BATON ROUGE, La. — A former lawmaker appointed by Gov. Bobby Jindal to the pardon board this year has resigned four months into the job.
M.J. "Mert" Smiley of St. Amant turned in his resignation letter to the governor's office last week, saying he will resign May 1 to begin his transition to his new job as Ascension Parish assessor.
At the time Jindal appointed Smiley, the governor knew the Republican assessor-to-be could only serve for a year at most.
A Jindal spokesman says no replacement has been named for Smiley on the pardon board. The board jobs pay $36,000 a year. The five-member board makes recommendations to the governor about clemency and pardon applications from convicted individuals.