What Pay Raise Will Cost Legislators

LaPolitics Weekly broke this story June 13

Intense media and public furor over the fast-moving legislative pay raise bill, set for House vote today, has some representatives rethinking their positions. A compromise is being floated to lower the new salary to about $38,000 from $50,700 in the current bill.

Legislators make the political calculation that the public furor over the raise will dissipate by the 2011 elections. Yet political consultants and pollsters doubt it will. "I can see that ad already," said pollster Bernie Pinsonat, who pointed to a big turnover in the Pennsylvania Legislature after an unpopular pay raise.

One Senate argument for the bill (amongst themselves, for there was no floor debate or questions) was the growing lack of interest in qualified people running for the Legislature. The pay raise should fix that, providing to future candidates both the incentive to run and a killer issue to use against incumbents.

Some new legislators are willing to accept that risk rather than continue at the current pay. Even if they are to be one-termers, under the new pay bill that would earn at least $120,000 more over the next three and a half years, which could be their consolation prize for limiting their careers.

The political retribution campaign has started at the source. Legislators are cringing over a picture posted on the Dead Pelican web site of a Mercedes Benz in Sen. Duplessis' Capitol parking space, bearing her Senate District 2 license plate.

Massive Democratic Voter Drive

LaPolitics Weekly broke this story June 6

A massive voter registration drive backed by the Louisiana Democratic Party has deluged parish registrar offices with tens of thousands of applications, possibly resulting in a significant increase of Democrats going to the polls this fall. Registrars in the four largest parishes report that the unprecedented volume, along with problems in verifying some of the data, are clogging the system and could cause confusion and delays on Election Day in November.

"I've seen nothing as massive as some of these drives going on," said Jefferson Registrar of Voters Dennis DiMarco, echoing the assessments of officials in Caddo, East Baton Rouge and Orleans parishes.

State Democratic party spokesman Brian Welsh said the drive has nearly reached its goal of 70,000 applications from areas described as low-income and under-represented. He said the party is paying Voting Is Power (VIP), a Washington, D.C.-based business, to hire and train canvassers to go door to door. Registrars say the applicants are predominantly African-American, in some parishes over 95 percent.

Though the party effort is generating by far the most applications, others are coming in from ACORN, Jeremiah Group and Women's Voices, Women's Votes.

Officials in the four largest parishes say their staffs are working 12-hour days, six days a week to try to process the applications.

Registrars say most of the applications, which must be signed by applicants, are valid and will result in large numbers of Democrats being added to the rolls for the fall elections.

Yet, registrars say many applications submitted by VIP are from voters already registered or have missing information or are questionable, including a number with names of dead people.

In the most blatant case, Registrar DiMarco came across an application under his own name, identified as a young black male residing at the registrar's post office box.

Black Legislators Eye Congress

LaPolitics Weekly broke this story May 9

The prospects of Sen. Barack Obama winning the Democratic presidential nomination raises the party's hopes that a strong turnout by African-American voters would help Democrats win two congressional seats long held by Republicans.

But that scenario is complicated by plans discussed by three black legislators to run as independents this fall in the 4th, 6th and 7th congressional districts. Sen. Lydia Jackson of Shreveport, Rep. Michael Jackson of Baton Rouge and Sen. Don Cravins Jr. of Opelousas say there are seriously considering bypassing the Democratic primary to file as independents on the November general election ballot.

In that way, they could take advantage of the Obama-driven minority turnout without having to first survive a Democratic primary or two against better-funded white candidates. Other Democrats worry that the legislators' strategy would split party voters and enable Republicans to hold the seats.

Besides the historic opportunity offered by Obama's potential candidacy, the legislators also express some resentment over the lack of financial and organizational backing given to black candidates in Louisiana.

Sen. Jackson said she is "considering running as an independent along with other legislators as sort of an independent ticket." Two white Democrats have announced they will run for the 4th District seat to be vacated by GOP Congressman Jim McCrery. Three Republicans have declared.

Rep. Jackson said he would consider running in the fall even if Rep. Don Cazayoux, D-New Roads, wins the May 2 special election over Republican Woody Jenkins and seeks a full term in the fall. Jackson, who lost the party runoff to Cazayoux this month, was outraised 5-1 and received little of the organized labor or other Democratic PAC money from Washington.

"Why endure the primary process when they (white candidates) have the advantage?" he said. "Why not make it one run?"

"We're just thinking about it, but it kind of makes sense," said Sen. Cravins, who worked in his father's unsuccessful 2004 run for Congress. Not expecting to get encouragement or financial support from national Democrats, he said, "I don't need their political baggage, because I'm pro-life and pro-gun."

African-Americans voters comprise 31 percent of the 4th District, 30 percent of the 6th and 24 percent of the 7th. Democrats have yet to field a challenger to Congressman Charles Boustany, R-Lafayette.

State Democratic party officials did not return calls for comment.

Jindal on the Spot

LaPolitics Weekly broke this story May 16

Somewhere between his appearance on Jay Leno on Monday and his speech to the National Press Club next week, Gov. Bobby Jindal's grip on this legislative session started slipping.

On the day after he told the national TV audience about business tax cuts he has signed, his floorleaders were unable to stop a deeper income tax slice bill in the Senate, potentially costing the treasury $300 million. The best they could do was to load it up with an amendment to phase out the entire $3 billion income tax over ten years, which is supposed to make the original bill unpassable in the House.

Jindal was blasted on conservative talk radio, particularly the Moon Griffon Show, for trying to subvert the effective repeal of the unpopular Stelly tax swap plan of 2002.

Jindal responded that he will sign a tax reduction bill that is accompanied by spending cuts. Yet he finds himself in the untenable position of having to work with Democratic legislators to thwart the cause championed by his Republican allies and legions of his voters.

Landrieu Poll Shows Wider Lead on Kennedy

LaPolitics Weekly broke this story June 13

Following an independent poll showing a tight contest, Sen. Mary Landrieu's campaign has released its own survey showing her leading Republican challenger John Kennedy, 49-33 percent.

The 600-sample poll by the Mellman Group was taken May 17-20. The results are little changed from a December poll by Mellman showing a 48-35 percent Landrieu lead.

An automatic poll by Rasmussen Reports on May 27 had Landrieu leading only 47-44 percent. Both polls identified the candidates by party.

On a side note, the $200,000 media campaign prominently featuring Kenndey's name didn't do much good for the bill it appeared to support. SB 106 by Sen. Blade Morrish, to require certain information from non-governmental groups receiving public money, died a lonely death in House & Governmental Affairs Committee this week.

The bill was the subject of a thinly-veiled effort to promote Kennedy as a fiscal conservative by a national group, Americans for Prosperity. It focused on Kennedy's support of Morrish's bill without mentioning Kennedy's candidacy, in order not to run afoul of campaign disclosure rules. The group employed a state consultant who worked for Kennedy a few months earlier.

Morrish said his bill would have passed had the full committee shown up. But neither did anyone from AFP or Kennedy himself, which Morrish said was "sort of strange."

Morrish said he would try to get his bill's language attached to another instrument before the session ends.

Breaux Eyes Governor's Race

LaPolitics broke this story on Feb. 16, 2007

With Gov. Kathleen Blanco's re-election prospects dim, former Sen. John Breaux has told sources he is "very interested" in running for governor if she doesn't. The Fax Weekly spoke to three individuals who say Breaux directly told them of his renewed interest during Washington Mardi Gras.

"He was telling everybody," said one source. Another said Breaux told him so twice, asking him not to commit to another Democrat yet.

"This is the most interested I've seen him than all the other b.s. we've been through," said a friend of the 61-year-old ex-senator turned high-powered Washington lobbyist. He toyed with campaigning for governor in 2003 and for re-election in 2004, holding the political community and other campaigns in suspense until he announced he would not run.

This time, Breaux's caveat is that he will not challenge the incumbent, for whom he hosted a fundraiser during the Washington celebration. News of Breaux's interest both heartens Democrats and puts pressure on Blanco to make her decision soon.

The governor is said to have a poll in the field. Some have thought that if she does pull out of the race, she would wait until the Legislature adjourns at the end of summer. Now some top Democrats say that will be too late for Breaux or anyone else to raise money and organize a campaign before the Oct. 20 primary. "I don't think he would wait that long," a Breaux friend said.

Breaux did not return a phone call for comment.

Democrat Chief's Clinton Endorsement Angers Blacks

LaPolitics Weekly broke this story June 6

The day before Barack Obama clinched the Democratic presidential nomination, the chairman of the state party endorsed Hillary Clinton.

Reactions by legislators and consultants to super-delegate Chris Whittington's move ranged from "bizarre" to "bone-headed," but that of some black lawmakers were angrier.

"This is an affront to black voters everywhere," said Sen. Lydia Jackson, D-Shreveport, pointing to Obama's clear victory in the state's primary. "It makes no sense strategically," she added, "especially when you are trying to re-elect a senator whose fate lies in the hands of black voters."

"Race never entered my mind," explained Whittington. "I think super-delegates have the obligation to make electability decisions. She performed better in key battleground states."

Jackson added the endorsement didn't help the party's situation with her and Rep. Michael Jackson, D-Baton Rouge, who are considering running for Congress as independents in the 4th and 6th districts, respectively.

"I am keeping my options open," said Lydia Jackson.

"It's looking better every day," said Michael Jackson.

Sen. Cassidy to Decide on Congressional Race

LaPolitics Weekly broke this story May 30

Chas Roemer passed on running for Congress in the 6th District this fall, but Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-Baton Rouge, is moving closer to getting into the race.

"I'll make a decision in the next day or two," he said Wednesday. He has been phoning supporters to ask if he should run and to gauge his fundraising potential.

Both Republican and Democrats rate the two-year senator and medical doctor as a formidable potential challenger to newly elected Congressman Don Cazayoux, D-New Roads.

"Don Cazayoux is a good man, but clearly philosophical differences separate us," Cassidy said.

Should Cassidy decide to run, though, his first considerations are the Republican candidates defeated in this year's special election, Woody Jenkins and Laurinda Calongne, both of whom say they likely will run in the primary in September.

Cassidy, 50, an Illinois native and LSU Medical School associate professor, proved to be a formidable campaigner when he handily defeated former Rep. William Daniel, 58-38 percent, in a 2006 special election.

With his interest in healthcare, particularly serving the uninsured, he is seen as a Republican maverick when it's a good time to be out of step with party leaders. "The Republican party nationally is going in the wrong direction and I think I could be part of that solution," he said.

Environmentalists Blast Cut to DEQ Investigations

LaPolitics broke this story May 23

Environmentalists are howling over a budget cut eliminating the Criminal Investigations Division of the Department of Environmental Quality.

Most of the $100 million excised from the governor's executive budget was characterized as reductions in enhancements. Not so with the investigations division, whose full $460,000 funding and six employees were deleted by an Appropriations Committee amendment.

"The criminal investigations division is a big part of the regulatory work that we do," said DEQ press secretary Rodney Mallett. The agency offered other cuts to fulfill the Appropriations Committee's request for 5 percent reductions, but the subcommittee led by Rep. Gary Smith, D-Garyville, zeroed out the investigations unit instead.

Before the House defeated an amendment to restore funding, Appropriations Chairman Jim Fannin said the division only prosecuted three cases last year. But agency records show 29 investigations were opened. Mallett says the threat of an investigation is often enough to force compliance. He said DEQ Secretary Harold Leggett was working on revamping and beefing up the division.

Though the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency also does criminal investigations, the state has sole responsibility for prosecuting illegal dumping.

Louisiana Environmental Action Network president Mary Lee Orr says the budget cut does not jive with the governor's recent "Green Government" executive order.

Jindal, Speaker-to-Be Disagree on Chairmanship

LaPolitics broke this story Dec. 14

The talk in the Capitol early in the week was that Gov.-elect Bobby Jindal was supporting Rep.-elect Noble Ellington, D-Winnsboro, to chair the House Appropriations Committee in order to satisfy complaints from northeast legislators about the region being shut out.

Now comes word that Speaker-to-be Jim Tucker, R-Algiers, is resisting. One source said his meeting with the governor on Wednesday did not go well and the matter is unresolved.

House members, especially veterans, are rallying around Tucker for exhibiting a semblance of House independence. There already was grumbling about Ellington moving over from the Senate and being given the top committee. Among the disappointed was Rep. Michael Jackson, D-Baton Rouge, thought to be Tucker's preference before Jindal weighed in.

Republicans view Ellington with suspicion because he supported tax bills and spending policies of Gov. Blanco.

The governor-elect could be moving onto thin political ice, given his earlier statement that he would not get involved in naming legislative leaders. He rationalized his support of Tucker and incoming Senate President Joel Chaisson II as confirming the consensus of both houses. But pressing a chairman on a House leader who doesn't want him is a bigger step.

Ellington had secured the support of northeast legislators, who reminded Jindal of the region's role in his election and his promise to include the region in leadership positions. Rep. Jim Fannin, D-Jonesboro, commented, "People are saying he was up here all the time campaigning, now what's he doing for us as governor?"

On the Senate side, Capitol sources say that Chaisson will stick with Sen. Rob Marionneaux, D-Livonia, as his original choice to chair Senate Revenue & Fiscal Affairs Committee over Sen. Robert Adley, R-Benton, who is backed by conservatives.

Bipartisan Leadership Bid

LaPolitics broke this story on November 2

GOP contender might back Democrat Chaisson

Though Sen. Joe McPherson is considered the early frontrunner for Senate president, Sen. Joel Chaisson II, D-Destrehan, is making a bid as a compromise candidate by seeking the support of Senate Republicans. Sen. Mike Michot of Lafayette, the lone GOP contender for the leadership position, said yesterday, "If there is an opportunity to come up with a compromise candidate, I have no problem working with Sen. Chaisson."

Chaisson said of Michot, "I think we would be able to put together a great bipartisan team."

The alliance could result in Michot being tapped chairman of the Senate Finance Committee. "I think he would be an excellent choice," said Chaisson.

The governor-elect, in his meetings with legislators, is telling them he wants bipartisan leadership in both houses, according to a transition source, who adds that a majority of lawmakers have asked Jindal to get engaged in the leadership races.

Michot stated, "I think most members are waiting to see which direction the governor will nod, who is acceptable and not. I think he will do something to weigh in, even if to whisper in a few ears of senators."

McPherson disagrees. "The incredible part would be for the governor to finally extend the recognition of the Legislature as an independent branch of government that has the constitutional responsibility to elect its own leadership and not have the will and ability to accomplish that." He added, "I am trying to make the governor feel comfortable the Senate can handle its own business."

In the Foster and Blanco transitions, candidates for Senate president put together slates of potential chairmen and key committee assignments in seeking the governor-elect's backing.

"Jindal is being told your committee makeup makes or breaks you," said a source close to the transition. "He must be able to assure his bills getting out of committee."

Sheriffs Endorse Jindal

LaPolitics broke this story on April 27

In what will be seen as a historic political shift, the Louisiana Sheriffs Association has endorsed Bobby Jindal for governor. The endorsement, to be made official today, followed a vote of all 65 sheriffs, only 7 of whom are Republicans.

"The Democrats have left us," said one source among the sheriffs. As for the timing, before the candidate field is set, the source said, "We figured if we went now that there is more reason for him to help us than he has before." He added, "He really politicked the sheriffs. Since the election, he's been in every sheriff's office at least once. He's listened to our problems and conveyed a message sheriffs believe in."

The full political impact of the endorsement might not truly be felt until election day, when sheriffs traditionally have handled the get-out-the-vote operations for the state Democratic Party.

"La La" Making Comeback

Term limits have created a comeback opportunity for a colorful former state representative whose term was limited the old-fashioned way. Raymond "La La" Lalonde says he will run for his old Acadiana seat being vacated by term-limited Rep. Clara Baudoin, D-Carencro, who beat Lalonde in 1995.

"It took a little arm-twisting but then it started to appeal to me," he said. "It looks like I've been in purgatory long enough and paid for my sins." Lalonde, an ally of former Gov. Edwin Edwards, was a staunch defender of cockfighting and, as chairman of the Criminal Justice Committee, sponsored bills to establish the state lottery and the land-based casino. But trouble came with the federal video poker investigation when the FBI issued subpoenas to legislators, including Lalonde's whole committee, two months before the election.

"In a small town, that was big news. You were presumed guilty," he said. He was never charged, but Baudoin, a political newcomer, beat him 55-45 percent, ending his 16 years in the House.

Times have changed, as has Lalonde, 66, who became a Republican in 2000 and then retired as director of a state technical college.

Carencro City Councilman Bobby Badon, a Democrat, plans to run. Businessman Tommy Angelle is also looking at the race. The largely rural district is becoming more suburban on both its Opelousas and north Lafayette ends.

They Said It

"I have a picture of it in my mind but I don't have it with me."

--Rep. Gil Pinac

"Right now, people in Washington are afraid to buy somebody a cup of coffee."

--Congressman Rodney Alexander, on the Abramoff scandal, in the News Star

"They (Republicans) steal more in one day than Democrats have stolen in the whole history of Louisiana."

--Democratic consultant James Carville, in the Picayune

"Take whatever idiot they have at the top of whatever agency and get me a better idiot. . . . Just don't give me the same idiot."

--Jefferson Parish President Aaron Broussard

"The old timers, the first four years you were here, they wouldn't tell you if you were on fire."

--Rep. Charlie DeWitt

"Thank God my daddy didn't need a car to run over his mule to tell him he needed a tractor."

--Rep. DeWitt, responding to Rep. Troy Hebert's story about how his grandfather resisted change until his mule was killed in an accident.

"I am always surprised at how much they do not know."

--BESE member Louella Givens on the Legislature's funding of education, in the Advocate

"I'd rather be a rooster in a cockfight any day of the week instead of a chicken at Winn-Dixie."

--Rep. Troy Hebert, opposing the bill to ban cockfighting

"All these damned notes we're writing to each other as if we're talking, as if the FBI is watching."

--Congressman Bill Jefferson on FBI wiretap

"I would say he is in the deepest of deep doo doo."

--Norman Orenstein of American Enteprise Institute on federal investigation of Congressman Bill Jefferson, in the Advocate

"You go to St. Bernard and the only communications they have are paper cups with a string between them."

--Rep. Juan LaFonta

"This bill is good for the economy. Every lobbyist got a job out of it."

--Rep. Billy Montgomery on cable competition bill

"I believe that a lot of problems that presently exist in my life are directly connected to this nickname."

--Convicted murderer and rapper C-Miller on changing his name from C-Murder, in the Advocate

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Copyright John Maginnis 2003-2007.

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