The Republican Party of Louisiana seems to be having some major issues.
In recent weeks I have been talking with my Republican Friends, many of which are leaders in the Republican Party and all of them have been throwing up their hands in disbelief at the seeming lack of direction and lack of credibility the state party has been displaying.
About a year ago is when this started happening.Take for example the attack launched by Party Boss Roger Villere against then Speaker Pro-Tem Representative Karen Carter Peterson.Villere launched a huge attack with a blanket FOIA request for all public documents from Carter-Peterson.This attack which was little more than a stunt but which cost the tax-payers of this state in the form of payroll likely thousands of dollars all to try to score political points.This stunt lead to the open rebuke and requests for his resignation by many Republican Representatives.Villere refused to resign and nothing was discovered from this stunt.It should be noted that this stunt was fueled by Peterson daring to criticize Governor Jindal’s administrations attempts at killing legislation that would make the records of his office open to public inspection.Yes, the very same topic that he and other Republicans were constantly attacking Governor Blanco over – seems now that Bobby is in the Governor’s Mansion transparency is irrelevant.
Earlier this week, it came out that Louisiana GOP Chairman Roger Villere was considering censuring Louisiana Republicans that have endorsed Senator Mary Landrieu in her campaign against Republican John "Wanna Be" Kennedy.
Well, the Times-Picayune reported on Wednesday that Republican Congressman Rodney Alexander attended a fundraiser for Senator Landrieu that was held at former State Senator Randy Ewing's home.
Rodney even spoke(!) in support of Senator Landrieu at the event:
"I spoke for her and told the people there how we have worked closely together on projects for farmers."
So, Roger, what's the punishment you're gonna levy on Rodney?
(In honor of the 2 year anniversary - July 16, 2007 - of the Sinning Senator's revelations that he was, um, a Sinning Senator, Daily Kingfish will be promoting diaries from that time. Here's the first one. - promoted by ryan)
Boysie Bollinger, the New Orleans shipyard tycoon and a major force in the Louisiana Republican Party, a man who has "served as a delegate to every Republican National Convention since 1976, and was the State of Louisiana’s Finance Chairman for the George W. Bush for President Campaign and Campaign Chair for his General Election.... was State Finance Chairman of the Louisiana Republican Party on three occasions and served on the Louisiana Republican State Central Committee," recently told reporter John Hill something that, until he said it, no other Louisiana Republican political insider had been willing to admit: That insiders have known quite well and for quite some time about the allegations that David Vitter was a frequent patron of prostitutes and that they understood the damage it could inflict if the story were made public.
Hill quotes Bollinger as stating, "We (Louisiana Republican party insiders) discussed this exact fact, that this bomb could go off." Hill writes party insiders had known about these allegations as early as 2002, though he doesn't specify when Bollinger and other insiders had these discussions.
Of course, although it is disturbing that insiders knew and discussed these allegations yet still decided to support Vitter during his 2004 Senate race, it's not too surprising. After all, in a 2002 interview with Vitter, Jeff Crouere, a conservative talk show host, fielded a phone call from a caller who went by the name "Flaming Liberal," who directly asked Vitter if he would be willing to "sign under the penalty of perjury an affidavit saying you have never had an extramarital affair and you have never known, met or been in the company of one Wendy Cortez," to which Vitter "accidentally" responded by saying those allegations were "absolutely true." And it's not surprising because Republican Chris Tidmore and Republican State Central Committee member Vincent Bruno had made similar accusations against Vitter.
But in this onslaught of Vitter coverage, one of the most interesting stories, a story that clearly shows that Vitter and his team of insiders were aware of the real threat of the ticking "time bomb" way back in 2002, has been somewhat glossed over.
Thanks to the Bayou Buzz, I had an opportunity to read the statement of Louisiana's GOP Chairman, Roger Villere, regarding HB 619, and its alternative bill, HB 575.
He writes regarding HB 619 and satellite voting centers: "But with hundreds of local and statewide elections, the already understaffed poll centers will be thrown into chaos."
He also writes, regarding HB 575, and absentee ballots to all registered voters: "Louisiana has just invested $30 million in new voter machines. With Governor Kathleen Blanco admitting we lack the funds to support our own rebuilding process, this is hardly the time to begin inserting expensive voting measures that are unnecessary. This bill has been strongly opposed by Secretary of State Jay Dardenne on the grounds that it is too quick and too costly," as it would require the mailing of 2.8 million pieces of mail to voters, according to Secretary of State Jay Dardenne.
Ummm ... excuse me? I thought for a second that I was in the Soviet Union. But then I looked over at the LSU Parade Grounds, and saw the American flag flapping in the breeze.
Boysie Bollinger
