Posts filed under LAGOP
Chairman Derek Babcock's Statement on the Historic Tax Session in Baton Rouge
Dear friends,
A year ago, we elected a conservative Governor and Legislature to put Louisiana on a new path. In less than a year, the Governor and Legislature have already cut the state budget by over $2 billion. Last week, the Legislature convened to debate and discuss the largest tax reform plan since the 1970s. Similar tax reform measures have benefited other states; for example, North Carolina has seen a $11,000 increase in median household income.
I applaud the Governor and our Legislature as they continue to meet, refine, and improve this historic tax plan. This plan is projected to be the largest tax cut in Louisiana history and will provide guardrails to limit the size and scope of state government for the present and into the future. If you haven't already, I encourage you to watch the governor's press conference and read more about the plan at the links below.
It is a great time to be a Republican in Louisiana, and I'm excited to finally have a governor and a legislature working together to move Louisiana forward!
LAGOP Endorses Incumbent Republican Members of Congress
BATON ROUGE, LA— The Executive Committee of the Republican Party of Louisiana has voted unanimously to endorse all of Louisiana's incumbent Republican members of Congress for re-election in their existing congressional districts:
Steve Scalise CD 1
Clay Higgins CD 3
Mike Johnson CD 4
Julia Letlow CD 5
Garret Graves CD 6
"As we’ve seen over the last two years, every single vote in the U.S. House of Representatives is critical to holding the majority and passing our conservative agenda," Republican Party of Louisiana Chairman Derek Babcock said. "We know that losing just one seat in Louisiana this fall could make the difference between keeping Mike Johnson as Speaker of the House and Steve Scalise as Majority Leader or having to hand over power to Hakeem Jefferies and the Democrats in January," he said.
"With so much at stake for both our state and nation on the ballot this year, the Republican Party of Louisiana is uniting behind our incumbents in Congress and working to ensure that we send all of them back to Washington,” Babcock said.
Cory Dennis Named LAGOP Executive Director
Baton Rouge, LA- Cory Dennis has been appointed as the new Executive Director of the Republican Party of Louisiana, LAGOP Chairman Derek Babcock announced today.
Dennis is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis. He worked at the Louisiana Attorney General's Office prior to serving as campaign manager for Jeff Landry's successful gubernatorial campaign.
"We are assembling a dynamic team of leaders to bring more historic victories to the Republican Party in the years ahead," Babcock said. "Cory Dennis will play an essential role in this effort."
Babcock was elected as chairman of The Republican Party of Louisiana on April 6th.
Badon switches political parties
Photo source: Facebook
Former New Orleans Representative Austin Badon, who’s been appointed by Governor Jeff Landry to serve as Assistant to the Commissioner of the Office of Motor Vehicles, switched political parties and said he’s one the state’s newest Black Republicans. When asked if Landry asked him to join the GOP…
“I’m a big boy, I can make my own decisions and I don’t need any influence from anybody else and he had no influence on me at all,” said Bandon.
But Badon said he did text Landry and let me know that he’d changed parties last week.
The driving factor to why he chose to leave the Democratic Party, Badon said, was the immigration issue at the Texas border.
“This whole migrant situation was basically driving me and it’s something that has been on my mind for many years,” said Badon.
Read more: Badon switches political parties
GURVICH: 2023 - Historic Year for the LAGOP
As we prepare to close out 2023, Louisiana Republicans and fellow conservatives can take pride in a series of extraordinary election wins resulting in victories in all statewide offices, increased Republican super-majorities in both houses of the legislature, and down-ballot wins throughout the state. In Jeff Landry, we now have the right man to fix the country's most bloated and inefficient state government, and he will have the legislative support to achieve the necessary reforms.
This has truly been a historic year for the LAGOP, and we have much to be thankful for during this holiday season. Allow me to express my gratitude for the foresight, strategic initiative, unity of purpose, and hard work during this campaign cycle, to our candidates, and to the ladies and gentlemen of the Republican State Central Committee, our parish executive committees, the Louisiana Federation of Republican Women, our Pachyderm clubs, college Republicans, activists, supporters, etc. Thank you for a job well done!
But in politics no victory is ever final, and 2024 will be a pivotal year in the future of our country. We will soon be engaged in an epic battle for the presidency and control of Congress, and we must win this battle or lose the America that we know and love. Louisiana Republicans and conservatives must remain committed to our cause and united in our efforts if we are to make our contribution in this critical contest. Much will be asked of us in the coming year, but I have no doubt that we will see this trial through to victory.
But the time for politics in 2023 has passed as we enter the high holiday season. It is time for friends and family, for reflection, for giving thanks to God. On behalf of the officers and staff of the LAGOP, I wish everyone, regardless of party affiliation or ideology, a very Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and a very Prosperous New Year!
Louis Gurvich, Chairman
Republican Party of Louisiana
LAGOP: Congratulations & Thanks to Those Who Made This Incredible Victory Possible
Saturday, November 18, 2023, was a historic day for Republicans and conservatives throughout the state. How historic was it? Well, that is ultimately a question for historians to answer many decades hence, but my guess is that folks will still be talking about this election in fifty years’ time.
Congratulations and heartfelt thanks are due all around, but it is hard to know where to begin- our wins were many, our defeats few. Going into the run-off, I expected we would do well, but I never imagined the magnitude of our victories. Our statewide officials who were not elected or unopposed in the primary, all received over sixty-five percent of the vote in the run-off! For only the second time in modern Louisiana history, all statewide elected officials will be Republican as of Inauguration Day, January 8, 2024.
In the Louisiana Senate, we picked up one seat and will have a twenty-eight to eleven Republican majority (71.8%). In the Louisiana House, we picked up two seats and will have a seventy-three to thirty-two Republican majority (69.5%). My read on the Republican legislators as a whole is not only that there will be more of them, but as a group they will be significantly more conservative.
Three more Republicans, in addition to the one elected on October 14th, were elected to the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education. Don't forget that Governor Jeff Landry will get to nominate three more members to BESE, so we will have a solid conservative majority on this hugely important board.
The use of private funds in public elections (Zuckerbucks) was banned in our constitution, while the freedom to worship was recognized as a fundamental right worthy of the highest protection.
So let’s begin by thanking Jeff Landry for being a wonderful candidate for governor, whose big win in the primary (no other first-time candidate for governor has ever accomplished this feat), set the stage for our remaining statewide candidates’ successes last Saturday. Congratulations go out to our statewide run-off victors: Secretary of State-elect Nancy Landry, Attorney General-elect Liz Murrill, and Treasurer-elect John Fleming. Congratulations go out to our victorious Senators and Representatives, and to our successful parish and municipal candidates.
And I cannot forget to thank the many folks who serve the Republican Party of Louisiana, whether as members of the Republican State Central Committee or the various parish executive committees, the Louisiana Federation of Republican Women, the Pachyderm Clubs, College Republicans, etc. Last and most important of all, I wish to thank the Republican and conservative voters, without whom our victories would not have been possible.
Louis Gurvich, Chairman
Republican Party of Louisiana
LAGOP: The Party Line
Since the Oct. 14 primary election, various reporters and pundits in the major media have commented upon the low voter turnout and lack of enthusiasm among Democrat voters.
They seem to be insinuating that the election was in some sense flawed, or at least that it was not indicative of the true feelings of the electorate. The reality is that the various campaigns spent tens of millions of dollars touting candidates’ qualifications and positions on the issues. No one who wasn’t marooned on a desert island for the last year had any excuse for not voting in this election, but so many voters, particularly those on the left, nevertheless chose not to vote.
Some pundits have faulted the Louisiana Democratic Party, and although its reign as the state’s largest party will soon be coming to an end, it still had human resources aplenty and a proven donor base. Democrat activists and donors could have weighed into the race had they so chosen.
Others have faulted the principal Democrat candidate, Shawn Wilson, but if he could not compare with Jeff Landry’s charisma and heartfelt messaging, he had a pleasant, thoughtful demeanor. His fundamental problem was that he could not dare elaborate on the Democrat message, that is, four more years like the last eight.
The point to be made is that the media’s narrative is incomplete and grossly unfair to Republicans. All of the foregoing excuses for this Democrat debacle are, of course, nonsense, but for some reason reporters and pundits have for the most part been reluctant to take their election analysis to the logical next step, and we shall shortly see why.
So why did so many Democrat voters fail to cast a ballot in the primary election? The media has certainly been willing to discuss the symptoms of the illness, that is, the lack of enthusiasm, apathy, etc., on the part of the left-leaning electorate. But what caused the fundamental illness itself? For this answer, one does not have to look far, because the administrations of Joe Biden and John Bel Edwards are such obvious culprits.
Biden and the Democrat Party are responsible for the mess at the national level. No nation could run up multi-trillion dollar deficits year after year in order to fund progressive schemes already proven to be wasteful and counterproductive. It was entirely predictable that all that money chasing a limited supply of goods (especially in the COVID era of artificially reduced supply) would cause prices to surge grotesquely.
It was entirely predictable that halting federal oil and gas leases, shutting down pipeline construction and holding up drilling applications for years just to placate climate change fanatics would drive up the cost of gasoline. It was entirely predictable that faulting society for criminal conduct and releasing criminals en masse would cause a crime surge costing the lives of thousands and ruining the quality of life for millions.
And John Bel Edwards made the national disaster so much worse by parroting the Biden administration on almost every issue. Under Edwards, the cost of governing our state doubled. Billions were spent on our schools, roads and other infrastructure, yet there was little improvement. Our surplus funds were largely exhausted without any thought being given to the fact that lean times would arrive by 2025.
Republican attempts at school reform were defeated or vetoed. COVID lockdowns unnecessarily deprived our children of schooling, while little attempt was made to make up the knowledge deficit later. Worst of all, people left our state in droves even as our businesses and industries moved out or shut down, because Louisiana had become a place without hope for the future.
A lack of hope for the future — that was the real problem that the people of Louisiana decisively addressed in this election, and they opted for a better future, Republicans by voting for a change, and very many Democrats by not voting for more of the same. This is not a difficult concept to understand: If your net worth and income were sufficient to qualify you as middle income or higher, then Democrat anti-growth policies, cultural assaults and monstrous deficit spending caused you some degree of inconvenience. If your net worth and income were on the lower end of the socio-economic scale, then Democrat policies had brought you and your loved ones to the point of an existential crisis.
Let’s briefly look at the effect that Democrat policies had on less fortunate socio-economic groups in Louisiana: Their dollars were worth about 17% less than they were on the day Biden took office, and because they had fewer dollars to begin with, they were hurting far more severely. While their raises were eaten up by inflation, eggs, cereals, milk, vegetables and fruits became far more expensive. A decent cut of meat was out of the question. Gasoline cost 50% more than it did when Biden took office, although many folks could no longer afford a car note anyway.
Housing in every form became more expensive, and insurance was unaffordable or unavailable. These folks had been regularly victimized by criminals several times a year, yet crime became even worse. Their kids were in failed or underperforming schools, and solely because of the actions of Edwards, they had no affordable alternative.
And these people were supposed to turn out in support of the Democrat ballot? Are you kidding me? This is the explanation for the low voter turnout in Democrat precincts on Oct. 14. No wonder left-leaning reporters and pundits were so reluctant to face the obvious conclusion, that for years Democrat policies had been hurting Louisianans in every socio-economic group! This problem for Democrats is not going away. In fact, it will manifest itself at the national level next year.
On Jan. 8, 2024, we will have a new administration with a new direction for Louisiana. Godspeed to our new Governor-elect, Jeff Landry.
Chairman Gurvich: How Much Longer Can New Orleans Survive This Idiocy?
I do not know from whence the phrase “delicious irony” originated, but we certainly had a recent case of it right here on the streets of New Orleans, which I guess is itself part of the irony. Irony, of course, is a situation which occurs when something intended to have a particular result, ends up having the opposite result. What made it so delicious? Well, read on:
I am speaking, of course, of the recent car hijacking of Jason Williams, one of the most prominent members of the Soros-backed progressive district attorney club. You know, the same Jason Williams who was elected by New Orleanians way back in 2020, when woke progressivism was, however briefly, the spirit of the age. At the time it was all the rage for the New Orleans citizenry, or at least enough progressives and liberal simpletons, to display their affinity for progressive ideological buy-in by electing Jason Williams as the District Attorney of New Orleans.
Mr. Williams left us in no doubt that he was a progressive- it was perhaps the most prominent aspect of his campaign. He promised a complete departure from the policies of his predecessor, Leon Cannizzaro, to whom the city owes a debt of gratitude for running a good shop on his twelve year watch. Nevertheless, during the election Cannizzaro was faulted for his outmoded, presumably racist, “tough on crime” approach which, God forbid, actually sought to incarcerate violent criminals and serial petty offenders.
And so Jason Williams was elected to be the District Attorney of New Orleans, even though he had no prior prosecutorial experience and had only briefly served as a temporary judge many years earlier. In fact, he had never managed anything other than his small law firm (where he continues to work, presumably part-time), and one or two aides while serving on the New Orleans City Council.
The fact that Williams was grossly unprepared for the job obviously did not matter to the progressive wokesters and their useful idiot allies among the city’s elites, and the tragic results predictably followed. Criminals were released in droves and fewer and fewer charges were filed against those arrested by the police. But the rot didn’t stop in the district attorney’s office.
The New Orleans Police Department, already one of the worst performing police forces in the country, was further demoralized by the knowledge that the district attorney now required a very high level of evidence before accepting any case, no matter how heinous the crime. To add insult to injury, Williams had simply stopped accepting charges for most minor crimes like shoplifting, trespass, threats, etc., although policemen knew that they themselves would be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law whenever the opportunity presented itself.
And so we arrive at the case of Raymond Rochon, an eighteen year old one man wrecking ball of civilization, and his most unfortunate choice of victims on the night of October 16, 2023. Rochon had numerous outstanding arrest warrants (four as a juvenile and three as an adult, that we know off), and police had been well aware of his penchant for carjacking at the point of a gun. Why, they even had his fingerprints on several of the cars. There was no rational excuse for Rochon still being at-large on the streets of New Orleans, unless you buy in to the progressive ideological claptrap that the criminal is a victim of society.
But at large he was, due in no small part to the intimidation and demoralization of the NOPD, due in no small part to the efforts of the crime victim himself, Jason Williams. And therein lies the delicious irony- even fiction writers can’t make up this stuff. Rochon knew at once why he had finally been apprehended, commenting to the police “I know why y’all are here- y’all’s people…” That is to say, he knew he had carjacked the wrong guy.
Which of course begs the question: What would have happened to Rochon had he carjacked you or me? I think we all know the answer to that one- Rochon would still be out there committing several carjackings a week. It is almost a certainty that sooner or later, he would have killed or seriously injured someone, but in Jason Williams’ world, we are apparently expendable casualties in the cause of woke progressive ideology.
The existential question for the inhabitants of this once great city is how much longer they will permit the present situation to continue?
Louis Gurvich
Louisiana Republican Party - Chairman
The Republican Party of Louisiana Endorses Nancy Landry for Secretary of State
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 18, 2023
BATON ROUGE, LA— The Republican Party of Louisiana (LAGOP) has announced its endorsement of Nancy Landry for Louisiana Secretary of State.
Nancy currently serves as the First Assistant Secretary of State. Previously, she served as a State Representative for House District 31 for 11 years. Nancy has a plan to update our voting machines, block private funding of Louisiana's elections (Zuckerbucks), clean up our voter rolls, and ensure that Louisiana's elections are safe and secure.
The LAGOP is proud to endorse Nancy, and urges all voters to support her candidacy for Secretary of State. Election Day is November 18, and early voting will run from November 3-11, with the exception of Sunday, November 5 and Friday, November 10 (in observance of Veterans Day).
To learn more about Nancy Landry, visit nancylandry.com.
LAGOP: One More Time! We Need Your Vote One More Time to Finish Our History Making Election!
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 16, 2023
BATON ROUGE, LA— Saturday was a historic day for Louisiana. Voters sent an overwhelming message that they want conservative policies that put the needs of Louisiana citizens first.
Jeff Landry's monumental victory gives hope to the people of this state that the days of rampant crime, poor education, and a disappointing economy are over. Jeff Landry campaigned on the message of delivering a government in Louisiana that is as good as her people, and that is exactly what he will do.
In his victory address on Saturday, Governor-elect Landry stated, "Our state is blessed with the most hardworking, courageous, fun-loving, wonderful people in the world. We care about our values, we are strong in faith, we care about our friends, family and our community. Now it is time to start putting smiles on the people of this state."
Republican successes spread down the ballot on Saturday. Congratulations to Nancy Landry, Liz Murrill, John Fleming, and all of our Republican candidates who secured a primary victory and to those who will finish strong in November! FYI, Republicans also flipped seats in House District 85 and Senate District 19. Thanks to all who hoisted the Republican banner and represented our great party in this historic election.
However, we need your help and support ONE MORE TIME this year for the November 18th runoff. Despite the historic results of this past weekend, there remains a job to be finished. We ask all Louisianans to come together ONE MORE TIME and push our Republican candidates across the finish line in the run-off elections. With your help, Nancy Landry will be our next Secretary of State; Liz Murrill will be our next Attorney General; John Fleming will be our next Treasurer; Republican majorities in the State Legislature will continue to grow.
Louisiana's best days are ahead. LET'S FINISH THE JOB on November 18 and deliver a government for Louisiana that is as good as her people!
John Fleming is the Only Candidate for Treasurer Endorsed by the LAGOP
A recent Louisiana state-wide political poll of likely voters shows Republican candidate John Fleming, M.D., and Democrat candidate Dustin Granger are positioned to go head-to-head in a November runoff election.
Dustin Granger, the Democratic candidate, garnered 30% of the vote because of his party affiliation. Dr. Fleming received 21% even with another Republican accounting for 7% of the total vote.
Dr. Fleming has received key endorsements from the Republican Party, including:
Republican Party of Louisiana (LAGOP)
Congressman Mike Johnson
Congressman Clay Higgins
Congressman Jim Jordan
Former Congressman Ralph Abraham
Oil & Gas Workers Association
Republican Party chapters across the state, including:
Acadia Parish
Ascension Parish
Bossier Parish
Caddo Parish
Calcasieu Parish
East Baton Rouge Parish
Iberia Parish
Lafayette Parish
Livingston Parish
Lafourche Parish
Rapides Parish
St. Charles Parish
St. Tammany Parish
Tangipahoa Parish
Please consider supporting Dr. John Fleming as your next Treasurer of Louisiana!
LAGOP Supports Steve Scalise for Speaker of the House
BATON ROUGE, LA— The Republican Party of Louisiana (LAGOP) today announced its full support for Representative Steve Scalise to become the next Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.
Rep. Scalise is the clear choice to unite all Republicans on our path to victory in 2024. He understands what is at stake. In his time as Majority Leader, Minority Whip, and Majority Whip, he has consistently opposed Joe Biden and the Democrats' radical agenda while promoting a conservative legislative agenda. Most importantly, he is by nature a uniter who can bring all Republicans together.
The decision for the four hundred and thirty five members of the U.S. House of Representatives is clear. No other candidate has the experience and the demonstrated courage of Steve Scalise. Please cast your ballot for our next Speaker, Steve Scalise.
LAGOP: It is Time to Unite Behind Jeff Landry
With less than two weeks to go until Election Day on October 14th, we are entering the final phase of Louisiana’s unique open primary. Our candidates have suffered long and hard these many months, but the next several days will be critical. This is no time to rest, and the same can be said for the campaign staffs, their consultants and volunteers, as well as our party activists.
So you are exhausted and may need some motivation, eh? Well, I have a few brief words to write which may perk you up. Basically, I want to briefly remind everyone of what we’ve endured for almost eight years under the failed administration of John Bel Edwards, and why conservatives must win these upcoming races.
To begin, remember all the bitter, hard-fought special sessions? Not counting the legally required eight regular sessions and granting John Bel Edwards the two organizational sessions held at the beginning of each term, Louisiana’s divided government required no less than fifteen special sessions, three of which were veto sessions. Fun, huh? That must be some sort of record, and not one we ever want to beat. Unfortunately, that’s what happens when you have a Republican-led legislature and a governor who campaigned as a moderate Democrat (remember all those campaign promises in 2015), and then governed as a lefty.
And what about all the bad bills which did pass, and the good government and common-sense bills that John Bel and his Democrat minions defeated or vetoed during those twenty-three regular and special sessions (not counting the three veto sessions)? Well, the cost of governing Louisiana doubled, which means that we are now living on borrowed time. Our infrastructure and schools are still a mess, and when the federal government cuts back on those subsidies, which it eventually will, the state will go broke instantly. Come to think of it, that’s probably what the Democrats always wanted to happen anyway.
Too bad about conservative attempts to control spending, or clean up the welfare rolls, or prevent vaccine mandates and school closures, or audit the voter rolls and implement a host of other measures designed to protect the integrity of our elections. Never forget that we had to convene historic veto-override sessions just to keep biological males from taking over women’s sports, and to prevent the medically-sanctioned mutilation of vulnerable minor children claiming to suffer with gender dysphoria.
There were dozens more vetoes of good bills by John Bel that weren’t overturned, and hundreds of good bills which were defeated or never even filed, but all that can be fixed in the next administration. That is ultimately what we are fighting for in this election, and that is why we need to redouble our efforts in these last few days. Because we have already wasted almost eight years, we don’t have much time remaining to straighten things out- our fellow citizens are leaving Louisiana in droves and our businesses are departing or shutting down, thereby further eroding our already inadequate tax base.
It’s time to pull the lever for the one proven candidate with the will, the guts, and the energy to turn Louisiana around. That person is Jeff Landry, the only gubernatorial candidate endorsed by the Republican Party of Louisiana. Every poll since the beginning of this race has shown him to be far in the lead, with the support of more voters than all other conservatives and independents combined!
It is high time for Republicans, independents, and the remaining sane Democrats to rally around our candidate, Jeff Landry. There’s even a good possibility that he could win this election in the open primary on October 14th, and avoid the runoff on November 18th. That would allow him to begin the transition process over a month earlier, and to use the time to help elect other conservative candidates.
A brighter future for Louisiana is just around the corner, but only if we get out to vote and unite behind Jeff and our other conservative candidates, starting with early voting which has already begun.
Louis Gurvich, Chairman
Republican Party of Louisiana
The LAGOP Calls for Boycott of Urban League Debate
BATON ROUGE, LA— Today, the Republican Party of Louisiana called on all GOP gubernatorial candidates to boycott the proposed Urban League debate next week. The debate will be co-hosted by media outlets and is scheduled to be broadcast live.
“This debate format is a biased sham that is purposely designed to damage Republicans,” stated LAGOP Chairman Louis Gurvich. “No Republican candidate should fall for antics like this. To have the radical Urban League as an outside panelist and not balance its ultra liberal viewpoint with a conservative organization is wrong. The Urban League does not reflect the political views of the great majority of the citizens of this state.”
“GOP candidates must stop falling into traps set by the liberal media. The voters deserve balance and fairness, not a panel of questioners who actively helped to elect John Bel Edwards, who despised Donald Trump, and who opposed the values of this state,” continued Gurvich.
After the 2019 gubernatorial election, in a post election analysis story, The Advocate specifically credited the National Urban League and the Urban League of Louisiana with aiding in Jon Bel Edwards' victory. The story highlighted an Urban League voter turnout program called “Geaux Vote” as “an ostensibly nonpartisan effort that almost entirely benefited the Governor.” (“John Bel Edwards earned a remarkable win for reelection; here’s how he did it,” Baton Rouge Advocate, November 17, 2019).
LAGOP: From The Chairman
Several important United States Supreme Court rulings have been handed down over the last several days. As conservatives we ought to take note of these rulings, not only because they affect us personally in many ways, but also because conservatives are guided by the laws and founding principles upon which this country was created. Unlike the progressive left, we are most certainly not guided by neo-Marxist ideology. Thankfully, most of these cases went our way.
This past Monday, the Supreme Court Justices “unfroze” action on the Louisiana congressional redistricting case, and simply lifted the hold which the nation’s highest court had placed on further action by the lower federal courts. This action relates back to the Supreme Court’s June 8th 5-4 decision in Allen v. Milligan, which rejected the Alabama congressional redistricting plan previously approved by its legislature, and required that a second minority congressional district be included in the new plan.
Many have asked me where all this leaves the Louisiana redistricting plan? Well, the Supreme Court has now sent the case back down to the full U. S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. While the ruling in the Alabama case is certainly a serious setback for the Louisiana redistricting plan, it does not necessarily mean that our state will be forced to create a second minority congressional district.
While Alabama and Louisiana share many demographic similarities, their geography is a different matter. It would be more difficult to create a second minority district here than in Alabama, where a large and relatively compact minority population exists in the Birmingham area. Our one minority congressional district (the 2nd) is already strung out along the Mississippi River between New Orleans and Baton Rouge for some considerable distance, and a new minority district will be even more difficult to create without violating all of the other traditional criteria used in American redistricting plans over the last several hundred years. Stay tuned as the situation develops.
On Thursday, the Supreme Court had one of its best days ever as it more strongly reaffirmed in Students for Fair Admissions v. President and Fellows of Harvard College, the principle that using race in college admissions is a practice which is barred under the Equal Protection Clause of the Constitution. Chief Justice John Roberts was quoted in part as follows: “The Harvard and UNC admissions programs cannot be reconciled with the guarantees of the Equal Protection Clause.” That’s about as plain, simple, and forceful as it gets, and the nation can finally begin to close out a disgraceful era spanning several decades of its history, during which the American government sanctioned and even mandated racial discrimination in violation of its bedrock promise of equal treatment.
Also on Thursday, in the case of Groff v. DeJoy, the Supreme Court ruled unanimously in a major case involving freedom of religion, that a postman could not be compelled to continue to work on Sundays, against his religious conviction that Sunday is a day of rest. This case overruled a 1977 case which allowed an employer to deny making allowance for religious accommodations if the employer incurred serious costs by so doing.
In a victory for the doctrine that Congress must clearly delegate its authority before any other branch of government can claim its powers, the U. S. Supreme Court today issued a 6 to 3 ruling along ideological lines striking down the Biden administration’s student loan forgiveness plan in the case of Biden v. Nebraska. The Court found that the statute which the administration had relied upon did not give Biden’s secretary of education the sweeping authority to forgive hundreds of billions of dollars in student loans with the waive of his pen. Ironically, the Court’s decision cited Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s comments during a press conference in 2021 to the effect that only an act of Congress could forgive the debt. Thanks for the help, Nancy!
Widely touted as a $400 billion dollar debt forgiveness to college graduates which would have to be paid for out of the pockets of average American taxpayers (most of whom were not able to attend college), the true eventual cost would likely have been in excess of a trillion dollars! Had the Court ruled the other way, this would have set an awful precedent for future students to borrow excessively in the belief that such debts would eventually be forgiven. It would also have brought the nation measurably closer to bankruptcy.
In a big win for freedom of speech, the U. S. Supreme Court today ruled in 303 Creative v. Elenis that Colorado could not force Lorie Smith, a graphic designer, to create artwork which violated her religious beliefs. Ms. Smith wished to create wedding websites, but under Colorado law if she did so, she would be forced to create same-sex wedding sites. In the usual 6-3 ideological split, the majority found that the First Amendment prohibited a state from forcing a website designer to create websites with messages and photos with which the designer disagreed. This is a victory for freedom of speech, and no, it is not an anti-gay ruling by the nation’s highest court, as the progressive left would have you believe.
So there you have it. While we await the action of the U. S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in the redistricting case, we can take comfort in the knowledge that we have won important victories involving our fundamental rights.
Louis Gurvich, Chairman
Republican Party of Louisiana
Majority Leader Steve Scalise and Former State Senator Troy Hebert Defend Jeff Landry
The following was issued by the LAGOP yesterday in response to an attack ad sent out by a PAC supporting GOP candidate for Governor of Louisiana, Stephen Waguespack:
Majority Leader Steve Scalise issued the following statement earlier today. The LAGOP fully endorses the Majority Leader's sentiments, and believes this pro-Waguespack attack against the endorsed Republican candidate for Governor, Jeff Landry, to be unprovoked and unwarranted. We urge Mr. Waguespack and his supporters to refrain from such attacks in the future.
The Majority Leader's remarks are quoted below:
"Louisiana must elect a bold conservative as our next Governor in order to move our state forward and in a positive direction. The best way for a Republican to regain the Governor's mansion is by laying out their vision for the state's future and building momentum by way of inspiring others to join in their cause.
While the temptation always exists, Republicans attacking other Republicans is the only way we can lose this November's election. Stephen Waguespack is a friend, but those supporting his campaign and outside efforts are hurting his chances—and Louisiana Republicans—by breaking Ronald Reagan's 11th Commandment in launching negative attacks against the Republican front-runner, Jeff Landry.
We must learn from the mistakes of the 2015 and 2019 governor's races, where Republican infighting ultimately squandered our opportunities to win the Governor's mansion. As we work towards getting Louisiana back on track in 2023, Republican candidates must focus on their positive vision for our state, not instigating intra-party attacks and provoking defensive retaliation. Ultimately, this unproductive discourse only benefits those who want to keep our state on the wrong track.
Stephen Waguespack should denounce this negative ad and Reboot Louisiana PAC should take down this attack ad immediately."
In addition, former rival in a heated race for Louisiana State Senate several years ago, Troy Hebert, had this to say about Jeff while on a program with Jim Engster on Tuesday morning:
LAGOP: House Bill 648 Deserves a Vote on the Senate Floor
BATON ROUGE, LA— The Republican Party of Louisiana strongly supports procedural action that will result in a Senate floor vote on House Bill 648 by Rep. Gabe Firment. This legislation would prohibit genital mutilation surgery on minor children in Louisiana.
The Republican Party of Louisiana is deeply disappointed in Senator Fred Mills' tie-breaking vote to kill HB 648 in committee. The LAGOP strongly recommends that the Senate override the committee vote and allow consideration of HB 648 on the floor, where all senators will have the chance to weigh in on this pivotal piece of legislation.
By way of information, HB 648 passed the Louisiana House of Representatives 71-24 with near unanimous Republican support, and the bill is strongly supported by the great majority of Louisiana’s voters. The procedure is banned in states surrounding Louisiana, and failure to pass HB 648 could make Louisiana a destination for such surgeries!
Please call your senator at 225-342-2040 and encourage him or her to bring this bill to the Senate floor as soon as possible. Our children deserve no less!
LAGOP: Important Bills Pending Before Our Legislature
Please be aware of these important pieces of legislation that are currently before our legislature, and let your senator and representative know where we stand:
HB 81— Requires the use of the given name for a student that is listed on the birth certificate unless the parent provides written permission to do otherwise.
HB 86— Creates the "Protect Teachers Act," which provides that no school official will be held liable for any act or failure to act in the directing or disciplining of school children under his or her care and supervision, unless such act or failure to act was found to be malicious and willfully and deliberately intended to cause bodily harm.
HB 102/SB 7— Requires parish and municipal libraries to adopt and implement a policy relative to a minor's access to library materials containing sexually explicit content.
HB 103— Requires public high school students to successfully complete one semester of Financial Literacy in order to be eligible to graduate.
HB 125— Provides land protection by restricting any foreign adversary from directly or indirectly owning, acquiring, leasing, or otherwise obtaining agricultural land.
HB 131— Removes the requirement that a person possess a permit from the state in order to carry a concealed handgun.
HB 311— Constitutional Amendment which prohibits the use of funds and resources from a foreign government or a nongovernmental source for the conduct of elections and/or for the functions and duties related to the administration and conduct of elections.
SB 175— Creates the crime of unlawful deepfakes involving minors, which is the creation of any material depicting a minor engaging in sexual conduct using deepfake technology.
SB 63— Constitutional Amendment which provides that the freedom to worship in a church or other place of worship is a fundamental right that deserves the highest protection.
We will send further updates as the legislative session continues.
Rally in Support of President Trump and Against the Politicization of American Justice
Hosted by the East Baton Rouge Republican Party
The public is invited to a Rally for President Trump and Against Politicization of the Justice System at 11:30 a.m. this Tuesday, March 21, 2023, on the steps of the Louisiana State Capitol Building in Baton Rouge. The rally is sponsored by the Republican Party of East Baton Rouge Parish, chaired by former Rep. Woody Jenkins. Jenkins served as State Chairman for Trump for President in 2016 and as a member of the Electoral College at-Large for President Trump in 2020.
News reports indicate that President Trump may be arrested Tuesday on charges filed by the District Attorney in New York City. Jenkins said the charges are trumped up and part of an ongoing effort by Democrats in Congress and key officials in the Justice Department to politicize the justice system and criminalize political opposition. "They are desperate to find a crime to hang on President Trump, and they are truly groping for something," Jenkins said.
"Beginning before the President was even sworn in, we saw the system perverted with members of Congress calling for him to be impeached. The National Security Advisor, Michael Flynn, was arrested on bogus charges. After that, there have been one fake allegation after another calling for President Trump either to be impeached or arrested. Their goal today is to rig the system by somehow preventing him from running in 2024. People are outraged and deeply troubled by what they see happening to our country. These reckless actions are unacceptable and condemned by the people of Louisiana."
Jenkins urged people to come to the rally and show their support for the President and the rule of law. He said a number of local and state officials will speak.
Jenkins asked people who plan to attend to email him at woodyjenkins2020@hotmail.com to let him know they are coming.
