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Browsing entries categorized as Politics
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State senator's new look confuses colleagues
State Sen. Dan Claitor, R-Baton Rouge, joked Friday that he is becoming unrecognizable because of his beard.
The formerly clean shaven Claitor now sports facial hair.
State Rep. Jim Fannin, D-Jonesboro, called Claitor by the wrong name Friday.
A day earlier, state Treasurer John Kennedy mistakenly called state Sen. Rob Marionneaux by Claitor’s name.
Marionneaux, D-Grosse Tete, set Kennedy straight.
“I’m not old enough to grow a beard,” Marionneaux told him.
Posted in: Politics, Legislature
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Laughing Louisiana Legislator
Mark Saltz/The Advocate
State Rep. Jonathan Perry, R-Kaplan, center, in April 2008 when he and State Rep. Austin Badon, Jr., D-New Orleans, left, teased state Rep. Cameron Henry, R-Jefferson, right, during debate on the House floor of Henry’s first bill as a legislator.
State Rep. Jonathan Perry, R-Abbeville, has decided that life as a legislator and Louisiana resident is, in fact, a laughing matter.
Perry has released a DVD featuring his lesser known talent as a comedian.
While he comes across as serious at the State Capitol, the past King of the International Cajun Joke telling contest said he performs at private events and fundraisers and is being considered by satellite radio stations.
Perry said he has worked at his comedy career for about seven years. He took two years off to campaign for his legislative seat and for his first year as a legislator.
“I thought it would affect the election,” he said. “In fact, I think that’s what got me elected.”
Clips of Perry’s comedy routine and other information can be found at www.cajuncomedy.com.
Posted in: Politics, Legislature
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Jindal trips attract national notice
Travis Spradling/THE ADVOCATE
Gov. Bobby Jindal, center, last week with Marvalene Hughes, PhD., left, President of Dillard University, and Norman C. Francis, PhD., President of Xavier University, during the second annual Governor’s Luncheon in Baton Rouge, benefiting the United Negro College Fund.
Washington, D.C., is taking note of Gov. Bobby Jindal’s out-of-state fundraising trips.
Jindal has visited Michigan, California, Texas, North Carolina, Arkansas, Florida, Illinois and Massachusetts this year either to raise money for himself or others.Jindal has said he is seeking second term as Louisiana’s governor in 2011.Washington Post political writer Chris Cillizza wrote that the trips are raising eyebrows on Capitol Hill. There has been a lot of speculation about whether Jindal will run for the White House in 2012 or 2016.Cillizza predicted that national Democrats will find a serious opponent for Jindal in the upcoming governor’s race to keep him busy.He said it would be hard for Jindal to run for the White House in 2012 anyway since the governor’s race is in 2011.“That doesn’t mean, however, that Jindal’s aggressiveness on the fundraising front in advance of his re-election race doesn’t have some national implications,” Cillizza wrote. “Traveling the country to raise money helps build and expand the sort of national cash-collecting operation that any serious candidate for president—in 2016 or beyond—will need.”Posted in: Politics, Gov. Jindal
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Jindal to attend state dinner at White House
Thanksgiving isn’t Gov. Bobby Jindal’s only big dinner this week.
The governor and First Lady Supriya Jindal will attend President Barack Obama’s state dinner Tuesday for Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, press spokesman Kyle Plotkin confirmed.
The White House is being tight-lipped about the invitation list. But The Associated Press reports that Jindal will be there along with Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, Energy Secretary Stephen Chu and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Jindal’s parents immigrated to Baton Rouge from India before he was born.
Posted in: Politics, Gov. Jindal
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Landrieu to support Senate health care bill debate
Democratic U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu of Louisiana announced Saturday morning that she would vote “yes” on a crucial vote involving the U.S. Senate’s health care bill. Democrats expect to win expected vote on Saturday night. Read more…Posted in: Politics, Healthcare, U.S. Congress
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Committee questions community services
The economic slowdown is forcing state health officials to pull back on increases in the number of people with developmental disabilities who receive community services. Lawmakers made it clear at a Friday meeting of the Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget that they are unhappy with any delays. Read more… -
Legislators visit Angola
Sarah Chacko/Advocate staff photo
Angola inmate Sidney Deloch, who is serving a life sentence for rape, tells legislators that Louisiana’s strict sentencing laws do not take into account people who can be rehabilitated. Deloch has become a minister at Angola.
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Lawmakers visit prison
Sarah Chacko/Advocate staff photo
Angola State Prison warden Burl Cain, left, explains to WBRZ-TV reporter Mike Steele, center, and state Rep. Mert Smiley Jr., right, why using bunk beds in dorms to cut costs will not work long term. Friday, Nov. 20, 2009 at Angola State Penetentiary.
Angola’s warden Burl Cain told a group of state legislators Friday that he has cut $12 million from his budget by double-bunking inmates, replacing some guards with cameras, and cutting overtime for the 24-7 operation of the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola. Read more… -
Contracts now online
Louisiana Division of Administration/
Billions of taxpayers’ dollars spent on state government contracts can now be viewed online thanks to Friday’s launch of new data online. LaTrac, the online Louisiana Transparency and Accountability Portal, that launched in November 2008, now has a state con-tracts component added. The online contracts feature may be accessed though the main LaTrac Web site at www.latrac.la.gov or directly at www.latrac.la.gov/contracts.
How billions of state dollars are spent on current contracts can now be found online.
The new information on existing state government services contracts is an addition to LaTrac, the Louisiana Transparency and Accountability Portal, that launched in November 2008.
The online addition launch came the same week that members of the state’s Commission on Streamlining Government argued the state has far too many contracts and does not make them transparent.
“We’re not hiding contracts,” said state Commissioner of Administration Angèle Davis. “We have always pushed for transparency.”
The new online contracts feature allows users to search contracts by categories or to view all contracts and sort them according to government agency, contractor name, contract type or contract amount. Details of the contract can then be viewed by clicking on the row of a given contract.
“Increased transparency, as you know, leads to increased accountability, which leads to a better use of taxpayers’ dollars,” said Davis, who is Gov. Bobby Jindal’s chief budget officer. “We know we have to reduce government spending … Every dollar for every expenditure should be evaluated.
“There’s over 4.3 million citizen auditors out there,” Davis said Friday, referring to the state’s population.
The Web site will be updated each month, she said. Last month, LaTrac had about 15,000 online hits.
California, Georgia and Texas are the only other states to offer contract data online, according to the division.
Streamlining commission member and state Treasurer John Kennedy sparked a new study of contracts by questioning some of the money the state Department of Education is spending on consultants.
He accused the department of paying people to give speeches.
Streamlining commission member Leonal Hardman then, earlier this week, accused state officials of hiding how much money they spend on contracts with private firms.
While spending on state government contracts is listed at $4.7 billion per year, Davis said $1.6 billion of it actually is cooperative endeavors and interagency transfers. Much of the rest is spent on state employees’ medical and retirement benefits, she said.
The state also is updating its “outdated and antiquated” contract procurement process, Davis said.
She said the online contracts addition has been about six months in the making.
The online database is the result of an executive order and a state law sponsored by Jindal. LaTrac allows people to track how state agencies are spending taxpayers’ dollars, from the contracts they sign to salaries of appointed state agency officials.
The online contracts feature may be accessed though the main LaTrac Web site at www.latrac.la.gov or directly at www.latrac.la.gov/contracts.
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Jindal to donate questioned money
Gov. Bobby Jindal plans to donate to a charity campaign contributions he received from a Florida lawyer accused of running a Ponzi scheme, Jindal’s office said Thursday. Read more…Posted in: Politics, Gov. Jindal
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