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�� STATE OF LOUISIANA o'aF Looe DEPARTMENT OF STATE CIVIL SERVICE °Q`° 'r9y; LOUISIANA BOARD OF ETHICS " � y�i • P.O.BOX 4368 y S� BATON ROUGE,LA 70821 '"Pjpe F (225)219-5600 FAX (225)381-7271 1-800-842-6630 www.ethics.la.gov April 15, 2019 Darlene Landry Clerk of Court 23`d Judicial District Court Parish of Assumption P.O. Box 249 Napoleonville, LA 70390 Re: Board Docket No. 2019-269 Dear Ms. Landry: The Louisiana Board of Ethics, at its April 12, 2019 meeting, considered your request for an advisory opinion as to the propriety of your use of campaign funds to pay for legal fees you incurred in connection with findings made in a legislative audit report related to actions you took as Assumption Parish Clerk of Court. FACTS PROVIDED You stated that the Louisiana Legislative Auditor's Office found that you may have broken state ethics laws by hiring immediate family members to work in your office, and that you failed to turn over to the State Treasurer fees that your office collected for birth and death certificates. You also stated that you have incurred legal fees related to your response to these allegations to the Louisiana Legislator's Auditor's Office. LAW La. R.S.18:1505.2I provides that campaign funds may not be used for any personal use unrelated to the candidate's campaign or his holding of public office. CONCLUSION The Board concluded, and instructed me to inform you, that the Campaign Finance Disclosure Act permits you to use campaign funds to pay for legal fees you incurred in connection with the preparation of the response to the Louisiana Legislative Auditor's findings since it involved your activities as Assumption Parish Clerk of Court. This advisory opinion is based solely on the facts as set forth herein. Changes to the facts presented may result in a different application of the provisions of the Campaign Finance Disclosure Act. The Board issues no opinion as to past conduct or laws other than Code of AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER