Changes

|preceded2=[[Woodrow Wilson Dumas]]

|preceded2=[[Woodrow Wilson Dumas]]

|succeeded2=

|succeeded2=

| birth_date={{birth date and age|1931|10|20}}

| birth_date=October 20, 1931

| birth_place=

| birth_place=Place of birth missing

| residence=Greenwell Springs, East Baton Rouge Parish

| residence=Greenwell Springs, East Baton Rouge Parish

| occupation=[[Farmer]]; Rancher]

| occupation=[[Farmer]]; Rancher]

| spouse=Lorraine C. Gerald

| spouse=Lorraine C. Gerald

| children= James Darrell Gerald<br />

| children=James Darrell Gerald<br />

Kendall Paul Gerald<br>

Kendall Paul Gerald<br>

'''Parents''':<br>

'''Parents''':<br>

Meanwhile, Henry Holden, business manager for the Pipefitters Local 198 [[organized labor|union]], was convicted of [[obstruction of justice]] in attempting to influence the federal [[grand jury]] during the investigation of the Gerald case. Holden was sentenced to two years imprisonment.<ref name=beckner/>

Meanwhile, Henry Holden, business manager for the Pipefitters Local 198 [[organized labor|union]], was convicted of [[obstruction of justice]] in attempting to influence the federal [[grand jury]] during the investigation of the Gerald case. Holden was sentenced to two years imprisonment.<ref name=beckner/>

In a series of press articles beginning in 1993 it was revealed that politicians in both parties in Louisiana had been tapping either their own family members or relatives of political allies for coveted legislative scholarships to [[Tulane University]] in [[New Orleans]], enabled by an 1881 state law. In 1995, it was disclosed that while in the Senate, Gaston Gerald had sponsored a scholarship for Pascal Calogero, III, of New Orleans, one of three sons of Louisiana Supreme Court Chief Justice Pascal F. Calogero, Jr.]<ref>{{cite web|publisher=''The New Orleans Times-Picayune''|title=Legislative Scholarship Recipients|page=A-13 | date=October 23, 1995}}</ref>

In a series of press articles beginning in 1993 it was revealed that politicians in both parties in Louisiana had been tapping either their own family members or relatives of political allies for coveted legislative scholarships to [[Tulane University]] in [[New Orleans]], enabled by an 1881 state law. In 1995, it was disclosed that while in the Senate, Gaston Gerald had sponsored a scholarship for Pascal Calogero, III, of New Orleans, one of three sons of Louisiana Supreme Court Chief Justice Pascal F. Calogero, Jr.<ref>"Legislative Scholarship Recipients," ''The New Orleans Times-Picayune,'' October 23, 1995, p. A-13.</ref>

After expulsion from the Senate, a [[special election]] was held to name a successor for the unexpired part of Gerald's third term. Fellow Democrat [[Mike Cross (Louisiana politician)|Mike Cross]], then the mayor of Baker in East Baton Rouge Parish, was elected. to Gerald. Cross held the seat from 1981 to 1996, when he was unseated by the young [[Republican Party|Republican]] Mike Branch, who served only one term.<ref name=senate/>

After expulsion from the Senate, a [[special election]] was held to name a successor for the unexpired part of Gerald's third term. Fellow Democrat [[Mike Cross (Louisiana politician)|Mike Cross]], then the mayor of Baker in East Baton Rouge Parish, was elected. to Gerald. Cross held the seat from 1981 to 1996, when he was unseated by the young [[Republican Party|Republican]] Mike Branch, who served only one term.<ref name=senate/>

==Family background==

==Family background==

Gerald was one of eight children born to James Edward Gerald and the former Cynthia Martin.  Only two of his siblings survive, a brother, Kelly P. Gerald of [[rural]] Pine n Washington Parish and a sister, Martha G. Watts of French Settlement in Livingston Parish.

Gerald was one of eight children born to James Edward Gerald and the former Cynthia Martin.  Only two of his siblings survive, a brother, Kelly P. Gerald of [[rural]] Pine n Washington Parish and a sister, Martha G. Watts of French Settlement in Livingston Parish.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://files.usgwarchives.net/la/washington/obits/era/el112002.txt|title=Obituary of James Russell Gerald (a younger brother of Gaston Gerald)|publisher=usgwarchives.net/la|accessdate=November 18, 2009}}</ref>  

.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://files.usgwarchives.net/la/washington/obits/era/el112002.txt|title=Obituary of James Russell Gerald (a younger brother of Gaston Gerald)|publisher=usgwarchives.net/la|accessdate=November 18, 2009}}</ref>  

Since his release from prison, Gerald has been engaged in [[cattle]] ranching and  [[farming]] in East Baton Rouge and Washington parishes. Former State Senator [[B. B. "Sixty" Rayburn]] of Washington Parish similarly farmed and ranched after his defeat in the 1995 [[general election]] by the Republican Phil Short.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ldaf.state.la.us/portal/Portals/0/News/MarketBulletins/mb2007-09-27.pdf|title=Sixty at 91|publisher=ldaf.state.la.us|accessdate=November 18, 2009}}</ref> From 1995 to 2006, Gerald received $30,357 in federal farm subsidies.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://farm.ewg.org/farm/persondetail.php?custnumber=005064565|title=Farm Subsidy Database|publisher=farm.ewg.org|accessdate=November 18, 2009}}</ref>

Since his release from prison, Gerald has been engaged in [[cattle]] ranching and  [[farming]] in East Baton Rouge and Washington parishes. Former State Senator [[B. B. "Sixty" Rayburn]] of Washington Parish similarly farmed and ranched after his defeat in the 1995 [[general election]] by the Republican Phil Short.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ldaf.state.la.us/portal/Portals/0/News/MarketBulletins/mb2007-09-27.pdf|title=Sixty at 91|publisher=ldaf.state.la.us|accessdate=November 18, 2009}}</ref> From 1995 to 2006, Gerald received $30,357 in federal farm subsidies.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://farm.ewg.org/farm/persondetail.php?custnumber=005064565|title=Farm Subsidy Database|publisher=farm.ewg.org|accessdate=November 18, 2009}}</ref>