Steve Theriot

Steven J. Theriot
Louisiana State Representative from District 84 (Jefferson Parish)
In office 1988–1996
Preceded by	Chris Ullo
Succeeded by	N. J. Damico
Louisiana Legislative Auditor
In office May 20, 2004 – November 20, 2009
Preceded by	Dan Kyle
Succeeded by	Daryl Purpera (acting)
Jefferson Parish School Board
In office 1983–1987
Personal details
Born	September 21, 1946 New Orleans, Orleans Parish Louisiana, USA
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Gwendolyn E. Dunn Theriot
Children	Three children, including Wanda Theriot
Residence	Marrero Jefferson Parish, Louisiana
Alma mater	Delgado Community College Loyola University New Orleans
Occupation	Certified Public Accountant Lobbyist

Steven J. Theriot, known as Steve Theriot (born September 21, 1946), is a Certified Public Accountant from Marrero in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, USA, who served as his state's legislative auditor from 2004 to 2009 and as a Democratic member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1988 to 1996.^[1] In 2015, he is listed by the Louisiana Secretary of State as a Republican voter.^[2]

Background

Theriot received an associate's degree in electrical engineering from Delgado Community College in his native New Orleans. He procured a Bachelor of Commercial Science degree from Roman Catholic-affiliated Loyola University of New Orleans. Since college, he has operated his own accounting firm in Gretna, the seat of government of Jefferson Parish. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Society of Louisiana Certified Public Accountants, and the Institute of Management Accountants. He served on the Jefferson Parish Home Mortgage Authority from 1979 to 1982 and on the Jefferson Parish School Board from 1983 to 1987. He was a member of the board of West Jefferson Medical Center from 1997 to 2002 and chairman of the medical center from 2002 to 2004. He also owns a lobbying company. He and his wife, the former Gwendolyn E. Dunn, have three children.^[3] Their daughter, Wanda Lynn Theriot (born February 1971), is a Republican^[4] lawyer and has been a vice president for public finance at Coastal Securities, Inc.^[5] When Steve Theriot resigned as a lobbyist for the Jefferson Parish Council, he transferred his lobbying company to his daughter. She later lost the Jefferson Parish contract.^[6]

State legislator

Theriot (pronounced TERRY OH) was first elected to the District 84 House seat from Jefferson Parish in the nonpartisan blanket primary held on October 24, 1987, when, with 5,577 (56.3 percent), he defeated two other Democrats.^[7] He was unopposed in 1991 and did not seek a third term in 1995, when the seat went to another Democrat, N. J. Damico.^[8]

As a House member, Theriot served as chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee and on the Fiscal Affairs and Governmental Operations Committee of the Southern Legislative Conference.^[3]

In 1993, Theriot, along with fellow lawmakers Kernan "Skip" Hand, Ken Hollis, and Jim Donelon, all of the New Orleans suburbs, admitted to having given Tulane University scholarships to their children. Legislators are allowed under an 1884 law to designate one Tulane scholarship recipient per year, but the extent of the practice of giving such awards, totaling $17,000 in 1993 dollars, to family members had been previously unknown.^[9]

In 1995, rather than seeking a third term in the legislature, Theriot ran unsuccessfully as a Democrat for state treasurer. With 372,500 (29 percent), he finished second in the primary to fellow Democrat Ken Duncan, an attorney from Baton Rouge, who polled 448,182 votes (34.9 percent). Mary Chehardy, a Republican candidate from Jefferson Parish, finished in third place with 335,463 (26.1 percent). A second Republican, Gayle Joseph, trailed with 128,272 (10 percent).^[10] In the second round of balloting, Duncan defeated Theriot, 798,280 votes (56.6 percent) to 610,964 (43.4 percent). The incumbent treasurer, Mary Landrieu of New Orleans, ran unsuccessfully for governor a year before she would win election three times to the United States Senate.^[11]

Legislative auditor

Theriot was named the fourth legislative auditor on April 20, 2004, and assumed his duties a month later. He succeeded the Republican Dan Kyle, who had turned the office into a government watchdog from which an investigation was launched into the activities of the late Elections Commissioner Jerry M. Fowler, who was defeated in the 1999 primary and later imprisoned for accepting kickbacks. Kyle left the post in 2003 to run for insurance commissioner^[12]

Theriot supervised a staff of accountants and investigators who review the books of more than 3,500 state and local government units and affiliated entities. The auditor is elected by a majority of the 144 members of both houses of the legislature from a slate of candidates submitted by a commission.^[13]

As auditor, Theriot clashed in 2009 with Jim Donelon, who became state insurance commissioner in 2006. The quarrel referred to access by Theriot’s office to e-mails and other department records. Ultimately, Theriot found misspending in the Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corporation, which led to the indictment of its former president, Terry Lisotta.^[13] Theriot had to obtain a court order to inspect the records, which Donelon originally said were off limits.^[14]

Another Theriot audit began with an inquiry into a toy charity operated by the police department in Mandeville in St. Tammany Parish. The investigation found numerous financial improprieties in Mandeville City Hall and contributed to the political demise of Mayor Eddie Price, III.^[13]

Theriot himself came under criticism when it was revealed but not included on his resume that after having become auditor he was a vice president for public finance of the firm Coastal Securities.^[6] The company, which handles bond issues for Louisiana public institutions, is subject to the legislative auditor's oversight. Louisiana state government watchdog C. B. Forgotston of Hammond called in 2006 for Theriot's resignation over the conflict of interest.^[6]

Theriot's last day as Legislative Auditor was November 20, 2009. He was succeeded in the post by his former first assistant, Daryl Purpera. House Speaker Jim Tucker credited Theriot with improvements in the auditor's office and the effective monitoring of the distribution of hurricane recovery dollars after the twin storms of 2005.^[13]

References

1. "Membership in the Louisiana House of Representatives, 1812-2008: Jefferson Parish" (PDF). house.louisiana.gov. Retrieved November 21, 2009.
2. "Steven Theriod, September 1946". Louisiana Secretary of State. Retrieved May 22, 2015.
3. "Louisiana Legislative Auditor Steve J. Theriot". lla.state.la.us. Retrieved November 21, 2009.
4. "Wanda Theriot, February 1971". Louisiana Secretary of State. Retrieved May 22, 2015.
5. "Wanda Lynn Theriot". intelius.com. Retrieved May 22, 2015.
6. ""Theriot needs to resign! Time for conflict resolution", November 20, 2006". lapoliticalnews.blogspot.com. Retrieved November 21, 2009.
7. "Louisiana election returns". Louisiana Secretary of State. October 24, 1987. Retrieved November 21, 2009.
8. "Louisiana election returns". Louisiana Secretary of State. November 18, 1995. Retrieved November 21, 2009.
9. Dyer, Scott (June 17, 1993). "Scholarship Controversy Grows". The Baton Rouge Morning Advocate. Baton Rouge. p. 1-A.
10. "Louisiana election returns". Louisiana Secretary of State. October 21, 1995. Retrieved November 21, 2009.
11. "Louisiana election returns". Louisiana Secretary of State. November 18, 1995. Retrieved November 21, 2009.
12. "Michelle Millhollon, "Legislative Auditor Announces Retirement", November 3, 2009". The Baton Rouge Morning Advocate. Retrieved November 21, 2009.
13. "Jan Moller, "Legislative auditor Steve Theriot to retire; assistant to handle duties temporarily", November 3, 2009". The New Orleans Times-Picayune. Retrieved November 21, 2009.
14. "Ron Thibodeaux, "Auditor's staff begins scrutiny of Insurance Department records", August 17, 2009". The New Orleans Times-Picayune. Retrieved November 21, 2009.