There are new questions surrounding just how former Jefferson Parish President Aaron Broussard spent his time in office. It's been nearly a month since he resigned amid a federal corruption investigation into Jefferson Parish government, but there are lingering concerns over what else was he working on before leaving office and who was paying him?
Most know Broussard as the now former leader of the state's largest parish. Some at the university of New Orleans remember him as a political science professor. But according to documents obtained by Eyewitness News, Broussard actually had 185 other jobs while parish president, little known jobs called 'curatorships.'
"When something comes before the court and someone out there has an interest in it, like a piece of property or amount of money in dispute, and that person can't be located the court appoints a lawyer to represent the absent party," said Eyewitness News Political Analyst Clancy DuBos.
And Broussard was that lawyer 185 times in the 6 years he was parish president. At a cost of about $500 per curatorship, Broussard was able to add more than $90,000 to his already six-figure parish salary. As for where the money comes from to fund curatorships, that all depends on the specific court case. In real estate matters, for example, a curator would be paid through a portion of the proceeds from the actual property in dispute or through court costs that the losing party is forced to pay.
"Normally [curatorships] are handled by young attorneys," said Rafael Goyeneche, leader of the New Olreans based watchdog group the Metropolitan Crime Commission. "It's a way that young attorneys, particularly solo practitioners, can go out and get some experience and begin to make some money."
It is district court judges who are ultimately in charge of doling out the curatorships.
"There is no statewide rule or law with respect to how a judge can make appointments with respect to curatorships," said Goyeneche. "It's basically discretionary."
And so it's perfectly legal and, in fact, common for politicians to score curatorships.
But records show that Broussard had the lions scare in Jefferson Parish among elected officials and it's who gave Broussard the job, repeatedly, that's now raising concerns.
"Quite frankly, we have more questions than we have answers right now."
Court records show that nearly all of Broussards appointments came from three judges: Patrick McCabe, Robert Murphy, and Glenn Ansardi. In fact, Ansardi was especially fond of Broussard.
Of the former parish president's 51 curatorships in 2009, more than half, came from Ansardi---a former associate and longtime friend.
"I don't think there's a prohibition against him doing that," said Mike Ellis, Broussard's attorney. "Judges will usually pick somebody they're familiar with and do a good job, I hate to see anything sinister tied into that."
"I think that when you look at the volume of appointments made by Judge Ansardi it raises an issue as to whether or not those appointments and the quantity of those appointments would constitute a violation of the Judicial Cannons," said Goyeneche.
According to Louisiana's Code of Judicial Conduct, "a judge shall not allow family, social, political, or other relationships to influence judicial conduct....a judge should exercise the power of appointment impartially and on the basis of merit."
Less than a month before Ansardi took the bench early last year, he sold his 4-year old notary business to Aaron Broussard's daughter in law, Norma Broussard.
The cost? Just $10 and "other valuable consideration."
As for whether that business deal had anything to do with Aaron Broussard's long line on curatorships, that's yet to be answered. Ellis never responded to requests for information regarding the sale and Ansardi did not respond to Eyewitness News' request for an interview.
"I think it does diminish somewhat the notion of the judicial role for a judge to funnel these appointments to a small number of people to whom he has close contacts," said Edward Sherman, professor of law at Tulane Law School. "It raises the question as to whether there can be some kind of payback, benefit, patronage."
Sherman has been practicing law for 45 years and teaching it for 40. The former dean of the Tulane Law School says language in the judicial code is too broad, making it difficult to ever punish judges accused of rewarding buddies with easy money thru curatorships. He says new legislation at the state level might be the only remedy to implement the needed fixes.
"More strictly limit a judge's discretion in appointing," said Sherman. "Maybe even call for judges to spread these curatorships around among qualified people (:58) All of that could go to trying to lessen the possibility of cronyism and patronage."
As for Broussard, he shares even more connections to the judge.
Ansardi's law firm scored more than $237,970 In legal work from Jefferson Parish between 2005 and 2006, all while Broussard was president.
And Ansardi's firm earned even more, nearly $700,000, during the same time frame from the city of Kenner--the deal dates back to when Broussard was the Kenner mayor.
And Broussard's nonprofit group, The Aaron F. Broussard Community Service Foundation, lists Ansardi as a Director and Secretary-Treasurer.
The connections continue with Broussard's law firm contributing $1,050 to Ansardi's 2008 campaign for judge.
And Ansardi's daughter, Jennifer Ansardi was a lobbyist for Jefferson Parish government from 2003 to 2009.
All lengthy layers now peeled back--revealing finances and friendship and the connections in between linking a recently resigned parish president, a district court judge, and a little known, but lucrative, line of legal work.
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