It ain't over until the fat cat sings
Phone Call from Governor Edwards
Another story from Uncle George whose brain is an artesian well of useless information
searching for all the right answers to life's persistent questions
On April 26, 2011 I received
a phone call from former Louisiana Governor
Edwin Edwards regarding the personal letter that I sent to him after his
release from the federal prison, see letter below. Edwin said that he was alive
and well and engaged to marry a 32 year old girl. Edwin said that I got it all
wrong, that he was 83 years old and that 83 could go into 32 contrary to all
mathematicians’ beliefs. Edwin asked me where I was and I replied that Lloyd
Blount and I were conducting environmental training in
Dauphin Island Alabama.
Edwin asked me if we were training girls. I said that we were and he replied
that he may show up.
Background Check:
Edwin Washington Edwards (born August 7, 1927) served as the Governor of Louisiana for four terms (1972–1980, 1984–1988 and 1992–1996), twice as many terms as any other Louisiana chief executive has served. Edwards was also Louisiana's first Roman Catholic governor in the 20th century. A colorful, powerful and legendary figure in Louisiana politics, Edwards was long dogged by charges of corruption.
In 2001, he was sentenced to ten years in prison on racketeering charges. Edwards began serving his sentence in October 2002 in Fort Worth, Texas, and was later transferred to the federal facility in Oakdale, Louisiana.
Two men whom Edwards defeated in Louisiana elections, David C. Treen and J. Bennett Johnston, Jr., and a third who was his protege, John Breaux, confirmed in July 2007 that they intended to approach then U.S. President George W. Bush about procuring a pardon or commutation for Edwards, who celebrated his 80th birthday in prison in August 2007. However, Bush denied a pardon for Edwards before he left the presidency on January 20, 2009.[1]
Edwards was released from federal prison into a halfway house on January 13, 2011.[2]
When George Wesley Whitlow, my daddy taught Law Enforcement for LSU
Law Enforcement Institute he was a
state employee under Edwards.
My parents were huge Edwards supporters and met him several times at different
functions. I resigned from the US Air Force in April 1983 after Daddy had open
heart surgery. For a year we survived on food stamps, welfare, and catching
catfish with dynamite. Although I had a part time job substitute teaching
science and math nearly every week day in Caldwell Parish High School, daddy
insisted that I did not know the difference between shit and Shinola. I was living the good life. Daddy got fed up with my
laziness and my living in his back yard at the fishing camp on the old mill pond
in Clarks Louisiana. so he called his friend the governor and asked Edwin to get
me a job with Louisiana DEQ.
In 1984 I had to testify about an opacity visible emissions violation during a
class action law suit against a hazardous waste plant.
Read about the plant's
worst nightmare. After the trial Pat Norton, Secretary of Louisiana DEQ, was
not satisfied with the fines and penalties against the plant and she tried to
revoke their permit to operate. This led to a television broadcasted dispute
between Norton and Edwards. The Governor fired Pat Norton and played a part in
me being transferred form inspections to conducing smoke school. The firing of
Pat Norton led the Attorney General to suspect criminal behavior between Edwards
and the plant in question. The Attorney General brought tanks and the National
Guard in to knock down the gates and take over the plant in search of
incriminating evidence against the Governor. This started a chain reaction that
eventfully led to the prison term for the Governor. So Edwin had a part in
getting me hired and fired by Louisiana DEQ. Edwin did me a huge favor because I
fell in love with conducting smoke school. I guess all things do work together
for good for those who love the Lord. He is our Sheppard and he watches over us.
I
still loved Edwin Edwards and I included him in Chapter 7 The Fourth of July of
my novel Blue Bayou Days The Summer of 61. The minor character Edwin Breaux is
based on the political campaign between Edwards and John Breaux. Quoting from
page 157 "The mayor walked to the center of the stage and threw kisses to all
the women who were stretching their necks to see him. Two women fainted and had
to be carried away in an ambulance." The Governor did love the girls.
The letter that I mailed to the Governor after his release from prison:
George Whitlow
1305 Charles Griggs RD
West Monroe LA 71292
April 20, 2011
Governor Edwin
Edwards
204 Oakwood DR
Denham Springs, LA
70726
Dear Edwin:
I felt like you need
cheering up. I am writing this letter out of gratitude for something special
that you did for my momma and daddy in 1994 for Daddy’s funeral. You wrote my
mother a personal sympathy letter which she cherished for the rest of her life.
I remember watching her tears as they read your letter at the funeral. Mother
and Daddy always adored you and attended any functions you held here in Monroe.
I always liked you even though most of the time you were in office; I was away
in the USAF. In fact I liked you so much that I included a brief amusing story
based on you that appears in my novel Blue Bayou Days in the chapter about the 4th
of July.
I have been pulling
and praying for you to get released from the P word since you went in. I think
they did you wrong and it was just a personal vendetta they had against you.
Obviously you did a lot of great things for the people of Louisiana or you would
not have been reelected so many terms.
Your neighbor Lloyd
Blount, Julius’s Son informs me that you are getting married again. If Mr.
Robinson, my math teacher at Neville HS class of 66 were still alive, I would
have to go over and inform him that I always insisted that 75 could go into 31.
That is a joke son- no offence intended. Lloyd also said you plan to move up
here in my neck of the woods near Columbia. If you have any spare time on your
hands, stop by and see us. We can talk about old times, go fishing, go hunting,
or just sit out by the pool here at the house. We live on the back roads off Hwy
34 out of Columbia. Take Hwy 4 out of Columbia and hit 34.
Sincerely:
George Artie Whitlow
318-361-2355 Pick up the phone and call me sometimes
more smoke school stories
It ain't over until the fat cat sings
