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Terrebonne president accused of misusing community property at Houma's Trump Train parade

TERREBONNE PARISH, La. (WVUE) – Terrebonne Parish President Jason Bergeron is accused of misusing taxpayer property during a campaign parade Saturday (Nov. 2) through Houma to promote former President Donald Trump's candidacy.

Councilman Brien Pledger says his phone was flooded with calls about Bergeron's parade vehicle, so he drove to Valhi Boulevard to see for himself.

Terrebonne Parish President Jason Bergeron allegedly decorated a parish vehicle with a picture of former President Donald Trump and led a campaign parade in Houma on Saturday (Nov. 2), according to Councilman Brien Pledger.(WVUE-Fox 8)

“I clearly saw exactly what I was told: that our parish president was using a parish vehicle that had a life-size representation or cardboard cutout of a presidential candidate in the vehicle,” Pledger said.

Fox 8 reached out to Bergeron for a response through its communications director, who said his boss had no comment.

“(Bergeron) believes that we need to be transparent here in Terrebonne Parish. That’s what he walked on,” Pledger said. “So, let’s do this. Let's be transparent. Additionally, we must hold ourselves accountable. Nobody is above the law. No one.”

Dane Ciolino, a law professor at Loyola University, said an ethics violation may not be Bergeron's biggest concern.

“It would violate both the state constitution and state election code for any public official or elected official to use public property for political activities,” Ciolino said.

Louisiana law prohibits the use of public funds “to pressure voters to vote for or….”
Louisiana law prohibits the use of public funds “to induce a voter to vote for or against a candidate or proposal, or to allocate them to a candidate or political organization.”(WVUE-Fox 8)

Pledge says he and his staff will be gathering evidence for handover next Monday.

“Then we go to the Ethics Commission to get an opinion that tells us whether something was actually done that shouldn’t have been done,” Pledger told Fox 8.

Ciolino says Terrebonne Parish District Attorney Joseph Waitz should also get involved.

“Technically, a violation of this provision of the Code of Ethics is not only a violation of ethics, but also a criminal violation, punishable in my opinion by two years in prison,” Ciolino said. “It would be a criminal offense.”

Pledger says the mayor can support whoever he wants as long as he finances it out of his own pocket.

“I have no problem supporting whoever you want. I encourage that,” Pledger said. “At the same time, you can’t use public property for this.”

Fox 8 has reached out to Waitz and is awaiting a response.

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