Aaron Broussard leaves for prison at peace, wearing ‘the scarlet letter’

By Drew Broach, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune

Aaron Broussard said Thursday he leaves for prison at peace with his legacy as a 35-year politician whose career ended in corruption. His comments came in what he hoped was “my last media interview of my life.”

“If you do a good job and you die in office, you’re immortalized,” said Broussard, who resigned asJefferson Parish president in 2010. “If you do a great job but you retire in office, you’re forgotten in a few years.

“If you’re involved in a scandal, then you wear the scarlet letter for the rest of your life, and beyond the grave.”

Broussard, 64, largely steered clear of questions about his criminal case, in which he admitted in court to scheming in 2003 to give his then-girlfriend — later his wife — a public job for which she was not qualified and at which she rarely appeared. He also confessed that he took bribe payments totaling $66,000 to help steer public contracts to a Kenner businessman. His ex-wife, his chief administrative officer, his parish attorney and the businessman also pleaded guilty to federal charges.

“All that matters is that, really, under oath, I pleaded guilty, and I’m serving my time in prison,” Broussard said.

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