Edwards bypass foiled in part by progressive DA

Looks like 1^st Judicial District Attorney James Stewart will have to forgo any future George Soros bucks as he joined Republican Atty. Gen. Jeff Landry, Democrat 19^th Judicial District Attorney Hillar Moore III, and several other district attorneys in defeating a gambit backed by Democrat Gov. John Bel Edwards.

This week, these prosecutors reached a settlement with the Louisiana Board of Pardons and Committee on Parole over its prospective clemency hearings concerning almost the entirety of Louisiana’s death row. Contrary to existing rules, the Board had scheduled to conduct reviews of 20 inmates under capital sentences beginning Oct. 13 through Nov. 27, with perhaps more afterwards. This prompted the suit from Landry and the DAs from all districts with an inmate on the list, except for no party 4^th DA Steve Tew, Republican 21^st DA Scott Perrilloux, and 41^st DA Democrat Jason Williams.

Edwards this spring had signaled, after years of strategic obfuscation and caginess, that he opposed capital punishment. This dog whistle activated anti-death penalty advocates to flood the Board with the requests. The Board, after first refusing to breach its rules, acquiesced to a request from Edwards to conduct the reviews, drawing upon an ambiguity in the rules that allowed the governor to make such requests at any time, even though Landry’s office had opined that this exception was overridden by the scheduling rules except in cases of imminent execution.

LA helps beat left's privileging boycott tactic

The strategy of economic boycotts from the far left aimed at jurisdictions like Louisiana over social issues officially ran out of steam with California Democrat Gov. Gavin Newsom’s quiet repeal of a ban on paid employee state travel to states who rejected empowering individuals of certain characteristics at the expense of others, emphasizing the moral poverty of the left’s argument.

California was the first of several states, by gubernatorial executive orders, to enact this and similar measures involving potential commercial activity between a state and others who passed laws allegedly discriminating against politically-favored constituencies. For example, California initially issued a fatwa on state travel to North Carolina because the latter passed a law mandating that people of their natal sex or altered sex when using single-sex restrooms to use those corresponding to their current sex.

At first isolated, North Carolina eventually did away with that law having little to do with California’s action, but because leftists and special interests through a combination of suasion and bullying activated some economic interests to join the boycott. Fortunately, that didn’t cow a number of other jurisdictions like Louisiana – now over half the states – to pass laws refusing to privilege the agendas of such groups. Since then, corporations and nonprofit entities have realized they lose business and opportunities to interact with all community interests and walked back from highly-politicized public pronouncements and actions signaling solidarity with the actions of the groups attempting to gain privilege.

Surprise ouster may make Scalise Speaker

Republican Rep. Steve Scalise’s moment may have arrived with the ouster of GOP Rep. Kevin McCarthy as speaker of the U.S. of Representatives.

Hours ago, the House voted to remove McCarthy as speaker at the behest of Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz. He and seven other Republicans joined all Democrats to succeed, which as Republicans had only a five-member majority meant only the second vote ever to vacate worked.

That parliamentary move existed only because McCarthy’s retained the post tenuously. At the beginning of the year, after 15 rounds of inconclusive voting for its holder, as part of an agreement to win enough votes McCarthy accepted being restored into the rules this privileged maneuver that allowed any single member to ask this. Consistent House conservatives, who held up his victory, felt this gave them leverage in case McCarthy didn’t adhere to other aspects of the agreement that would ensure conservative input into governing the chamber.

Wilson, 4 Dwarves debate doesn't change race

The song remains the same as Wilson and the Four Dwarves battled among themselves futilely to keep Republican Atty. Gen. Jeff Landry from an expected eventual gubernatorial victory.

Not a band but gubernatorial aspirants Democrat former cabinet member Shawn Wilson; independent trial lawyer Hunter Lundy; and Republicans state Sen. Sharon Hewitt, Treas. John Schroder, and former gubernatorial appointee Steven Waguespack – all met in a candidate forum for the office televised by the Louisiana Public Broadcasting consortium of stations and affiliates. Noticeably absent was Landry, who the latest polls make the clear front runner, followed distantly by Wilson, with the other four unable to crack single digits of support.

For that reason, any analysis of the efforts insofar as specific answers to issues is meaningless without Landry’s responses. General impressions of each will suffice from the forum that won’t change the dynamics of the contest that will put Landry and Wilson into a runoff, with Landry the clear favorite.

LA map likely to stay in force through 2024

The odds now are that Louisiana will have 2024 elections to Congress using the same districts as last year, as a result of a recent court decision, and maybe until 2032.

Last week, a three-judge panel of the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals put the brakes on the headlong rush Louisiana Middle District Judge Shelly Dick through judicial means has tried to bully the state into having a map with two majority-minority districts among the six districts for its representatives. Earlier this year, a surprise ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court gave race primary status among reapportionment criteria, reviving a case heard by Dick a year earlier that sought to throw out the state’s plan that featured a single M/M district in a state where nearly a third of the population claims at least in part black ancestry.

That original case placing an injunction on the state’s map spawned another to draw a new plan. This new case depends upon the older one being upheld as to whether the stoppage was proper. Republican Atty. Gen. Jeff Landry objected, arguing that the excessive speed imposed by Dick prevented a majoritarian solution that historically the judiciary has preferred, especially in complex and politicized cases involving reapportionment.

Bossier juror illegal actions issue in contests

Ambiguity over Louisiana law regarding boards of library control, and unambiguous illegal activity of Bossier Parish police jurors possibly not serving legally on it, have become issues in Police Jury contests.

Since 2016, the Jury has had members serving on the parish’s Library Board of Control. At present, the entire composition of the Board is made up of jurors: Republicans Glenn Benton, Bob Brotherton, Julianna Parks, Doug Rimmer, and Democrat Charles Gray. All ran for reelection this fall, with Benton and Rimmer drawing no opposition.

By state law, the parish if it chooses (or enough citizens petition it) to have a library system must have this panel with five to seven citizens of the parish appointed by it. State statute also grants the board some powers independently of the parish: to elect and employ a librarian, and, upon the recommendation and approval of the latter, to employ assistant librarians and other employees and fix their salaries and compensation; provided that no contract of employment shall be made for a longer period than four years nor with any person as head librarian, or director, who has not been certified by the State Board of Library Examiners. Otherwise, the parish controls all other aspects of library operation that it chooses to do so.

LSU puff piece misleads on admission outcomes

Louisiana State University Baton Rouge would like you to believe its holistic admissions system has led to its most “academically accomplished” freshman class in history. Don’t drink this misleading Flavor Aid.

Last week, the school released information about the incoming class, noting an average ACT score of 26.5 and grade point average of 3.82. This was said to set records in both categories and has come despite the decision five years ago to move to admissions that deemphasized test scores and GPA in favor of intangible criteria, making utilization of such scores optional. This has been in direct violation of Louisiana Board of Regents minimum admission standards which requires an ACT (or SAT equivalent) score of 25 for first-time freshmen, although as many as four percent of all entering students may not meet that and/or any other admission criteria.

The impact was felt immediately as the school retreated further away from meeting the four percent criterion, which BOR had and continued to ignore enforcing. In 2017, the year before the change, the average ACT was 25.6, although the lowest quarter of percentiles was just 23, which demonstrates the school wasn’t close to the four percent standard or else that would have been close to 25 (keep in mind that with 25 as the theoretical floor for at least 96 percent of entering first-time freshmen, a distribution of scores would be, in graphic form, long-tailed to the right, pulling up the mean and various other percentile measures).

Reports predict pair of close NW LA House races

It’s a sure thing the Louisiana House of Representatives candidate in the northwest part of the state that either spends the most or second-most money on campaigning this fall will lose.

That has become apparent from the campaign finance reports filed earlier this month, which don’t hold many surprises. Of the area’s ten contests, four have been decided with just one candidate qualifying, while a couple of others seem unlikely to be competitive.

In House District 7 in Caddo and parishes south, Republican state Rep. Larry Bagley seems set to win a final term, having raised over $100,000 this year, spent over half of it, and still having over $200,000 available. By contrast, energy employee Republican Tim Pruitt hasn’t even garnered five figures and, while an endorsement from the Louisiana Freedom Caucus Political Action Committee will help, he faces quite an uphill battle.

Approve all but locally-oriented amendments

On both the general election date of Oct. 14 andthe its runoff date of Nov. 18 voters will be asked to approve four constitutional amendments. Louisianans should grant that approval for all but the two that address local finances.

Oct. 14, #1 – would clarify current statute prohibiting elections funding not from direct legislative appropriation, preventing election outsourcing to private funders whose targeting of dollars could influence outcomes. Its need is obvious. YES.

Oct. 14, #2 – would elevate from law into the Constitution and clarify that restrictions to constitutional freedom of religious worship operate under strict scrutiny. This would prevent any restriction unless it dealt with a compelling government interest, one narrowly tailored using the least restrictive means available. This important right deserves such a safeguard. YES.

Desperado Waguespack facing ticking clock

It’s a visit to the Last Chance Saloon for anybody not named Republican Atty. Gen. Jeff Landry in the 2023 Louisiana race, and the Republican with perhaps the best chance to try to supplant a Democrat (if not by actual label) in the runoff has joined the ranks of the desperate to attempt that.

Former senior administration official under Republican former Gov. Bobby Jindal, Stephen Waguespack, at least according to a poll conducted to determine participation in it, has done in an independent survey what no other GOP candidate other than Landry has: nearly crack into double digits of support. He received nine percent in that, trailing Landry at 40 percent and Democrat former cabinet member Shawn Wilson with 24 percent, while no other candidate pulled better than four percent, in the form of the candidacy of no party (but stealth Democrat) trial lawyer Hunter Lundy.

Those three above five percent were invited to the Gray Media television station consortium debate this week, but Landry declined. This leaves a two-up match that, for Waguespack, has the advantage of making him appear to be the alternative to Wilson by default.