LOUISIANA POLITICS & GOVERNMENT

Latest Political & State Legislature News, Blogs and Articles

Upon entering office as Kenner's new mayor in July 2006, Ed Muniz fielded a litany of complaints from employees about the city's health insurance provider. "The plan is a terrible plan," Muniz recalled thinking. He mentioned the complaints to a member of his transition team, former Jefferson Parish President Tim Coulon. A licensed insurance agent, Coulon told Muniz he... Full story »

Tim Whitmer apparently does not get it. Mr. Whitmer, who is Jefferson Parish President Aaron Broussard's top administrator, said last week that he will retire Feb. 1 as a scandal over his private dealings with public governments expands. But in the meantime Mr. Whitmer apparently intends to continue holding his $190,000-a-year public job, while also benefiting from contracts with... Full story »

High-profile attorney Joe Bruno made headlines as far away as Italy and Germany on Wednesday when a federal judge ruled in favor of a claim he filed on behalf of three New Orleans-area plaintiffs blaming the Army Corps of Engineers' mismanagement of maintenance at the Mississippi River-Gulf Outlet for directly causing flood damage after Hurricane Katrina in St. Bernard... Full story »

It was, of course, the bleeped-out expletives that quickly drew attention to mayoral candidate James Perry's latest TV ad. But for those who got past the cussing -- perpetrated by unnamed actors expressing shock that several other mayoral hopefuls are local political mainstays -- the 30-second spot offered another element that has raised some eyebrows. Speaking directly to the... Full story »

She says vote to launch discussion is distinct from her position on a final bill Full story »

Louisiana senator announced her critical vote in floor speech Saturday Full story »

BATON ROUGE -- More than 18,000 current state contracts are now available for public inspection through a new online database unveiled today by Gov. Bobby Jindal's administration. Commissioner of Administration Angele Davis, the governor's chief financial adviser, said Louisiana is one of four states to make all state contracts available online, after California, Texas and Georgia. The contracts feature is part... Full story »

A legislative budget committee reluctantly agreed Friday to let the Recovery School District move ahead with $163 million in repairs to hurricane-damaged schools in New Orleans. All of the construction money comes from the federal government -- 90 percent from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the remaining 10 percent from Community Development Block Grants. It will be used... Full story »

Inspector General Ed Quatrevaux has asked Mayor Ray Nagin and the City Council to delay approval of a redevelopment proposal for the Morris F.X. Jeff Municipal Auditorium -- including a 50-year lease of the city-owned facility to a private operator -- until his office finishes reviewing it, likely by year's end. In a two-page letter sent Friday to Nagin... Full story »

Former Mandeville Mayor Eddie Price was hit with $5,500 in fines Friday for violating state campaign finance and disclosure laws, including personal use of campaign funds and an illegal loan his campaign made to one of his private companies. The state Board of Ethics at its monthly meeting voted on two cases involving Price, who in October resigned as... Full story »

One Louisiana judge is facing impeachment by the U.S. House of Representatives. Another just pleaded guilty to taking $70,000 in bribes to let inmates get out of jail. And a third is being kicked off the bench for giving a cash award in a bogus case because an attorney gave her money. But the Chief Justice of the Louisiana... Full story »

Owner won support of nearest neighborhood association Full story »

Ex-congressman gets to keep private attorneys, but they agree to cheaper rates Full story »

State transportation officials changed the date of the closing of the Hale Boggs Bridge from Dec. 6, to Saturday, Dec. 5. Project Engineer Alan Weber said Friday that the change was made to accommodate the St. Charles Parish School System, which said the closure, part of a cable replacement project on the 26-year-old bridge, would disrupt several of its... Full story »

Sen. Mary Landrieu's old nemesis, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, Friday filed a new complaint against the Louisiana Democrat -- this time with the Federal Election Commission. The private watchdog group wants the FEC to investigate a $25,300 donation the Landrieu re-election campaign made to the U.S. Treasury in August 2008. Mark Elias, a lawyer for her... Full story »