Post by MileySmiley08 on Feb 24, 2008 16:02:26 GMT -5
Gov. Jindal's Chief of Staff & Several Legislators Get Free Hannah Montana Concert Tickets
Governor Bobby Jindal, in the midst of Day 4 of a special session on ethics, is having to deal with a controversy surrounding Disney sensation, Hannah Montana. 9NEWS has learned that Governor Jindal's chief of staff and several state legislators were able to get tickets for free. WAFB's Jim Shannon has the story.
Much has been said down at the legislature about free tickets and lavish meals for lawmakers and appointed state employees. Granted, all of that talk is for future legislation. However, the governor's office is not ignoring the perks that come with being governor. Governor Bobby Jindal's special session on ethics is moving through the legislature on a fast pace. Amid cries of no more fat cat meals or tickets to sporting events and concerts, the governor is dealing with a ticket controversy within his own office.
9NEWS has learned that Timmy Teepell, the governor's chief of staff, asked for and received three free tickets to the popular Hannah Montana concert in New Orleans. Regular ticket prices ranged from $26 to $66. Teepell's tickets were for the governor's suite inside the New Orleans Arena. We had trouble getting a direct answer from the governor, when we asked him Thursday afternoon about the situation.
Jim Shannon: What does it say when you're talking about all this ethics and ethics reform, and not very long ago, your chief of staff received three tickets to a very popular concert in New Orleans?
Gov. Bobby Jindal: Jim, again, bottom line. We're gonna follow the law like everybody else. We proposed sweeping changes in the law. We're saying legislators shouldn't be getting lavish meals. We've said the same things on free tickets from people being able to influence elected or appointed leaders. That's why we're going through this session, to get the bills done to change the way business is done in Louisiana.
Governor Jindal said he has not talked to Teepell about the free tickets. It's important to point out that there's nothing currently illegal about Teeple's free tickets. The governor's spokeswoman confirmed the use of the arena suite during Hannah Montana three weeks ago. She also said that some legislators asked for and got tickets as well on a "first come, first served basis."
Late Thursday afternoon, 9NEWS put in a request with the governor's office for the names of those other legislators who got the free tickets. As of 6:00 p.m. Thursday evening, we had not heard back from the office.
www.ksla.com/Global/story.asp?S=7875239
Governor Bobby Jindal, in the midst of Day 4 of a special session on ethics, is having to deal with a controversy surrounding Disney sensation, Hannah Montana. 9NEWS has learned that Governor Jindal's chief of staff and several state legislators were able to get tickets for free. WAFB's Jim Shannon has the story.
Much has been said down at the legislature about free tickets and lavish meals for lawmakers and appointed state employees. Granted, all of that talk is for future legislation. However, the governor's office is not ignoring the perks that come with being governor. Governor Bobby Jindal's special session on ethics is moving through the legislature on a fast pace. Amid cries of no more fat cat meals or tickets to sporting events and concerts, the governor is dealing with a ticket controversy within his own office.
9NEWS has learned that Timmy Teepell, the governor's chief of staff, asked for and received three free tickets to the popular Hannah Montana concert in New Orleans. Regular ticket prices ranged from $26 to $66. Teepell's tickets were for the governor's suite inside the New Orleans Arena. We had trouble getting a direct answer from the governor, when we asked him Thursday afternoon about the situation.
Jim Shannon: What does it say when you're talking about all this ethics and ethics reform, and not very long ago, your chief of staff received three tickets to a very popular concert in New Orleans?
Gov. Bobby Jindal: Jim, again, bottom line. We're gonna follow the law like everybody else. We proposed sweeping changes in the law. We're saying legislators shouldn't be getting lavish meals. We've said the same things on free tickets from people being able to influence elected or appointed leaders. That's why we're going through this session, to get the bills done to change the way business is done in Louisiana.
Governor Jindal said he has not talked to Teepell about the free tickets. It's important to point out that there's nothing currently illegal about Teeple's free tickets. The governor's spokeswoman confirmed the use of the arena suite during Hannah Montana three weeks ago. She also said that some legislators asked for and got tickets as well on a "first come, first served basis."
Late Thursday afternoon, 9NEWS put in a request with the governor's office for the names of those other legislators who got the free tickets. As of 6:00 p.m. Thursday evening, we had not heard back from the office.
www.ksla.com/Global/story.asp?S=7875239
