INDReporter

Pierre addresses allegations

by Walter Pierce

Faced with a fusillade of incriminations, Vincent Pierre has addressed, point-by-point, charges leveled against him.

Faced with a fusillade of incriminations, presumably from supporters of state Rep. Rickey Hardy, Vincent Pierre has addressed, point-by-point, accusations leveled against him in the comment section at theind.com and elsewhere regarding his character.

Within an hour after our June 28 blog, "Pierre announces bid for state House 44," was posted, the attacks on Pierre began. He was accused of welshing on his child support payments, of bearing a child out of wedlock and resigning from a previous job at the Louisiana Lottery amid sexual-harassment allegations.

Pierre denies them all. He acknowledges that he is separated from his wife, but maintains they enjoy a healthy relationship centered around the rearing of their sons. While documents from the 15th Judicial Court in Lafayette from last December show that Pierre did in fact fall behind on his $1,400-per-month child support obligation, he says he has caught up and that he and his wife, who are separated but not divorced, "have an amicable financial agreement concerning the welfare of our children and we're both acting in accordance with that agreement," adding that "we're great friends and she's in full support of my running for office."

Pierre also denies the allegations about out-of-wedlock paternity - a personal issue this newspaper is loath to broach. "I have three beautiful boys - Joshua, Kyle and Luke - and they're all for my current wife; that's the extent of my fatherhood," Pierre insists.

When the sexual harassment charge was leveled against Pierre at theind.com, we contacted Lottery officials concerning the circumstances of his departure. In an email, Robin Schooling, vice president of human resources, replied only that "Vincent Pierre was employed by the Louisiana Lottery Corporation and ... he voluntarily resigned."

Pierre vehemently denies allegations concerning his resignation from Louisiana Lottery: "I was never accused of sexual harassment charges at the Louisiana Lottery and I have never been accused at any job of sexual harassment."

Pierre and Hardy will face off on Oct. 22 in the primary election for state House of Representatives District 44, the seat Hardy has held for four years and a seat long held by Pierre's uncle, Wilfred Pierre.