Gov. John Bel Edwards recently appointed former Attorney General Richard Ieyoub as the new commissioner of conservation.
It’s a big year for Ieyoub, who’s also being inducted into the Louisiana Political Hall of Fame.
His appointment, which had been rumored for most of the new year, is now a reality.
The commissioner of conservation, a position inside the Dept. of Natural Resources, is charged with conserving and regulating oil and gas resources in Louisiana. When it comes to DNR, it’s the most critical position for the business and energy lobbies.
Ieyoub remains very popular in Democratic circles. He has strong ties to Louisiana’s legal community, from the trial bar and district attorneys to public defenders.
His appointment is being cheered by environmental advocates, but it’s also being met with concern by industry.
He’s labeled by some as the forefather to the modern contingency fee contract. Ieyoub’s use of contingency fee contracts even resulted in a state Supreme Court decision, which came from a case brought by the Louisiana Oil and Gas Assoc. The court found that the department-related contracts in question should have required legislative approval.
How the relationship between Ieyoub and the industry progresses will be one of the more interesting stories on the energy front in 2016.
GOP Sinks $2 Mil Into Registration
Backed by consultant Bill Skelly of Causeway Solutions, and fundraiser Allee Bautsch Grunewald of The Bautsch Group, the Louisiana Republican Party launched the “Red to the Roots” initiative. It’s a $2 million effort to identify, register and engage new Republican voters across the state.
Given last year’s gubernatorial election, conservatives in the party feel like a permanent field program is more important than ever.
Although Republicans are increasing their share of registration, the party isn’t comfortable with the trend of falling behind Democrats in partisan registration. Also, if the current registration trends continue, independents could soon surpass GOP registrations.
Here’s a passage from an introductory memo obtained by LaPolitics: “We must commit to funding and implementing this program immediately and sustain this commitment for years if we are to be successful in this endeavor. Democrats have nearly perfected these programs — and we see their successes in their electoral victories around the country.”
In Nevada, the memo says, Democrats took a state that in 2004 had 4,431 more Republican voters than Democrats and swung that to a 90,187 voter advantage in their favor in just eight years. That effort moved a state that President George W. Bush won in 2004 to a state solidly in President Barack Obama’s camp in 2008 and 2012.
House Politics Under Scrutiny
Never before has the Louisiana House of Representative’s politics been under so much scrutiny.
With the defeat of Gov. John Bel Edwards’ hand-picked candidate for Speaker of the House; a slew of committee assignments that lean heavily Republican; and a set of contentious legislative sessions on tap; all eyes are turned to the lower chamber.
Much of it has to do with a partisan divide that appears to be growing, with Edwards and the Democrats on one side, and lawmakers from the Louisiana GOP on the other.
Speaker Taylor Barras, R-New Iberia, announced that he had chosen 12 Republicans to chair 16 of the chamber’s standing committees, giving conservatives more control over the House than at any other time in recent history.
Rep. Cameron Henry, R-Metairie, will chair the budget-drafting Appropriations Committee, while Rep. Neil Abramson, D-New Orleans, will take over the tax-writing Ways and Means Committee. Democrats don’t consider Abramson’s appointment an outright win, since he supported Barras for speaker and opposed the candidacy of Rep. Walt Leger, D-New Orleans, who was Edwards’ pick.
The governor traditionally has considerable sway over the election of the House speaker and subsequent committee assignments. But Republicans in the House, who have a majority, say they are striking out and claiming independence from the executive branch.
Given the way this new relationship has progressed, Edwards may simply present his budget along with his menu of options, which include tax increases, and leave the House to find solutions.
Still, he’s expected to be hands-on, and the imbalance could work to his political favor, Democrats say. The governor will either be able to lay blame at the feet of the independent House or take credit for what it produces.
The challenge of reaching the 70 votes needed in the House for constitutional amendments and certain tax measures will be a recurring topic over the next few months and the coming four years. That challenge could force Edwards to rely more on executive orders than any other governor in modern times. But such a state of affairs would certainly water down what he will accomplish.
Meanwhile on the Senate side, some of the assignments have business interests and conservatives worried. Most notably, Democrats control the money panels, with Sen. Eric LaFleur, D-Ville Platte, over the Finance Committee, which will receive the budget, and Sen. J.P. Morrell, D-New Orleans, chairing the Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Committee, which is in charge of tax policy in the upper chamber.
The question is whether a conservative-controlled House that’s heavy on GOP chairs will create a Washington-like gridlock during the upcoming legislative sessions, when the House clashes with a Democratic administration and a Senate with Democratic money chairs.
With the House getting the budget first in the regular session, and taxes forced to originate in the lower chamber during the preceding special session, representatives will certainly get the opening shot.
Leges May Address Felon Issues
With the Louisiana Supreme Court siding with former state legislator Derrick Shepherd and ruling that the provision barring convicted felons from running for office for 15 years after their sentences end is unconstitutional, the question becomes: What’s next?
According to Secretary of State Tom Schedler, the next time will probably be a reaction from the Legislature. “I believe there will be great interest in the Legislature to revisit the issue of convicted felons running for public office. The Supreme Court overturned the law on a technicality, not on the substance, so it’s now up to lawmakers to fix the technical issues.”
Shepherd, a former state representative and senator, qualified to run in House District 87 last fall despite a previous conviction for money laundering. He was initially blocked from running before the Supreme Court could hear his case.
Shepherd argued in his lawsuit that the constitutional amendment that bans convicted felons from running excluded language that had been approved by the Legislature, and as a result, the law was invalid.
Schedler said fixing the law would take more than just a reaction to the recent Supreme Court decision; it would be about doing the right thing. “In my opinion this is the heart of good government. Voters want to be assured that the public officials making their laws are also committed to following the law. It’s common sense legislation and needs to be shored up as soon as possible.”
GUMBO Still On Political Burner
Although the historic race for governor ended more than two months ago, the GUMBO PAC still has some roux left in it.
The super PAC, which was opposed to the election of U.S. Sen. David Vitter, is posting social media on a regular basis and engaging followers.
Does that mean GUMBO will be a regular menu option in Louisiana politics?
“I’m still not sure what the long-term plan for the PAC is,” said director Trey Ourso. “There have been preliminary conversations with the people who helped seed it and fund it. We’re keeping all of our filings current to keep running it. But there are no concrete plans.”
Ourso said the super PAC hasn’t been raising money recently. But it will continue to be active with social media; it has 10,500 followers on Facebook.
Political Hall Of Fame Hits The Road
For those close to the coast, the annual induction ceremony for the Louisiana Political Hall of Fame is always marked by a long drive up to Winnfield.
While it’s always a joy to visit the birthplace of three governors, that long drive takes many folks out of the picture.
The annual celebratory bash features speeches by political greats; offers a chance to visit; and finishes off with a round of “You Are My Sunshine.”
This year it’s different. The 2016 ceremony will be held in Lafayette, at the Cajundome, on March 12, where a few of the new inductees are within close driving distance.
But the event is really a kickoff. The Hall of Fame is going on the road. The plan is to move the ceremony to a different Louisiana city each year, offering improved opportunities for large groups to attend.
Going into the Louisiana Political Hall of Fame and Museum posthumously this year will be former Gov. Sam H. Jones, who was the father of the public records act and a champion of ethics reform during a time when Earl Long was reaching for control. Former Attorney General Richard Ieyoub is going in as well.
From the other side of the rail is lobbyist Randy Haynie, who, along with his son Ryan and other associations, splits his time between Lafayette and Baton Rouge.
An inductee from the newspaper industry will be publishing giant B.I. Moody III. Also inducted will be retired maritime executive Boysie Bollinger, former Jefferson Parish District Attorney John Mamoulides and retired Lafayette City Court Judge Kaliste Saloom Jr.
The Chehardy family of Jefferson Parish is also being inducted as part of the “Political Family of Officeholders Award.” That’s the same award that got Gov. John Bel Edwards into the hall in 2014. Several of his family members have served as sheriff and in other positions.
New Leadership For Auto Dealers Group
Since 1983, Bob Israel has served as president of the Louisiana Automobile Dealers Assoc. He’s become a staple around the State Capitol. But he’s leaving it all behind in June and is making way for the incoming president, Will Green, who’s in the process of learning the ropes.
Green, a Union Parish native, was most recently the director of civil justice and employee relations at the Louisiana Assoc. of Business and Industry.
“I’m fortunate to have this opportunity, and Bob is leaving behind some very big shoes to fill,” said Green. “He has 32 years of knowledge about the industry. I’m doing my best to bottle up as much of that as I can over the next few months. He has really been an incredible figurehead.”
Founded 79 years ago in New Orleans, the Baton Rouge-based Louisiana Automobile Dealers Assoc. provides products and services for its member dealers. Israel has been at the helm for 33 years. Like his successor, he previously worked in various positions at the Louisiana Assoc. of Business and Industry.
They Said It
“Unfortunately, there may not be a budget.”
— Congressman John Fleming, on the chances of the federal budget proposal from the GOP leadership passing, in Bloomberg News
“Louisiana appears stuck in a perpetual ‘Groundhog Day’ recurring loop of budget challenges that seems to occur whether or not the economy is weak or strong.”
— Louisiana Assoc. of Business and Industry President Stephen Waguespack
For more Louisiana political news, visit www.LaPolitics.com or follow Jeremy Alford on Twitter @LaPoliticsNow.
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