Louisiana lawmakers discuss key issues ahead of Regular Legislative Session
Emerson, who serves as the House Ways and Means Chair, acknowledged Louisiana's pressing challenges in property and auto insurance.
'We know that we have to address it. We know that we have some of the highest rates in the country, if not the highest rates,' she said.
While she noted improvements in property insurance, Emerson emphasized that more work is needed, particularly concerning auto insurance rates.
'This session we're hoping to address everything on the auto insurance side, which does encompass some legal reform as well. So we will be looking to those things to try to create a better environment for insurance,' Emerson added.
Tax reform was also a key topic, with Emerson discussing the recent failure of Amendment Two, which sought to combine Louisiana's budget and revenue stabilization funds. While acknowledging mixed public feedback, Emerson emphasized the proposal's long-term benefits.
'When you combine those two funds, that does help remove that $600 million limit we have on corporate and franchise tax collections that goes into revenue stabilization. And so that frees up more money from the general fund and further helps us reduce rates moving forward,' she said.
House Appropriations Chair Jack McFarland addressed the state's budget and the ongoing discussion around funding for education. He proposed using a $2 billion fund to reduce debt, which would, in turn, free up funds for teacher raises.
'The teacher stipend is a priority,' stated McFarland. 'Our education system is on the rise in Louisiana. You've heard that reported. Teachers are playing a large role in that.'
McFarland also highlighted efforts to reduce teacher burdens, particularly concerning testing, and discussed the state's projected $194 million budget shortfall.
'There are still things that we have to begin to do to prepare for the shortfalls, not just this year, but for those in future years,' he said.
He suggested using the Revenue Stabilization Fund for one-time expenses instead of recurring costs as part of a strategy to address the budget gap.
With the legislative session set to begin on April 14, both Emerson and McFarland expressed optimism that progress could be made in tackling these critical issues. As the session unfolds, lawmakers will continue to work on addressing Louisiana's fiscal challenges and the needs of its citizens.
The public can expect updates on key decisions that will impact their communities in the coming weeks.
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Louisiana lawmakers discuss key issues ahead of Regular Legislative Session
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The Hill
20 minutes ago
- The Hill
Whole Hog Politics: Checking in on Election Day 2025
On the menu: Classical on the rocks; Newsom unveils Texas revenge package; Brown in; Where do you put 653 House members?; A dumpling for a bear There are many kinds of bias in the news business, but few as durable and reliable as New Yorkism: the outsized place that news happening in America's media capital gets in the national discussion. While home to an impressively large 6 percent of the nation's population, the New York metropolitan area definitely gets more than its fair share of coverage thanks to being the home to the two largest newspapers in the country and the headquarters of every broadcast news division. So it has been with the coverage of New York's mayoral election, which, aside from being easy and interesting to cover for big-time journos, has featured a great deal of drama: A surprising primary win by telegenic socialist Zohran Mamdani, who disrupted former Gov. Andrew Cuomo 's comeback bid. It's got ideological polarization, allegations of antisemitism, personal attacks, the always-wild incumbent Eric Adams and a guy with signature headwear. But what New York doesn't seem to have right now is a very competitive race. With less than 12 weeks to go, Mamdani seems to have not only weathered the initial backlash after his surprise victory but established himself as the nearly prohibitive front-runner. A new Siena University poll shows Mamdani up 19 points over Cuomo, 32 points over Republican Curtis Sliwa and 37 points ahead of Adams. There is still a considerable chunk of undecided voters or supporters of candidates even more marginal than Adams, but even with ranked choice voting, it doesn't look like much of a race. If Cuomo was the second choice of every Adams and Sliwa voter — which he won't be — and none of the undecided came in for Mamdani — which some of them will — it would only be a tie in an automatic runoff. Woof. The good news for Cuomo here is that Adams is far below the viability threshold and that 7 percent could become just a point or two as voters conclude he isn't a serious contender. The former governor has time to change the race, but that's a tall order when you're such a well-defined quantity in voter's minds. He can't sneak up on anybody the way Mamdani could in the primary. So what about the races not in New York, particularly across the river in New Jersey and down in Virginia. While New York City's electorate and issues bear little resemblance to the broader nation, here are a couple of medium-sized states with populations that end up looking a great deal like the broad, national electorate the parties will confront in next year's midterms. Let's start next door in New Jersey, where Republicans are hoping that suburbanites' backlash against Mamdani's perceived radicalism will work in their favor. New Jersey Republicans also have a tried and tested candidate in Jack Ciattarelli, a former state assembly member who came within 3 points of unseating incumbent Gov. Phil Murphy four years ago. But Democrats have a good horse in the race too, having picked moderate, four-term Rep. Mikie Sherrill to succeed the term-limited Murphy. Republicans are getting excited because in two polls since the general election was set in June, Ciattarelli has been within 8 points and 6 points of the Democratic front-runner. Given that Ciattarelli closed a much wider gap to make the race competitive with Murphy in 2021, this sounds like a possible winner for Republicans. But we should note the significant differences between then and now: Murphy was bogged down by the unpopularity of his aggressive COVID restrictions and voters were growing increasingly frustrated with the ineffectual and left-leaning Biden administration. Local man Donald Trump wasn't really in the picture. Now much of that has been reversed. Those same polls show that Trump is even more unpopular than Murphy in New Jersey and voters looking to send a message of change will be voting for the blue team and not the red. Neither candidate has huge statewide name identification but neither seems obviously defective, so this will probably function more like a generic ballot test than a clash of personalities. And that's what has New Jersey Democrats feeling, as the saying goes, 'nauseously optimistic.' In Virginia, the nausea is all on the GOP side, where Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears is trying to become the first Republican to hold the governor's mansion for her party in consecutive terms since 1998 as she seeks to succeed Gov. Glenn Youngkin. For an idea of how that's working out, the state's police union took the unusual step of endorsing Earle-Sears's Democratic opponent, former Rep. Abigail Spanberger, before endorsing every other Republican candidate for statewide office. There are snubs, and then there are snubs … There's cross river context in Virginia, too. In Washington, D.C., across the Potomac, President Trump is taking over the police and bulldozing homeless encampments as he denounces crime and disorder. Spanberger, though, made a strenuous point about maintaining a tough-on-crime stance and shunning 'defund the police' rhetoric in her time in Congress. But other than on law-and-order issues, everything else Trump is doing to the race is negative for his party in Virginia. Mass federal firings, culture war shenanigans and increasingly broad immigration enforcement measures are all liabilities in a state that relies on federal paychecks, has among the most college-educated electorates in the country and a large and growing Hispanic population. That leaves Earle-Sears in a tricky spot when it comes to the leader of her party, who has at least so far done her the favor of not publicly endorsing her or threatening to campaign for her. There has not been a ton of polling in the race, but the little that we have shows Spanberger, who enjoys a massive fundraising advantage, in something of a boat race. She's up 14 points in a Virginia Commonwealth University poll with an electorate that has a pretty favorable view of Youngkin and a pretty poor view of Trump. Again, almost 12 weeks is a long time, but without a change in the race soon, this one will fall out of reach for Republicans before the first day of fall. Holy croakano! We welcome your feedback, so please email us with your tips, corrections, reactions, amplifications, etc. at WHOLEHOGPOLITICS@ If you'd like to be considered for publication, please include your real name and hometown. If you don't want your comments to be made public, please specify. NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION Trump Job Performance Average Approval: 43 percent Average Disapproval: 53.2 percent Net Score: -10.2 points Change from last week: No change Change from one month ago: ↑ 2.2 points [ Average includes: CNBC 46 percent approve – 51 percent disapprove; Ipsos/Reuters 40 percent approve – 56 percent disapprove; Emerson 46 percent approve – 47 percent disapprove; Fox News 46 percent approve – 54 percent disapprove; Gallup 37 percent approve – 58 percent disapprove] More Americans choose not to booze Do you have occasion to use alcoholic beverages such as liquor, wine or beer, or are you a total abstainer? Yes, drink; No, total abstainer 2021: 60 percent; 39 percent 2022: 67 percent; 33 percent 2025: 54 percent; 44 percent [Gallup survey of 1,002 adults, July 7-21, 2025] ON THE SIDE: HAYDN IN PLAIN SIGHT The New York Times: 'For the last decade, the classical pianist Hunter Noack has been embarking on an unusual journey: He hauls a thousand-pound 1912 Steinway concert grand piano to places in the outdoors not known for hosting concerts. Picture a man seated at a piano beside a lake. It could also be on a mountaintop, in a forest or meadow. … 'I get excited at the idea of bringing a piano where no piano has gone before,' Noack said. … The concerts are held rain or shine, hot or cold. (The temperature during concerts has ranged from subfreezing to above 100 degrees.) Among the notable locales where Noack has played are the entrance to Yellowstone (via the Roosevelt Arch in Montana), Joshua Tree National Park in California, Crater Lake in southern Oregon and Banff National Park in Canada. … Among other wildlife that made appearances were free-range horses, birds and deer.' PRIME CUTS Newsom plows ahead with redistricting, frames move as temporary: ABC News: 'California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Thursday that he is moving forward with putting proposed new congressional maps for the state on the ballot on a Nov. 4 special election in an attempt to counter mid-decade redistricting being pushed by Republicans in Texas. … He said the state government will affirm its commitment to the state's independent redistricting commission after the 2030 census, 'but we're asking the voters for their consent to do midterm redistricting in 2026, 2028 and 2030 for the congressional maps to respond to what's happening in Texas … and we'll do so in a way that also affirms our desire as a state to level the playing field all across the United States.'' ICE puts a chill on the event: KTLA: 'Federal agents were in attendance as Gov. Gavin Newsom took to downtown Los Angeles Thursday to promote his redistricting plan. Newsom, who has proposed changing California's congressional districts to offset a similar action by Republican-controlled Texas, spoke at the Japanese American National Museum. Just outside in the Little Tokyo area, however, about 100 federal agents gathered, presumably for another immigration raid.' A muddled race for California governor: WHTM: 'New polling in the California Governor's race shows Katie Porter (D) and Steve Hilton (R) leading the field after former Vice President Kamala Harris decided not to enter the race. The survey showed the former congresswoman Porter leading the field with 18% with a six-point bump since April. Hilton, a media personality and former British policy advisor, received 12% in his first appearance in the Emerson College Polling survey. Former Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco (R) received 7%, former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (D) received 5%, and businessman Rick Caruso (D) received 4% in the Emerson College Polling survey. Thirty-eight percent of voters polled were undecided in the race, down from 54% in April when Harris had not yet announced her intentions to stay out of the race. … Voters were largely split on Newsom's plan to potentially redraw congressional districts in response to Texas, with 33% of California voters favoring a redraw, 25% opposed, and 42% undecided.' Kounalakis ditches race to succeed Newsom: KCRA: ' Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis has dropped out of the 2026 governor's race and is instead running for another state office … Kounalakis' campaign website now has multiple references across her page that indicate she is now running to become the state treasurer.' Brown tries again, banking on Ohio midterm swing: The New York Times: 'Former Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio plans to try to return to the Senate in 2026, giving the Democratic Party a strong recruit in its effort to take back control of the chamber next year, according to three people with knowledge of his decision. Mr. Brown, who served in the Senate for three terms until his defeat in 2024, immediately becomes the Democratic front-runner to face Senator Jon Husted, a freshman Republican whom Gov. Mike DeWine appointed to fill the vacancy created by JD Vance 's elevation to the vice presidency. … In the Senate race, Mr. Husted is seeking to win the remainder of Mr. Vance's term. Whoever wins will need to face voters again in 2028 to secure a full six-year term. … Republicans currently hold a 53-47 Senate majority, and Mr. Vance serves as a tiebreaking vote, meaning Democrats must flip four seats to regain control of the chamber.' Maine Dems, weary of waiting on Gov. Janet Mills, ready challenges to Collins: The Washington Post: 'Sen. Susan Collins is, by far, the most vulnerable Republican senator facing voters next year. And yet, Democrats are grumbling about the campaign against her, with many waiting — somewhat begrudgingly — to see if Maine Gov. Janet Mills will challenge the five-term incumbent. … Mills is currently the only elected Democrat in Maine with a proven ability to win statewide. … She is viewed in Maine as a centrist Democrat. … While some Democrats see Mills as their best shot at defeating Collins, it's not clear what the governor herself wants to do. … There was some hope among national Democrats that Rep. Jared Golden would challenge Collins, but he declined to run for Senate and is instead running for reelection. Ryan Fecteau, the speaker of the Maine House, and Cathy Breen, a former state senator, are both considering a possible bid, Democrats tell us. … And Aaron Frey, the attorney general of Maine, is likely to get in if Mills does not run.' Crunching the numbers on North Carolina Senate: DDHQ: '[A] look at the aggregate U.S. House vote in North Carolina [in 2024] suggests the state could shift to the left sufficiently for Democrats to win in a state that Trump carried by about 3 points in 2024. … Yet the less right-leaning 2024 result does not necessarily augur that Democrats can count on North Carolina to shift their way if the nation does. This is because North Carolina is generally one of the more 'inelastic' states in U.S. elections — that is, its electorate tends to move less in response to swings in the national electoral environment. That's partly because of racial polarization: North Carolina's white voters have a clear Republican lean while the state's sizable base of Black voters — about one-fifth of the electorate, second to only Georgia in magnitude among swing states — are overwhelmingly Democratic. In terms of its party allegiances, this makes North Carolina's electorate 'stickier' year-in and year-out.' SHORT ORDER Freedom Caucus stalwart jumps in race to succeed [ Tommy ] Tuberville in Alabama — The Hill Poll shows [ Elise ] Stefanik way behind but gaining on Hochul for NY governor — The Hill Effort to unseat Sen. Lindsey Graham in South Carolina primary narrows to a mega MAGA stalwart — The Hill Georgia AG files suit to block his rival in gubernatorial run from self-funding — AP Chip Roy, long a thorn in House leadership's side, eyes Texas AG run — The Hill DeSantis, frozen out by state GOP, may be grooming successor with Lt. Gov. pick — AP Warning signs for Republicans with Hispanic voters — Liberal Patriot 2028 Watch: [ Ruben ] Gallego wraps Iowa visit, on to New Hampshire — The Hill TABLE TALK: MAGA MIRAGE 'All of the candidates in the race think they're the Trump candidate.' — Alex Stroman, former South Carolina GOP executive director, on the increasingly nasty race for governor in the Palmetto State, which includes Rep. Nancy Mace and state Attorney General Alan Wilson. MAILBAG 'I believe that, as long as there are people interested in politics and outcomes, there will be gerrymandering. The real current problem concerning it is there is not a level playing field for the two opposing parties. Redistricting commissions get in the way in too many big Democratic-controlled states and they need to be undone. Some people think that having such commissions staffed by independent people everywhere would be the cure. I disagree. Where are you going to find competent independent people who truly don't care about outcomes? The moon? If you add 218 or however many extra people to the House of Representatives, where are they going to sit? Will committee hearings and floor votes all be conducted via Zoom?' — Ken Stevens, Columbia, Md. Mr. Stevens, I tend to agree with you about the necessity of understanding redistricting for what it is: an exercise of political power. I am sure that those folks who live in places like your hometown in the Baltimore burbs feel that most intensely as it relates to Democrats in urban centers, while those who live in an urban center in a red state, say, Nashville, would experience it most acutely from the other direction. It would be better if state legislators cared more about designing districts that provided the best, most stable, most convenient districts for their constituents and less about obtaining partisan advantage. But if Old Bay didn't have paprika in it, it wouldn't stain your fingers when you picked crabs. It's just the way of things. And impartial commissions don't ultimately solve the problem because each map involves subjective decisionmaking, in which competing goods must be balanced. Is it more essential for a district to be compact or to contain voters of a similar socioeconomic or cultural situation? What about precedent? Should longstanding districts be maintained even when the population changes? All are worthwhile considerations, but often in conflict. Vesting that power in the hands of commissions insulates those decisionmakers from the voting public. There is a great deal to be said for having experts craft potential maps from which lawmakers can choose. I think a system in which lawmakers assigned the work of drafting four or five maps and then holding hearings before voting strikes me as a good compromise. But the most direct way to deal with gerrymandering is, I believe, expanding the House of Representatives so that the consequences of any single gerrymandering would be much smaller. It would also create more competitive, swing districts regardless of the best efforts of the gerrymanderers. As for what to do with another 218 members of the House, Washington Post columnist Danielle Allen asked architects to take a stab at how to accommodate new members and some of the results were, frankly, pretty cool, particularly putting the House 'in the round.' All best, c 'When I ran for Congress back in 2002, there were about 625,000 people in the district, but it only took about 15,000 votes to win the Republican Primary, and since it was a pretty red district, the winner of the primary was a shoo-in in November. That needs to end, since it essentially means the 'tail is wagging' the dog. I think Congress should go back to the old ways and pick a number, be it 100,000, 200,000, 250,000, whatever … and then however many districts that creates is how many it creates, so be it. As the population grows, the number of Representatives will grow. I'm envisioning at least 2,000 or more Representatives and growing. … On the other hand, people will complain that the Capitol can't hold that many representatives, to that I say. … Why have Congress meet in Washington at all? Remote voting should be allowed. Why not just have them all do one huge video conference?' — Dave Kovatch, Rhodelia, Ky. Mr. Kovatch, Whoa, whoa, whoa! I love your enthusiasm, but that's a lot of lawmakers. We want for members of Congress to be able to reason together and experience a little unit cohesion. The House should be for exercising political competition within itself but also against the Senate, the states, the judiciary and, most essentially, the executive. Thousands of lawmakers connected virtually with one and other strikes me as a recipe for increased factionalism and an even greater degree of partisan capture. Ideally, lawmakers come to town and develop both expertise and relationships as they serve. At the end of three terms in the House, we'd hope to see members who have developed mastery of subjects and of the legislative process. Committee assignments should be consequential because committees should be powerful. I think that can be accommodated while growing the House by 50 percent, but not in a world where the members never have to leave the comfort of their home offices. In fact, I'd also like to ditch the housing allowance and build dormitory housing for lawmakers while they are in town. All best, c You should email us! Write to WHOLEHOGPOLITICS@ with your tips, kudos, criticisms, insights, rediscovered words, wonderful names, recipes, and, always, good jokes. Please include your real name — at least first and last — and hometown. Make sure to let us know in the email if you want to keep your submission private. My colleague, the personable Meera Sehgal, and I will look for your emails and then share the most interesting ones and my responses here. Clickety clack! FOR DESSERT: GRITTY WOULD HAVE STOOD HIS GROUND AP: '[Pro hockey team] Seattle Kraken forward John Hayden and the team's blue-haired troll mascot had a close call with a brown bear during a promotional video shoot in Alaska. Hayden and the mascot named Buoy were on a fly-fishing outing in Katmai National Park as part of a trip promoting youth hockey when the bear approached, video released by the team shows. Knee-deep in a shallow river, they wore waders and other fly-fishing gear. Hayden had been fishing, but a guide quickly took the rod from him. The bear charged toward the mascot, splashing water, but turned away before making contact as Hayden, Buoy and the film crew waded back to shore through a gentle current. … The NHL team said it didn't intend to involve the bear in filming, but included it in a video posted to social media. … 'I want to blame it on Buoy,' Hayden said on the video afterward. 'They were pretty interested in his look.'' Chris Stirewalt is the politics editor for The Hill and NewsNation, the host of 'The Hill Sunday' on NewsNation and The CW, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and the author of books on politics and the media. Meera Sehgal contributed to this report.
Vox
an hour ago
- Vox
Why Trump thinks DC can't govern itself
is a correspondent at Vox, where he covers the impacts of social and economic policies. He is the author of 'Within Our Means,' a biweekly newsletter on ending poverty in America. DC statehood has always been an uphill battle because of the paternalistic roots of the federal government's relationship with the nation's a few years ago, the movement for Washington, DC, statehood was gaining steam. In 2020 and 2021, Democrats in the House passed bills to make DC the 51st state, re-energizing the fight to grant residents of the nation's capital representation in Congress. This didn't necessarily come as a surprise. For some time, Trump has fantasized about taking over DC altogether, saying that the federal government would do a much better job running the city than its current mayor, Muriel Bowser. So, how did DC go from building a growing movement for statehood to a hostile federal takeover in just a few short years? The simple answer is that Republicans are now in power, and they'd like to make an example out of DC. But even without Republican control of the White House or Congress, statehood and full self-governance have always been an uphill battle, because there's also a deeper history of the federal government's paternalistic relationship with the nation's capital. DC's self-governance has always been controversial Washington, DC, was specifically established to serve as the nation's capital. The US Constitution gave Congress the power to create a small federal district that doesn't exceed 10 square miles to serve as the seat of the federal government. In 1790, Congress passed the Residence Act, which paved the way to build a new capital along the Potomac River. And so, DC was established by carving out land from Maryland and Virginia (which later took its portion back) and was under Congress's jurisdiction. That meant there would be no democratically elected mayor or local government. But DC grew into a full city, with residents living there on a permanent basis — not just to serve the federal government. And, for most of the city's history, those residents were entirely disenfranchised — unable to get representation in Congress or even vote for president. That changed during the civil rights era, when DC's voting rights (or lack thereof) garnered more attention, in no small part because of the city's large Black population, which, by 1960, had become the majority. As a result, the constitution was officially amended in 1961 to grant DC residents the right to vote for president, but the amendment stopped short of granting them representation in Congress. Even then, DC didn't have a democratically elected local government. So, in 1974, Congress passed the DC Home Rule Act, which allowed residents to elect their own mayor and council. That finally gave the nation's capital some form of self-governance, but Congress ultimately retained its power to overrule local laws and budgets if it so pleased. The federal government's resistance to giving DC autonomy is ultimately rooted in racism. Known as Chocolate City, DC was the epicenter of Black arts, culture, and politics. And since it gained the right to vote for local officials, DC has only ever elected Black mayors. As a result, opposition to DC statehood has often leaned on the paternalistic and racist notion that Black people can't be trusted to govern themselves — that the city's residents simply don't know what's best for them. That's why conservative lawmakers have pointed to issues like crime or corruption as evidence that DC can't be trusted to be a state. In 2021, for example, Steve Scalise, the Republican House majority leader, wrote, 'Why should the District of Columbia be granted statehood when it can't even perform basic governmental duties like protecting its residents from criminals?' Scalise also said that the city was simply too corrupt to be a state. These kinds of arguments have been repeated by people on the right for decades, despite the fact that states, including Scalise's own Louisiana, are well-known for their corruption and crime. So even if those issues were a legitimate concern (they shouldn't be), then why should the residents of DC be treated any differently than other Americans? Part of the reason in recent years has less to do with explicit racism and more to do with partisan politics. If DC were to get full representation in Congress, it would undoubtedly benefit Democrats, since the city is overwhelmingly Democratic. (Trump, for example, only got 6.5 percent of the vote in DC in 2024.) That explains why Democrats are on board with DC statehood while Republicans are fiercely opposed. But this is the natural extension of the overt racism that has long defined opposition for DC self-governance. Before the Home Rule Act, President Lyndon B. Johnson reorganized how the district was governed and appointed Walter Washington to serve as the mayor-commissioner of DC. When Washington, who was Black, submitted his first budget to Congress, the response was astonishingly racist; John McMillan, a Democrat from South Carolina who chaired the House Committee on the District of Columbia, sent Washington a truckload of watermelons. Now, Republicans might not play the same tactics, but the degree to which they ignore Black Washingtonians and their rights is unmistakable. 'Yes, Wyoming is smaller than Washington by population, but it has three times as many workers in mining, logging, and construction, and ten times as many workers in manufacturing,' Tom Cotton, the Republican senator from Arkansas, said in 2021 in a speech opposing DC statehood. 'In other words, Wyoming is a well-rounded working-class state.' But, as I noted then, roughly 140,000 people in DC's labor force were considered working class in 2016, according to the Center for American Progress, while about 220,000 workers in Wyoming were considered working class. The most notable difference in those two populations is that the vast majority of DC's working class was made up of people of color, while 84 percent of Wyoming's working class was white. The consequences of federal control Federal intervention in DC's affairs has often poorly served residents, and not just because they have, through the years, been denied voting rights, self-governance, and representation in Congress. Congress's meddling in local laws has ultimately served the interests of lawmakers from other states and not the interests of the people living in the city. One of the most notable examples of this was during the AIDS epidemic. In the 1990s, DC spent money on needle exchange programs, which research has shown is critical in preventing the spread of infectious diseases, including HIV/AIDS. But, Congress banned the city from using its own funds on needle exchange programs — a ban that lasted nine years. During that time, the city saw a surge in infections and had the highest rate of HIV per capita in the country, even exceeding rates in developing countries. And, because DC was a majority Black city, the policy disproportionately affected Black people. Trump's plan to federalize the local police force follows those exact footsteps — placing his own interests above those of DC residents and their elected officials. The move is a blatantly political one. Trump is using DC as a warning to other cities: If you pass progressive criminal justice laws, then he will try his best to intervene. It's a paternalistic instinct, one that is anti-democratic at its core, taking local control away from the hands of voters. And what's unfortunate for DC is that Trump's move is not entirely unprecedented. It falls in line with how the federal government has long viewed DC's self-governance: at best an inconvenience, and at worst, a threat.
Politico
2 hours ago
- Politico
Al Lawson weighs in on redistricting push
Good morning and happy Friday. AL LAWSON knows what it's like to have a congressional district upended by redistricting. The North Florida Democrat got elected to Congress in 2016 after the state Supreme Court put in place a new district that stretched from Tallahassee to Jacksonville. But his district was dismantled at the direction of Gov. RON DESANTIS during 2022's redistricting. Multiple legal challenges failed, and Lawson tried to hold onto his seat. But he lost to REP. NEAL DUNN who had Tallahassee added to his solid Republican district. Now several states — including Texas, California and maybe Florida — are embarking on mid-decade redistricting efforts sparked by President DONALD TRUMP's push to get Texas to change its map in order to bolster Republicans' slim majority in the House. Lawson calls the situation in Texas 'bad' and cited it as an example of how the nation is 'moving away from a representative democracy.' But he said he supported the actions of Democrats in other states such as California to counter what was happening in the red state. 'At this point, it's the right response,' Lawson told Playbook during an interview held in his Tallahassee office. 'Because everybody wants the Democrats to stand up for something, you know? And over the years Democrats just kind of let things go.' When it comes to his own redistricting experiences, Lawson has moved on somewhat. 'I felt more sorry for all the constituents than I did for myself,' he said, adding that he still gets calls from people across north Florida and questions whether Dunn is adequately representing them. But Lawson added that his wife had health problems shortly after he was defeated in 2022 and that he would have had to take a leave of absence to help her. Lawson, 76, remains proud of his time in office, saying he grew up poor in Gadsden County and wound up spending 28 years in the Florida Legislature before moving to Congress. He said his career shows 'everything is possible' for those living all along the I-10 corridor in North Florida. In the interview, Lawson recounted his friendly relationships with Republicans such as SUSIE WILES and BRIAN BALLARD but mentioned how distant DeSantis was when they both served in Congress. 'He didn't have very much interaction with Republicans,' he said. 'And he would stay in a corner and play on his phone.' In terms of Florida's political future, Lawson contended that if state legislators go ahead and embark on a redistricting push, it could wind up hurting South Florida Republicans like Rep. MARIO DÍAZ-BALART. His seat stretches from Miami Beach and Hialeah across the bottom of the state to Collier County. 'I probably need to have a going away party [for him],' Lawson quipped. (Díaz-Balart's seat is currently being challenged in federal court as an illegal race-based gerrymander. A trial is scheduled for early January.) When it comes to his plans, Lawson says he has been asked to consider running for governor, even though he acknowledged 'I might not be a good candidate.' He has doubts about DAVID JOLLY, the former GOP member of Congress who switched parties and is now running as a Democrat with dozens of endorsements. 'During the time he was up there, he voted against everything that was in my interest and in the interest of the people of Florida,' he said. Lawson said Florida Democratic Party chair NIKKI FRIED asked him if he was interested in running for agriculture commissioner or chief financial officer. 'And so I said, 'No, I don't have that on my radar.' Lawson said he will have more clarity about his plans by November, but added also he has talked to VAL DEMINGS about the possibility that her husband, Orange County Mayor JERRY DEMINGS, may run for governor. — Gary Fineout Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget that Playbook should look at? Get in touch at: kleonard@ and @leonardkl. ... DATELINE TALLAHASSEE ... TODAY — State economists will meet with the governor's budget staff and House and Senate aides to draw up forecasts for Florida's tax revenues. The funds play a key role in paying for prisons, schools and health programs. The discussion today could provide insight into how economists are thinking about the effects of Trump's tariffs, the direction of interest rates and inflation, as well as the housing market. 'DEPORTATION DEPOT' COMING IN TWO WEEKS — DeSantis announced Thursday that the state will open a second immigration detention center inside a now-shuttered state prison in North Florida as the fate of its first such facility in the Everglades lies in the hands of a federal judge. Florida plans to spend up to $6 million to stand up Baker Correctional Institution — which is 15 minutes away from an airport in Lake City — to hold more than 1,300 people awaiting deportation. Baker was 'temporarily closed' amid ongoing staffing problems in the state prison system. — Gary Fineout RESPONSE FROM DEMS — 'These inhumane facilities reward massive, taxpayer-funded no-bid contracts to politically connected businesses and corporate elite donors,' Fried said. 'DeSantis is funneling millions of tax dollars from the working and middle class to fill the pockets of the wealthy at the expense of immigrants who have come to our State seeking a better life for their families.' SHUCKS — State wildlife officials voted Thursday to move toward opening Apalachicola Bay to limited oyster harvesting in 2026 — more than five years after it was closed. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission agreed to consider rules in November reopening the iconic fishery in January, nine months ahead of a schedule recommended by agency staff. Seafood workers and Franklin County commissioners urged the panel to reopen the bay sooner, arguing that oysters were making a comeback after the shellfish population crashed in 2012. — Bruce Ritchie HEALTH CARE FOR STATE WORKERS — The state's health insurance program for Florida employees is poised to run into the red next year, according to new projections released this week by state economists. The looming deficit will once again will put pressure on lawmakers to either inject hundreds of millions extra into the trust fund that pays for coverage, make significant changes to employee premiums or find a way to rein in expenses. The Legislature this past session passed a bill that could have led to a drug formulary for state workers, but DeSantis vetoed the legislation. Florida's state group health insurance program — which covers an estimated 371,000 subscribers and dependents — is projected to cost about $4.5 billion in the current fiscal year. Last year, lawmakers allowed state colleges to enroll their employees in the program. In the past two years, the Legislature has set aside more than $600 million in extra funding to keep the trust fund solvent. — Gary Fineout SNAP INJUNCTION REJECTED — Florida's attempt to block children from the popular app Snapchat hit a wall this week, as a federal judge denied the state's bid to cut off access for younger users. State Attorney General James Uthmeier sued parent company Snap Inc. earlier this year, claiming the app was 'openly' defying Florida's law restricting social media access for children while exposing minors to harmful content regarding alcohol, tobacco and drug use. But Judge Mark Walker, who earlier this year blocked the social media law, rejected Uthmeier's push for a temporary injunction Wednesday, which aimed to make Snapchat deplatform many children. — Andrew Atterbury BOOK REMOVAL RULING — A federal judge this week dealt a blow to a Florida law that triggered schools to remove hundreds of library books, including many classic works, due to the state's sexual content restrictions. In a ruling Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Carlos Mendoza determined a key piece of Florida's law prohibiting books that describe 'sexual conduct' is 'overbroad and unconstitutional' for how it was applied, with local schools yanking titles like Toni Morrison's 'The Bluest Eye' from bookshelves. The decision sided with a group of authors, parents and major publishers including Penguin Random House, Macmillan Publishers, Simon & Schuster contending Florida's Board of Education and county school boards are carrying out the law too strictly. — Andrew Atterbury COLLINS IN THE SPOTLIGHT — DeSantis posted an X interview Thursday with new Lt. Gov. JAY COLLINS as he continues to introduce his second in command to Floridians. The two reflected on how Collins stood by DeSantis over illegal immigration, and on Collins' legislation to ban some Chinese citizens from buying farmland. Collins praised Trump for directing states to clamp down on illegal immigration and praised DeSantis' governorship. 'Under your leadership, this state has fought and been on the right side of multiple issues,' he said, citing Covid and the war on 'woke' amid several examples. The state, he said, should not go back to where it was 10 to 20 years ago. They also discussed whether salami belongs on a Cuban sandwich. (Collins said yes. 'I'm a salami guy; it has got to be on there,' he insisted.) CAMPAIGN MODE DONALDS DEEP DIVE — 'In the early days of their relationship, Donalds didn't tell Lees [now Erika Donalds] that he was already married. Lees didn't find out about Hall until she and Donalds started talking about marriage themselves. 'Needless to say, I was not happy,' Erika Donalds remembered. 'Still, she saw a future with the young man with New York swagger with whom conversation flowed so easily,' reports Kirby Wilson of the Tampa Bay Times. NEW ENDORSEMENT — GOP Sen. ASHLEY MOODY received an endorsement this week from the Associated Builders and Contractors of Florida, the state's largest association for commercial construction. ABC of Florida Chair KELVIN ENFINGER specifically cited Moody's opposition to hiring mandates when she was state attorney general. 'She understands the value our members bring to the state and knows that public projects should be awarded based on qualifications and performance — not politics,' he said in a statement. DATELINE D.C. FINANCIALS — Several members of Florida's congressional delegation asked and were granted a three-month extension to file their personal financial disclosures, facing a deadline of midnight Wednesday. Here were a few things that stood out after Playbook combed through the newly available paperwork: — GOP Rep. MARÍA ELVIRA SALAZAR gets as much as $15,000 in royalties from Google for ad revenue from her TV show that plays on YouTube. — Democratic Rep. JARED MOSKOWITZ has a stock portfolio that includes shares in Amazon, Costco, and Exxon Mobil. He has previously said a financial adviser manages the portfolio. — GOP Reps. KAT CAMMACK and NEAL DUNN stick to exchange-traded funds — a type of investment that bundles together assets — for their portfolios, rather than buying or selling individual stocks. — The 401(k) for GOP Rep. LAUREL LEE's husband includes shares from Meta, Pfizer and Ford. — GOP Rep. SCOTT FRANKLIN has a joint brokerage account that includes shares in Visa, Apple and Alphabet, the parent company of Google. — Democratic Rep. DARREN SOTO purchased a new home in Kissimmee last year valued under $250,000. — GOP Rep. COREY MILLS has millions of dollars in assets from the weapons manufacturing company he co-founded placed into a blind trust. The arrangement means a third party manages the assets and he doesn't have knowledge or control of what's in there. ODDS, ENDS AND FLORIDA MEN — 'Who is Taylor Stanberry? Meet the first woman to win Florida Python Challenge,' per USA Today Network — Florida. BIRTHDAYS: (Saturday) Michael Grunwald, journalist and author … Former Rep. Tim Mahoney … (Sunday) Florida Senate President Ben Albritton … former state Rep. Vance Aloupis … former state Rep. Sharon Pritchett.
