by Kenneth Cooper
First things first, what you need to know is that Jefferson Parish President Mike Yenni did not put his mouth on a 17 year-old boy’s penis. Though he apparently expressed his desire to do so via text message, and possibly in person, and possibly during a passionate kiss in a public bathroom, he was never afforded the opportunity to put the aforementioned penis in his mouth. So there, one less embarrassment for the parish and the state. Still, the Jefferson Parish School Board, the Jefferson Parish City Council, and most elected Jefferson Parish officials want him out, and 40-45,000 voters have signed a recall petition. All this has caused Yenni to do is show his petty side.
After the state Dept. of Education dropped the overall grade of the parish’s public schools from a B to a C, Yenni erected an education task force to figure out what went wrong. Typically, that would be something for the school board to deal with, but apparently, Yenni was still feeling a little salty about being banned him from all public school campuses, so he overstepped them. This apparently does not fall under his promise to not let the scandal affect the parish’s business. But it did inspire the head of the parish council to out-petty Yenni by sending his fellow council members an email containing the texts Yenni sent to the 17-year old boy. The texts allegedly detail the when, where, and how Yenni would’ve liked the penis placed in his mouth.
Notwithstanding standards of decency , the fact is that in Louisiana it is perfectly legal for a 40 year-old, married man with a kid to give a 17 year-old high school student a blowjob – if the 17 year-old consents. That and the fact that the blowjob never took place has been Yenni’s defense. Maybe that was enough of an embarrassment.
Speaking of in need of support…
Newell Normand needs a hug. Maybe some empathetic citizens should all gather around and give him one big group one. On Thursday, Normand, the sheriff of Jefferson Parish, had to suffer through, of all things, giving a press conference without insulting black people. Anyone who’s seen or heard the sheriff speak recently should know how taxing this had to be on the man. But there he was in front of the press, colleagues, and concerned citizens displaying a restraint that only paled in comparison to the gall.
Normand was there to announce that the Jefferson Parish DA’s office was charging Ronald Gasser (a white man) with 2nd degree murder for killing Joe McKnight (an unarmed black man). Gasser killed McKnight, the ex-NFL player and John Curtis alum, in a road rage incident in December. Back then, Normand was in his element, pounding on a podium while chastising black people for not understanding why another white man was being released after shooting an unarmed black man. He even took time out to read some of the angry email sent to his office and a councilman’s. Thursday, though, he announced the indictment with the enthusiasm of a baby forced to eat boiled cabbage. Throughout the 6 minute press conference, his only show of emotion was a verbal one. When asked how he felt about the charges, Normand dryly said he was pleased.
Meanwhile in Orleans Parish…
Attorney General Jeff Landry wants to #makeneworleanssafeagain. All that it requires is a return to the good ole pre-“hug a thug” policing days when the NOPD could violate citizens’ rights. If Mayor Landrieu won’t take us there, Landry said he will, with the help of his good buddy, President Donald Trump. So far in his unofficial quest to 
become either mayor of New Orleans or NOPD chief, Landry has sent in his own police force, coordinated with commanders behind the police chief’s back, and even gotten the sheriff and the DA on his side. Next up is renegotiating the NOPD consent decree with the president and incoming U.S. attorney general. As expected, this is all driving Mayor Landrieu nuts, so nuts that Landrieu dropped all formal pretense and was quoted as asking why Landry just couldn’t stay in his lane. And people thought Landry would be satisfied telling Gov. Edwards where transgenders could use the bathroom. Apparently not.
Now you know, just in case you were too busy with the Trumpscapades on every news program.
Jeff Thomas
Publisher • Opinion Columnist • Licensed General Contractor • Real Estate Appraiser • New Orleans
Jeff Thomas is the publisher of Black Source Media and one of New Orleans’ most direct voices on civic affairs, economic justice, and Louisiana politics. He writes from the intersection of experience and accountability — as a licensed general contractor,a tech company founder and executive with over 30 years experience, and a businessman who has worked across the city’s civic, media, and construction ecosystems for decades.
His Sunday column covers Louisiana legislative politics, insurance discrimination, housing policy, and the forces shaping Black community life in New Orleans and across the state. Thomas writes in the tradition of Black journalists who hold power accountable without apology — building arguments from data, delivering verdicts from evidence, and speaking to Black New Orleans with the directness the moment demands.
He is also the principal of Executive Appraisers Louisiana, an MBE-certified real estate appraisal firm, and EA Inspection Services, LLC, a government inspection services company. Black Source Media is his platform for the civic conversation New Orleans has needed and too rarely had.
Selected Articles by Jeff Thomas
Black Neighborhoods Pay the Highest Insurance Rates in Louisiana. Here’s What They Don’t Want You to Know.
They Didn’t Yell the N-Word. They Went to Law School, Bided Their Time, and Rewrote the Constitution Instead.
Vappie vs. Morrell: Why Does Justice Look Different in New Orleans?
The State Has the Money. New Orleans East Just Needs Them to Use It.
The Failure of Mitch Landrieu
Publisher — Black Source Media
Jeff Thomas
Publisher • Opinion Columnist • Licensed General Contractor • Real Estate Appraiser • New Orleans
Jeff Thomas is the publisher of Black Source Media and one of New Orleans’ most direct voices on civic affairs, economic justice, and Louisiana politics. He writes from the intersection of experience and accountability — as a licensed general contractor,a tech company founder and executive with over 30 years experience, and a businessman who has worked across the city’s civic, media, and construction ecosystems for decades.
His Sunday column covers Louisiana legislative politics, insurance discrimination, housing policy, and the forces shaping Black community life in New Orleans and across the state. Thomas writes in the tradition of Black journalists who hold power accountable without apology — building arguments from data, delivering verdicts from evidence, and speaking to Black New Orleans with the directness the moment demands.
He is also the principal of Executive Appraisers Louisiana, an MBE-certified real estate appraisal firm, and EA Inspection Services, LLC, a government inspection services company. Black Source Media is his platform for the civic conversation New Orleans has needed and too rarely had.
Selected Articles by Jeff Thomas
Black Neighborhoods Pay the Highest Insurance Rates in Louisiana. Here’s What They Don’t Want You to Know.
They Didn’t Yell the N-Word. They Went to Law School, Bided Their Time, and Rewrote the Constitution Instead.
Vappie vs. Morrell: Why Does Justice Look Different in New Orleans?
The State Has the Money. New Orleans East Just Needs Them to Use It.
The Failure of Mitch Landrieu
Laugh Out Loud Funny!!!!!
Man I could not stop laughing while reading this!! Great stuff!
Funny and true! Thanks Think504 – who is coloredthought? I have enjoyed Kenneth Cooper articles for a long time. You two make a great team!