Daigle, DA Taylor file campaign paperwork

Retired District Judge Ellis Daigle of Eunice has filed a statement of organization for a campaign for St. Landry Parish district attorney.
Daigle retired effective Jan. 31 and his campaign statement of organization was filed with the state Ethics Administration on Feb. 10.
Michael Leger of Opelousas is chairman of the campaign committee and Charles Going of Opelousas is treasurer.
Daigle has not yet formally announced he will run but it is a forgone conclusion by political observers.
Also in February, Daigle filed his final judicial campaign finance report for 2013 and District Atty. Earl Taylor, seeking his fourth six-year term, filed his campaign finance summary for 2013.
Judges’ campaign finances are handled by committees, rather than directly by the judge or judge candidate.
Daigle’s committee entered 2013 with $12,262 on hand and spent $2,859. It had no contributions during the year and had a balance on Dec. 31 of $9,411.01.
While a judge, Daigle was prohibited from campaigning for DA, hence formal formation of his committee after his retirement.
A district attorney, and most other office holders, have no such restrictions.
Taylor reported receiving $11,250 during 2013. He spent $15,787. He had $10,336 when the year began. At year’s end, his campaign had $5,798.98 on hand.
Candidates can spend campaign finance funds for almost anything imaginable under Louisiana’s liberal interpretation of what “political” spending is.
Daigle’s campaign expenses as a judge included $500 to the Coach Joe Nagata Memorial last August and contributions to various school, church and civil projects.
Taylor’s largest expense was $6,200 in dues and fees to Indian Hills Country Club.
The single largest contributors to Taylor’s fund in 2013 were National Inspection Services of Scott and Larry Zerangue, doing business as Zerangue Bail Bonds, both $1,000.
The Committee to Re-elect Bobby J. Guidroz Sheriff has also filed its 2013 report.
It reporting receipts of $67,800 and expenses of $74,554 during the year.
It had $187,233 on hand when the year began and $183,010 at year’s end.
The committee’s receipts were overwhelmingly from dozens of $300 memberships in the sheriff’s Executive 300 Club.
Expenses included $1,000 for a campaign fish fryer and several $300 payments for campaign work.
Details of these reports and others can be found at ethics.state.la.us/CampaignFinanceSearch