Thursday, October 8, 2015

Maunoir? Yenni? And Why It SHOULD Matter To You



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?