The state GOP blasts Senator Bill Cassidy for his vote in support of the constitutionality of the Trump impeachment trial. Matt Doyle has the story.
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The house and senate natural resources committees are holding a joint meeting to address the Biden Administration’s executive orders concerning the oil and gas industry in the state at 9:30 this morning. Brooke Thorington has more.
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Louisiana will remain under current modified Phase Two public health restrictions for the next three weeks. Matt Doyle has the story.
Cut 3 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle.”
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US Senator Bill Cassidy was one of only six Republicans to vote in favor of the constitutionality of President Trump’s impeachment trial Tuesday.
Cassidy, who had previously voted against the trial’s constitutionality, says he was swayed by strong arguments from the Democrats’ legal team.
Cut 4 (11)“…scholars.”
Fellow Louisiana Senator John Kennedy, who says he will vote to acquit the President for the second time, voted to dismiss the trial on constitutional grounds saying you can’t impeach a President who is out of office.
Cassidy also blasted the President’s defense team, who were roundly criticized for their performance Tuesday.
Cut 5 (12)“…arguments.”
Cassidy further adds that anyone interested in the thought process behind his vote should just watch video of yesterday’s proceedings.
Cut 6 (09) “…at hand.”
The Louisiana State Republican Party issued a statement hammering Cassidy for the vote saying “The Republican Party of Louisiana is profoundly disappointed by Senator Cassidy’s vote. We feel that an impeachment trial of a private citizen is not only an unconstitutional act but also an attack on the very foundation of American democracy.”
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The storming of the Capitol last month has motivated a Lafayette businessman to form a political action committee called Blackthorn to bring awareness to what he feels are Congressman Clay Higgins’ extreme right views and calls for his resignation. Ken Miller says his PAC will post anti-Higgins ads in hopes of changing the mindset in the Third Congressional District.
Cut 7 (10) “…right.”
The ads feature soundbites from Higgins’ fire-lit rant that went viral in which the congressman claimed to have inside data to support Trump won the November 2020 election. Miller says Higgin’s behavior is unacceptable.
Cut 8 (11) “…leader.”
The Blackthorn ad refers to Higgins as a domestic terrorist and says he has blood on his hands after the January 6th riot which claimed the life of a Capitol police officer and seriously injured other officers. Miller says Higgins’s must answer for his seditionist rhetoric.
Cut 9 (04) “…recourse.”
Higgins issued a response to the ads saying quote “I’m not concerned with the targeted lies and false attacks coming from left-wing organizations. I’m a Constitutionalist. I work for the We, the People. I’ll continue to do so. Socialist lies mean zero to me.”
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The House and Senate Natural Resources Committees are holding a joint meeting at the State Capitol this morning to discuss the impacts and possible responses to President Biden’s executive orders halting new oil and natural gas leases on public lands and waters, including the Gulf of Mexico. Chair of the Senate Committee, Vermillion Parish Senator Bob Hensgens says several people are expected to speak.
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Hensgens says his goal for the meeting it to have local officials explain personally how the executive orders will impact the state.
Cut 11 (12) “…coastline.”
In addition to hearing from those to be impacted by the Executive Orders, Hensgens wants to hear from Governor Edwards, one of the few democratic southern governors, how his administration plans to address the issue.
Cut 12 (09) “…push back.”
The meeting is set for 9:30 in the House Chamber this morning.
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Governor John Bel Edwards extends the current modified Phase Two for another three weeks but indicates he is open to relaxing restriction once that order ends.
Edwards says the state has made some good progress in pushing back the virus over the last month, but the baseline numbers that guide his policymaking remain too high to relax restrictions just yet.
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The state has crossed a threshold this week in the fight against COVID, more people have been vaccinated than have tested positive.
Edwards says he’s concerned that the good progress we have made could be undone by the rapidly spreading UK variant which is 50 more infectious, and 30 percent more deadly.
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CDC models show the UK variant doubling in prevalence every ten days.
Edwards says if folks continue to mask up and socially distance he’s bullish on the possibility of lowering restrictions in three weeks.
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The LSU basketball team will take on Mississippi State on the road tonight at 8 p.m. The Tigers have struggled lately, losing four of their last five games. March is right around the corner and the team is trying to build its NCAA Tournament resume. Coach Will Wade says every game from here on out is important.
Cut 16 (14) “…win some games.”
LSU is second in the SEC in scoring at 82 points per game, but Wade says some of his players need to impact the game in other ways besides scoring.
Cut 17 (12) “…other guys.”
It’s unclear whether Darius Days will return for the game after injuring his ankle against Texas Tech. The team might also be without another big man as Shareef O’Neal continues to battle a foot injury. Wade says his status for the game is up in the air.
Cut 18 (10) “…how he is.”