by Lou Gehrig Burnett, Publisher of Fax-Net
Saturday is election day
    The race for the District 8 seat in the Louisiana House of Representatives highlights election day this Saturday, March 25.
    It is a special election called to fill the seat of Rep. Mike Johnson, who was elected to Congress.  The winner will serve out the remainder of his term.

Gov. John Bel Edwards has signed into law HB3, the budget bill passed during the recent special session.

by Lou Gehrig Burnett, Publisher of Fax-Net    
Edwards in D.C. – again
    Gov. John Bel Edwards was in Washington, D.C. this past weekend looking for money.  He planned to discuss flood and tornado recovery with the president and some of his cabinet members.

by Lou Gehrig Burnett, Publisher of Fax-Net 
The University of New Orleans Survey Research Center has released the results of a statewide poll on Louisiana’s budget situation and the governor’s call for a special session.

by Lou Gehrig Burnett, Publisher of Fax-Net

John Bel wants Special Session

    The state of Louisiana is facing a $304 million budget shortfall, and Gov. John Bel Edwards told a legislative committee last week the cuts will be “deep and painful.”
    Edwards says he will call a 10-day Special Session beginning February 13, although some legislators contend a Special Session is not necessary.
    The Democratic governor is butting heads with some Republican legislators on another issue.  Edwards wants to tap the Rainy Day Fund to the tune of $119.4 million to address the deficit.  
    Edwards said that any plan that does not make use of the Rainy Day Fund would be catastrophic to the vast majority of people in Louisiana.
    House GOP Chairman Lance Harris, R-Alexandria, is opposed to the Special Session and presented his own plan that would not use the Rainy Day Fund and would spare higher education, while cutting nearly $30 million from the state’s Minimum Foundation Program (MFP) that allocates state dollars to public classrooms.
    Edwards said he draws the line at cuts to the MFP, noting it has never been done before.  The  Administration officials responded by saying Harris’ cuts would close all the safety net hospitals and put almost 5,000 prisoners on the street, among other doomsday scenarios.
    The Governor’s plan does not include tax increases or cuts to K-12 education, the Department of Corrections, or the Department of Children and Family Services. 
    The cuts would include a wide range of areas including the Department of Health, the Legislature, the Judiciary, and statewide elected officials.
    
Ban on becoming a lobbyist
    President Donald Trump is imposing a lifetime ban on administration officials lobbying for foreign governments and a five-year ban for other lobbying.
    Trump used his executive authority this past Saturday to put the bans in place, but it’s not clear how they’d be enforced.  He said it was part of his pledge to “drain the swamp” in Washington.
    Trump said that those who work for him should focus on the job they’ll be doing for the American people and not on future income earned by peddling their influence after serving in government.
    The ban just affects persons in Trump’s administration and has no affect on members of Congress.
    There are more than 12,500 lobbyists registered in Washington, D.C.. In 1974, just 3% of retiring or defeated members became lobbyists.  Today, 50% of retiring or defeated senators become lobbyists and 42% of House members.
    House members are barred from lobbying Congress for a year after they leave office.  Senators face a two-year ban.  Ex-lawmakers still can lobby the executive branch and provide behind-the-scenes advice to companies and other organizations trying to influence federal legislation.  They can also lobby state and local officials.

by Lou Gehrig Burnett, Publisher of Fax-Net

Surprising Senate money

    The final financial figures are in for the Louisiana Senate race, and they contain some surprises.  They were filed with the Federal Election Commission and include activity through December 31, 2016.

by Lou Gehrig Burnett
Obama ends on high note
    President Barack Obama is ending his two-term reign as president on a high note.  His job approval rating is at 58%, which puts him among the highest of modern-day presidents.

Lou Gehrig Burnett
The Treasurer’s race
    It’s been quite a while since the state Treasurer's  job has been on the election block.  John Kennedy has owned the position since he won the seat in 1999, defeating incumbent Ken Duncan, 56-44%.
    He was unopposed or received minor opposition in subsequent elections.  His election to the U.S. Senate created the opening to the statewide office.

Kennedy in a landslide
    Republican state Treasurer John Kennedy scored a landslide victory over Democratic Public Service Commissioner Foster Campbell this past Saturday, winning 61 to 39%.  Voter turnout was only 29.2%.
    Kennedy, en route to victory, carried 55 of the state’s 64 parishes.  Campbell won in East Baton Rouge, East  Carroll,  Iberville,  Madison,  Orleans,  St. Helena,  St. James, St. John the Baptist, and Tensas parishes.
    Campbell was hoping to emulate the path followed by Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards, who won over Republican David Vitter.  Edwards endorsed Campbell.