| Charles Carmen Foti, Jr. | |
|---|---|
| Louisiana Attorney General | |
| In office 2004 – 2008 |
|
| Preceded by | Richard Ieyoub |
| Succeeded by | Buddy Caldwell |
| Sheriff of Orleans Parish, Louisiana | |
| In office 1974 – 2004 |
|
| Succeeded by | Marlin N. Gusman (elected 2004)[1] |
| Personal details | |
| Born | November 30, 1937 Place of birth missing |
| Nationality | American |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Residence | New Orleans, Louisiana |
| Alma mater | Warren Easton High School University of New Orleans |
| Profession | Attorney |
| Military service | |
| Service/branch | United States Army |
Charles Carmen Foti, Jr. (born November 30, 1937), is a former Democratic Attorney General of the U.S. state of Louisiana, United States. He served as his state's chief legal officer for a single term from 2004 to 2008.
Prior to becoming attorney general, Foti served for 30 years as Orleans Parish criminal sheriff. Foti secured the attorney general's office when the incumbent Democrat Richard Ieyoub of Lake Charles, ran unsuccessfully for Governor of Louisiana in the 2003 primary. Foti defeated the Republican candidate, Suzanne Haik Terrell, also of New Orleans, 689,179 votes (54 percent) to 597,917 (46 percent).
Foti finished last in the three-way nonpartisan blanket primary on October 20, 2007, after Republican lawyer, Royal Alexander of Shreveport, and the Democratic District Attorney, James D. "Buddy" Caldwell, Jr., of Tallulah. Caldwell won the general election and was sworn in to replace Foti on January 14, 2008.[2]
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From 1955 to 1958, Foti served in the United States Army.[3]
A long-time advocate for the elderly, during his time as criminal sheriff, Foti organized Thanksgiving meals for New Orleans senior citizens who were alone or could not afford a holiday meal. He also started a back-to-work program for seniors over the age of fifty-five. As attorney general, Foti investigated and prosecuted abuse of the elderly in Louisiana's health care facilities.
After vacating the Attorney General's office, Foti joined the New Orleans law firm Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC, where he engages in the practice of securities and consumer fraud law.[4]
As sheriff, Foti came under criticism for various questionable activities, including the use of inmates as a state labor force and operating a sailboat marina from which his office derives rental income.[5] Foti also used his influence to promote Tulane University and its football program. In this instance, the issue for Orleans Parish residents to consider is whether it is proper for the criminal sheriff to use public funds to promote a private institution that pays no taxes. Additionally, when Foti was elected as attorney general, whose responsibility includes writing legal opinions for the state, he again used his office to Tulane's advantage by reaffirming its questionable tax-exempt status.[6]
Foti was also critizized for inmate abuse, such as denying routine medical care to inmates. In some cases, inmates died as a result—such as a diabetic who was denied insulin and an inmate who was refused medical care even though he was vomiting blood. http://www.lagop.com/documents/Foti.pdf
In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, his office's main priority was prosecuting private citizens on behalf of the elderly that died in the storm. In one case involving Dr Anna Pou, who worked at Memorial Hospital in New Orleans during the storm, Foti publicly stated that Dr. Pou had murdered several patients.[7] In July 2007, Dr. Pou sued Foti, accusing him of playing politics with her life and the dead from Katrina.[8] After a lengthy investigation, a grand jury declined to indict Pou. [9] The charges have since been expunged, and the state of Louisiana will pay Dr. Pou's legal fees.[10] Several lawmakers have apologized for the accusations against Pou.[10] The failed prosecution of Dr Pou was an issue during Foti's unsuccessful reelection campaign in 2007.[11]
In a related story, the owners of a nursing home near Poydras filed a civil suit against Foti and other state officials for failing to evacuate nursing home residents during the storm.[12]
Criminal Sheriff, Parish of Orleans, 1990
Threshold > 50%
First Ballot, February 3, 1990
| Candidate | Affiliation | Support | Outcome |
| Charles Foti | Democratic | needs more research | Elected |
| Henry Julien, Jr. | Democratic | needs more research | Defeated |
Criminal Sheriff, Parish of Orleans, 1994
Threshold > 50%
First Ballot, February 5, 1994
| Candidate | Affiliation | Support | Outcome |
| Charles Foti | Democratic | Unopposed | Elected |
Criminal Sheriff, Parish of Orleans, 1998
Threshold > 50%
First Ballot, February 7, 1998
| Candidate | Affiliation | Support | Outcome |
| Charles Foti | Democratic | Unopposed | Elected |
Criminal Sheriff, Parish of Orleans, 2002
Threshold > 50%
First Ballot, February 2, 2002
| Candidate | Affiliation | Support | Outcome |
| Charles Foti | Democratic | 90,897 (71%) | Elected |
| Morris Reed | Democratic | 27,378 (22%) | Defeated |
| Orlando Matthews | Democratic | 9,014 (7%) | Defeated |
Attorney General of Louisiana, 2003
Threshold > 50%
First Ballot, October 4, 2003
| Candidate | Affiliation | Support | Outcome |
| Charles Foti | Democratic | 689,179 (54%) | Elected |
| Suzanne Haik Terrell | Republican | 597,917 (46%) | Defeated |
Attorney General of Louisiana, 2007
Threshold > 50%
First Ballot, October 20, 2007
| Candidate | Affiliation | Support | Outcome |
| James "Buddy" Caldwell | Democratic | 434,111 (36%) | Runoff |
| Royal Alexander | Republican | 395,649 (32%) | Runoff |
| Charles Foti | Democratic | 389,568 (32%) | Defeated |
| Legal offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Richard Ieyoub |
Attorney General of Louisiana 2004–2008 |
Succeeded by James "Buddy" Caldwell |