Jim Donelon explains how he was able to retire making over 100k a year and bill the state $50/hour at the same time!

(Baton Rouge – LA) Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon was asked at a forum in Lafayette why he billed the state $50 an hour to go to birthday parties, retirement parties and political fundraisers.

While trying to defend the practice Donelon actually explained in detail how he and former Commissioner Robert Wooley set it up.

According to Donelon:

“I had to retire... my benefits were capped. Commissioner Wooley told me to take my annual salary and divide it by 40 hours a week. I calculated that it would have been about $48 an hour. I told Wooley that it should be increased to $50 an hour and he agreed.”

Jim Donelon retired and then arranged a contract so that he could collect a retirement check and a pay check at the same time. Despite a retirement package worth over $100,000 a year, Jim Donelon wanted more.

According to an article in today’s Baton Rouge Advocate Donelon said, “I was doing my job. I was at the office doing what everyone else does,” he said.

Jim Donelon, in his own words, has described how he structured his “arrangement”. Yet, as a consultant he should not have been billing the state to go to parties. As a lawyer, billing the state by the hour, Jim Donelon systematically padded his bill so that he would make more money. He billed not only for parties, but even for fire drills.

Every month Jim Donelon padded his bill with obscure work such as “writing memos” and “checking email”, never once detailing what project he was working on.

James David Cain said, “Jim Donelon continues to abuse tax payer money for his own personal benefit. Donelon has a history of abusing his office for his own personal gain.”

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