Changes

==The undoing of Dave Pearce==

==The undoing of Dave Pearce==

Pearce's political decline actually began in 1972, with the disclosure that the state Market Commission had granted $330,000 in state loans to Winnfield Minerals, Inc., which went broke without repaying any of the funds. Pearce's son-in-law was a stockholder in the company.

Pearce's political decline began in 1973, with the disclosure that the state Market Commission had granted $330,000 in state loans to Winnfield Minerals, Inc., which went broke without repaying any of the funds. Pearce's son-in-law was a stockholder in the company.

A joint legislative committee looked into the matter, and, in the summer of 1973, an East Baton Rouge Parish grand jury indicted Pearce on thirty-one charges, twenty-five for public payroll extortion, three for public bribery, one for felony theft, one for governmental ethics violation, and one for perjury. Later, he was accused with three more perjury offenses as well.

A joint legislative committee looked into the matter, and, in the summer of 1973, an East Baton Rouge Parish grand jury indicted Pearce on thirty-one charges, twenty-five for public payroll extortion, three for public bribery, one for felony theft, one for governmental ethics violation, and one for perjury. Later, he was accused with three more perjury offenses as well.