I know there are still some folks out there who believe that
Michael Matthew Maunoir changing his name to Michael Salvador Yenni is an old
issue and that Michael Matthew Maunoir was of pure heart and really didn’t
change his name for political reasons.
If you are one of “those” people, since I’m not going to
change your mind anyway, please indulge me for a few minutes.
Michael Matthew Maunoir III was born June 15th, 1976. Remember that date, because it is
important.
In his answer to Elton Lagasse claiming that Maunoir changed
his name for political gain, Maunoir/Yenni looks into the camera and claims
that Lagasse’s “attacks are deceitful”. But who is really stretching the truth
here?
In the ad, Maunoir/Yenni says:
“After my parent’s painful divorce, I lived with my mother Peggy Jo
Yenni and my grandmother, Lucille Yenni. They were the family I knew. So I took
the family name.”
But is that all there is?
With Maunoir/Yenni, nothing is ever as it seems.
Michael Matthew Maunoir III changed his name to Michael
Salvador Yenni on January 20th,
1998 (again, note the date).
In the paperwork filed by Aaron Broussard (yes, THAT Aaron
Broussard), it states:
“Petitioner desires to change his name to Michael Salvador Yenni so
that he may have the same last name as that of the mother, Peggy Yenni, and as
that of his grandfather, Joe Yenni, and his uncle, Michael Yenni.”
And Maunoir/Yenni says that in his ad, "I took the family name."
Fair enough, right?
But wait…Yenni WASN’T
the family name yet…
When my parents were divorced, my mother asked in the
divorce proceedings to change her name back to her maiden name.
When I got divorced, my ex-wife asked in the divorce
proceedings to change her name back to her maiden name.
Most women do.
But not Peggy Jo Maunoir.
Peggy Jo Maunoir and Michael Matthew Maunoir, Jr. were legally
separated on July 9th,
1995. They were officially divorced on October 3rd, 1996.
In 2003,
at the unveiling of a portrait of Joe Yenni, the Times-Picayune reported:
“At Wednesday’s Parish Council meeting, (Tim) Coulon presented Joe
Yenni’s widow, Lucille, with a dozen pink roses. Yenni’s daughter, Peggy Jo
Maunoir, and two of his grandchildren, Mike and Rachael Yenni, also attended.”
Seven (7) years AFTER the “painful” divorce, Maunoir/Yenni’s
mother still had not changed her name.
Now, I’m not saying
that the divorce wasn’t “painful”. Clearly, all divorces are painful to
someone. But, shouldn’t it have been more painful to the woman involved and
wouldn’t she want to change her name her name BEFORE her children did?
And, what happened to the Maunoir’s other child?
In a City of Kenner Press Release announcing the death of
Lucille Lawrence Yenni (the grandmother) dated August 10th, 2008 (or twelve years after the
Maunoir divorce), it says:
“She is survived by her daughter, Peggy Jo Yenni; and five
grandchildren: Michael Salvador Yenni, Bradley J. Maunoir (Celeste Deal
Maunoir), Rachel Elizabeth Yenni, Joseph Salvadore Yenni II and Michael Joseph
Yenni, Jr. Michael S. Yenni has followed in his grandfather and uncle into
politics and is currently the chief administrative officer for Kenner.”
Obviously, his parent’s
divorce was not so painful for Bradley Maunoir that he felt compelled to change
his name to Yenni too. But then, Bradley isn’t living off the past glories of
his grandfather and uncle either.
So, to summarize:
Michael Matthew Maunoir III born June 15th, 1976.
His parents separate on July
9th, 1995 (Michael Matthew Maunoir III is 19 years old).
His parents divorce on October
3rd, 1996 (Michael Matthew Maunoir II is 20 years old).
On January 20th,
1998, 2 ½ years after his parents separated and facilitated by Aaron
Broussard with multiple mentions of his deceased grandfather and uncle, Michael
Matthew Maunoir III (age 21 ½), legally changes his name to Michael Salvador
Yenni.
March 2003,
8 years after they were separated and almost 7 years after they were divorced,
Peggy Jo Maunoir still hasn’t changed her name.
August 2008,
12 years after his parents divorced, Bradley Maunoir hasn’t changed his last
name either. In fact, he still hasn’t.
Of the 3 people who could have changed their name, only Michael
Matthew Maunoir III, with the help of Aaron Broussard, changed his name but not
out of respect for his mother – she was still Peggy Jo Maunoir for years after.
Did Michael Matthew Maunoir III immediately change his name
after his parent’s “painful” divorce – NO.
When he petitioned the court, did Michael Matthew Maunoir
III lie – YES. His mother still hadn’t changed her name.
Why, in the name change documents, in the City of Kenner
Press Release regarding his grandmother’s death, on his City of Kenner
biography, and every other opportunity, does Michael Matthew Maunoir III
continue to remind folks who his grandfather and uncle were?
“Elton Lagasse may want to relive the past, but I am focused on the
future.”
Yeah, we believe you Mikey…
Look, I’m not disputing that the Maunoir divorce was painful
or traumatic for Michael Matthew Maunoir III. But, what I am saying is, the
trauma should have caused an immediate response.
Michael Matthew Maunoir III
was an ADULT and he was an ADULT when his parents separated and divorced. He
didn’t need anyone’s permission to change his name. Why wait a year and a half?
Did he want to hurt his father? I could buy that rationale.
He was named after his father and grandfather. But, Michael Matthew Maunoir III has NEVER said that.
If his mother had changed her name in the divorce, I could
buy that too. But, his mother and brother hadn’t changed their names, yet
Michael Matthew Maunoir III (named after his father) did, and not only his last
name but his middle name too.
When you put the pieces together (Aaron Broussard facilitating,
the continual references to his grandfather and uncle, the delay in changing
his name, the fact that he has NEVER held a non-political job, the reports that
he wears his deceased uncle’s shoes, the fact that he spent tens of thousands
of tax dollars to rehab his uncle’s old JP vehicle, etc.) can you honestly say
that Michael Matthew Maunoir III DIDN’T change his name for political gain?
If you can, you are a better person than Michael Salvador
Yenni - because he CAN’T.
As I’ve said several times, whether it’s Michael Matthew
Maunoir III or Michael Salvdor Yenni, nothing is ever what it seems.
And, that’s why this name change matters.
When you consider who to cast your Parish President vote
for, you should weigh three important factors: credibility, integrity, and
honesty.
On those criteria, Michael Salvador Yenni fails miserably.
If, almost 20 years later, Michael Matthew Maunoir III STILL
can’t be honest with himself, what makes you think he will ever be honest with
you?
