On Wednesday evening, something remarkable occurred in Jefferson Parish. A group of nearly 50 grassroots, “Louisiana First” activists attended the Jefferson Parish Ethics and Compliance Commission’s (E&CC) monthly meeting. This group of grassroots patriots was led by Mike Weinberger, founder of the Home Defense Foundation (HDF).

At this E&CC meeting, Weinberger and the other concerned citizens (including myself) expressed our support for Jefferson Parish’s Inspector General, Kim Chatelain. In her four-year term as head of the Office of Inspector General (OIG), IG Chatelain and her colleagues have pushed for transparency and accountability in Jefferson Parish’s local government–particularly regarding a controversial, taxpayer-funded brewpub project in Gretna.

Of course, some of the local establishment politicians in Jefferson Parish have not appreciated Chatelain’s oversight of local parish government. In fact, the Jefferson Parish council previously passed legislation to suppress the OIG by limiting the public comments it can make before investigations are completed.

After the flood of public support for Inspector General Chatelain at this meeting, the Ethics and Compliance Commission decided to reappoint her to a second term in her current position.

Certainly, the members of the Home Defense Foundation made an impact on local politics here in Jefferson Parish. In a time where many people focus on the goings-on over in Washington DC, HDF decided to pursue an achievable goal that is already making waves in the local political arena.

Mike Weinberger from HDF was kind enough to share a quote about the key to his group’s effectiveness in local politics over many years:

“For too long, MAGA activists have thought they can win fights about government policy by showing politicians our side is right and moral, and that our policies, such as locking up criminals to reduce crime, work.  But politicians do not necessarily embrace policies just because they work or are moral.  Rather, most politicians respond to other things, such as showing them you are organized and that you know where the right buttons are.  At HDF we do not hit the Volume button to change Channels.  Rather, we hit the channel button.  That’s why we are 63-0 in the legislature.”

HDF’s recent victory in Jefferson Parish should serve as a model for how grassroots patriots can win locally in Louisiana. We may not be able to change Washington DC or Baton Rouge at the moment. But for now, grassroots patriots must focus on organizing locally to achieve more victories in Louisiana politics–whether that’s in the Livingston Parish Library, your local school board, or the Jefferson Parish Council.