Brodhead Given Suspended Fine in Noted Ruling

Bob Brodhead, former Louisiana State University athletic director, was given a suspended $2,500 fine Thursday in a ruling that could have far-reaching implications at LSU and other state schools.

The Commission on Ethics for Public Employees found that Brodhead and Baton Rouge media executive Douglas Manship violated state regulations involving payments and gifts to public employees.

But it said they did so without intending to do wrong. Neither Manship nor his Baton Rouge Broadcasting Co. was fined for giving a free trip to Brodhead and his wife or paying Brodhead for his weekly radio show.

The commission also recommended that all state schools be told to review their employees’ contracts with outside business interests.

That could make it very difficult for state schools to attract and keep first-class coaches, administrators and faculty members, Manship said. “It seems to me thoroughly impractical.”

Since most football and basketball coaches have their own shows, it could bring those outside sources of coaching income under the commission’s scrutiny.

Brodhead agreed with Manship that if the commission ruling extends to coaches’ shows, it could make it very difficult for a state school to hire a top-quality coach for its major men’s varsity sports.

“You can’t attract a nationally renowned coach unless he has peripheral sources of compensation,” Brodhead said.

Manship and Baton Rouge Broadcasting were accused with Brodhead in both allegations. One said that Manship gave Brodhead and his wife free transportation and lodging for a weekend trip to Mexico and the other said that Manship’s radio station, WJBO, paid Brodhead $300 a week for his radio show.

Manship also is president of WBRZ-TV and publisher of the Baton Rouge Morning Advocate and State-Times.