Pro-Jindal group’s finances detailed

• By MARSHA SHULER
• Advocate Capitol News Bureau
• Published: Jul 23, 2009 - Page: 1A

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A nonprofit political organization formed to help promote Gov. Bobby Jindal’s agenda raised and spent just over $1 million last year.

One benefactor — a Washington, D.C., organization touting school vouchers — contributed nearly one-fourth of the money, according to recently released Internal Revenue Service reports.

Advocates for School Choice gave $225,000 out of the $1.05 million raised in 2008 by “Fresh Start Louisiana.” The group is registered in-state as “Believe in Louisiana.”

School Choice spokesman Andrew Campanella, of Washington, D.C., said Wednesday the contribution was part of $1.3 million the group spent in 2008 pushing the use of taxpayer dollars for vouchers and scholarship tax credit programs for private schools. The money was invested in six states and the District of Columbia where there has been activity, he said.

Believe in Louisiana organizer Rolfe McCollister, a longtime advocate of school choice and charter schools, said Wednesday his connections led to the contribution.

The School Choice contribution, dated April 28, came during the 2008 regular legislative session when school choice legislation came up.

“We put the word out among the network that we were looking for support,” said McCollister, who also is publisher of the Baton Rouge Business Report.

“They liked what was going on and decided to help,” he said.

Jindal backed legislation that created the Student Scholarships for Educational Program, allowing state funds to be spent on tuition to private and parochial schools. The legislation, now law, was opposed by public school interests.

“Believe in Louisiana” did a broadcast radio and television and mail campaign to educate people about the issue, McCollister said.

Another donor was Houston homebuilder Bob J. Perry who gave $50,000, according to the IRS report. Perry is a major Republican donor who was the chief financial backer of Swift Boat Veterans for Truth challenging Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry’s military record.

Outside the School Choice group, the largest 2008 contributions came from three Louisiana businessmen and a company at $100,000 each. They were Baton Rouge businessman Lee Domingue, who Jindal endorsed in a failed state Senate bid last spring, Metairie businessman Edward Diefenthal, New Orleans developer Joe Canizaro and Bollinger Shipyards of Lockport.

The major fundraising and spending occurred in 2008 — the first year of Jindal’s term when he was pushing ethics and workforce development law changes.