And Another Thing:
I’ve known Sam Sansing for many years, and personally, I think he is a great guy. But it wouldn’t be entirely fair to criticize Bridgett Brown’s financial stake in this Cleco scandal without calling attention to the fact that EMS wants HALF of the money recovered. HALF. Something about the EMS deal… what is it?… opportunism? Work this out.
CenLamar 
Sansing offered to provide a service for financial gain. The information on Cleco methods would not have been known but for Sansing. The question should be what, if anything, made Bridgett’s participation in the case essential or even helpful to the city’s cause. We know why we needed Sansing. Why did we need Bridgett. And the really important inquiry is still how Bridgett got there.
I totally agree… it’s just that I don’t like the way the deal is structured. Yes, EMS is providing a service to the city and should be compensated for this service.
But if there really is a lot of money out there, as EMS claims, then the city should consider putting a cap on the amount of money they’ll pay a consultation group for revealing information that still has to be proven in court. Right now, the deal is structured (as far as I can tell) to give two people half the money, three people a third of the money, and the city 15% of the money.
As far as Bridgett Brown is concerned, I agree. We know why we need the consultation group (or why we needed them). But we have been given no information whatsoever on her unique role and why it is essential.
I think that the Sansing percentage has been scaled back, however, reasonable people can certainly differ on what amount is reasonable in a totally speculative and contingency based interest in future complex litigation. However, we agree that the participation is legitimate, even if you consider the percentage excessive. That still leaves the OTHER question.
Well, if the percentage has truly been scaled back, then that’s a different story.
I am also still interested in the other question.
If you will check the archive at the Town Talk I think you will see that EMS is wholly owned by David Pugh and that David Pugh , on his own, had his contract modified to reduce his contract from 50% to 20% . This guy really believes in uncovering the truth and it appears that he is willing to give away some of the profit to make sure it happens. It only makes me MORE sure that he believes that CLECO ows the Citizens money. He clearly is wearing the white hat in this situation. AS is HIS consultant Sam Sansing. Dont trust me , check the facts on the reduction of fee REQUESTED by Pugh.
heres david pugh’s info from the secretary of states corporate database.
What ethics dictate that one is entitled to a “finder’s fee” of stolen property ie. overcharges. And what does it say of our community ethics that we would consider paying it? Could the rest of the nation posssibly be correct in judging Louisiana corrupt?
http://www.thetowntalk.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060629/NEWS01/606290311
Deposition: Lawyer Brown first represented EMS before joining city team
By Billy Gunn
bgunn@thetowntalk.com
(318) 487-6378
Before Bridgett Brown joined two other lawyers on the Alexandria team in the Cleco lawsuit, she was on another team, one formed by former Cleco employees seeking to look into the utility’s records on behalf of the city.
According to a transcribed deposition of Energy Management Services owner David Pugh, who signed a contract with Alexandria in 2004 for 50 percent of a Cleco award, Brown would have been in line for half of EMS’s earnings.
EMS later dropped its part of an award to 20 percent.
Brown initially was brought aboard “after we realized … the kind of fight that Cleco wanted to engage in,” Pugh said.
Pugh told lawyers in the deposition that Brown was hired “in the spirit of inclusiveness, in the spirit of having a representation of more than 50 percent of the demographic population in Alexandria.”
Pugh’s deposition was taken in December. The Town Talk obtained the transcribed pages of the deposition pertaining to Brown earlier this month.
This past week, Brown said she had no comment on EMS.
Cleco in 2004 sued EMS, Pugh and former electricity trader Sam Sansing.
“When we got into the lawsuit, and we asked for (Brown’s) help on several occasions, she didn’t respond to us,” Pugh said. “And then we found out that she had, you know, joined a group of lawyers in (Alexandria’s) lawsuit against Cleco.”
This past summer, City Attorney Kelvin Sanders chose Brown and two Baton Rouge lawyers expert in utility litigation to go after Cleco records. The city council later approved the contracts, which stipulated each would get 10 percent.
Sanders told The Town Talk in June 2005 that he chose Brown for a “local presence” and because she called him immediately after a televised City Council meeting where the council authorized the lawsuit.
After Pugh learned of Brown being part of the city team, he said, his attorney sent Brown a letter dissolving her deal with EMS. Pugh has not responded to a request for a copy of the letter terminating the business relationship or of a copy of the document that outlined the agreement.