Washington Watch for Aug. 18, 2008

• By GERARD SHIELDS
• Advocate Washington correspondent
• Published: Aug 18, 2008 - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

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Two weeks ago, the campaign of Republican state Treasurer and U.S. Senate candidate John Kennedy put out a release saying his Democratic opponent, U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu, directed the national Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee to run negative ads. Problem was, it didn’t happen.

“They just flatly made it up,” DSCC spokesman Matt Miller said. “There is no ad up, and we didn’t buy an ad.”

In fact, Landrieu is not allowed to direct the DSCC to do anything on her behalf, according to Federal Election Commission rules, Miller said. By the end of the week, the Kennedy campaign, which said the ads were canceled due to the Kennedy campaign news release, was back-tracking.

“If Mary Landrieu says she isn’t launching third-party attacks this week, we’ll take her word for it,” Kennedy spokesman Lenny Alcivar said.

Protesting for drilling

U.S. Rep. Charles Boustany, R-Lafayette, flew back to Washington last week to participate in the Republican protest on the House floor.

GOP congressional members are upset that Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California hasn’t allowed a vote on domestic drilling. Pelosi said last week she would allow a drilling vote but it would be part of a larger energy package.

The Pelosi bill, however, is expected to contain provisions unpalatable to Republicans, who want a vote on their bill, the American Energy Act. The act includes opening up drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Democrats have opposed the Alaska drilling.

Though Congress is in recess, Republicans have taken turns keeping the protest alive on the House floor. Boustany said the issue was important enough for him to return to Washington.

“I’m concerned they may try to load this bill up with a poison pill,” Boustany said. “I’ve been all around my district, and I’m hearing that energy is the dominant issue.”

Sheriffs’ endorsement

Landrieu recently picked up the endorsement of the Louisiana Sheriff’s Association, support a Kennedy spokesman called “minor” and “meaningless.”

The endorsement was given at the association convention, attended by 48 sheriffs. The endorsement is coveted because of the unique stature and power that sheriffs have in the state, Landrieu spokesman Scott Schneider said.