Louisiana Politics Everyday

Thursday, July 26, 2007

Maria Landrieu Ama México


Mary Landrieu Votes Against Border Security
Democrat Senator Doesn't Believe Border Security Is Vital To Homeland Security

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Last night, Democrat Senator Mary Landrieu effectively told voters she doesn't think that our nation's border security is vital to our homeland security. Mary Landrieu voted to leave our borders unsecured by voting against an amendment that would have required the Department of Homeland Security to detain foreigners who overstay their visas, among other items.

The amendment, offered during debate on the Homeland Security Appropriations bill, would also have allowed state and local law enforcement officers to enforce immigration laws, a vital tool in the border security arsenal. (Roll Call Vote #277, HR 2638, 7/25/07)

"Instead of realizing that border security and homeland security are tied together to ensure the safety of our country, Mary Landrieu chose a dangerous position," NRSC Communications Director Rebecca Fisher said. "Louisiana voters should ask Mary Landrieu why she is taking an extreme position when it comes to the safety and security of our country."


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National Republican Senatorial Committee

The Air Wars Have Begun

Along with front runner Bobby Jindal, Gubernatorial hopeful John Georges has launched his television campaign. Georges has placed a $2 million dollar buy for statewide placement during the month of August. It has been reported that he has purchased upwards of 1800 points per week in certain markets. This is an extremely heavy buy especially this early in the race. Will the millionaire continue to burn this kind of gas?

For more on the ad blitzes check out John Hill's article.

Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Guiliani Seen As "Most Electable"


In a new ABC News-Washington Post poll, nearly half of the Republicans surveyed believed that former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani presented their party's best chance of retaining the White House in 2008.

Giuliani also continues his lead in the nationwide poll as the choice of 37 percent of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents, followed by Arizona Sen. John McCain with 16 percent,and actor Fred Thompson with 15 percent, and former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney with 8 percent.

Your Second Cup


  • Odom Gets OK on Expo Proposal (The Advocate) - In yet another attempt to waste taxpayer dollars on a local boondoggle, embattled Ag Commissioner Bob Odom is looking to purchase the Lamar-Dixon Expo Center in Ascension Parish. A few of our favorite quotes:
It has never turned a profit, nor do the facility’s owners, the Lamar-Dixon Expo Foundation, expect the recreational area to make money, said Lori Brannon of Baton Rouge, a consultant with the foundation.

“Government is in the business of providing services not turning profits,” Hughes said.

“It’s a hell of a deal,” Odom said.
Oh yeah, this is only going to cost the taxpayers of Louisiana a paltry $8 million.
  • Grand Jury Refuses to Indict Pou, Foti Angry, Defiant (Times-Pic) - Closing one of the most sensational chapters in post-Katrina New Orleans, Dr. Anna Pou said Tuesday that she fell to her knees and thanked God when she learned that a grand jury had refused to charge her with murdering patients in dark, fetid Memorial Medical Center in the nightmarish days after the hurricane struck on Aug. 29, 2005.
  • Veto Session? Don't Count On It (Times-Pic) - Senate President Donald Hines, D-Bunkie, and House Speaker Joe Salter, D-Florien, said Tuesday they will be asking colleagues to vote against holding a legislative session to consider overriding Gov. Kathleen Blanco's veto of 14 bills and 10 items in the state's $30 billion operating budget. Both legislative leaders pointed out that many lawmakers will be out of town attending the annual meeting of the National Conference of State Legislatures, to be held this year in Boston Aug. 5-9, roughly the same week as the veto session.
  • Choest Buys 25% Stake in NBA's Hornets (Business Week) - "I need somebody that has roots here, that has a business here, that has connections here, that's going to fight for it the same way I do, that's going to help me sell tickets," Shinn said of his new minority partner. "He's got a skin in the game now. He's going to do it. That's what we need to make this thing work. It's not just money." The deal is worth approximately $62 million.

Tuesday, July 24, 2007

Jindal Launches Television Campaign



Bobby Jindal's first television ad will begin its run tomorrow, July 25th. The commercial will air statewide in all markets.

War On Corruption


Bobby Jindal: “We’ve got a government that’s out of control. We’ve got a government that spends our money without any regard. We’re in the top five in having the most crooked politicians in America.

“We’re gonna change that.

“We can’t tolerate corruption. We can’t tolerate incompetence. The people that benefit from corruption, they’re going to fight change every step of the way.

“We can do better; we must do better; we will do better.”

Announcer: “Bobby Jindal.”

Cohen On Thompson: "He Just Plays A Straight Shooter"


Richard Cohen of the Washington Post has published an interesting read on the Presidential candidacies of Fred Thompson and John Edwards. He criticizes both for their willingness to, at best, sidestep the truth or, at worst, outright lie. He takes Thompson to task for lying (through a spokesperson) about his employment as a lobbyist for a family-planning organization and Edwards for his selective memory concerning his high dollar haircuts.

Edwards and Thompson have something in common: They both are all image. Neither has accomplished very much in public life. They are both ex-senators whose names are attached to no famous pieces of legislation. They have built no constituencies on the basis of their legislative records, and so they apparently feel they cannot afford to admit an inconsistency -- pro-choice lobbying by a proclaimed pro-lifer, or Euro-trashy indulgence by the proclaimed avatar of the poor.
The idea of Fred Dalton Thompson is far from the reality that seems to exist. As the launch of a Thompson candidacy seems imminent, the scrutiny will only increase. Will the record and character of this actor stand the spotlight, or is Thompson just not ready for prime-time?

Strain, Foti Lead Cash Race For Other Statewides


  • Commissioner of Agriculture:
Michael Strain - 2Q Raised $220, 625; CoH $788,286
Wayne "Spider" Carter - 2Q Raised $25,475; CoH $682,526
Bob Odom - 2Q Raised $ 308,975; CoH $ 589,934
  • Attorney General
Charles Foti - 2Q Raised $76,025; CoH $1,163,397
Royal Alexander - 2Q Raised $328,505; CoH $389,638
  • Lt. Governor
Mitch Landrieu - 2Q Raised $98,595; CoH $417,068
  • Secretary of State
Jay Dardenne - 2Q Raised $155,650; CoH $334,504
  • Commissioner of Insurance
Jim Donelon - 2Q Raised $116,300; CoH $328,441
  • State Treasurer
John Kennedy - 2Q Raised $227,800; CoH $2,001,397

Your Second Cup

  • Jindal Holds Lead In Donor Dollars (Times-Pic) - For the second consecutive reporting period, Republican Bobby Jindal has proved himself the most prodigious money magnet among Louisiana's gubernatorial candidates.
  • Jay Dardenne's Son Is A Slacker (WAFB) -
    Secretary of State Dardenne says, "He's an aspiring comedian, so he's living in Hollywood and doing standup comedy. So, it didn't surprise me that he was going to come up with something off the wall. I hope he gets the job."
  • From the "If A Tree Falls In The Woods" Department (The Advocate) - Former Gov. Buddy Roemer endorsed John McCain for president Monday, saying the Republican U.S. senator is the candidate with the best leadership skills to oppose terrorism.

Monday, July 23, 2007

Journalism 101: Checking Your Sources

LANewslink.com and Louisiana Political News Service Exposed

Controversy has surrounded two websites posing as legitimate online news sources for Louisiana politics. Smalltime political hack and state government subsidy, Pat Bergeron, has been operating both "independent, non-partisan" websites while on the payroll for several candidates. Operation Red November has uncovered numerous occasions where Bergeron has taken campaign cash in order to present one-sided propaganda, promote unfounded rumors, or falsely attack politicians opposed to his benefactors. Since the inception of these websites, Bergeron has received cash from Mike Francis for Secretary of State ($60,000), Peggy Wilson for New Orleans Mayor ($20,000), and Wayne "Spider" Carter for Commissioner of Agriculture ($8,000 and counting...). What do they get for their cash? Bergeron has used his websites to stretch and distort the news in their favor (and secure a 3rd place finish for Francis and 8th place for Wilson).

This is not the first time Bergeron has been involved in alleged unethical or possibly illegal behavior. As a ward of the state during the Suzanne Haik Terrell administration, Bergeron was in charge of the overtime scandal in which her staff rang up more than 2,270 hours in overtime with 1,000 of those hours coming in the final 120 days of her tenure. As Terrell's Chief of Staff, he was directly responsible for a payroll that doled out an extra $87,000 in tax payer dollars during those final four months with almost $14,000 going into his own pocket. The Secretary of State Fox McKeithen said at the time, "The majority of [overtime pay] developed when they knew they were leaving," he said. "The appearance is horrible."

What's our axe to grind? OrN has recently discovered that various members of the news media have begun to, in our opinion, irresponsibly rely on these and like sites for story ideas, background, or information. Whether stemming from curiosity or sloth, the disturbing trend of relying on paid political hacks as "independent" sources for unbiased news must be exposed.

In the interest of full disclosure, OrN has an agenda - to investigate, expose, and eliminate pundits, posers, and political scumbags. We are neither bought, nor paid.


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