There are a number of issues that now remain after Senator Landrieu went to the US Senate floor on Thursday with an emotional and combative speech defending her actions in connection with what has been called the “Louisiana Purchase”. 

As a result of her speech and documents I requested from Senator Landrieu, there appears to be further proof that very highest level of Governor Jindal’s

Administration (and certainly presumably Governor Jindal himself—due to the obvious importance of this legislation to him) had suggested that the Louisiana delegation attach language to the very controversial health care legislation.  It is very obvious that despite his administration’s actions, he opposed all final health care legislation that was voted upon by the US House and the US senate, last year. 

It also appears that Governor Jindal has never requested that the controversial “Medicaid fix” legislation for FMAP be removed from the existing legislation.  More specifically, it appears that Governor Jindal never asked Senator Landrieu to remove her legislation prior to her vote on cloture on the health care bill in the US Senate and has never asked her to do so at any time since her late-November vote.

Days after that infamous vote by Mary Landrieu, I reported that it appeared that Governor Jindal’s administration were partly responsible for initially attaching the Medicaid fix into the health care bill.

After the release of this document, and further behavior on the part of the Jindal administration, I believe my reporting has been further corroborated. 

Yesterday, I wrote inter alia, “The letter from the DHH Chief of Staff appears to be strong evidence that the Jindal administration wanted the Louisiana delegation to take advantage of the opening set by the Majority Leader, Harry Reid, in obtaining Medicaid assistance for that state due to unfair calculations.  Louisiana was hit hardest by those calculations due to a rise in income during the Katrina recovery. 

As published previously, the DHH has told me that it and high members of the Jindal Administration were aware that the legislation was in the US Senate Health care bill days prior to Mary Landrieu’s vote on cloture.”   See the letter from the JIndal Administration to the Louisiana Congressional delegation dated months prior to Mary Landrieu’s cloture vote. 

Shortly after my column was published, I received an email from Governor JIndal’s press secretary, Kyle Plotkin and I responded.  Here is that exchange:

From Kyle Plotkin

Steve- 

Pls update your story. Below is a statement from Governor Jindal: 

“I’m against the health care bill and always have been. You would have to live in a cave not to know that. I opposed it even with the FMAP language in it. I am glad the health care bill is dead. We can have honest debates about the issues and honest disagreements. I thought the health care bill was awful. Some members of Congress disagreed with my position and voted for it. That’s OK. The bottom line is that we are all going to have to work together and across party lines to fix the faulty FMAP formula that unfairly penalizes the health care needs of the poorest people in our state. That is an effort that can stand on its own merits.” 

Here was my response which I sent very shortly after I received Plotkin’s email: 

Kyle,

I was going to contact you but received your email first.  I was going to ask you for a response to my column.

As part of the Governor’s response for completion, I need these questions answered since I believe it directly deals with the real issue at hand.

We all know that Governor has been opposed to the health care bill.  We are not in a cave.  I certainly have never doubted it, nor do I believe anyone has doubted it.

But, there is a more important issue given the letter from the Administration to the delegation—which letter I linked from in my column.  

Did Governor Jindal or anyone else from the administration ever ask Mary Landrieu to withdraw the Medicaid FMAP legislation-- either before her Senate cloture vote or afterwards?

Please answer.  I will put up your reply to my question as soon as I get it along with the Governor’s statement below.

If I do not get your reply to my question by 6 am tomorrow morning, I will run this email including of course your reply.  I will redact your email address.

Thank you,

Steve

I have not heard from Kyle Plotkin although approximately twenty hours have expired since my request.  It should be noted that Plotkin had ample opportunity to respond to my question.  He immediately and on his own asked me to make an update.  He has failed to respond after more than ample opportunity.  Also, in the Jindal email to me, there was no refutation of the basic premise—that his Administration sent the letter to Senator Landrieu and would tie the Medicaid fix to the health care legislation. 

What does all of these facts and assumptions tell me? 

Governor Jindal is absolutely against the health care legislation and has been; 

Governor Jindal is not refuting that his own office was involved in tying the Medicaid legislation to the health care bill he vehemently opposed. 

Governor Jindal, nor his staff has never asked Mary Landrieu to withdraw the Medicaid FMAP legislation-- either before her Senate cloture vote or afterwards? 

Mary Landrieu did was she thought she was asked to do.  The Medicaid fix was of critical importance to Louisiana and to Governor Jindal.  However, Governor Jindal opposed the health care legislation and still does.  In essence, Governor Jindal wanted his cake and to eat it too.  He wanted the legislation to fail, but, if it were to pass, he wanted the state to get the benefit. 

I do not think there is really anything wrong with these somewhat conflicting positions. 

However, I do believe it was very unfortunate that Governor Jindal never disclosed that his administration was responsible for tying the Medicaid legislation to the health care bill. 

It would have nice if Governor Jindal had stood up for Senator Landrieu at the very time when she was taking the heat for making a “secret deal” that even indicated that she was personally benefiting from the legislation.  It would have been nice that he and other members of the Louisiana Congressional delegation had the guts to have said, yes, we knew that Governor Jindal’s administration requested the Medicaid-health care legislation tie and we stand by Senator Landrieu for attempting to do what Governor Jindal wanted us to do although we oppose the health care bill vehemently.  Actually, Anh “Joseph” Cao voted for the health version of the legislation. 

Nobody should be blamed or praised for Senator Landrieu’s vote, other than Senator Landrieu.  She is the person who made the decision and must live with it—for better or for worse.  It appears that her popularity has been hurt in Louisiana because of her vote.  However, I believe that part of the reason for the drop in her popularity is because Governor Jindal and other members in Congress (including Democrat Charlie Melancon) failed to disclose what they have known for months—that Governor Jindal was a party to the health care and Medicaid tie. 

When conservative talking heads started to call Mary Landrieu a prostitute and corrupt, it is totally unfortunate that Governor Jindal and the other relevant members of the Louisiana delegation Congress who knew of the involvement by the Governor’s office did not stand up with courage.  They could have stated their opposition to the bill but strongly stated that Senator Landrieu should not be treated so poorly since she was only doing what Governor Jindal apparently wanted to be done. 

Unfortunately, this was not done. 

So, where are we now? 

We have a Medicaid problem that needs fixing.  This problem was a top tier problem for the Jindal administration and for the Louisiana citizens and was publically known for almost eleven months prior to Mary Landrieu’s vote. 

Other than Mary Landrieu, no other Congress person has been successful in being able to push the legislation as far as it has gone and I doubt that nobody can push it through Congress at this time other than Senator Landrieu. 

Although Governor Jindal says about the FMAP legislative issue “That is an effort that can stand on its own merits”, it would be interesting to see what other solutions he has suggested or what other solutions he has to fix this problem.  Governor Jindal is a former Congressman.  He should have some idea as to what type of legislation this fix should be assigned and how it can be accomplished.  In fact, because he has such knowledge and because he has held himself as a health care expert, let me offer that he and staff write the legislation and offer to Congress specific legislative direction as to how to fix the problem. 

Governor Jindal is perfectly correct about one issue.  This problem requires a bi-partisan effort.  So far, the only bi-partisan effort that has occurred is to run away from the problem and to allow Mary Landrieu to receive total blame.  The truth is—very little, or nothing has been done and all of the Congressmen (Republicans and Democrat) had knowledge of Governor Jindal’s request for action on this issue and his administration’s letter. 

Unfortunately, right now, because of Mary Landrieu’s health care vote and the lack of courage by Governor Jindal and our congressional delegation, we are left with a weaker senior Senator.   If our Governor and our Congressional members had the temerity, the nation would not have directly blamed Senator Landrieu so viciously and she would not have been cited as being the source of voter backlash. 

Since the US Senate has now changed, in part due to allegations against Mary Landrieu, she is less of a swing vote.  No other member of the Louisiana delegation has as much stroke.  Her sway is now limited and especially on this issue. 

For the record, I have wanted the health care discussion since I believe we must improve upon the health care system.  However, right now, my main opposition to the legislation is the lack of transparency in the process for a segment of our economy that is so important.  Due to all of the confusion and animus associated with the bill, I am in favor of a much compact piece of legislation that we can digest in smaller portions. I also again point out that Mary Landrieu has voted and must either be praised or blamed for her vote for the health care legislation.   I am not taking up for her vote.  . 

But, there also should be much more transparency by our Louisiana Governor and by our Congressional delegation;  Their silence on the facts of this matter rings like thunder.  The impact upon the reputation of a US Senator who was doing her job and doing the Governor’s work can not be measured in words.  So, hopefully, at some time, Governor Jindal and our Congressman write a joint letter disclosing that they knew of the Jindal Administration request and support her efforts in fixing the problem although they differ with her in the ultimate vote. 

Senator Landrieu requested yesterday that if any US Senator wanted to discuss the issue with her, they could come down to the US Senate floor and do so.  If not, they should basically shut up. 

It is now time for our government leaders to not shut up but to disclose what they knew.  And with Governor Jindal’s knowledge about health care matters, with his knowledge about the US Congress and state government operates, his familiarity with the Medicaid problem and with his intelligence—he is in the best position to act as quarterback and get that Super Bowl of health care fixes for Louisiana he says we so desperately need.