ethics Review Board has fumbled its fundamental public duty, which is the hiring of a qualified Inspector General for the City of New Orleans.

Additionally, there is public concern regarding the break-ins in OIG offices involved in reporting problems within the office, and the hiring of unqualified personnel to serve in high-level positions at the ERB and OIG.

"The decisions and other actions taken by the ERB and OIG are shrouded in secrecy, which defeats the principles of transparency and governmental accountability that these offices were established to uphold in the public interest.  The management of the OIG and the ERB has created dysfunction, preventing these offices from pursuing their mandates, which New Orleans residents believe are critical."

The report includes a timeline of events that have caused question and skepticism. The section, entitle:  "A Year of Crisis," chronicles the dysfunction from questionable terminations and appointments, to sudden resignations and financial miscues.

The report concludes that the public disapproval is in response to recent news that the ERB has fumbled its fundamental public duty, which is the hiring of a qualified Inspector General for the City of New Orleans.

The internal turmoil concerning hiring, termination, and qualifications of candidates - and the troubling issue of potential conflicts of interest in hiring personnel who served in elected offices that are subject to investigations by the OIG -  has led to public disdain and the lack of confidence in the ERB and OIG to ethically and effectively fulfill their missions.

"What's clear is that both the OIG and the ERB has lost a substantial amount of public confidence," said Jacques Morial of the LJI. "The OIG and the ERB is to be held to high standards and accountability; both to which they have failed woefully."

The Louisiana Justice Institute recommends that the New Orleans City Council immediately mandate a suspension of all substantive functions of these offices to conduct a full management audit that examines all the functions, activities, transactions, and governance of these offices.  This management audit must begin with an assessment of the governance of the ERB and OIG that determines whether the missions and functions of the ERB and OIG overlap in a way that creates confusion and inefficiency; Furthermore stating the personnel practices of the ERB and OIG must be overhauled.

Danatus King, president of the local branch of the NAACP, reviewed the report and echoed the sentiments of change.  King understands the LJI's frustration all too well. He met with current Inspector General Edouard Quatrevaux two weeks ago, to discuss the "unresolved matters" from the city council meeting concerning the OIG, which took place on October 12th.

"I read the report and certainly understand the concerns of the LJI," King told The Louisiana Weekly. "I recently met with the Inspector General to discuss what the branch voted (abolishment of the office and suspension of operation in the interim) The Inspector General was not in support of that decision."

King mentioned that Quatrevaux stated in their meeting that the OIG is prohibited to investigate itself and further action (if any) taken would be based upon findings from the state legislative auditor's report. There has been no word on when this report will be complete.

“Right now, we need to make sure that the media does its part - writing stories about this issue; keeping the community informed; to let it be known that it's not just the NAACP or the LJI, but all members of the community are concerned," he said.  "We need to exercise our rights - it's the American way - if the OIG won't hold a meeting for the community, send letters to the office, call his office, or go to the office, if that's what it takes."

King also stated that Quatrevaux also refused an opportunity to address concerns and update citizens in the form of a town hall meeting.

"I think your readers would be especially interested in how Father Wildes justifies requesting an Advisory Opinion from the Louisiana (state) Board of Ethics to exempt the members of the Ethics Review Board from the legal requirement to file Personal Financial Disclosure Statements required of every other member of a governmental board or commission in the state," Jacques Morial told The Louisiana Weekly.  "The Ethics Review Board represented to the state Board of Ethics that the ERB did not have authority over more than $10,000 in public money when in fact the ERB in fact has a budget of more than $300K annually; and the city ordinance clearly states that the only the Ethics Review Board may determine how the appropriation ERB receives from the council may be spent."

An attempt was made to contact Father Kevin Wildes, president of Loyola University and Chairman of the Ethics Review Board for his comments on the crisis involving in the OIG and ERB, but he was not available for comment. Fr. Wildes' office could not confirm whether he has reviewed the report released by the LJI.

This article was originally published in the November 16, 2009 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper