Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser took to Twitter to share a photo of himself with Jim Cantore of The Weather Channel today.
Posts filed under Louisiana
LANDRY: State of Emergency Declaration Puts Price Gouging Laws in Effect
Photo source: Facebook
BATON ROUGE, LA – With the Governor declaring a state of emergency, Attorney General Jeff Landry encourages Louisiana consumers to be conscious of price gouging.
“It is an unfortunate reality that some people and businesses attempt to take advantage of consumers during and after natural disasters,” said General Landry. “I strongly encourage consumers who suspect price gouging to contact their local law enforcement agencies."
Read more: State of Emergency Declaration Puts Price Gouging Laws in Effect
Oil Workers Evacuate GOM Rigs as Storm Strengthens
Photo source: Rigzone
The storm’s forecast track means it will have more time over warm Gulf waters that will fuel its strength, said Jim Rouiller, chief meteorologist at the Energy Weather Group in Philadelphia.
In addition to wind, the system is expected to swamp coastal areas of Louisiana with a life-threatening storm surge. Cotton, orange juice and sugar all rose on fears that the storm will disrupt supply.
Read more: Oil Workers Evacuate GOM Rigs as Storm Strengthens
Clay Higgins Shares Personal Experiences Regarding Obamacare
On a recent visit to Fox News, Congressman Clay Higgins from Louisiana’s 3rd Congressional District shared his personal experiences with the train wreck called Obamacare. Higgins described the decisions that that he and his family had to make regarding groceries or insurance during his time as a law enforcement official..
LCCM Announces Endorsements for Fall Elections
Continues Plan for Conservative Senate and Solidifying Conservative House
BATON ROUGE, LA - The Louisiana Committee for a Conservative Majority announces new endorsements for legislatives races to be decided in the 2019 fall elections. Those endorsements are:
Heather Cloud, Senate District 28
Robert Mills, Senate District 36
Stewart Cathey Jr., Senate District 33
Senator Beth Mizell, Senate District 12
Mike Reese, Senate District 30
Reggie Bagala, House District 54
Daryl Deshotel, House District 28
Rick Edmonds, House District 66
Michael Echols, House District 14
The Louisiana Coalition for a Conservative Majority (LCCM) previously LCRM, the Louisiana Committee for a Republican Majority, has had a powerful impact on the Louisiana Legislature, helping turn what was once Democrat-held chambers into strong Republican majorities in both the House and the Senate. LCCM raised $3.7 million over the previous two cycles and has raised over $1.25 million this cycle.
Last year LCCM made early endorsements in the following State Senate races:
State Representative Cameron Henry, Senate District 9
State Representative Kirk Talbot, Senate District 10
State Representative Reid Falconer, Senate District 11
Businessman Michael Fesi, Senate District 20
Now is the time that LCCM plans to hold conservatives accountable. With its most recent round of endorsements, LCCM will build on previous wins of LCCM supported candidates this cycle, now Representatives John Stefanski, Raymond Crews, Mike Johnson, and Chris Turner. Additionally, LCCM submarined a surging Democrat turned Independent in St. Tammany, assisting in electing now Representative Mark Wright.
John Schroder, Another Louisiana Hero Fighting JBE's Corrupt Administration
In what is turning out to be a lesson in not taking what doesn’t belong to you, Louisiana Treasurer, John Schroder, has denied “Honor Code” the ability to raid yet another “piggy bank” in the state, the unclaimed property account. Schroder is the guardian of unclaimed monies for the citizens of Louisiana, which is in this account. However, it seems like the hogs in Baton Rouge have, for years, raided this account to plug holes in the general budget.
Treasurer John Schroder said he won’t let Louisiana spend $25 million from the state’s unclaimed property account for general operating expenses this year, calling the regularly used financing mechanism illegal.
The decision threatens to create a hole in the state budget only a month after lawmakers finished crafting it.
Louisiana collects unclaimed dollars from old savings accounts, payroll checks, stocks and dividends, insurance proceeds, oil royalty payments and utility deposits on behalf of residents who are owed the cash. The treasurer’s office, designated as the custodian of the unclaimed property, tries to locate people and return the money.
Though governors and lawmakers for decades have spent money from the unclaimed property escrow account on programs and services, Schroder said he and his office’s lawyers don’t believe Louisiana law permits the transfers.
Read more: Louisiana treasurer withholding $25M planned for budget
RGA: Left Behind
The Republican Governors Association’s PAC, Right Direction, has issued the latest video in the campaign to defeat “Honor Code” John Bel Edwards.
This Needs to be Campaign Issue #1 in “Honor Code’s” Re-Election
Edwards signed criminal justice reform legislation in June of 2017. The state’s prison population currently sits at approximately 32,000. We are in a virtual tie with Oklahoma as the incarceration capital of the United States. The state’s prison population reached an all-time high of 40,170 in 2012.
At the end of 2017, Louisiana had a violent crime rate of 566 such crimes per 100,000, according to the FBI. In 2018, the first full year of criminal justice reform, the state’s violent crime rate dropped slightly to 557 per 100,000. That makes Louisiana the 47th most violent state in the nation.
Unfortunately, our 30-continuous years of holding the title of the state with the highest murder rate per capita went unchallenged in 2018.
Read more: Dan Fagan: Thanks to so-called Louisiana justice reform, bad criminals get our early
LAGOP: Hosts of JBE’s Campaign Kickoff Targeted in FBI Vote Buying Investigation
Amite, LA – Last weekend, John Bel Edwards kicked off his campaign for reelection in his childhood hometown of Amite, Louisiana. The event was hosted by Amite Mayor Buddy Bel and emceed by Amite businessman Tom Brumfield.
Yes, this is the same Buddy Bel accused by the Amite Police Chief of cutting the power to the local evidence room and allowing it to be robbed.
Yes, this is the same Buddy Bel that was subpoenaed by FBI investigators regarding his connection with a vote buying scheme in Tangipahoa Parish.
Yes, this is the same Tom Brumfield that was ALSO subpoenaed by federal agents regarding his involvement with the same vote buying investigation.
According to an exclusive report by The Advocate: The FBI has cast a wide net, examining parish races going back to 2011, two sources stated. Yet agents have taken a special interest in certain political operatives, including Louis Ruffino, a former mayor of Roseland who for years has offered "get out the vote" services to local candidates.
Long-time Tangipahoa Sheriff Daniel Edwards, John Bel Edwards’ brother, said he never hired Ruffino, the north shore operative who is under federal investigation. But John Bel Edwards acknowledged paying Ruffino $8,750 ahead of his 2011 re-election to the Louisiana House of Representatives to put up signs and perform other “routine campaign work”. The Governor’s spokesman and current campaign manager, Richard Carbo, noted that the payment was properly recorded in campaign finance reports.
“If you believe that John Bel Edwards paid an elderly mayor $8,750 to put-up a few campaign signs… I’ve got some Mardi Gras tickets to sell you,” commented LAGOP Communications Director Jason Harbison.
Of course, federal investigations connected to the Edwards family have been ongoing in Tangipahoa Parish for generations. While Sheriff, Daniel Edwards has been involved in multiple federal investigations; federal agents even confiscated his computer as evidence in one of their investigations.
Their father, long-time Sheriff Frank Edwards Jr., was also investigated by federal authorities during his campaign for reelection. In fact, former Sheriff Edwards was so frustrated by one federal investigation that he tried to sue a Special Agent from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms.
It seems the apples didn’t fall far from the tree.
State's tort laws encourage litigation, Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of Louisiana says
Photo source: www.law.com
BATON ROUGE – Jeff Albright, CEO of Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of Louisiana, believes auto insurance premiums in Louisiana are among the highest in the country because there are double the amount of claims in Louisiana than any other state.
"The reason for our high insurance premiums in Louisiana is very clear," Albright said. "We claim that we are injured in car accidents twice as often as the national average. If we make twice as many claims we will pay more for insurance."
Read more: State's tort laws encourage litigation, Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of Louisiana says
Louisiana Citizens for Job Creators: Justice for Who?
AG Jeff Landry is once again being the voice of reason in the midst of the debacle that is the Edwards Administration's Criminal Justice Reform. This so called reform has once again failed the victims of violent crime. The latest example of this travesty comes to the people of Louisiana at the expense of a 6 year old child murdered by former police officers in Marksville, Louisiana. This child was an innocent bystander in his father's car when Officers Norris Greenhouse and Derrick Stafford fired shots at the vehicle, killing Jeremy Mardis.
Officer Greenhouse was convicted of negligent homicide and sentenced to over seven years in prison but was released after serving less than 2 years. Louisiana Department of Corrections and Parole say that his original conviction is not a violent offense, making him eligible for release.
AG Landry said, "Unfortunately, (Greenhouse's) early release is yet another example of the lack of transparency in our criminal justice system, as it relates to victims and their families." Thank you AG Landry for continuing to stand up for the rights of victims and their families and calling out the lack of accountability within the Edwards Administration's Department of Corrections.
Read more: Ex-officer released after serving time for killing boy
Remember the Officer Involved Shooting in Marksville that Killed an Autistic Kid?
Photo source: WAFB
If you do, then this should enrage you. After serving less than two years of a seven year sentence, this killer was freed from prison.
"I want to remind everyone that this case dealt with the tragic death of a child," Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry said in a statement Monday. "Mr. Greenhouse's early release is a disappointment."
"Unfortunately, (Greenhouse's) early release is yet another example of the lack of transparency in our criminal justice system, as it relates to victims and their families," Landry said.
Read more: Ex-officer released after serving time for killing boy
Democrats Falsely Take Credit for Republican AG Jeff Landry’s Sweeping Louisiana Healthcare Bill
Photo source: Twitter
“A Democratic campaign arm attempting to give John Bel Edwards credit for my Legislation, developed with Republican leaders, to protect pre-existing healthcare conditions without Obamacare,” Landry charged Tuesday. “A bill he attacked. THAT’S RICH. Thank you for recognizing the bipartisan support.”
Read more: Democrats Falsely Take Credit for Republican AG Jeff Landry’s Sweeping Louisiana Healthcare Bill
Or, Better Worded, Governor Signs Jeff Landry's Healthcare Bill Into Law
Trying their best to cover the backside of the liberal governor they love so much, Louisiana media has reported that “Honor Code” Edwards, who once called the healthcare bill recently passed by the legislature a “fig leaf” for Attorney General Landry, has signed that same bill into law.
After calling the bill a “fig leaf” aimed at saving Louisiana’s attorney general from embarrassment, Gov. John Bel Edwards quietly signed into a law a measure pushed by one of his political rivals that aims to eventually offer some protections to patients if the Affordable Care Act is overturned.
The bill was backed by Attorney General Jeff Landry, and authorizes the state’s insurance commissioner to study other state’s health care models to come up with a potential replacement for the ACA’s individual health exchange. It would only be necessary if the ACA is overturned--which is the goal of a lawsuit that Landry has joined.
Read more: After criticizing health insurance bill, Gov. Edwards signs measure pushed by Jeff Landry
The Roses and Thorns of the 2019 Session
By: Gifford Briggs, President of the Louisiana Oil & Gas Association
The 2019 legislative session has finally come to a close. For those that thought this would be a quick and uncontentious two-month session for lawmakers, boy were they wrong. This session, even without another budget crisis, did not run short on its list of roses or thorns.
There were a handful of bills that passed this session that enhanced the environment for the oil and gas sector. The oil and gas industry will be able to participate in carbon dioxide sequestration, thanks to Rep. Raymond Crews filing House Bill (HB) 163. This bill allows the Office of Conservation and the Commissioner to promulgate rules to permit carbon sequestration. This bill, now law, was a collaboration between industry, regulators, and lawmakers to provide another environmentally friendly way to deal with excess carbon while producing energy.
Additionally, LOGA worked hand in hand with Rep. Blake Miguez to provide some clarification to the tax code. Due to a “unique” interpretation of Louisiana tax codes, oil companies in three parishes have recently been assessed a property tax on goods that was previously not taxed. Thankfully, this measure passed and on the October ballot will be a constitutional amendment to provide for a property tax exemption for goods bound for the Outer Continental Shelf, providing needed clarity for Louisiana’s offshore operators.
Louisiana will also experience one of the largest infrastructure investments in decades. Thanks to the teamwork of Rep. Tanner Magee, Sen. Rick Ward, and a coalition of pro-industry and business groups, Louisiana is set to receive nearly a $700 million investment for transportation projects. The best part about this investment is we, the taxpayers, are not on the hook for the tab. Instead of using taxpayer dollars, HB 572 directs BP Deepwater settlement dollars to these infrastructure projects, like the LA1 Improvement Project that connects to Port Fourchon.
However, it was not all cheers this session. There were two bills that received approval from the House but failed to receive approval from the Senate Finance Committee. These bills, HB 188 and HB 256, looked to provide a severance tax exemption for stripper and incapable wells when the price of oil was under $75. We thank Rep. Jim Morris for his help with these bills and for his support of the oil and gas industry as he now completes his tenure as a Louisiana state representative.
Louisiana missed a huge opportunity to begin the process of cleaning up our legal system and to lower our auto insurance rates. The missed opportunity came in the defeat of HB 372, the Omnibus Premium Reduction Act of 2019 by Rep. Kirk Talbot. This piece of legislation looked to tackle our outrageous auto insurance rates by instituting common sense legal reforms. The legislation received overwhelming support in the House but would make it no further than the Senate Judiciary A committee, the “King’s Landing” of the Senate… where all tort reform measures are scorched.
Now that session has ended, we can take the time to reflect on what’s next. Louisiana ranks 50th in best states to do business and 50th in best states in the nation; those numbers are dismal. We have some of the highest auto insurance, sales tax and severance tax rates and unfortunately the oil and gas industry is all too familiar with the impact that unnecessary Legacy and Coastal lawsuits have had on our industry. It is clear that Louisiana is in need of a change in direction and in our great democracy there is no better way to make that change than by having your voice heard in the voting booth. Elections are right around the corner, now is the time to engage.
LAGOP: Former Edwards Administration Official Admits to Stealing Over $550,000 from Hospital Charity
Prosecutors say Funes stole gift cards intended for cancer patients
(Baton Rouge, LA) – A member of the Governor’s Healthcare Transition Committee pled guilty in a Baton Rouge Federal Court today to charges of wire fraud and money laundering.
Federal Investigators caught John Paul Funes chartering private flights for his friends and family while forcing the Our Lake of the Lake Foundation to cover the expenses by creating fraudulent bills for “outbound patient transports”. Investigators also discovered Funes repeatedly stole gift cards intended for cancer patients and spent them for his personal benefit.
After being elected Governor, John Bel Edwards named John Paul Funes to his Healthcare Transition Committee and tasked the committee with developing a plan to expand Medicaid in Louisiana.
The Governor’s expansion of Medicaid was a disaster. Hundreds of millions of dollars have been wasted, tens of thousands of people have been kicked out of the program, and thousands have died on waiting lists.
Conservatives in Louisiana have been shocked at the amount of fraud and waste and have been wondering for years why an Administration would make so many mistakes with so much taxpayer money at risk.
Today we found out why.
LAGOP: Louisiana Economy Being Left Behind Under John Bel Edwards
(Baton Rouge, LA) – Today the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor released the latest information on State Employment and Unemployment. While it is clear the policies of President Trump have caused a national economic boom, these statistics clearly show that Louisiana is being left behind.
Unemployment Rate – May 2019
United States 3.6
Louisiana 4.4
Texas 3.5
Alabama 3.7
Arkansas 3.6
Florida 3.4
Georgia 3.8
Tennessee 3.3
Mississippi 5.0
Unfortunately for the people of Louisiana, this report contains even MORE troubling statistics. Not only is Louisiana growing at the SLOWEST RATE IN THE COUNTRY, but we are LOSING people! From May 2018 to May 2019 Louisiana saw only a 0.1% change in nonfarm employment, the lowest in the ENITRE COUNTRY.
Even more troubling is the fact that our civilian labor force is shrinking under Governor John Bel Edwards. Our unemployment rate is going down because people are LEAVING Louisiana, not because they are finding jobs. In May of 2018 the civilian labor force of Louisiana was 2,106,604. By April 2019 the labor force in Louisiana had shrunk to 2,098,308.
In just the last 11 months 8,296 people have left the Louisiana workforce, that is 25 people every single day!
It is obvious Louisiana is being left behind but the only job John Bel Edwards is fighting to save is his own.
LANDRY: Statement in Response to Judge Feldman’s Decision to Stay Coastal Permit Lawsuit Pending Defendant’s Appeal to the Fifth Circuit
New Orleans, La. (June 11, 2019) – U.S. District Court Judge Martin Feldman issued a ruling today granting a stay in one coastal permit lawsuit pending an appeal to the Fifth Circuit. Following the decision, Melissa Landry, a spokesperson representing several major oil and natural gas companies named as defendants in the suits, released the following statement:
“We applaud Judge Feldman’s decision to stay this case,” said Landry on behalf of Chevron, ConocoPhillips and ExxonMobil.
“Given the large number of similar lawsuits that are also being considered, this brief stay pending appeal will help avoid simultaneous litigation being considered before multiple courts at the state and federal levels.
“This ruling also serves the interests of judicial efficiency by allowing the Fifth Circuit to address the important question of where this case should be litigated, before the case proceeds further.
“We are very pleased with this commonsense ruling, and we look forward to presenting our appeal to the Fifth Circuit.
“As we have consistently maintained from the beginning, these trial lawyer driven permit lawsuits challenge decades of federally authorized operations, which were carried out according to federal laws and regulations, and the cases should be heard in federal court.”
LAGOP: NEW POLL: Democrat Disaster Brewing for Governor John Bel Edwards
42% of all Louisiana Democrats & 64% of Louisiana Democrats under 35 want a new Democratic candidate for Governor
(Baton Rouge, LA) – This week, We Ask America, a nationally recognized polling firm, released the fourth in a series of statewide public opinion polls from across the country. According to the findings of their poll of Louisiana Democrats conducted between June 5th and 6th, Governor Edwards has a lot of work to do to shore up his Democratic base.
The poll finds that 42% of Democrats want to see Edwards get a Democratic primary challenger in the race, a troubling number for any incumbent that rises to a shocking 64% among younger voters. Another troubling sign for Edwards in the We Ask America poll is his lack of support and enthusiasm among young voters.
In addition to 64% support for a primary challenge, just 57% of voters aged 18-35 indicate they are “Certain” to vote in October. These younger Democrats will be crucial for Edwards if he hopes to build a local campaign organization, and his path to victory gets extremely difficult if these voters do not turn out to vote.
It has been a rough few weeks for Louisiana’s Democratic Governor as he found himself in the crosshairs of several Democratic Presidential candidates and even the head of the Louisiana Democrats expressed disgust with her candidate for Governor.
With Louisiana Democratic Party leaders openly criticizing him and a plurality of Democratic voters either supportive of a primary challenge or undecided, John Bel Edwards is becoming more vulnerable by the day.
Louisiana Citizens for Job Creators: Landry Provides Solution to Obamacare Train-wreck
Photo source: Louisiana Dept. of Justice
During the 2019 Regular Louisiana Legislative Session AG Jeff Landry partnered with legislators from both sides of the aisle to pass legislation that is being called the fix to Obamacare. The Health Care Coverage for Louisiana Families Protection Act opens up a wide range of options for healthcare and provides coverage for those with pre-existing conditions.
AG Landry's legislation is now being recognized nationally and he is leading the way in providing Congress with real solutions to our healthcare woes. He recently sat down with Brietbart to discuss this legislative win and explain how it could be a model for the entire country!
Thank you AG Landry for being a leader on healthcare and finding ways to solve the Obamacare disaster!
Read more: Landry Provides Solution to Obamacare Train-wreck
