Noble Ellington

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Noble Edward Ellington, II
Noble Ellington
Louisiana House of Representatives District 20 (Caldwell, Catahoula, Franklin, and Tensas parishes)
Incumbent
Assumed office  January 14, 2008
Preceded by	Lelon Kenney
Louisiana State Senate District 32 (Avoyelles, Catahoula, Concordia, Franklin, La Salle, Ouachita, and Rapides parishes)
In office 1996 – 2008
Preceded by	Steve D. Thompson
Succeeded by	Hartwood Caldwell "Neil" Riser, Jr.
Louisiana House of Representatives District 20 (Northeastern Louisiana)
In office 1988 – 1996
Preceded by	Missing
Succeeded by	Lelon Kenney
Born	May 25, 1942 (1942-05-25) (age 66)
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	(1) Peggy Marie McDowell Ellington (1964-1998, divorced and married to Chester D. Traylor), (2) Brenda Anderson Armstrong Ellington (married 2006)
Children	Sons Noble Ellington, III (born 1964) and Ryan Ellington (born 1967)
Occupation	Cotton merchant
Religion	Baptist

Noble Edward Ellington, II (born May 25, 1942), is a wealthy cotton merchant from Winnsboro, the seat of Franklin Parish in northeastern Louisiana, who is an incoming freshman member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from District 20. Ellington served previously in the House from 1988-1996, and then in the State Senate (District 32) from 1996-2008. He returned to the House on January 14, 2008, after an absence of a dozen years because he was term-limited from seeking a fourth consecutive Senate term.

Late in 2007, Ellington, as a returning but still freshman member, sought to chair the House Appropriations Committee, but he ran into a bloc of opposition from conservatives, including the statewide radio talk show host Moon Griffon of Monroe. The conservatives stopped Governor Bobby Jindal from recommending that Speaker Jim Tucker name Ellington as the chairman of the critical committee. They contend that Ellington is an advocate of raising taxes to fund expanded government, rather than a lawmaker committed to reducing taxes and cutting programs. Ellington had asked for the appointment on grounds that no House members from northeastern Louisiana had otherwise been named committee chairmen. Jindal had agreed to the recommendation until Tucker informed him that Ellington does not share Jindal's philosophy of limited government.^[1]

Contents 1 Education, civic activities 2 A bitter divorce 3 Controversy over second wife's employment 4 Election history 5 References

[edit] Education, civic activities

Ellington was born to Mr. and Mrs. Noble Ellington, Sr. He graduated in 1960 from Mangham High School in Mangham in Richland Parish. In 1964, he obtained a bachelor's degree from Louisiana Tech University in Ruston, the seat of Lincoln Parish. Ellington has been active in such civic organizations as the Farm Bureau, the Northeast Louisiana Agriculture/Business Council, and the Chamber of Commerce. He is a past director of the Winnsboro Economic Development Corporation. He is a former bank director and hospital board member. Ellington is a patron of the restored Princess Theatre in Winnsboro^[2]He and his sons operate Noble Ellington Cotton Company, Inc., in Winnsboro.

In his earlier years, he was a national director of the Jaycees. He sits on the board of directors of the Louisiana Baptist Children's Home orphanage in Ruston. He has been co-chairman of the American Legislative Exchange Council. Ellington is Baptist.^[3]

During his first legislative stint in the House, Ellington was named "Legislator of the Month" by the interest group which represents city officials, the Louisiana Municipal Association. Another interest group, the Louisiana Federation of Teachers, gave Ellington its "Golden Apple Award" for his support of public schools. Similarly, the Louisiana Association of Educators named him to its "Legislative Honor Roll". He has also been named "Guardian of Small Business".^[3]

[edit] A bitter divorce

In 1964, Ellington married the former Peggy Marie McDowell (also born 1942) of Winnsboro. The couple has two sons, Noble Ellington, III (born 1964) and Ryan Fred Ellington (born 1967).^[4] The couple divorced on May 11, 1998. In their family-owned company, Noble handled the negotiation of deals with suppliers and customers, while Peggy ran the office, kept the books, and performed paperwork associated with the business. Their sons joined the business, Ryan in 1992 and Noble, III, in 1995. The company buys cotton from farmers, cotton gins, and other producers and sells to textile mills and shippers. The gross profit of the company comes from the margin made from this activity. The Ellington firm made a profit each year from 1979 through 1998.^[5]

By August 1996, when the Ellingtons separated, they had made more than $2 million in the cotton business. They used some of their proceeds to purchase apartments, office buildings, and farms. Peggy sued Noble over the division of the company but lost her claim on appeal. After the divorce, Peggy married Louisiana Supreme Court Justice Chet D. Traylor (born 1945) of Winnsboro.^[5]

[edit] Controversy over second wife's employment

In 2006, Noble Ellington married his long-term legislative secretary, the former Brenda Anderson Armstrong (born 1961). The second Mrs. Ellington is seeking to continue as her husband's legislative assistant.^[6] A hearing was to have been held in the 19th District Court in Baton Rouge on February 19, 2008, to see if she qualifies under the state's ethics laws. However, the case was postponed.^[7]

State District Judge Don Johnson issued a temporary restraining order on January 11 that Mrs. Ellington could continue in her $54,540-per-year position until a final court decision is rendered. ^[8]She kept the position while Ellington served in the Senate because she had worked for him for more than a year before the couple married. In fact, she has been employed by Ellington since he entered the House in 1988. The Louisiana Ethics Board maintains that the Senate and House are separate bodies so the grandfather clause no longer applied after Ellington returned to the House. The Ellingtons maintain that the legislature is a single body and that her employment should stand.

Ellington said that his wife has "tremendous experience and a great understanding about the needs of the constituents." House Clerk Butch Speer said he believes the Ethics Board's opinion should stand. According to Speer, "The House's position is that we have to adhere to the code of ethics. The (Ethics Board) is charged by law with interpreting the code, and it said that (Ellington) can't participate in the employment of his wife. But the House is also bound to follow a lawful order of the court. Under the restraining order issued by the 19th Judicial Court, the House isn't to perform any act that would interrupt her employment. Unless or until that order is lifted, she will remain employed. If the order is ever lifted, the House will follow the dictates of the Ethics Board", and Mrs. Ellington would therefore be terminated from her position.^[9]

On May 19, 2008, the state Senate without objection approved an amendment offered by Senate President Joel Chaisson of Destrehan that would erase the court ruling that Mrs. Ellington must resign as her husband's legislative assistant. Chaisson's amendment states that if a lawmaker's spouse is legally an assistant in one chamber of the legislature, a member then being elected to the other body does not change that assistant's employment status.^[10]

[edit] Election history

Ellington won his current District 20 House seat in the general election held on November 17, 2007. Incumbent Lelon Kenney (born 1935) of Columbia, the seat of Caldwell Parish, was term-limited. Ellington hence defeated his runoff opponent, fellow Democrat Cleveland Webb "Cleve" Womack (born 1953) of Jonesville in Catahoula Parish^[11], 6,215 (52 percent) to 5,686 (48 percent). The district includes, Franklin, Catahoula, Caldwell, and two precincts of Tensas, the smallest of Louisiana's sixty-four parishes, which is located adjacent to the Mississippi River.^[12]

Ellington's former Senate District 32 includes in addition to Caldwell, Catahoula, and Franklin (also in the House district) the parishes of Concordia, La Salle, and small portions of Ouachita and Rapides parishes. The district is now represented by its first ever Republican member, Neil Riser of Columbia. By the time that Ellington left the Senate, the district lines had changed somewhat and included even a few precincts as far south as the northern portion of Avoyelles Parish.

In Ellington's first election to the House in 1987, he and intraparty rival Rodney R. "Rod" Elrod (born 1954) of Winnsboro^[13] led a field of seven Democrats and one independent. Ellington polled 3,640 (21 percent), and Elrod 3,063 (17 percent). Ellington then defeated Elrod in the general election, usually called the runoff in Louisiana.^[14] Four years later in 1991, Ellington overwhelmed intraparty rival Dennis Grady Stewart (born 1953) of Rayville in Richland Parish^[15], 13,211 (72 percent) to 5,060 (28 percent).^[16] In 1995, Ellington first won his Senate seat. He went into a general election with fellow Democrat Roy Eugene Hebron (born 1954) of Ball in northern Rapides Parish^[17], 19,325 (48 percent) to 16,076 (40 percent). Independent candidate Paul A. Nugent received the critical 5,048 remaining votes (12 percent).^[18] In the showdown with Hebron on November 18, 1995, Ellington prevailed, 21,703 (53 percent) to 19,180 (47 percent).^[19]

Ellington handily won reelection to the Senate on October 23, 1991, when he defeated his first and thus far only Republican opponent, Larry Bruce Minton (born 1945 of Pineville in Rapides Parish^[20], 27,001 (69 percent) to 11,954 (31 percent).^[21] In 2003, Ellington won his last Senate term in an easy contest with fellow Democrat James "Jim" Hearns (born 1952) of Columbia, 27,021 (80 percent) to 6,497 (20 percent).^[22]

[edit] References

Political offices
Preceded by Lelon Kenney	Louisiana State Representative from District 20 (Caldwell, Catahoula, Franklin, and Tensas parishes) Noble Edward Ellington, II 2008–	Succeeded by Incumbent
Preceded by Steve D. Thompson	Louisiana State Senator from District 32 (Avoyelles, Caldwell, Catahoula, Concordia, Franklin, La Salle, Ouachita, and Rapides parishes) Noble Edward Ellington, II 1996-2008	Succeeded by Hartwood Caldwell "Neil" Riser, Jr.
Preceded by Missing	Louisiana State Representative from District 20 (Northeast Louisiana) Noble Edward Ellington, II 1988-1996	Succeeded by Lelon Kenney