LaHIT Scheme Exposed Again!
August 4, 2019
Today the Baton Rouge Advocate released another investigative piece on the LaHIT scheme. It is linked below. Folks are asking me today what I have to say. We launched our call for a change in leadership at our beloved school in September 2018. Our call was always grounded in restoring the rule of law and constitutional compliance that has been actively undermined by King Alexander, the Jindal administration, and their cronies and must be restored with new leadership and processes. We believe that should include restoration of some of the oversight and assistance to good folks on the LSU Board of Supervisors that was provided by the previous "LSU System" structure that was dismantled by King Alexander and his team. We have made multiple calls for new leadership since then. We are not going to make another one. Some hoped that by supporting the current candidate for governor being run by the Jindal team that the facts in this story and unfortunately no doubt more to come would not be seen. Some hoped to insincerely engage with the busy office of our Legislative Auditor to cover up the facts, not reveal them. We are pleased to see our Auditor has reopened his inquiry. We hope he will continue and complete the new inquiry by taking as much time as required. We look forward to the determinations he makes. Unfortunately, some of the issues now under consideration are beyond the Auditor's scope and fall under ethics and other jurisdictions. The Auditor can't make determinations on ethics violations. Whose pockets the $945,000 Louisiana hospitals paid the private company HarmonIQ (later reincorporated in Delaware) went to is beyond the Auditor's review. Those things are being reviewed by others.
I don't have another call to make today. Anyone in possession of facts about recent events at LSU now knows what must be done. Good people are working to recreate the type of renaissance we saw at LSU in the 90's and early 2000's. The best days for LSU are ahead. I'd like to thank everyone who has expressed their support to me for addressing these issues. I have been so encouraged by your emails, calls, and personal outreaches. While it is challenging to engage these issues out front publicly, I do encourage many of you to consider joining us in stepping out yourself publicly as needed as we address important issues in the days ahead. Have a great Louisiana week and Geaux Tigers!
Richard Lipsey
LSU Tiger
Put Louisiana First
Here is the story from the Baton Rouge Advocate: