Changes

Cusimano and his wife, Kathleen F. Cusimano (born 1955), have eight children.<ref>People Search & Background Check</ref>

Cusimano and his wife, Kathleen F. Cusimano (born 1955), have eight children.<ref>People Search & Background Check</ref>

==Career==

==Legislative career==

At the age of twenty-five, just as he launched his law practice, Cusimano was elected in 1979 as a Democrat to the District 81 seat in the Louisiana House of Representatives. He switched to Republican affiliation at the start of his second term, 1984 to 1988.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://house.louisiana.gov/H_PDFdocs/HouseMembership_History_CURRENT.pdf|title=Membership in the Louisiana House of Representatives, 1812-2020 (Jefferson Parish) |publisher=Louisiana House of Representatives|accessdate=November 15, 2019}}</ref> He served on the House committees on Criminal Justice, Civil Law, and Natural Resources.<ref name=cusimano>{{cite web|url=http://www.fifthjpc.com/aboutus.htm|title=About Judge Charles V. Cusimano, II|publisher=fifthjpc.com|accessdate=November 11, 2009; no longer on-line}}</ref> On October 24, 1987, he was elected again, having defeated fellow Republican Steve Little, 9,650 (65.2 percent) to 5,165 (34.8 percent) in the nonpartisan blanket primary.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns for Jefferson Parish, October 24, 1987.</ref>

At the age of twenty-five, just as he launched his law practice, Cusimano was elected in 1979 as a Democrat to the District 81 seat in the Louisiana House of Representatives. He switched to Republican affiliation at the start of his second term, 1984 to 1988.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://house.louisiana.gov/H_PDFdocs/HouseMembership_History_CURRENT.pdf|title=Membership in the Louisiana House of Representatives, 1812-2020 (Jefferson Parish) |publisher=Louisiana House of Representatives|accessdate=November 15, 2019}}</ref> He served on the House committees on Criminal Justice, Civil Law, and Natural Resources.<ref name=cusimano>{{cite web|url=http://www.fifthjpc.com/aboutus.htm|title=About Judge Charles V. Cusimano, II|publisher=fifthjpc.com|accessdate=November 11, 2009; no longer on-line}}</ref> On October 24, 1987, he was elected again, having defeated fellow Republican Steve Little, 9,650 (65.2 percent) to 5,165 (34.8 percent) in the nonpartisan blanket primary.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns for Jefferson Parish, October 24, 1987.</ref>

Cusimano was described by his House colleague, [[Ron Gomez]] of [[Lafayette]], as "a diminitive firebrand from Metairie."<ref>[[Ron Gomez]], ''My Name Is Ron And I'm a Recovering Legislator: Memoirs of a Louisiana State Representative'' ([[Lafayette]], [[Louisiana]]: Zemog Publishing, 2000), p. 134, isbn=0-9700156-0-7</ref> In House debate over the [[New Orleans Saints]]'s lease of the Louisiana Superdome (since the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, Cusimano proposed an amendment that would restrict the team's concession revenues to a minimum level, after which the proceeds would be split 50-50 with the state). The amendment, strongly opposed by the Saints' owner, Thomas Milton "Tom" Benson (1927-2018), appeared to have passed until Governor [[Edwin Edwards]], in an unprecedented move, came to the chamber to plead with the lawmakers to reverse themselves. Edwards claimed that the Cusimano amendment would cause the Saints, then a repeatedly losing team, to leave New Orleans and practically make the state the laughingstock of the nation. After the visibly shaken Edwards spoke, Representative [[Raymond Laborde]] of Marksville, Edwards' friend from childhood, stepped to the microphone and moved that the previous amendment be deleted. No debate was allowed on the previous question, and Benson and Edwards prevailed.<ref>Ron Gomez, pp. 134-137.</ref>

Cusimano was described by his House colleague, [[Ron Gomez]] of [[Lafayette]], as "a diminitive firebrand from Metairie."<ref>[[Ron Gomez]], ''My Name Is Ron And I'm a Recovering Legislator: Memoirs of a Louisiana State Representative'' ([[Lafayette]], [[Louisiana]]: Zemog Publishing, 2000), p. 134, isbn=0-9700156-0-7</ref> In House debate over the [[New Orleans Saints]]'s lease of the Louisiana Superdome (since the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, Cusimano proposed an amendment that would restrict the team's concession revenues to a minimum level, after which the proceeds would be split 50-50 with the state). The amendment, strongly opposed by the Saints' owner, Thomas Milton "Tom" Benson (1927-2018), appeared to have passed until Governor [[Edwin Edwards]], in an unprecedented move, came to the chamber to plead with the lawmakers to reverse themselves. Edwards claimed that the Cusimano amendment would cause the Saints, then a repeatedly losing team, to leave New Orleans and practically make the state the laughingstock of the nation. After the visibly shaken Edwards spoke, Representative [[Raymond Laborde]] of Marksville, Edwards' friend from childhood, stepped to the microphone and moved that the previous amendment be deleted. No debate was allowed on the previous question, and Benson and Edwards prevailed.<ref>Ron Gomez, pp. 134-137.</ref>

    

    

Cusimano resigned from the legislature in 1988 to become a 24th Judicial District Court [[judge]], a position that he held from 1988- to 007.<ref name=cusimano/> His resignation from the legislature triggered a [[special election]] in District 81. Several Republicans sought to succeed Representative Cusimano, including future Republican state chairman, [[Roger F. Villere, Jr.]], a Metairie floral shop owner. However, the two candidates who reached the runoff election were Republicans [[John Treen]], brother of former Governor [[David C. Treen]], and [[David Duke]], nationally known as a former figure in the [[Ku Klux Klan]]. Duke narrowly won the race over Treen, who enjoyed the backing of most state and national Republicans, including [[U.S. President]] [[George Herbert Walker Bush]] and former President Reagan, who opposed Duke's candidacy. Duke claimed that Treen, if elected, was willing to see [[property tax]] increases in the [[suburban]] New Orleans district.<ref>Douglas D. Rose, ''The Emergence of David Duke and the Politics of Race'' (Chapel Hill, [[North Carolina]]: [[University of North Carolina]] Press, 1992), p. iii (ISBN 0807843814,  

Cusimano resigned from the legislature in 1988 to become a 24th Judicial District Court [[judge]], a position that he held from 1988 to 2007.<ref name=cusimano/> His resignation from the legislature triggered a [[special election]] in District 81. Several Republicans sought to succeed Representative Cusimano, including future Republican state chairman, [[Roger F. Villere, Jr.]], a Metairie floral shop owner. However, the two candidates who reached the runoff election were Republicans [[John Treen]], brother of former Governor [[David C. Treen]], and [[David Duke]], nationally known as a former figure in the [[Ku Klux Klan]]. Duke narrowly won the race over Treen, who enjoyed the backing of most state and national Republicans, including [[U.S. President]] [[George Herbert Walker Bush]] and former President Reagan, who opposed Duke's candidacy. Duke claimed that Treen, if elected, was willing to see [[property tax]] increases in the [[suburban]] New Orleans district.<ref>Douglas D. Rose, ''The Emergence of David Duke and the Politics of Race'' (Chapel Hill, [[North Carolina]]: [[University of North Carolina]] Press, 1992), p. iii (ISBN 0807843814,  

ISBN 978-0-8078-4381-9). See also Michael Zatarain, ''David Duke: Evolution of a Klansman'' (Gretna, Louisiana: Pelican Publishing, 1990), ISBN 0-88289-817-5, ISBN 978-0-88289-817-9.</ref>  

ISBN 978-0-8078-4381-9). See also Michael Zatarain, ''David Duke: Evolution of a Klansman'' (Gretna, Louisiana: Pelican Publishing, 1990), ISBN 0-88289-817-5, ISBN 978-0-88289-817-9.</ref>  

Among those working in the John Treen campaign were Democrat [[Victor Bussie]], long-term president of the Louisiana AFL-CIO, and  [[Beth Rickey]] of New Orleans, a moderate member of the Republican State Central Committee who later exposed Duke's continuing neo-Nazi ties.<ref>Patricia Sullivan, "Beth Rickey dies with an immune disorder and Crohn's disease." ''[[The Washington Post]],'' September 16, 2009.</ref>  

Among those working in the John Treen campaign were Democrat [[Victor Bussie]], long-term president of the Louisiana AFL-CIO, and  [[Beth Rickey]] of New Orleans, a moderate member of the Republican State Central Committee who later exposed Duke's continuing neo-Nazi ties.<ref>Patricia Sullivan, "Beth Rickey dies with an immune disorder and Crohn's disease." ''[[The Washington Post]],'' September 16, 2009.</ref>  

   

   

In 1998, Cusimano ran for the Louisiana Supreme Court, a ten-year term, against Justice Pascal Frank  Calogero, Jr. (1931-2018), a Democrat. Calogero led with 77,766 votes (49.5 percent), and Cusimano polled 64,711 ballots (41.2 percent). A third candidate held the remaining 8 percent of the vote.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 3, 1998.</ref> Because Calogero nearly won the position outright in the primary, Cusimano decided not to contest the [[general election]].

In 1998, while still a judge of the 24th District, Cusimano ran for the Louisiana Supreme Court, a ten-year term, against Justice Pascal Frank  Calogero, Jr. (1931-2018), a Democrat. Calogero led with 77,766 votes (49.5 percent), and Cusimano polled 64,711 ballots (41.2 percent). A third candidate held the remaining 8 percent of the vote.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 3, 1998.</ref> Because Calogero nearly won the position outright in the primary, Cusimano decided not to contest the [[general election]].

On the district court, Judge Cusimano was instrumental in revamping the criminal justice computer system.<ref name=cusimano/> In 2006, he did not seek reelection  and was succeeded by Republican Cornelius E. "Conn" Regan, a narrow winner over Danyelle Taylor, also a Republican.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, September 30, 2006.</ref> In 2008, Cusimano was unopposed for the position of Fifth Justice of the Peace Court in Jefferson Parish.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lwvno.org/f2008-EG-jp.html|title=Fall 2008 Candidate Guide for Jefferson Parish|publisher=League of Women Voters of [[New Orleans]]|accessdate=November 11, 2009; no longer on-line}}</ref> Cusimano worked to modernize justice-of-the-peace operations, with electronic case management to allow litigants to file electronically and monitor the status of their case via the [[Internet]].<ref name=cusimano/> His current term expires on December 31, 2020.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/electedofficials|title=Elected Officials (Jefferson Parish)|publisher=Louisiana Secretary of State|accessdate=November 15, 2019}}</ref>

On the district court, Judge Cusimano was instrumental in revamping the criminal justice computer system.<ref name=cusimano/> In 2006, he did not seek reelection  and was succeeded by Republican Cornelius E. "Conn" Regan, a narrow winner over Danyelle Taylor, also a Republican.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, September 30, 2006.</ref> In 2008, Cusimano was unopposed for the position of Fifth Justice of the Peace Court in Jefferson Parish.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lwvno.org/f2008-EG-jp.html|title=Fall 2008 Candidate Guide for Jefferson Parish|publisher=League of Women Voters of [[New Orleans]]|accessdate=November 11, 2009; no longer on-line}}</ref> Cusimano worked to modernize justice-of-the-peace operations, with electronic case management to allow litigants to file electronically and monitor the status of their case via the [[Internet]].<ref name=cusimano/> His current term expires on December 31, 2020.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/electedofficials|title=Elected Officials (Jefferson Parish)|publisher=Louisiana Secretary of State|accessdate=November 15, 2019}}</ref>

Though the JP position is part-time, Cusimano in 2012 earned some $200,000 annually, more than any other judge in Louisiana. His compensation is primarily derived from a portion of office filing fees that he is allowed to keep. Many other JPs, depending on their location, earn only a fraction of what Judge Cusimano draws.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wdsu.com/article/i-team-justice-of-the-peace-job-means-big-money-for-some/3370654|title=I-Team: Justice of the Peace job means big money -- for some: Part-time job can generate nearly $200k in income|publisher=WDSU.com|date=May 9, 2014|accessdate=April 5, 2020}}</ref>  

Though the JP position is part-time, Cusimano in 2012 earned some $200,000 annually, more than any other judge in Louisiana. His compensation is primarily derived from a portion of office filing fees that he is allowed to keep. Many other JPs, depending on their location, earn only a fraction of what Judge Cusimano draws.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wdsu.com/article/i-team-justice-of-the-peace-job-means-big-money-for-some/3370654|title=I-Team: Justice of the Peace job means big money -- for some: Part-time job can generate nearly $200k in income|publisher=WDSU.com|date=May 9, 2014|accessdate=April 5, 2020}}</ref>

==References==

==References==