David LaCerte; LA Vet Secretary misused funds
The Colorado Springs Gazette reports that Louisiana’s Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary, David LaCerte, is facing the results of an investigation into impropieties regarding lavish, inappropriate spending to feather his own nest instead of doing right by veterans;
LaCerte abruptly resigned in October, amid the investigation by Legislative Auditor Daryl Purpera and state Inspector General Stephen Street. The investigation looked at LaCerte’s tenure at the Department of Veterans Affairs, from July 1, 2010, through Oct. 8, 2015, during which time he worked as deputy secretary, interim secretary and secretary for former Gov. Bobby Jindal’s administration.
Among the findings, investigators say LaCerte paid more than $44,000 to a company owned by two of his law school classmates without a proper consulting contract and with no evidence that work was done.
They say LaCerte used more than $27,000 in federal funds earmarked for a Slidell veterans cemetery to instead buy a sport utility vehicle used by department staff to transport LaCerte and other employees to meetings and events, even though LaCerte received a $500 monthly stipend to use his personal vehicle for state business.
The article continues that LaCerte bullied employees to cover up for his crimes and crimes within the department. It also turns out that his military resume didn’t match up to actual records;
LaCerte’s biography said he served in the Marines in Afghanistan and Pakistan and led over 100 combat patrols and missions, according to the report. But a review of his military records show LaCerte had a seven-month sea deployment, with only three months and nine days of foreign service, the report says.
Yeah, well, just by chance, guess who has David LaCerte’s military records. I’ve been sitting on them for almost two years;
Yeah, I don’t see any service in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Seven months on a ship and three months of foreign service. I’m not ready to make him out to be a liar, but there is certainly some room for explanation.
ADDED: I finally got verification from one of LaCertes’ mates from his Marine days and this Marine verifies that LaCertes did deploy to Pakistan and Afghanistan early in the war against terror briefly after a humanitarian mission to East Timor.
Category: Politics
Total full lying stealing SHITBAG.
/there’s your explanation.
FWIW: it appears that this . . . individual held a state VA position – not one with the Federal Department of Veterans Affairs.
Not much of a surprise to me. LA is the state that elected the crook – because it was important. (smile)
Come on Hondo, Louisiana politics gave us The Kingfish, Edwin Edwards, David Duke, Ray Nagin, William Jefferson etc. Between 2002 and 2011, Louisiana convicted 403 government officials of crimes “involving abuses of the public trust”. The good secretary was just keeping up with his peers.
Two kinds of scams going on in the VA… Shitbags scamming for pensions and shitbags scamming who work for the VA
he will just get a demotion
Or a promotion.
“who work for the VA.” Let me adjust that, JAOD: “who appear at their VA offices late most days, take long lunches, tend to personal business, complain about their workload, and leave early.” Work is not what I call it.
If I approached my job that way, I’d be schitt-canned faster than you can say ‘if a man does not wish to work, neither let him eat’.
But then again, I’m private sector. Granted, it’s a FedGov contract, but it still requires I bust my balls all day, every day.
FWIW 1/4 was deployed March 2002 as a Reserve Support to operations in Ahfghanistan. He EAS’ed in August of 2002. He was in the Battalion Starting April of 2001. It looks like all of his deployed time would have been there.
He probably rates a few more awards that didnt get on his DD214.
Not defending his shitbbaggery though.
Yeah, I thought the same about his awards. But the GWOTSM and GWOTEM weren’t created until March 2003, so they wouldn’t be listed on any Aug 2002 DD214. He should rate the GWOTSM at a minimum, and quite possibly the GWOTEM or ACM as well (depending on precisely where his deployment occurred, of course).
All of that is the reason I didn’t write about him before now – I’ve been looking for someone who remembers him on that deployment, that’s why it’s taken so long.
He made Sgt, looks like he had honorable service. The 90 days foriegn service was probably in Afhganistan.
Regardless of his service then, looks like he has been tap-dancing on his dick.
More than likely he was just imitating the people around him.
You sit in a barrel of rotten apples and the funk rubs off.
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Service Medal (GE) BACKGROUND: a. On 20 September 2002, the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense, requested the Institute provide suggested designs. This was accomplished and the design was selected on 7 January 2003. Executive Order 13289, dated 12 March 2003, signed by President Bush, established this medal. b. In order of precedence, the GWOTEM will be worn before the GWOTSM and both shall directly follow the Kosovo Campaign Medal (KCM) (i.e., KCM, GWOTEM, GWOTSM, KDSM, etc.). c. Sailors may receive both the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal (GWOTEM) and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal (GWOTSM) if they meet the requirements of both awards; however, the same period of service establishing eligibility for one cannot be used to justify service eligibility for the other. CRITERIA: a. Authorized to be awarded to sailors who deploy abroad for service in the Global War on Terrorism Operations on or after 11 September 2001 to a date to be determined. Initial award is limited to soldiers deployed abroad in Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom in the following Department of Defense designated specific geographic areas of eligibility (AOE): Afghanistan, Bahrain, Bulgaria (Bourgas), Crete, Cyprus, Diego Garcia, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Oman, Pakistan, Philippines, Qatar, Romania (Constanta), Saudia Arabia, Somalia, Syria, Tajikistan, Turkey (East of 35 degrees east latitude), Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Yemen, that portion of the Arabian Sea north of 10 degrees north latitude and west of 68 degrees longitude, Bab El Mandeb, Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Aqaba, Gulf of Oman, Gulf of Suez, that portion of the Mediterranean Sea east of 28 degrees east longitude, Persian Gulf, Red Sea, Strait of Hormuz and Suez Canal. b. To be eligible for the award, a sailor must be assigned, attached or mobilized to a unit participating in designated operations for 30 consecutive days or for 60 nonconsecutive days in the AOE, or meet one of the following criteria: 1) Be engaged in actual combat against the enemy and under circumstances involving grave danger of… Read more »
Dear Mr. LaClite,
The misuse of federal funds within the confines of state government is still misuse of federal funds.
So I wish you luck with that!
MCPO
PS: Next time you have an appointment for an official portrait, take a step closer to the razor. I suspect a booking photo may be next opportunity.
Yeah, Uncle Sam doesn’t much care for people misusing his funds. He sometimes even takes offense.
Don’t steal from the gooberment. They hate the competition.
Shitbag… needs to be tossing salad in a state poundhimintheass prison.
I’m sure that the State of Louisiana can arrange for him to reside at Angola for a few years.
It looks like he spent most of his USMC time at the submarine base at Kings Bay. I used to get in a lot of racquetball there.
Is lower base there as nice as Bangor?
Hmm – Kings Bay. Doesn’t the USMC provide guards for certain “special things” that might be there? If that’s the case, are there any implications regarding someone being transferred from such duty to an infantry assignment on the other coast?
I’m asking in all seriousness, because I don’t know.
Hondo,
The guards at Kings Bay are 03 types who are selected out of SOI (good performers) sent to additional training in VA and then to Marine Barracks. ( Not that many left, Gitmo is another one).
He was there about two years, then transfered to the Fleet. Completely Normal. I had 4 or 5 in my 81s Platoon that Came from Gitmo or FAST Company in Norfolk.
JAOD: thanks for enlightening me. Was wondering if the transfer might be a “red flag”, but didn’t know for sure either way. Now I know.
Actually if I recall Correctly “Security Forces” was an enlistment option back in the 90s ( could still be).
It was basically DIP (Delayed Infantry Program) You get a bit of high speed training and 2 years at a decent duty station… then you are off to the FMF.
Fast company in Norfolk. They had a nice little bar there back in the 90’s.
Seizure and sale of all personal assets to pay back 3x the amount stolen, plus investigative costs, plus whatever else we can think of.
Another douche in a suit within the VA. This is my shocked face.
And such a mild, pleasant looking fucking backstabber he is, too.
He must be one high rolling death dealer to have been “deployed briefly” and manage to lead over 100 combat missions and patrols.
It is this type of shitbag and the others the VA is riddled with that I have hopes a new President will make priority one. Prosecute every one of these assholes
Guys, at the risk of repeating myself: news reports say this guy worked for the State of Louisiana – not for the Federal government. He was a part of Louisiana’s Veterans Affairs department. That’s a different organization entirely from the Federal government’s VA. It’s a state organization and is state-run.
Most if not all states have a state VA organization of some type. While they may get some funding (block grants, etc . . . ) from the Federal VA, they’re not under the Federal VA’s control and are not a part of the Federal VA.
The Federal VA certainly has its issues. But this . . . fine individual wasn’t a problem Fed employee. He was a problem Louisiana state government employee.
Well, then. thanks for the clarification. I misread the post like others and didn’t click on the link. He is still a shitbird and the VA is still riddled with them.
I’ll be interested in seeing what Bobby Jindal does about this.
Why did he bother to resign ? Hell’s Bells the VA probably would have promoted him.
[…] The Lonely Conservative: Cruz Apologizes To Carson Over Caucus Mixup This Ain’t Hell: Louisiana Vet Secretary Under Investigation For Misuse Of Funds Weasel Zippers: Rep. Steve King – No Dirty Tricks Against Carson; Posts Based Off Media […]