The Looting Isn't Over in NOLA

During the initial looting, there were reports of New Orleans police officers participating in the looting (part of the police force that didn't desert following the storm). Now there are stories coming out of other officials pilfering goods meant for the storm victims (from Political Diary):

The Bush administration had better be braced for lots of headlines in coming months about how much of the massive aid being sent south to hurricane victims has gone astray. This week, police officers found a treasure trove of disaster relief items in the home of Cedric Floyd, the chief administrative officer for the New Orleans suburb of Kenner.

Officers said they filled a large pickup truck four times with the purloined merchandise discovered in Mr. Floyd's home. Items included cases of food, clothing and tool sets intended to help in the reconstruction of homes. Mr. Floyd is one of only several city workers that are likely to be charged with pilfering.

Federal officials are also concerned about the dangers of less blatant diversion of resources in Louisiana, a state of traditionally relaxed ethical guidelines. Last week, Jim Bernhard, a major financial backer of Democratic Governor Kathleen Blanco, resigned his post as chairman of the state's Democratic Party so he could take complete charge of the Shaw Group, a construction company. That firm just won a $100 million contract from the federal government for Hurricane Katrina repair work. "You can expect a lot more politically-connected people to do well by doing good down here," says Quin Hillyer, an editorial writer for Alabama's Mobile Register.

As one Louisiana pol once said, "half of Louisiana is under water, the other half under indictment". Still true.