swamp_thing Posted November 8, 2005 Report Share Posted November 8, 2005 I got this off another site and thought it was well worth posting for everyone here to see. swamp_thing Nagin Defends Use of 'Phantom Police' >> > >> >Ray Nagin, mayor of New Orleans, lashed back at critics after the FBI discovered that up to 700 so-called members of the city police force simply did not exist. Funding for many of these officers was provided by the federal government "During the storm and aftermath we'd heard reports that hundreds of New Orleans police officers had deserted their post," said an FBI spokesman." Further investigation indicates that these posts had never been manned and the funds supposedly paid in wages has disappeared." "Sure, we overstated the number of officers on the force,"said Nagin. "We did this to deter crime." As Nagin explained it, the "phantom officers" were used as a decoy to "frighten" would-be offenders. "Just as George Washington lit fake campfires to lull the British troops before his surprise attack at Princeton, we in New Orleans have employed a similar strategy." The effectiveness of Nagin's alleged strategy is in doubt, though. New Orleans has one of the highest crime rates per capita the nation. As for what happened to the funds that were supposed to have paid police salaries, Nagin asserted that they were used to hire consultants and purchase computer software needed to sustain New Orleans' "Virtual Police Force." "The software had to be custom made," said Nagin. "It's not something you can buy at CompUSA. Software designers don't come cheap. Neither do the public relations experts who developed our media campaign." The media campaign featured TV spots of various street people implying that they could be undercover cops. In one ad, an apparently toothless derelict looks into the camera and says, "I be watchin' you. So don't you go misbehavin'." Unimpressed by Nagin's explanation, the FBI asserted it will continue its investigation. And they want us to give them $40 Billion, no strings attached and no oversight, to rebuild New Orleans! Give Me A Break Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TwistJG26 Posted November 8, 2005 Report Share Posted November 8, 2005 Gotta link? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swamp_thing Posted November 8, 2005 Author Report Share Posted November 8, 2005 I did a search on this this morning on google and on yahoo and found many links including a couple from news sources. Funny thing is when I went to the news sources the articles were no longer there. Still, if you do a search you will find who's news programs were reporting it and such. There is a lot of discussion about the entire ordeal. I am sure that it won't be highly publicized by the news media as it is not in their best interest and they would rather not cover such. swamp_thing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MorgansBoss Posted November 8, 2005 Report Share Posted November 8, 2005 I'm sure there will be other "surprises" coming out as New Orleans is scrutinized in the rebuilding process, after all corruption is part of L.A politics isn't it? Of course none of this will stop the pouring of billions of dollars into re-building homes and businesses in places they should have never been. To do so would be racist! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fritz Posted November 9, 2005 Report Share Posted November 9, 2005 Where is the snopes on this? Every time I post something like this, someone here states that this snopes has declared it illegitimate. Where is the snopes? fritz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emul8 Posted November 9, 2005 Report Share Posted November 9, 2005 My, my fritz...are we sensitive? LOL! I don't know that Snopes would debunk this...if anyone looks hard enough, I don't know that they could debunk it! I think that the media outlets are just sweeping reports such as these under the rug and off their websites thinking that no one will pay too much attention to then initially, and have no chance of it in the long term. That way, Nagin can remain the poor, put-upon, Bush-bashing mayor who DESERVES to have $40 billion poured into his city for phantom police officers and to feed the ever-hungry corruption machine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swamp_thing Posted November 9, 2005 Author Report Share Posted November 9, 2005 Fritz, I have to ask out of stupidity on my part, what is a snopes? Are you maybe referring to when they say they looked it up on one of those truth or fiction sites? Seriously, I am asking because I don't know. I would bet that it is not on any of those sites because it is indeed fact, just being kept off the news. I figure they are trying to keep this one under wraps as it would smear pie in too many faces. swamp_thing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swamp_thing Posted November 9, 2005 Author Report Share Posted November 9, 2005 Funny that the Russian news agencies have no problems reporting it. swamp_thing http://newsfromrussia.com/usa/2005/09/29/64033.html Pravda.RU:USA:More in detail New Orleans Police haunted by corruption 12:25 2005-09-29 An investigation is underway by the FBI as agents look into massive corruption on the state and local levels in the New Orleans Police Department, according to Fox News. Police Chief Eddie Compass suddenly resigned on Tuesday asking media interests to respect his right to privacy, but it appears that the former New Orleans cop has a lot of explaining to do. "It's pretty much always been known, but never openly acknowledged, that NOPD's actual numbers were far below the "official" figure of 1500 - 1700," says the Fox News source. The number of officers that actually are employed by the department are around 900 to 1,000. The question now remains...where was all of that salary money going to? The FBI began investigating the New Orleans police who had abandoned their post during Katrina and of the more than 500 screened so far, 84-percent don't exist. "I served this department for 26 years and have taken it through some of the toughest times of its history. Every man in a leadership position must know when it's time to hand over the reins," says Compass at a news conference. The investigation is widening on Wednesday to include New Orleans Police Foundation and Elodia Blanco for hiring practices as well. Corruption was wide-spread during the Katrina aftermath as New Orleans police officers were seen looting shopping centers and filling shopping carts with shoes, clothing, and electronics. Mayor Ray Nagin was also questioned about allowing a large number of unnamed police officers to go to Las Vegas for rest and relaxation once the military arrived to take over the city. But a problem for the mayor rose when questioned who those officers were and how they could be contacted. Nagin did not have specific names to give. Several middle ranking police officers committed suicide after the Katrina debacle, Nagin and Compass believe it was due to trauma and exhaustion from the storm but officials are looking into whether or not it might have been related to fear of being caught in a payroll scandal, AHN reports. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swamprat Posted November 9, 2005 Report Share Posted November 9, 2005 fritz, I would suggest that you use a truth check about a story before posting. Something like TruthOrFiction.com. These will keep you from being a victum of snopes. Also it will let you know what you are wanting to post is truth or bull. Swamprat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fritz Posted November 9, 2005 Report Share Posted November 9, 2005 You mean that Snopes is not the final answer? I am getting more and more confused. BTW, as some of you have brought it out, Snopes is a truth or fiction site. They usually say what I say is crap. So this time it's the truth? fritz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sphingta Posted November 10, 2005 Report Share Posted November 10, 2005 http://www.foxnews.com/tonysnowradio/vidPl...adio&-1&wvx-300 link to tony snow clip Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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