[StBernard] Mandeville Council Members To Address Grand Jury

[Westley Annis]

Mandeville Council Members To Address Grand Jury
Federal Probe Stems From Audit Of City Hall Operations
WDSU.com
updated 6:19 p.m. CT, Wed., Sept . 23, 2009
NEW ORLEANS - WDSU .com

Members of the Mandeville City Council have been instructed to appear at the
federal courthouse in New Orleans on Thursday to testify before a grand
jury, sources told WDSU.

It's the latest turn in a 17-month federal probe into the operations at City
Hall.

Mandeville Council President Trilby Lenfant said last week that she'd been
invited to appear before the grand jury. At that time, she said she would
answer whatever questions she could, although she would not say when.

No member of the council would officially confirm that they've received
grand jury subpoenas.

The federal investigation grows out of a scathing state legislative audit
released a year ago, slamming Mandeville Mayor Eddie Price and his
administration.

The audit detailed credit card abuse by the mayor and some of his staff,
public bid law violations and improper gifts.

That information was turned over to federal authorities last year. Sources
told WDSU that some members of the council have hired attorneys, while
others have not.

There is no indication at this point that any member of the council is a
focus of the federal investigation.

Price was indicted this summer in an unrelated case. He is accused of lying
on the witness stand while testifying about whether he asked police officers
to be lenient on a friend who had been arrested on assault charges.