(Originally published in Citizens for a New Louisiana) — If you are like most people, you have been entertained by national politics, particularly by President Donald Trump. Watching him take executive action to reverse many harmful policies pushed down by the previous executive has been very encouraging. From reversing DEI (“Didn’t Earn It”) policies to making statements about wanting to return education to the states, many who rejected the Democrat’s leftist woke ideology are applauding the dismantling of the indoctrination apparatus.

Wounded and retreating are the woke whackos, but they are still around. And they will undoubtedly resurface, but where? A predictable drop zone is here locally. They will mimic “grassroots” movements and begin to disrupt your community. They will continue their attempts to infiltrate our institutions to change those institutions’ intended course. We have argued for years that this local infiltration is already taking place.

So, while Trump is driving wokeism out of the federal bureaucracy, much like how St. Patrick drove the snakes from Ireland, rest assured they will resurface and resume their efforts to sow chaos locally. We have said it a thousand times… The snakes may have been driven from the federal temple, but that only forces them into more vulnerable places—your schools, libraries, and local institutions, where they regroup and strike again. Entertaining as it is, don’t get too distracted or apathetic by watching what is happening in D.C. The battle is raging right here in your own backyard.

Banana Jones – The Serpent in the Schools

The “movement” around Amanda “Banana” Jones is a prime example of the taxpayer-funded, manufactured “grassroots,” also known as “astroturf.” This metaphor epitomizes the effort you should anticipate being multiplied over the next four years. Jones is a Livingston Parish School System bureaucrat who sued Citizens for a New Louisiana for “defamation” when we correctly pointed out that she was advocating against removing inappropriate materials from the library children’s section.

Jones is associated with the Livingston [Parish] Library Alliance. According to the Louisiana Secretary of State, Jones reserved the name quite a while ago, intending to form a juridical entity. However, no such group is currently incorporated in Louisiana.

On Friday, December 13, 2024, at 2:13 PM, Jones’s Livingston Parish Library Alliance submitted an Open Meetings Complaint against the Livingston Parish Library Board of Control to the Louisiana Office of the Attorney General. Although unsigned, that document provided a list of alleged complainants, which were, first and foremost, made by Amanda Jones.

The Office of the Attorney General responded on Monday, December 16, 2024, at 8:41 AM, directing the complainant(s) to complete the appropriate form. Then, on Wednesday, December 18, 2024, at 11:19 AM, a response was received by the Attorney General containing two files: “Open Meetings Complaint 1 from A Jones 12 18 24” and “Open Meetings Complaint 2 from A Jones 12 18 24.” Both forms were dated December 18, 2024, and contained the signature of a single complainant – Amanda Jones.

Additionally, on December 18, 2024, a public records request from the Livingston Parish Library Alliance G-mail account, timestamped 1:15 PM, was submitted to the Livingston Parish Public Library system.

Are Taxpayers Funding the Jones Crusades?

As it turns out, Louisiana taxpayers appear to be funding Jones’ crusades. Pay careful attention to the timeline of the above complaints and requests submitted by Jones. They were submitted on Wednesday, December 18, 2024, with an 11:19 AM and 1:15 PM timestamp, respectively. Although the Livingston Parish School System doesn’t mandate that its employees clock in and out, it confirmed that Amanda Jones was at work on December 18, 2024. Further, the times these items were created are clearly within Jones’s workday.

The Livingston Parish School System maintains strict policies regarding employees’ computer and internet use. The system provides that its network “shall not be used for commercial, political or religious purposes or personal gain.” Those provisions also apply to the “use of private e-mail accounts when access is attained using School Board equipment or networks” and to “access attained through any personal digital device while on School Board property.” Employees who violate the policy are subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination.

The timeline makes it clear that Jones is engaging in activities violating School Board policy while receiving taxpayer-funded compensation for performing her duties. This may not seem like a big deal to those working in the private sector. However, when you receive taxpayer dollars, there are strict prohibitions regarding the donation of public resources.

Payroll Fraud?

Louisiana Revised Statute 14:138 provides that public payroll fraud is committed when:

Any person shall knowingly receive any payment or compensation, or knowingly permit his name to be carried on any employment list or payroll for any payment or compensation from the state, for services not actually rendered by himself, or for services grossly inadequate for the payment or compensation received or to be received according to such employment list or payroll.

The Louisiana Attorney General has opined, “the payment of wages for hours which have not been earned would be a donation of public funds,” violating Article VII, Section 14 of the Louisiana Constitution. This includes using state equipment during ordinary business hours to perform services for a private entity.  Further, the Attorney General has indicated “that any services, whether minuscule or not, performed for a private organization by a state employee during ordinary business hours is a violation of Louisiana Article VII, Section 14 and the receipt of wages is a crime outlined by LSA-R.S. 14:138 of the Criminal Code.

Additionally, Louisiana Revised Statute 24:523 states:

An agency head of an auditee who has actual knowledge of or reasonable cause to believe that there has been a misappropriation of the public funds or assets of his agency shall immediately notify, in writing, the legislative auditor and the district attorney of the parish in which the agency is domiciled of such misappropriation.

What will come of this?

Your guess is as good as ours. Unfortunately, all too often, misconduct at this level goes ignored or unreported. We spoke about another situation last year involving the office of Iberia Parish Sheriff Tommy “the Taxman” Romero. What is happening with the misappropriation of over $17,000 in funds that Romero failed to report to the District Attorney? Who knows?

But, then again, is this misconduct at all? The Livingston Parish Public School system may knowingly pay Jones to perpetuate the “book ban hoax,” as the US Department of Education puts it. Is it still a donation of public funds if the school system pays Jones a salary for the specific purpose of this kind of advocacy work? Certainly, one political subdivision using its taxpayer resources to affect the policies of another isn’t entirely outside the realm of possibility. Some of our long-time readers may remember “Comedy Hour” Kenneth Boudreaux getting paid a full-time salary by the Sheriff while sitting on the city council that regularly authorizes budget amendments to give the sheriff more money out of the city treasury.

We also know the Livingston Public School System employee has bragged about coordinating efforts with the Public Library. So, is the Livingston Parish School system knowingly funding her advocacy work?

You will see much more of this occurring locally as the snakes retreat from the federal spotlight only to nest in your own backyard. They must not be allowed to continue their political activities at taxpayers’ expense. Local leaders must not hesitate to wield the shillelagh (staff) of accountability, as St. Patrick did, driving these serpents out once and for all. Their schemes thrive in darkness. Sunlight and swift action will send them slithering away again.