[StBernard] St. Bernard President responds to 'spillionaires' report

[Westley Annis]

St. Bernard President responds to 'spillionaires' report

Chris Miller Reporting
St. Bernard Parish President Craig Taffaro Tuesday responded to a report
critical of how he doled out contracts under emergency rules during the BP
oil spill.  The report from ProPublica.org said the parish president created
"spillionaires" out of friends and campaign donors.
 
The report said it found seven individuals who worked on Taffaro's
reelection committee also received contracts for oil spill cleanup work and
support jobs.  Taffaro said the report was a "hatchet job."

"The power of a reporter who has no responsibility to get facts straight is
pretty widespread and pretty vast," he told WWL's Spud McConnell.
 
Taffaro said he found it interesting that ProPublica.org neglected to
mention that contracts also went to non-contributors.
 
"Even within the BP oil spill, there were companies and individuals,
businesses that operated in the BP oil spill that I've never received a
contribution for."

Taffaro also said it was BP who picked contractors, although ProPublica.org
reports BP's selections came with input from parish officials.

Audio available: 
http://www.wwl.com/St--Bernard-President-responds-to--spillionaires--/103931
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