"Louisiana airport now involved in city corruption probe"

Friday, March 14, 2003

Airport now involved in city corruption probe 
The Associated Press


NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- A federal investigation into corruption allegations in
city government has been expanded to the Louis Armstrong International
Airport. 

Roy Williams, director of aviation at the airport, said that he recently
delivered airport documents to a federal grand jury. Williams said the
material was "related to contractors who provide service to the airport." He
would not elaborate. 

U.S. Attorney Jim Letten confirmed an investigation. 

"We are looking at some matters involving the airport. We are decidedly
looking at more than one matter," Letten said. "I'm not at liberty to go
into what those involve." 

U.S. Rep. David Vitter, R-Metairie, said he has been informed that the
criminal inquiry is proceeding on a track similar to an administrative probe
that the U.S. Department of Transportation is conducting at his request. 

"Clearly, what they're looking at is contracts being traded for things like
campaign contributions," Vitter said. "It's tied up in the patronage issue
and whether anything illegal happened in the awarding of contracts." 

Former Mayor Marc Morial said investigations and Vitter's remarks were an
attempt by Vitter to get attention. Morial denied any relationship between
political donations and the awarding of contracts. 

"Campaign contributions played no role whatsoever in the awarding of
contracts at Louis Armstrong International Airport," Morial said. 

Vitter requested the DOT investigation after The Times-Picayune of New
Orleans reported that businesses owned by women or minorities that made
local campaign contributions received far more government work at the
airport than those that did not. 

Last March, the transportation department announced it would conduct a probe
of the airport as well as the Regional Transit Authority and the Orleans
Levee Board. At the time, the inquiry was expected to take six to eight
months. 

But Vitter said that the department has asked for more time. Investigators
are just now starting to look into the RTA and the Levee Board and they are
not quite finished at the airport, Vitter said.


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