Clerk of court goes to court over his removal from horsemen's board

NEW ORLEANS -- The Louisiana Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association was created to distribute the winning purses at the state's four racetracks. It also provides benefits such as pension funds and insurance to more than 6000 workers in the racing industry.

Orleans Clerk of Court Arthur Morrell is a horse owner and a 15-year member of the LHBPA board, serving until March of last year. That's when he lost his seat in an election Morrell described as more of a hostile takeover.

"We felt it has been proven that the election was fixed, in a word, and all we wanted was a fair election and that didn't take place," said Morrell.

Morrell said LHBPA President Sean Alfortish, who is also a Kenner magistrate judge, and others he directed conducted a sham election. Morrell said Alfortish wanted him and three others off the board because they were asking too many questions about the association's financial records.

Morrell's attorney Madro Bandaries said an association employee turned federal whistle-blower confirmed the alleged wrongdoing.

"Irregularities did take place," said Bandaries. "Irregularities that involved stuffing the ballot box with fake ballots."

Bandaries also claims the association may have misspent hundreds of thousands of dollars from various accounts, including a video-poker settlement and donations to a Hurricane Katrina relief fund.

Morrell accuses Alfortish of using his LHBPA credit card for personal items to the tune of $300,000.

"I think I saw one for shoes, for bottles of liquor, going on trips with no explanation of why they went on trips and a lot of money spent on breakfast, lunch and dinner," said Morrell.

Monday, the LHBPA matter is expected to come before a civil court judge in New Orleans. The plaintiffs in the case, including Morrell, are suing to force the association board and president to present evidence that the latest election was properly conducted. If they can't, the judge could order a new election.

The lawsuit comes at a time when it appears federal agents are also investigating possible wrongdoing on the part of certain members of the horsemen's association board of directors and its president Sean Alfortish.

According to the plaintiffs' attorney, several members of the association have already been called to testify before a grand jury in New Orleans.

"Criminal, yes we think there's more than smoke," said Bandaries. "We think there's fire and the proper criminal agencies we believe will take the correct steps."

Neither the LHBPA nor its president Sean Alfortish were available for comment.

The association did release a statement saying:

"Like many private non profit associations the LHBPA elects its board of directors and president on a regular basis. In 2008 the LHBPA conducted what appeared to be a typical and normal election as is conducted routinely every three years. However, following this 2008 election some of the losing candidates filed protests which were promptly heard. When the protests were denied the losing candidates filed lawsuits including the lawsuit which is to be heard on Monday."

The hearing will be in Judge Herbert Cade's court at 9 a.m. Monday.