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The Advocate 08-07-2026

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THE

ADVOCATE T H E A D V O C AT E.C O M

BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA

|

F r i d ay, au g u s t 7, 2026

$2.00X

‘I’m getting a kickback’ LaMont Cole texts reveal alleged EBR corruption scheme

BY PATRICK SLOAN-TURNER

In one text message exchange between Cole and TJ Jackson, Cole acknowledges receiving kickbacks from The corruption case against LaMont TJ Jackson and another individual, acCole centers on text messages between cording to the warrant. the former Metro Council member and “He knows I’m getting a kickback current schools superintendent and a from both of you and he plans to excity-parish contractor who is his close pose us,” Cole wrote. friend, according to court records. It is unclear from the warrant who Texts sent to and from Cole show Cole believed knew about the kickback he “agreed to accept bribes” from scheme at the time. his friend, Terral “TJ” Jackson, in exCole was indicted on five counts in change for steering contracts to Jack- Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murson, according to an arrest warrant is- rill’s wide corruption probe Wednessued Wednesday. day. Those charges include conspiracy Staff writer

LSU mulls revenue engine for athletics

to commit bribery, money laundering and malfeasance in office. Jackson and his wife, Erica Jackson, were also indicted Wednesday. Notably, Cole was not charged with bribery, but only conspiracy to commit bribery. He was also not charged with theft, while other officials charged in Murrill’s investigation have been. Cole turned himself in to the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison on Thursday morning. A judge set bail at $15,000. After he was released later in the

STAFF PHOTO By JOHN BALLANCE

East Baton Rouge Parish schools Superintendent LaMont Cole comes out of Parish Prison on Thursday after being ä See KICKBACK, page 6A released on bail.

NEW FACES, NEW PLACES

Private investors could help with tentative plan

BY ALYSE PFEIL and JON BLAU Staff writers

LSU officials are working on a plan to potentially house LSU athletics’ broadcast rights in a revenue-generating entity separate from the university. That entity could then make investments to generate more money for the Tigers’ sports teams, a source with knowledge of the strategy said. A tentative plan was shared this week with the school’s top athletics boosters during informational meetings Monday and Wednesday. University and state leaders are hoping a perpetual revenue-generating model could alleviate strain in an NIL era, where big-money contracts for both coaches and athletes have stretched donors thin. LSU is looking at setting up a new company that would be run by a board of at least four members, including an LSU Board of Supervisors representative, LSU President Wade Rousse, Gov. Jeff Landry, and a private investor, according to a person who is familiar with the proposal and attended the meeting on Monday night. The source said that discussions about the proposal are still ongoing and details could change. The private investor is willing to invest $100 million into the new company, the person said, and in exchange, that the investor would get a 9% stake in the business and 7% of any profits it generates. The source did not specify whether the $100 million would go directly to LSU for athletics expenses or if it would be used as seed money for the business itself. After six years, if the private investor chooses to get out of the business, he could sell his stake with a vote of approval from the company’s board, the person said. LSU would have a right of first refusal, meaning the university would be first in line to buy that stake. The university is also considering bringing in other investors who could get up to an 11% stake in the company, though university leaders haven’t decided how many

ä See LSU, page 7A

WEATHER HIGH 93 LOW 74 PAGE 8B

STAFF PHOTOS By JAVIER GALLEGOS

Angela Robinson hugs a student as he walks by as others line up at Greenbrier Elementary School during the first day of school on Thursday.

First day of school in EBR has many changes in attendance zones, schedules BY CHARLES LUSSIER Staff writer

Carter Williams is changing schools this year. Nevertheless, he is determined to see that his new school, Greenbrier Elementary in Baton Rouge, offers something that he loved at his old school: singing. Or, to be precise, Singing Pirates. His father, Kevin Williams, marvels at his son’s willingness to sing pretty much anytime, anywhere. The father rattled off the many places and situations where the boy sings routinely: “Shower. Cleaning. Homework.” Pirates are the mascot at nearby Park Forest Elementary, where Carter attended last year. The Singing Pirates performed a variety of songs at school Instructional coach Charlene Emery hugs third grade student Aycen Gradney at but also off campus, even singing at a Greenbrier Elementary School on Thursday. festival. “He wanted to come here and ask if they could start a singing club for this lins said Carter need not worry: She is fourth grade, is one of nearly 30,000 school so he could still pursue that,” planning to form a singing club similar students who showed up for the first Williams said. to the one at Park Forest. ä See NEW, page 6A Greenbrier Principal Shayla HolWilliams, an 11-year-old who started

Business ......................3B Commentary ................7B Nation-World................2A Classified .....................8D Deaths .........................4B Opinion ........................6B Comics-Puzzles .....5D-7D Living............................1D Sports ..........................1C

102ND yEAR, NO. 38


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