HOLDEN & TASSIN

Smiling faces sometimes pretend to be your friend Smiling faces show no traces of the evil that lurks withinSmiling faces, smiling faces sometimes They don't tell the truth uh Smiling faces, smiling facesTell lies and I got proof.

This 1970's song written by Barrett Strong and made famous by the Temptations and latter by the Undisputed Truth sums up the relationship of Mayor Kip Holden and his dear friend Martha Jane Tassin.

Martha Jane Tassin is in a fight for her political life with Donna Collin-Lewis for her 6 District seat on the Baton Rouge Metro Council. Since Mayor Kip Holden was elected Tassin has been one of his strongest allies and the Mayor has made a promise to her that he would help her get re-elected and how important she is on the Metro Council and the Planning Commission.

Tassin demographics have changed radically since 2005 because of Hurricane Katrina and now African Americans are the majority voters in her district. Martha Jane's opponent in the run-off is Donna Collin-Lewis who is a very well connected African American that is closely aligned with Yvonne Dorsey. When Mayor Kip Holden is at white groups such as Good Growth Coalition he talks about how important Martha Jane Tassin is to the city and that it is very important for her to be re-elected. But the facts are that Holden is also helping Lewis and that his number one lieutenant Alfred Williams is running Lewis campaign.

Kip Holden could help Martha by actively campaigning for her but he has chosen only to help her with false words of help. In District 1 Mayor Holden has endorsed Gerald Handy over Bones Addison. In Handy's race the mayor has become very active and very public in his campaigning for Handy. He has sent out letters of endorsement for Handy and he has helped raise money for him. The Mayor has not in any way helped Tassin. His promises to help her have been empty lies. As Kip Holden smiles and reassures Martha of his support he is stabbing her in the back.

Republican like Mike Waker and Mike Futrell should take the advice of Barrett Strong song when dealing with Mayor Kip Holden:

Beware, beware of the handshake that hides the snake I'm telling you beware, beware of the pat on the back It just might hold you back.

I understand that Mayor Kip Holden has promised Mike Walker that he is going to help him become the next mayor pro-tem. Yea, right.

Smiling faces, smiling faces sometimes they don't tell the truth, uh

Smiling faces, smiling faces tell lies and I got proof.