State Senator Jay Morris says he and his staff have received multiple death threats for something he says he never said. State Democratic Party Executive Director Dadrius Lanus says Morris used a racial slur during last Friday’s racially charged debate over a new congressional map. Morris says the untrue allegation led to 150 nasty voice mails for his legislative assistant to hear.
The tense meeting also led New Orleans Senator Gary Carter to step down from the Governmental Affairs Committee. Carter’s emotions boiled as he questioned Morris about his intentions with legislation that he believes is attempting to remove Black people from political office.
The House barely passes a bill to increase the salaries of the governor and other statewide elected officials. Harahan Representative John Illg says his bill would leave state representatives’ salaries at 16,800 dollars, but it would provide legislators with additional per diem opportunities.
Cut 7 (11) “…already do this.”
Monuments which are removed by local governments would be moved to state parks under a bill passed by the House. While Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser, who oversees the Office of State Parks, says House Bill 1215 was designed to deal with Confederate monuments which were taken down in New Orleans in 2017, the author, Mike Bayham, says his bill applies to other monuments as well.