Free Republic

Rep. Cleo Fields (D-La.) has announced he will not seek reelection, choosing instead to run for state Senate in the wake of the Supreme Court’s ruling gutting the Voting Rights Act. In a statement late Tuesday afternoon, Fields said he came to the decision after “a great deal of prayer and reflection.” “I feel my calling to serve the people is better put to use back home than here in D.C., and I intend to answer that call,” said Fields, whose majority-Black district encompasses parts of Shreveport, Baton Rouge and Lafayette. Fields’ announcement comes after the Louisiana state legislature in...

Blanco: Lawmakers upset pet projects cut By JOHN LaPLANTE jlaplante@theadvocate.com Capitol editor Gov. Kathleen Blanco says black lawmakers are suing her because they are upset about losing $6 million allotted to their pet projects. "That's a very small amount of money compared to the whole problem," Blanco said when asked about the lawsuit, which seeks to void budget cuts that close about half of a $1 billion state budget hole. "Everybody is giving up a lot" in the aftermath of two devastating hurricanes, Blanco told reporters. Before the storms, Blanco enjoyed good relations with black lawmakers and allowed them to...

Same-sex proposal falls short in Senate By MARSHA SHULER mshuler@theadvocate.com Capitol news bureau A proposed constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriages in Louisiana fell one vote shy of passage Wednesday in the state Senate.Six senators were missing in action for the vote. Proponents said the loss was a setback but they expect to win Senate passage when the legislation comes up for another vote later. Some pro-amendment senators were absent Wednesday. The Senate voted 25 to 8. But 26 yeas -- a two-thirds majority of the 39-member body --- is required to pass any proposed constitutional amendment. If the measure passes...

<p>BATON ROUGE - Louisiana Senate Secretary Mike Baer made a racially offensive remark on live television election night Saturday.</p> <p>But black senators said they would not ask for his resignation. And WAFB-TV apologized to its viewers throughout Monday.</p> <p>Baer, who is elected by senators as the state Senate's chief administrative officer, also apologized.</p>