Governor of Louisiana settles ethics investigation, admitting to failure to report $13,000 worth of complimentary travel excursions, and paying a fine.

In a recent development, Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry has agreed to pay a $900 fine for failing to disclose a free plane ride to Hawaii and other free flights, as part of a settlement that ended an ethics investigation into his travels.

The investigation, which began in 2021, focused on nearly 20 complimentary trips worth more than $13,000 that Landry accepted since 2021. The trips included transportation to northeast Louisiana to announce Meta's plans to build a data center there last December.

The free trip to Hawaii was organized by Louisiana Economic Development. Landry took the trip on the private plane of Greg Mosing, who owns an aviation company and is a political supporter.

The ethics board, which has the power to appoint members, sent a confidential letter to Jeff Landry in 2022 warning him to stop using campaign funds to pay for a car loan. The state code of ethics requires public officials to report complimentary work trips within 60 days.

The settlement resolved investigations into five other complimentary trips and flights between 2022 and 2023. The reporting process for complimentary work trips may be revised.

The changes raised the bar for future ethics board investigations and provided more opportunities for officials to challenge allegations of misconduct. Since becoming governor, Landry has pushed through legislation to tighten his grip on the state ethics board.

The Louisiana Legislature passed sweeping changes to the ethics board this year, written by Landry's personal attorney. Landry now has the power to appoint nine of the 15 members of the state ethics board.

La Koshia Roberts, an attorney appointed to the board by the Louisiana House of Representatives in 2018, believes the ethics board is being undermined by these changes. Roberts stated that the forms required for reporting complimentary work trips are not difficult to understand. However, she believes that Landry's team was "not acting in good faith" during the settlement negotiations.

Roberts also expressed concerns about the revised reporting process for complimentary work trips, stating that it could lead to less transparency and accountability. She emphasized the importance of the ethics board's independence in upholding ethical standards for public officials.

The ethics investigation into Jeff Landry's travels is now closed, but the debate over the role and independence of the state ethics board continues. As the governor pushes for more control, critics argue that it could weaken the board's ability to hold public officials accountable for their actions.

Governor of Louisiana settles ethics investigation, admitting to failure to report $13,000 worth of complimentary travel excursions, and paying a fine.