Louisiana Voice

Member of Congress are notorious for passing laws that affect everyone but themselves. Case in point, they are not exempt from laws on such subjects as sexual harassment, health care and insider trading but they do have an annoying habit of being able to look the other way when there are obvious violations.

But one need only look back to the year 2024—just two short years ago—to see wholesale cases of insider trading by members of Congress in direct violation of the 2012 STOCK ACT prohibiting the use of non-public information for private profit.

And the examples of insider trading by one Donald J. Trump are far too numerous to even list here.

And LouisianaVoice and just about every Louisiana news outlet has carried stories of how Julia Letlow (1) violated the STOCK Act some 200 times by missing reporting deadlines on her trades and (2) invested in Meta, which is constructing a mammoth data center in her district, a transaction one outlet said carried “A TRULY CROOKED STENCH.”

So, to put its collective purity on display just before the midterm elections, Congress on July 22 magnanimously passed the STOP INSIDER TRADING ACT (SITA) which increases penalties for insider trading in Congress from (wait for it) $200 to $2,000 or 10 percent of the value of the transaction, whichever is greater.

Think about that. With some trades netting hundreds of thousands of dollars, a 10 percent fine is little more than a broker’s fee—certainly not to be considered a deterrent. It’s a shell game, folks, and we’re the marks. Letlow is a great example of that: she voted for the bill even as she took full advantage of the soft enforcement of House ethics rules—all while running for the U.S. Senate.

You’d think that a good ethics bill would get solid bipartisan backing but alas, it barely passed, by a 232-198 vote.

Why, you ask, did it not get stronger support? Well, because House Republicans attached a rider that included the bulk of H.B. 9368 that would require photo ID to vote in federal elections. It’s all part of Trump’s SAVE America Act which is aimed at disenfranchising minorities and the elderly.

It also requires states to submit voter rolls to a federal database for review, a request with which Louisiana’s secretary of state has already complied.

Those with long memories will remember that a computerized database was instrumental in disqualifying tens of thousands of voters in Ohio in 2004. Ohio was a swing state that Bush won in a razor-thin majority over John Kerry. That particular data base was employed to ensure the placement of plentiful number of voting machines in districts favorable to Bush and to ration the machines to districts leaning toward Kerry. The result was people waiting as long as 16 hours to vote in the latter districts while just the opposite was the case in the others.

It’s no secret that the SAVE America Act is simply a repeat of that tactic and Trump, with a historically low approval rating, is desperate to keep Republican majorities in each chamber.

So, why not attach a rider onto a bill that looks like a strong ethics bill in order to get what Republicans want? It’s an old trick and one which only contributes to the existing state of gridlock.

If you seriously think for one nano-second that the bill, which, by the way, is doomed for failure in the Senate anyway, will discourage insider trading, you probably believe Trump was on Air Force One when it left Turkey.

By Paul Spillman

Can football season hurry up and get here? This summer of conflict and controversies just won’t quit and now another one has exploded in our own backyard.

Former LSU star quarterback and 2023 Heisman award winner Jayden Daniels has sent the university a cease and desist letter demanding LSU no longer use Daniels’ name, image, or likeness then followed that up with a demand LSU return its replica of Daniels’ Heisman trophy on display at the LSU Athletic complex.

What’s going on? Hurt feelings, mostly, coupled with a poor decision from a mom/agent with too much time on her hands. The spat surrounds the re-issuance of Daniels’ jersey number, 5, to sophomore cornerback D. J. Pickett. Daniels believes LSU promised him no one else would wear number 5, while Pickett was promised the jersey number during his recruitment.

LSU changed its policy on retiring jerseys in 2007. Prior to that a retired jersey meant the number was taken out of circulation, such as Billy Cannon’s number 20 or Pete Maravich’s number 23. But in 2007 LSU updated its policy to say that a player’s jersey would be retired but the number is not taken out of circulation and can be reissued at the discretion of the head coach.

In this case LSU head football coach Lane Kiffin approved Pickett switching from the number 3 he wore last season as a freshman to the number 5 Pickett was promised during his recruitment. Pickett was recruited to LSU under former coach Brian Kelly.

During a recent media availability Pickett said, “I’ve worn the number my whole life, since I was four years old. It’s the number I was promised. I wish Jayden the best. Good player, and he did real good here. That’s all.”

Kiffin didn’t add much, saying only that he had looked in to it and that if a recruit is promised something to sign he should receive what he was promised. During Pickett’s recruitment all the schools in his final list had agreed to the same stipulation, that Pickett could wear the number 5. Kiffin approved the switch.

Even though Kelly had promised the number to Pickett he had Picket wear number 3 last season because LSU did not get the buy-in from Daniels to reissue his number. Kelly had brought Daniels in as a transfer quarterback from Arizona State during Kelly’s first season as LSU head coach and Daniels won the Heisman in his second and final season at LSU passing for 3,812 yards and 40 touchdowns with a 72% completion rate and rushing for another 1,134 yards and 10 touchdowns. Only twelve college quarterbacks have ever passed for more than 3000 yards and rushed for more than 1000 yards in the same season. Kelly would naturally feel more of an obligation to Daniels than would Kiffin, who is obligated to winning now by keeping an All-American level cornerback from transferring over a jersey number.

According to reports both Kiffin and Pickett have spoken to Daniels but did not get Daniels agreement. Kiffin signed off on the switch anyway, prompting the response from the Daniels camp. Daniels’ agent is his mother, Regina Jackson.

The general consensus among observers is that it is Jackson more than Daniels pushing this issue. After the controversy became public Daniels, now the star quarterback for the NFL’s Washington Commanders, released a statement to the media expressing gratitude for his time at LSU and hoping for a “private resolution” adding his focus is on the Commanders’ upcoming season.

LSU has no rights to Daniels’ name, image, or likeness now that Daniels is no longer in school. A replica Heisman trophy is provided to the school of each winner, the school owns that replica, and LSU has no intention of surrendering its replica of Daniels’ Heisman trophy. It isn’t clear whether LSU is merchandising Daniels NIL by selling his jersey in the Gift Shop but it has reportedly been removed from display.

On social media the reaction has been overwhelmingly in favor of LSU, though not without plenty of cheap shots at the school and Kiffin. Because it’s Kiffin. And LSU. Brian Kelly is also taking his share of the heat for promising the number to Pickett but not following through and leaving it for Kiffin to deal with. Joe Burrow was even dragged in to it. Asked if he had any comments Burrow said he had only recently heard about it and hadn’t talked to anyone and declined to say anything more. But a persistent sportswriter asked if LSU had made him any promises and Burrow said he was told no one would ever wear his number again, then gave everybody an out by adding, “But you never know.”

Those who do side with Daniels point to the fact LSU’s other Heisman winners – Cannon and Burrow – have not had their numbers reissued. But as stated earlier Cannon’s number 20 is out of circulation and while Burrow’s number 9 isn’t it also hasn’t been worn since Burrow led LSU to the 2019 national championship.

And that brings up a topic most fans would rather avoid. Jayden Daniels had an amazing senior season at LSU. LSU has never had a quarterback with that particular skill set. If the Tiger defense had been up to the task LSU might have won another national championship in 2023. Instead that year’s team finished 9-3, then won a non-playoff bowl game in which Daniels did not participate. But Cannon won the Heisman the year after LSU won a national title and the same year as his Halloween night punt return to beat Ole Miss – a play iconic with LSU football. Burrow led an undefeated national championship team that is arguably among the best college teams ever. LSU has three Heisman winners but one is not like the other two – and no LSU fan wants to have that discussion. It’s unfortunate Daniels’ camp made the comparison in defense of their position.

But that’s what happens when the people around a star player have too much time on their hands and too much entitlement in their heads. From all appearances Jayden Daniels is a great guy and a great teammate. It would have been much better had Daniels released a statement expressing his disappoint with LSU but wishing Pickett a good season and challenging him to live up to the number. That would have been a classy move. Instead he’s stuck with his mom and her antics. And LSU is stuck, at least for the time being, with not being able to market a popular young NFL star as a recruiting tool. Everybody loses.

The start of the college football season cannot get here soon enough, but with three weeks still to go before LSU kicks off against Clemson on September 5 there is plenty of time for more bombshells and controversies. So grab a helmet, jump in the foxhole, and hope the season doesn’t blow up before it gets here.

Well, it certainly didn’t take long for Todd Blanche to make Sen. Bill Cassidy look like A DAMNED FOOL (again).

His first act after being confirmed by the Senate and sworn into office was to issue an opinion that executive privilege which is claimed by presidents to keep internal advice secret, extends to private citizens who advise the president. That effectively shields Trump from congressional oversight and facilitates even more corruption from the Trump administration (if that is even possible).

But the real red flag is Blache’s coyness in responding to questions about that $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund coupled with yesterday’s LAS VEGAS SUN report that Trump has not given up on the slush fund to pay out to Jan. 6 thugs, leaves Blanche’s assurances to Senate Republican early holdouts (including Cassidy) sounding pretty hollow.

Trump also has indicated he intends to retain that addendum that shields him and members of his family from all future IRS scrutiny.

Now, just take a moment to pause and ask yourself if you might possibly be able to negotiate such an agreement that protected you from all future IRS audits–no matter what transgression you might commit down the road.

The first question that pops into one’s head is why would anyone feel they needed such assurances? Could it have something to do with 385 checking accounts held by Trump that were closed by Capital One because of concerns about money laundering? Might that instill a fear of a comprehensive IRS audit and prompt one to take steps to avoid future problems?

In America, we love to say no one is above the law. Why, even Nixon was audited by the IRS while he was president and found to owe substantial amounts in taxes and penalties. If he can be held accountable, why not Trump?

But with all that, Cassidy still found reason to switch his position of opposing Blanche’s appointment to one of support. His verbal reasons were even posted on YouTube for all to see.

At least Cassidy didn’t stand alone in his incredulous disillusionment. At the outset, two other Repugnantcan senators, John Cornyn of Texas and Thom Tillis of North Carolina (who, like Cassidy, are halfway out the door), also opposed Blanche but switched to vote to confirm after Blanche sorta, kinda, hinted at promising that the slush fund was dead.

It wouldn’t be surprising to learn that all three also had sent money to that Nigerian prince or at least snapped up a vehicle warranty.

The one overriding question Louisiana voters must, MUST ask themselves before casting their votes for U.S. Senator in November is a simple one:

Can we trust Julia Letlow?

We can remember the recent attack ads in the Republican primary between her and State Treasurer John Fleming in which it was asserted (accurately, it turned out) she failed to disclose more than 200 stock trades on times and that many of the transactions reeked with the pungent odor of insider trading.

And of course, her response was she was not personally making those trades, that the investment firm Merrill Lynch was managing and executing transactions in her portfolio while neglecting to meet the 45-day reporting deadlines.

Of course, Merrill Lynch is NO PARAGON OF VIRTUE when it comes to above-board dealings but it’s highly doubtful that it would neglect such a requirement after the embarrassment of that 2008 debacle.

Now, after having disposed of Fleming in the primary and expected to win over Democratic challenger Jamie Davis, Letlow, we learn one of those transactions was the purchase of stock in Meta and Nvidia, a company which will provide chips which will power the Meta data centers.

Just by coincidence, we’re sure, Meta plans to build a massive data center in Richland Parish, smack-dab in the middle of Letlow’s current House district and also by happenstance, she was a party to one of those cursed non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) that shield critical information from the prying eyes of the public and press.

It’s going to be a little difficult for her to pass the blame for the NDA off on some third party since HER SIGNATURE is featured rather prominently at the bottom of that document. The digital news source for the document, as is becoming more and more commonplace, is not the traditional media, but THE LOUISIANA ILLUMINATOR, which has become the most reliable source for Louisiana political news.

So, Letlow signed the NDA, which provided her valuable access to confidential information relative to Meta’s plans for that giant data center in Richland Parish, which in turn, provided her with valuable investment information.

Oh, and that NDA? Turns out it was not one of those that has garnered so much negative publicity of late, but a separate document provided exclusively by Meta—and it’s identical to an earlier NDA Louisiana’s “transparent” Gov. JEFF LANDRY SIGNED WITH META..

Letlow, in much the same manner as another prominent politician who presently occupies the Oval Office, began buying stock in the two companies within months of signing her NDA and six months after signing the paper, she gushed, “What a day for Richland Parish!” She said at the event’s launch that she “even skipped a vote in Washington” to be on hand for the formal announcement. “Don’t tell anybody, please,” she joked while making sure not to tell anybody about her investment in the company she was there promoting. Why, it was almost the investing equivalent to hiding in a food cart to escape a reported assassination plot while leaving others vulnerable. The vulnerable in this case would be all those loyal Repugnantcan residents of her district—and now, with her candidacy for higher office, make that the entire state—who live at or below the poverty level.

Her campaign asserted she had no role in any of her trades nor did the NDA play any role in them because she was unaware the trades were taking place.

If you believe that….you must believe it was vandals who destroyed the lining in the Reflecting Pool and that Trump has always been a faithful, doting husband.

This is the type story that could tighten the November race between her and Davis considerably.