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Council approves legal‑fees reimbursement for parish president after ethics probe closed
Summary
After lengthy debate about precedent and attorney‑general guidance, the Livingston Parish Council voted 6‑2 March 26 to reimburse legal fees for Parish President Randy Dat following a Louisiana Board of Ethics closure of its investigation; council cited Attorney General Opinion 15‑0016 as authorizing (but not requiring) reimbursement.
The Livingston Parish Council voted 6‑2 on March 26 to reimburse legal fees incurred by Parish President Randy Dat after the Louisiana Board of Ethics declined to pursue an investigation into hiring and promotion allegations.
Parish attorney and staff summarized the board’s letter and explained that the Board of Ethics "declined to pursue further enforcement action," effectively closing the file, and cited Louisiana Attorney General Opinion 15‑0016 in discussion of whether public reimbursement is authorized. Mr. Taylor summarized the AG opinion for the council: "The public entity may but is not required to reimburse public officials or employees for legal expenses incurred during Board of Ethics investigations," he said.
Several council members pressed for caution, noting statutory limits on public spending for personal conduct and prior board decisions that denied reimbursements in similar circumstances. Councilman Coats and Councilman Erdie voted against the reimbursement, saying they were concerned about public‑funds rules and precedent. Supporters of the reimbursement argued the investigation was closed without further enforcement and the attorney general’s opinion allows the council discretion to pay legal costs.
A substitute motion to reimburse was made and carried 6‑2 (the two nos were Councilman Coats and Councilman Erdie). The motion required staff to process the invoice submitted (amount in packet: $6,343.75) and follow applicable statutory review steps.
Next steps: Staff will process reimbursement according to applicable statutes and attorney‑fee review procedures and will document the legal authority relied upon. The council also moved to request the AG opinion documentation be made available in meeting materials for clarity.
(This story is based on council presentations and a recorded vote during the March 26, 2026 meeting.)
