GRETNA – A frequent critic of the Jefferson Parish Council who was awarded $20,000 stemming from a federal lawsuit that he had filed nearly five years after being ejected from a public meeting, recently said he will continue to criticize the local government.
Tom Heaney, a Gretna Realtor who has spoken out against the way contracts are awarded by Jefferson Parish, was stopped from speaking at a 2013 Jefferson Parish Council meeting and then removed from the meeting by a police officer.
He filed suit the following year claiming violations of his First, Fourth and 14th amendments rights. He named Jefferson Parish, then Council President Pat Roberts, the city of Gretna and police officer Ronald Black in his suit.
Four years after filing suit, the case was settled, with Heaney receiving $20,000 from the parish and Roberts. The claims against the other defendants were dismissed by Judge Jay Zainey of the U.S. District Court
for the Eastern District of Louisiana.
Under the agreement, the parish admitted no guilt, and Heaney agreed not to talking about the incident or details of the settlement.
"We are in agreement with how this matter was resolved," a parish spokesman told the Advocate newspaper, adding that it did not admit guilt and that the settlement stops "the potential of a costly and lengthy jury trial."
Following the legal battle, during which time he suffered from cancer, Heaney recently talked about his continuing campaign to highlight what he claims is corruption within the parish.
"It is the most corrupt place in Louisiana," Heaney told the Lousiana Record. "They have pay to play when it comes to contract awards. Contracts are not given to the lower bidders, it goes to those who pay the graft."
He added, "The practice has got to stop. Every scandal in Jefferson Parish leads back to them awarding these contracts."
Heaney claimed he was harassed by parish and city officials during the course of the legal action. He also said he has received little support from outside organizations.
The lawsuit stemmed from a public meeting in 2013 when Heaney claims to have been stopped from speaking during a debate on no-bid contracts with the the parish attorney.
When then Roberts told Heaney that if he wanted to challenge the attorney, he should file a lawsuit. When Heaney objected, he was ejected from the meeting.