A Police Chief says the mother of a controversial suburban Baton Rouge pastor has organized a campaign to flood his department’s phone line with calls to get her son out of house arrest…
Cut 1 (29) “…I’m Matt Doyle.”
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Attorney General Jeff Landry wants Governor Edwards to issue guidance to allow for the reopening of churches. Kevin Barnhart has the story.
Cut 2 (29) “…I’m Kevin Barnhart”
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The Central Police Department warns their phone lines are clogged with out of state callers protesting the house arrest of Life Tabernacle Church Pastor Tony Spell. The call to action was posted on a Facebook page claiming to be Magi Spell. Police Chief Roger Corcoran says it’s a dangerous stunt that could prevent people from reporting emergencies.
Cut 3 (10) “…help”
Spell was arrested last week for allegedly trying to hit an anti-Spell protestor with a church bus and violating the ban on mass gatherings by holding multiple large church services.
Corcoran says the parents are apparently trying to leverage the harassment campaign into getting their son set free.
Cut 4 (10)_ “…our call.”
The Chief adds the ankle bracelet was ordered by a local judge.
Spell says they can’t transition to social media services like most other religious organizations have, but Corcoran says this campaign disproves that claim.
Cut 5 (08) “…clearly.”
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Senator John Kennedy says he’s not in favor of rubber stamping federal legislation to help state and local level governments cover expenses without seeing some indication as to how much revenue is expected to be lost. Kennedy thinks some mayors and governors will see spending money that they don’t have as being the new normal.
Cut 6 (10) “…do revenue projections.”
Kennedy believes there are cost savings that can be done in chopping nonessential spending of government.
Cut 7 (12) “…any proposed cuts.”
Kennedy believes the only way to recover economically is to get the economy opened back up in a smart and safe way.
Cut 8 (13) “…and smart about it.”
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Attorney General Jeff Landry is encouraging Governor Edwards to allow the reopening of churches. Landry says there is becoming some social unrest and one of the first steps to helping that is to allow churches to reunite their congregations.
Cut 9 (08) “…with their lives.″
In a letter to the Governor, Landry highlights that religious liberty is a bedrock principled right from which freedom flows. Landry says the timing is right for the move as Louisiana appears to be beyond the peak of new cases.
Cut 10 (09) “…practicing their faith.”
Landry offered Edwards a draft set of guidelines and says the Governor needs to issue guidance for houses of worship just like he would for other portions of society.
Cut 11 (11) “…very responsible manner.”
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Supporters of a legislative petition that would overturn the Governor’s stay at home order say they have over half of the signatures needed for passage.
Oil City Representative Danny McCormick says the petition is popular with his constituents.
Cut 12 (10) “…but them”
Edwards recently extended the stay at home order to May 15th.
McCormick says the areas of the state that don’t have a lot of cases should be allowed to open tomorrow. He says the petition is based on three considerations.
Cut 13 (06) “…constitution”
Petition supporters appear to be are all Republicans but not everyone in the GOP is on board. Baton Rouge Representative Barbara Freiburg supports the Governor’s decision.
Cut 14 (10) “…the feds”
Freiburg says she’s been in frequent meetings with health officials and says the data shows reopening tomorrow wouldn’t be a good idea.
Cut 15 (10)“…order”