Ray Nagin - Controversy

Controversy

In 2004, Ray Nagin's two sons started a family business, Stone Age, LLC, with their parents' financial backing. Stone Age, LLC, received a contract with Home Depot after Hurricane Katrina. Stone Age, LLC, was a granite and marble business that focused primarily on the residential market. When Stone Age registered as a home-improvement business with the state Licensing Board for Contractors the application showed that Seletha Nagin, Nagin's wife, signed as a witness, and the document was notarized by then-City Attorney Penya Moses-Fields. Nagin family's company got the deal with Home Depot". Times-Picayune. Stone Age, LLC, is currently "Not In Good Standing for failure to file Annual Report" with the Louisiana Secretary of State as the company is currently inactive but eligible for reinstatement.

At a town hall meeting in October 2005, Nagin said: "I can see in your eyes, you want to know, 'How do I take advantage of this incredible opportunity? How do I make sure New Orleans is not overrun with (illegal) Mexican workers". This was in response to a question from the audience. Some Hispanic groups, including the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, criticized Nagin's statement. During a subsequent interview on Telemundo with Jose Diaz-Balart, Nagin praised the great work Hispanic workers did in New Orleans and said the city would not have recovered without them.

On April 7, 2009, the Times-Picayune alleged a conflict of interest with regard to a trip Nagin took to Hawaii in 2004. The Hawaiian vacation Mayor Ray Nagin, then-chief technology officer Greg Meffert and their families took in 2004 was claimed to be partially paid for by Meffert but years later it was revealed that a contractor paid for Nagin's plane ticket. David Hammer of the Times-Picayune incorrectly reported on April 23, 2009, that Nagin had taken "plenty of other trips" at the expense of NetMethods, a company owned by city vendor Mark St. Pierre. In a subsequent (June 7) article Hammer described potential technicalities wherein the benefits received by Meffert may be legal depending on whether he received them inside or outside New Orleans and whether the source was NetMethods or merely someone associated with the company.

In April 2009, Nagin was obliged "to sit for a deposition as part of a civil lawsuit over the city's controversial crime camera program." Times-Picayune had obtained information that Mark St. Pierre, who allegedly paid for the holiday, had made substantial donations to Nagin's 2006 re-election campaign.

Nagin's Chief Technology Officer, Greg Meffert, was later charged with 63 felony counts in what authorities say "was a lucrative kickback scheme." Meffert eventually plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bribery and one count of filing a false income tax return.

In February 2012, the New Orleans Times-Picayune reported that Ray Nagin was the target of a federal grand jury investigation.

In June 2012, Frank Fradella who was facing major securities fraud charges, pled guilty in New Orleans federal court to one count of conspiracy to bribe an elected official in New Orleans. This plea deal guaranteed him a significantly shorter jail sentence and exemption from asset forfeiture. According to the Times-Picayune, Fradella claims to have paid this official $50,000 and delivered corrupt truckloads of free granite in exchange for favorable treatment for Fradella's companies with city contracts.

What's really funny about Nagin's obsession with editing this article to cover up his crimes is that his next home will have limited internet access(but hopefully a nice view of the prison yard).