Heulette Fontenot
Encyclopedia
Heulette Clovance Fontenot, Jr., known as Clo Fontenot (born July 14, 1961), is a Livingston
, Louisiana
, businessman who served as a Republican
member of both houses of the Louisiana State Legislature
between 1996 and 2008. He was a one-term member of the House of Representatives
from 1996 to 2000 and served two terms thereafter in the State Senate
from 2000 to 2008. He did not seek a third consecutive term in Senate District 13, which encompasses his own Livingston Parish
and a portion of populous East Baton Rouge Parish
. Senator Fontenot was the author of the 2006 Pet Evaucation Act, passed amid shocking reports of numerous animals having been abandoned during the aftermath of deadly Hurricane Katrina
.
At the time of his election to the state House, Fontenot was an operations supervisor for Exxon. He received a Bachelor of Science
degree from Louisiana State University
in Baton Rouge
. He served two terms as an alderman
in his community of Livingston
prior to his legislative career. First elected on October 1, 1988, to the District A town council seat, Fontenot defeated a Democrat
, Richard Rayborn, 265 (74 percent) to 92 (26 percent). For seven years, he was the lone Republican on the town council and ran without opposition in 1992.
Fontenot is Baptist
and a member of the interfaith Christian Coalition, founded in 1989 by the Virginia
evangelist
Pat Robertson
. He is married to the former Gail Marie Lebourgeois (born ca. 1963), and the couple has two children. He is affiliated with the Kiwanis International and was an Eagle Scout
of Troop 80 with the Boy Scouts of America
in Livingston Louisiana.
, Bernard E. Carrier (born 1927) of Denham Springs
in Livingston Parish. Fontenot polled 8,312 votes (51.7 percent) to Carrier's 7,776 ballots (48.3 percent). Carrier was first elected over Richard Rayborn in the general election
held on November 21, 1987, and then ran unopposed in 1991. During the 1990s, the complexion of District 71 shifted strongly from historically Democrat to GOP
allegiance.
Fontenot was first elected to the District 13 Senate seat in the primary held on October 23, 1999. The incumbent Republican, Mike Branch
, did not seek reelection in the conservative district. Branch's predecessor, Mike Cross
, a Democrat had in 1990 written the anti-abortion
bill which garnered national attention and was vetoed by then Governor Buddy Roemer
. To claim the Senate seat, Fontenot hence defeated another Republican, Joseph "Joe" Greco, 27,328 votes (70.3 percent) to 11,561 (29.7 percent), as no Democrat filed for the position. Fontenot was unopposed in the 2003 senatorial primary. In 2008, fellow Republican Dale M. Erdey
, a former Democratic mayor
of Livingston whose service coincided with Fontenot's aldermanic terms, succeeded Fontenot in the Senate. Erdey had also succeeded Fontenot in the House in 2000.
Fontenot did not run for reelection to the Senate in 2007 because his employer questioned whether further senatorial service, possibly in the leadership, would infringe on his job duties in the chemical industry.
and Richard B. Cheney.
In 2001, Fontenot authored legislation limiting the scope of gay rights in Louisiana. His Senate Bill 232 prevents the state from recognizing "domestic partnerships or similar relationships" between same-sex couples. According to Fontenot, domestic partnerships "extend the rights and privileges of marriage." The bill forbids the state from recognizing such partnerships accepted in other states. Fontenot said that he opposes the use of state taxpayer money to finance public employees' insurance
programs that would cover same-sex arrangements. The Fontenot bill drew strong opposition from the interest group, the American Civil Liberties Union
, which declared the legislation a violation of full faith and credit in Article IV of the Constitution of the United States.
In 2002, Fontenot supported legislative colleague Tony Perkins
of Baton Rouge for the United States Senate
seat held and won again by the Democrat Mary Landrieu
of New Orleans
. Perkins later became president of the Family Research Council
, a position formerly held by Gary Bauer
, an unsuccessful candidate for the 2000 Republican presidential nomination
.
In 2006, Senator Fontenot opposed a measure to raise the minimum wage
for Louisiana state employees incrementally to $6.15 an hour by October 1, 2007. The bill also would have required that if the U.S. Congress raised the federal minimum wage, then state employees would receive the higher federal minimum wage. The measure died in the Senate. Even Walter Boasso
, a Republican state senator from south Louisiana who the next year switched parties to run for governor against Bobby Jindal
, voted against the minimum wage bill.
, public health and safety, and other professional and technical personnel deemed appropriate to formulate emergency operation plans for the humane evacuation, transport, and temporary sheltering of service animals and household pets in times of emergency or disaster." In New Orleans alone, approximately sixteen thousand animals were recovered but fewer than three thousand were reunited with their owners. Large public gatherings met in Baton Rouge on April 17 and 18, 2006, to support the legislation. The legislature promptly passed the bill without opposition in either house. It is onsidered the most sweeping of its kind in the nation.
Fontenot produced his own documentary
entitled "Animal Rescue Katrina", directed by Josef Dykas. The film features animal rescuers and shelter volunteers during the hurricane evacuations in New Orleans and Mississippi
. Fontenot also appears as himself in the documentary.
for having allegedly accepted a cash campaign loan of $100,000 in 1999 from two unnamed businessmen. The U.S. government maintains that Fontenot concealed the existence of that debt when he applied for home loans from federally insured lenders in 2001 and 2004.
Fontenot's attorney, Lewis O. Unglesby, said "There was no ethics violation. More importantly, there was no banking loss. Those loans were paid off years ago. It's pathetic. And he [Fontenot] is going to win." However, Fontenot admitted taking the money, burning the bag in his back yard and hiding the money in his attic, according to the Baton Rouge Advocate.
Livingston, Louisiana
Livingston is a town in and the parish seat of Livingston Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 1,342 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Statistical Area....
, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, businessman who served as a Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
member of both houses of the Louisiana State Legislature
Louisiana State Legislature
The Louisiana State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is bicameral body, comprising the lower house, the Louisiana House of Representatives with 105 representatives, and the upper house, the Louisiana Senate with 39 senators...
between 1996 and 2008. He was a one-term member of the House of Representatives
Louisiana State Legislature
The Louisiana State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is bicameral body, comprising the lower house, the Louisiana House of Representatives with 105 representatives, and the upper house, the Louisiana Senate with 39 senators...
from 1996 to 2000 and served two terms thereafter in the State Senate
Louisiana State Legislature
The Louisiana State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is bicameral body, comprising the lower house, the Louisiana House of Representatives with 105 representatives, and the upper house, the Louisiana Senate with 39 senators...
from 2000 to 2008. He did not seek a third consecutive term in Senate District 13, which encompasses his own Livingston Parish
Livingston Parish, Louisiana
Livingston Parish Is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. Its parish seat is Livingston. As of 2010, its population was 128,026....
and a portion of populous East Baton Rouge Parish
East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana
East Baton Rouge Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish seat is Baton Rouge, Louisiana's state capital. As of the 2010 census, the population was 440,171. The parish has a total area of , of which is land and is water. It is the most populous parish in the state...
. Senator Fontenot was the author of the 2006 Pet Evaucation Act, passed amid shocking reports of numerous animals having been abandoned during the aftermath of deadly Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
.
Background
Fontenot is the son of Heulette Fontenot, Sr. (born June 25, 1930), and the former Myrle Bennett (born June 17, 1926). The couple married in 1952; upon their deaths, they will be interred at Red Oak Cemetery in Livingston Parish.At the time of his election to the state House, Fontenot was an operations supervisor for Exxon. He received a Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
degree from Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, most often referred to as Louisiana State University, or LSU, is a public coeducational university located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The University was founded in 1853 in what is now known as Pineville, Louisiana, under the name...
in Baton Rouge
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Baton Rouge is the capital of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is located in East Baton Rouge Parish and is the second-largest city in the state.Baton Rouge is a major industrial, petrochemical, medical, and research center of the American South...
. He served two terms as an alderman
Alderman
An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members themselves rather than by popular vote, or a council...
in his community of Livingston
Livingston, Louisiana
Livingston is a town in and the parish seat of Livingston Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 1,342 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Statistical Area....
prior to his legislative career. First elected on October 1, 1988, to the District A town council seat, Fontenot defeated a Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
, Richard Rayborn, 265 (74 percent) to 92 (26 percent). For seven years, he was the lone Republican on the town council and ran without opposition in 1992.
Fontenot is Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
and a member of the interfaith Christian Coalition, founded in 1989 by the Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
evangelist
Evangelism
Evangelism refers to the practice of relaying information about a particular set of beliefs to others who do not hold those beliefs. The term is often used in reference to Christianity....
Pat Robertson
Pat Robertson
Marion Gordon "Pat" Robertson is a media mogul, television evangelist, ex-Baptist minister and businessman who is politically aligned with the Christian Right in the United States....
. He is married to the former Gail Marie Lebourgeois (born ca. 1963), and the couple has two children. He is affiliated with the Kiwanis International and was an Eagle Scout
Eagle Scout
Eagle Scout may refer to several ranks in Scout organizations around the world:* Eagle Scout ** List of Eagle Scouts * Eagle Scout...
of Troop 80 with the Boy Scouts of America
Boy Scouts of America
The Boy Scouts of America is one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with over 4.5 million youth members in its age-related divisions...
in Livingston Louisiana.
Legislative elections
Fontenot won the District 71 House seat in the nonpartisan blanket primary held on October 21, 1995, having narrowly unseated the two-term Democratic incumbentIncumbent
The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W...
, Bernard E. Carrier (born 1927) of Denham Springs
Denham Springs, Louisiana
Denham Springs is a city in Livingston Parish, Louisiana, United States, and part of the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Statistical Area. Downtown Denham Springs has transformed itself from hardware stores, drug stores, doctor's offices, and a single movie theater to a collection of various and varied...
in Livingston Parish. Fontenot polled 8,312 votes (51.7 percent) to Carrier's 7,776 ballots (48.3 percent). Carrier was first elected over Richard Rayborn in the general election
General election
In a parliamentary political system, a general election is an election in which all or most members of a given political body are chosen. The term is usually used to refer to elections held for a nation's primary legislative body, as distinguished from by-elections and local elections.The term...
held on November 21, 1987, and then ran unopposed in 1991. During the 1990s, the complexion of District 71 shifted strongly from historically Democrat to GOP
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
allegiance.
Fontenot was first elected to the District 13 Senate seat in the primary held on October 23, 1999. The incumbent Republican, Mike Branch
Mike Branch (Louisiana politician)
Michael Franklin Branch, known as Mike Branch , served from 1996 to 2000 as the Louisiana State Senator from District 13 Michael Franklin Branch, known as Mike Branch (born 1968), served from 1996 to 2000 as the Louisiana State Senator from District 13 Michael Franklin Branch, known as Mike Branch...
, did not seek reelection in the conservative district. Branch's predecessor, Mike Cross
Mike Cross (Louisiana politician)
Michael Aduron Cross, known as Mike Cross is an American businessman who served from 1981 to 1996 as a Democratic member of the Louisiana State Senate from District 13 in Greater Baton Rouge, Louisiana...
, a Democrat had in 1990 written the anti-abortion
Abortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
bill which garnered national attention and was vetoed by then Governor Buddy Roemer
Buddy Roemer
Charles Elson "Buddy" Roemer III is an American politician who served as the 52nd Governor of Louisiana, from 1988 to 1992. He was elected as a Democrat but switched to the Republican Party on March 11, 1991...
. To claim the Senate seat, Fontenot hence defeated another Republican, Joseph "Joe" Greco, 27,328 votes (70.3 percent) to 11,561 (29.7 percent), as no Democrat filed for the position. Fontenot was unopposed in the 2003 senatorial primary. In 2008, fellow Republican Dale M. Erdey
Dale M. Erdey
Dale Michael Erdey is a real estate and insurance agent in Livingston, Louisiana, who is a Republican member of the Louisiana State Senate from District 13...
, a former Democratic mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Livingston whose service coincided with Fontenot's aldermanic terms, succeeded Fontenot in the Senate. Erdey had also succeeded Fontenot in the House in 2000.
Fontenot did not run for reelection to the Senate in 2007 because his employer questioned whether further senatorial service, possibly in the leadership, would infringe on his job duties in the chemical industry.
Other political activity
In 2000, Fontenot was the 6th Congressional District presidential elector for Republican nominees George W. BushGeorge W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
and Richard B. Cheney.
In 2001, Fontenot authored legislation limiting the scope of gay rights in Louisiana. His Senate Bill 232 prevents the state from recognizing "domestic partnerships or similar relationships" between same-sex couples. According to Fontenot, domestic partnerships "extend the rights and privileges of marriage." The bill forbids the state from recognizing such partnerships accepted in other states. Fontenot said that he opposes the use of state taxpayer money to finance public employees' insurance
Insurance
In law and economics, insurance is a form of risk management primarily used to hedge against the risk of a contingent, uncertain loss. Insurance is defined as the equitable transfer of the risk of a loss, from one entity to another, in exchange for payment. An insurer is a company selling the...
programs that would cover same-sex arrangements. The Fontenot bill drew strong opposition from the interest group, the American Civil Liberties Union
American Civil Liberties Union
The American Civil Liberties Union is a U.S. non-profit organization whose stated mission is "to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to every person in this country by the Constitution and laws of the United States." It works through litigation, legislation, and...
, which declared the legislation a violation of full faith and credit in Article IV of the Constitution of the United States.
In 2002, Fontenot supported legislative colleague Tony Perkins
Tony Perkins (politician)
Anthony Richard "Tony" Perkins is president of the Family Research Council, a conservative Christian think tank and public policy foundation based in Washington, D.C...
of Baton Rouge for the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
seat held and won again by the Democrat Mary Landrieu
Mary Landrieu
Mary Loretta Landrieu is the senior United States Senator from the State of Louisiana and a member of the Democratic Party.Born in Arlington, Virginia, Landrieu was raised in New Orleans, Louisiana...
of New Orleans
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
. Perkins later became president of the Family Research Council
Family Research Council
The Family Research Council is a conservative or right-wing Christian group and lobbying organization formed in the United States in 1981 by James Dobson. It was fully incorporated in 1983...
, a position formerly held by Gary Bauer
Gary Bauer
Gary Lee Bauer is an American politician notable for his ties to several evangelical Christian groups and campaigns.-Biography:...
, an unsuccessful candidate for the 2000 Republican presidential nomination
Nomination
Nomination is part of the process of selecting a candidate for either election to an office, or the bestowing of an honor or award.In the context of elections for public office, a candidate who has been selected by a political party is normally said to be the nominee of that party...
.
In 2006, Senator Fontenot opposed a measure to raise the minimum wage
Minimum wage
A minimum wage is the lowest hourly, daily or monthly remuneration that employers may legally pay to workers. Equivalently, it is the lowest wage at which workers may sell their labour. Although minimum wage laws are in effect in a great many jurisdictions, there are differences of opinion about...
for Louisiana state employees incrementally to $6.15 an hour by October 1, 2007. The bill also would have required that if the U.S. Congress raised the federal minimum wage, then state employees would receive the higher federal minimum wage. The measure died in the Senate. Even Walter Boasso
Walter Boasso
Walter Joseph Boasso is a wealthy businessman and former Democratic state senator from Chalmette, the seat of St. Bernard Parish in south Louisiana. He was defeated in a bid for governor in the October 20, 2007, jungle primary. Boasso won 47 percent in his own St. Bernard Parish, his sole...
, a Republican state senator from south Louisiana who the next year switched parties to run for governor against Bobby Jindal
Bobby Jindal
Piyush "Bobby" Jindal is the 55th and current Governor of Louisiana and formerly a member of the United States House of Representatives. He is a member of the Republican Party....
, voted against the minimum wage bill.
Pet evacuation
Fontenot took the lead in passage of the Pet Evacuation Act. He issued a statement of the importance of the legislation: ""I felt we were derelict in our duties to the citizens of Louisiana, because we didn't make arrangements for pets. A lot of people refused to evacuate because they weren't going to leave their pets behind." The Fontenot legislation requires state and parish homeland security and emergency preparedness agencies "to consult with experts in the fields of animal sheltering, veterinary medicineVeterinary medicine
Veterinary Medicine is the branch of science that deals with the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease, disorder and injury in non-human animals...
, public health and safety, and other professional and technical personnel deemed appropriate to formulate emergency operation plans for the humane evacuation, transport, and temporary sheltering of service animals and household pets in times of emergency or disaster." In New Orleans alone, approximately sixteen thousand animals were recovered but fewer than three thousand were reunited with their owners. Large public gatherings met in Baton Rouge on April 17 and 18, 2006, to support the legislation. The legislature promptly passed the bill without opposition in either house. It is onsidered the most sweeping of its kind in the nation.
Fontenot produced his own documentary
Documentary
A documentary is a creative work of non-fiction, including:* Documentary film, including television* Radio documentary* Documentary photographyRelated terms include:...
entitled "Animal Rescue Katrina", directed by Josef Dykas. The film features animal rescuers and shelter volunteers during the hurricane evacuations in New Orleans and Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
. Fontenot also appears as himself in the documentary.
Indictment
On May 6, 2010, Fontenot was indictedIndictment
An indictment , in the common-law legal system, is a formal accusation that a person has committed a crime. In jurisdictions that maintain the concept of felonies, the serious criminal offence is a felony; jurisdictions that lack the concept of felonies often use that of an indictable offence—an...
for having allegedly accepted a cash campaign loan of $100,000 in 1999 from two unnamed businessmen. The U.S. government maintains that Fontenot concealed the existence of that debt when he applied for home loans from federally insured lenders in 2001 and 2004.
Fontenot's attorney, Lewis O. Unglesby, said "There was no ethics violation. More importantly, there was no banking loss. Those loans were paid off years ago. It's pathetic. And he [Fontenot] is going to win." However, Fontenot admitted taking the money, burning the bag in his back yard and hiding the money in his attic, according to the Baton Rouge Advocate.