Monuments taken down could be relocated to state parks under a bill making its way through the legislature. Andrew Greenstein reports.
Cut 1 (30) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”
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The Republican lawmaker at the center of the redistricting debate says he’s received death threats after accused of using a derogatory word towards the executive director of the Louisiana Democratic Party. Jeff Palermo has the story…
Cut 2 (33) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”
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Monuments which are taken down may have new life, thanks to a bill advancing in the legislature. Chalmette Representative Mike Bayham’s bill would transfer any publicly-owned historical statue or monument removed from public display to the Office of State Parks. Bayham says it’s a good compromise.
Cut 3 (09) “…their land anymore.”
Bayham says under his bill, the office would be required to move any such monument to a location in a different parish which is open to the public.
Cut 4 (12) “…protection from vandalism.”
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, Bayham says his bill makes no mention of Confederate monuments and applies to other monuments as well.
Cut 5 (09) “…been taken down.”
The bill passed in the House last week on a vote of 78 to 14 and now moves to the Senate.
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A bill that would increase the pay of the governor and other statewide elected officials barely gets enough votes to pass the Louisiana House. Harahan Representative John Illg’s legislation would increase the governor’s salary in 2028 from 130 thousand to 174-thousand dollars, the same amount a U-S Representative receives…
Cut 6 (09) “…appropriate measure.”
The bill passed on a 54-35 vote. Fifty-three “Yes” votes are needed for a bill to pass the 105-member House, and there were several state representatives who tried to change their vote afterwards, but it was too late.
Illg’s legislation also increases the salary of the state’s other six statewide elected officials from 115 thousand to 154-thousand dollars.
He says the measure does not raise the pay for state lawmakers, which would stay at $16,800. But the measure would provide legislators with additional opportunities to receive per diem…
Illg says it’s been decades since the state addressed the pay of elected officials…
The measure heads to the Senate and it’s unknown what kind of support the bill will receive.
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State Senator Jay Morris says he and his staff received multiple death threats for something he says he never said. The executive director of the Louisiana Democratic Party 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…
Morris says news outlets support his story that he did not use the word “Boy” when he told Lanus, a Black Man, to “Shut Up.”
The Republican from West Monroe says one voice mail threatened to carry out a mass shooting at his office….
Morris blames the leaders at the Louisiana Democratic Party of using lies to generate hate
Lanus says Morris told him, a Black man, to shut up boy. Morris admits to telling the crowd behind him to shut up because they were distracting him while he was answering questions from the committee.
State Police is investigating.
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New Orleans Senator Gary Carter is no longer on the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee after his heated exchange with West Monroe Senator Jay Morris. 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…
Senate Governmental Affairs Chairman Caleb Kleinpeter had to stop the meeting so emotions could subside.
Carter issued a public apology to Morris on the Senate floor….
On Tuesday, Senator Carter announced he is stepping away from Senate Governmental Affairs and will be replaced by fellow Democrat and New Orleans Senator Royce Duplessis. Carter says his decision to remove himself from the panel will help restore the decorum and focus this moment demands.
During a speech to fellow Senators, Carter admits he lost his cool while discussing a contentious issue…..