Roughly four weeks after endorsing Donald Trump’s bid for president, Louisiana’s two U.S. senators are standing ready to help the presumptive GOP nominee. Calling Trump “our candidate,” Sen. Bill Cassidy, a Baton Rouge Republican, said it’s an easy choice. “I’m for anybody but Hillary,” he said. Calling Hillary Clinton “a disaster,” GOP Sen. David Vitter of Jefferson Parish agreed, and noted that Trump has tapped into something politically tangible among conservative voters. “Americans are rightly angry. They feel betrayed by Washington,” said Vitter. The senators agreed to separate interviews recently with LaPolitics.com, and discussed the upcoming federal elections, concerns about seniority in the delegation and their key policy efforts on the Hill. Both are in a transitional stage. Vitter is stepping down after his second six-year term, and Cassidy is preparing to become Louisiana’s senior senator as he nears the midpoint of his own first term. Despite unsourced media reports, Vitter hasn’t made any post-Senate plans yet, and is keeping his professional options open. He’s also taking a hands-off approach to the race to replace him, as is Cassidy. Both said they’ll get behind a conservative run-off candidate should the race become a classic Louisiana Republican-Democrat run-off. Both also said they’ll steer clear of the open U.S. House seats, with one exception from Vitter on the 4th Congressional District. “I’m close, personally, with (state Rep.) Mike Johnson,” Vitter said. “I’ll be supporting him.” Cassidy added, “I’m not getting involved in any of those. This is not the year where people want to be told who to vote for from on high.” With Congressmen Charles Boustany, R-Lafayette, and John Fleming, R-Minden, gunning for Vitter’s seat, and no guarantee of a win for either, the year may come to a close with Louisiana losing three senior members of its congressional delegation. Cassidy said clout and time only matter for those chasing gavels, and that another loss of longtime members for Louisiana shouldn’t be a concern. “Ideas matter more, and representing Louisiana values matters next most,” he said. A champion of term limits, Vitter said he welcomes the turnover. “I think you gain far more in fresh blood than what you’re losing,” said Vitter. “It doesn’t bother me.” On the policy front, Cassidy believes he’ll get a floor vote, possibly in June, for his revenue sharing amendment that’s in the Energy Policy Modernization Act. His amendment would lift the GOMESA revenue sharing cap for Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi and Alabama from $500 million to $999 million over the course of the years 2027 to 2031. “That would be an incredible win for Louisiana,” said Cassidy. The co-author of the Mental Health Reform Act, Cassidy recently hosted a mental health summit in D.C. Among other things, the proposed act would change privacy laws and enhance outpatient treatments. “I’m cautiously optimistic that we can get something through on that,” Cassidy said. Vitter, meanwhile, has become a driving force behind the Water Resources Development Act, and has been working with Democrats to keep the bill moving. He believes the WRDA instrument could pass by the end of the year. It’s been two years since Congress last passed a WRDA bill, and it’s critical for Louisiana’s flood control and hurricane protection plans. Vitter said he is “right at the goal line” with a chemical safety bill — another bipartisan effort that has the senior senator negotiating with Democrats. It’s a reform bill aimed at overhauling the government’s regulation of toxic chemicals and the EPA’s rule-making authority. Vitter said the most current version should start moving soon, with real action getting underway in early June.
Jury Trial Push Died On Vine
After years of divided committees and intense political warring, the ongoing regular session will reach its conclusion without any significant discussions on efforts to lower the threshold for demanding a jury trial. Currently, Louisiana has the highest threshold in the nation, while 36 states don’t have one at all. Rep. Ray Garofalo, R-Chalmette, had filed legislation to eliminate the state’s $50,000 threshold. But he later backed off the proposal. “I decided not to run with it,” he said. “The governor was unlikely to support it, and I didn’t want to make anyone bleed by trying to move it through committee.” Rep. Pat Connick, R-Marrero, had a bill to lower the threshold to $20,000 and Sen. Ryan Gatti, R-Bossier City, had a measure to change the definition of the threshold. But they both died on the legislative vine as well. Melissa Landry, executive director of Louisiana Lawsuit Abuse Watch, said interest remains for pursuing the issue, but it’ll have to wait for a future session. “It is remarkable that we’ve spent most of the session fighting a slew of bad bills rather than working with the administration to pass common sense legal reforms,” she said. “Until we get serious about eliminating the jury trial threshold, stopping venue shopping and reining in other blatant abuses in our courts, litigation will be the only industry that’s growing in Louisiana for quite some time.”
Governor Central To U.S. Senate Bid
The Defend Louisiana super PAC has been created to back the U.S. Senate bid of Public Service Commissioner Foster Campbell, a Democrat from Elm Grove. Al Ater, a former legislator and one-time chief deputy insurance commissioner and first assistant secretary of state, is serving as chair of the super PAC. The group will be able to solicit unlimited donations to spend independently of the Campbell campaign. The super PAC will surely play an important role in the upcoming race. But Gov. John Bel Edwards is shaping up to be Campbell’s most important surrogate. Not only is Edwards featured in a new web video promoting Campbell, but later this month, the governor is also hosting the first in a handful of fundraisers for the campaign.
Corporate Tax Collections Net Positive
After months of stories in the Louisiana media about how the state is paying out more in credits and exemptions than it is collecting in corporate franchise and income taxes, collections have finally hit a cumulative net positive position, and are expected to finish the fiscal year that way. As of the end of April, collections are at $135 million, which includes tax amnesty payments. (The Revenue Dept. includes amnesty in its count, while the Legislative Fiscal Office does not.) Greg Albrecht, the state’s chief economist, said he expects June to come to a close with $354 million in corporate taxes collected for the 2015-16 fiscal year. The figure grows to $420 million for the fiscal year when amnesty payments are included. As for what May and June might bring, Albrecht said there could be a boost on the way due to the tax changes that were passed during the 2015 regular session. “It’s moving in the right direction,” he said.
Fleming Goes On TV; Maness Responds
Congressman John Fleming of Minden became the first U.S. Senate candidate to put a paid spot up on TV. The resulting conversation from the campaign trail previews what will be the so-called “conservative primary” in this race. The commercial, called “Not Easy,” is largely a bio piece that’s running on FOX News channels statewide. But one line in particular caught the attention of retired Air Force Col. Rob Maness of Mandeville, a fellow Republican who went on the attack: “[Fleming has] even taken on his own party — leading the way in removing John Boehner as Speaker of the House. It wasn’t easy. It’s just the right thing to do.” Maness campaign manager Andrew Surabian put out this statement: “It’s disappointing that John Fleming’s first TV ad contains a complete falsehood. While most members of the House Freedom Caucus actually voted against John Boehner for Speaker, John Fleming voted for Boehner three times!” It’s another in what will be a long line of dust-ups between the two men, who are both running to the right of the field and looking to out-conservative each other. The noisiest hits, though, are more likely to come from Maness and be aimed at Fleming, rather than the other way around.
Fayard Pulls From Old Dem Campaigns
Denham Springs attorney Caroline Fayard has assembled her U.S. Senate campaign team and is relying heavily on key staffers from Louisiana’s Democratic Senate campaigns of yesteryear. Fayard has three top aides who worked to re-elect former U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu over her last few terms. Fayard’s senior campaign advisor is T. Bradley Keith, who served as Landrieu’s state director for 15 years. Her political director is Angele Wilson-Gant, who served as political advisor for Landrieu during her last three Senate races. The Fayard campaign’s finance director is Jordan Mitchell, who served in the same capacity for Landrieu’s re-election campaign in 2014. Then there’s former U.S. Sen. John Breaux. His one-time projects assistant is Mary Dawn Pugh, who will be working as Fayard’s policy director and scheduler. Reaching much further back, Fayard has hired as her media consultant Dane Strother, who has helped elect every single Democratic U.S. senator from Louisiana since he worked for the late Russell Long in 1980. Showing that she doesn’t need a clean sweep, Fayard has also tapped Michael Walker as her campaign manager. Walker most recently served as the 2015 campaign manager for the Chris Tyson for secretary of state campaign.
More They Said It
“Sometimes we suffer from mental constipation and we may need a laxative.” — State Rep. Sam Jones, D-Franklin, on the legislative process “Thank you for that very fine speech.” — Senate President John Alario, R-Westwego, to Rep. Jay Morris, R-Monroe, after he turned Morris’ mic on and off “If you’re term limited and you have a good Julie in your district, we’re willing to come and make a visit.” — Rep. Julie Emerson, R-Carencro, taking questions from Rep. Julie Stokes, R-Kenner, regarding what they have dubbed “The Julie Caucus” “If that was the case, I would have left nine years ago.” — Rep. Joe Lopinto, R-Metairie, on the House floor, reacting to a news report that suggested he’s resigning due to displeasure with the GOP leadership
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