Election Central: Debates and CPAs – Just the Facts

    Separating the truth from political propaganda during an election is difficult.  So that Central’s voters can make an informed decision, here are seven facts about Woody Jenkins’ attacks on Dave Freneaux.
    Fact: The State Board of CPAs of Louisiana reviewed Dave Freneaux’s campaign literature and found it not to be in violation of any statute.  Further, since leaving the full time practice of Public Accounting Freneaux has never promoted himself as a CPA for the purpose of doing work as a Certified Public Accountant.  Dave Freneaux is officially “CPA Inactive” and has not been questioned about any inappropriate use of the term CPA, except by Shelton’s supporters.  Woody Jenkins was aware of all of this information PRIOR to publishing his article in which he tried to make the public believe that some law had been broken.
    Fact: The final instructions from the debate organizers directed that there would be “2 Questions from Dave Freneaux’s representative.”  There were no instructions as to how the two questions were to be formulated, and Freneaux’s representative walked into the pre-debate question selection meeting and stated “Here are the two questions emailed to me by Mr. Freneaux”. Woody Jenkins was aware of all of this PRIOR to publishing his article making it seem as though the debate was somehow rigged.

    Fact: Junior Shelton serves on an EBR political committee chaired by Woody Jenkins, who then endorsed Shelton, debate organizer Harry Rauls, and others in the name of the Republican Party.
    Fact: Junior Shelton was appointed by Woody Jenkins to chair a City of Central sub-committee of this same EBR political organization, and Junior Shelton appointed seven of his associates to serve on this committee.  Among these Shelton appointees were Harry Rauls and Ted McCulley, the two persons joining Junior Shelton and Woody Jenkins in claiming that the mayoral debate was unfair.
    Fact: Junior Shelton was named to the Executive Committee of the Chamber of Commerce of EBR which was founded and is chaired by Woody Jenkins.  This EBR Chamber competes with the Central Chamber who assured the public that the debate questions were properly handled.
    Fact: The repeated claims by Woody Jenkins that Dave Freneaux is “negative campaigning” are based solely on Freneaux stating the truth that Junior Shelton attempted to hide his almost $2 million bankruptcy from the voters.  A candidate’s ability to manage a business has a direct bearing on a their qualification to be Central’s mayor and manage its $6 million annual budget, and that the voters have a right to know that fact in order to cast an informed vote.
    After the political spin wears off…. those are Just The Facts.