Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry signs order for ‘Gulf of America' change to all state laws, documents
GRAY – Following the lead of President Donald Trump, Republican Gov. Jeff Landry signed an executive order Thursday that directs state agencies to change all references to the Gulf of Mexico in Louisiana laws and other documents to the 'Gulf of America.'
Landry, who signed the order before he spoke at a business luncheon in Terrebonne Parish, invited state lawmakers in attendance to join in for the ceremony.
The same order also urges Congress to make the same name change to the body of water and establish what the governor called a 'uniform state territorial jurisdiction of water limits.'
'That means we're going to all get the same amount of miles off the coast as everyone else,' Landry told the audience.
Florida and Texas claim fishing and energy exploration rights to waters 9 nautical miles off their respective Gulf coasts, but the limit in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama is 3 miles. The difference goes back to when Florida and Texas gained their statehood in 1845. Both were allowed to maintain the offshore boundaries established when they were Spanish territories, while the other three states stayed at the 3-mile mark then-Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson established in 1793.
Members of Louisiana's congressional delegation have tried unsuccessfully for decades to extend its offshore water to 9 miles.
A copy of the executive order wasn't immediately available from the governor's office.
This is a developing story that will be updated.
SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
On Louisiana's coast, communities embrace 'Gulf of America' rebrand
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
11 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Trump moves to use the levers of presidential power to help his party in the 2026 midterms
President Donald Trump has made clear in recent weeks that he's willing to use the vast powers of his office to prevent his party from losing control of Congress in next year's midterm elections. Some of the steps Trump has taken to intervene in the election are typical, but controversial, political maneuvers taken to his trademark extremes. That includes pushing Republican lawmakers in Texas and other conservative-controlled states to redraw their legislative maps to expand the number of U.S. House seats favorable to the GOP. Others involve the direct use of official presidential power in ways that have no modern precedent, such as ordering his Department of Justice to investigate the main liberal fundraising entity, ActBlue. The department also is demanding the detailed voter files from each state in an apparent attempt to look for ineligible voters on a vast scale. And on Monday, Trump posted a falsehood-filled rant on social media pledging to lead a 'movement' to outlaw voting machines and mail balloting, the latter of which has become a mainstay of Democratic voting since Trump pushed Republicans to avoid it in 2020 — before flipping on the issue ahead of last year's presidential election. The individual actions add up to an unprecedented attempt by a sitting president to interfere in a critical election before it's even held, moves that have raised alarms among those concerned about the future of U.S. democracy. 'Those are actions that you don't see in healthy democracies,' said Ian Bassin, executive director of Protect Democracy, a nonpartisan organization that has sued the Trump administration. 'Those are actions you see in authoritarian states.' Trump has already tried to overturn an election Bassin noted that presidents routinely stump for their party in midterm elections and try to bolster incumbents by steering projects and support to their districts. But he said Trump's history is part of what's driving alarm about the midterms. He referenced Trump's attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election, which ended with a violent assault on the Capitol by his supporters. 'The one thing we know for certain from experience in 2020 is that this is a person who will use every measure and try every tactic to stay in power, regardless of the outcome of an election,' Bassin said. He noted that in 2020, Trump was checked by elected Republicans in Congress and statehouses who refused to bend the rules, along with members of his own administration and even military leaders who distanced themselves from the defeated incumbent. In his second term, the president has locked down near-total loyalty from the GOP and stacked the administration with loyalists. The incumbent president's party normally loses seats in Congress during midterm elections. That's what happened to Trump in 2018, when Democrats won enough seats to take back the House of Representatives, stymieing the president's agenda and eventually leading to his two impeachments. Trump has said he doesn't want a repeat. He also has argued that his actions are actually attempts to preserve democracy. Repeating baseless allegations of fraud, he said Monday during a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that 'you can never have a real democracy with mail-in ballots.' Earlier this month, Trump said that, because he handily won Texas in the 2024 presidential election, 'we are entitled to five more seats.' An attempt to engineer GOP control of the US House Republicans currently have a three-seat margin in the House of Representatives. Trump pushed Texas Republicans to redraw their congressional map to create up to five new winnable GOP seats and is lobbying other red states, including Indiana and Missouri, to take similar steps to pad the margin even more. The Texas Legislature is likely to vote on its map on Wednesday. There's no guarantee that Trump's gambit will work, but also no legal prohibition against fiddling with maps in those states for partisan advantage. In response, California Democrats are moving forward with their own redistricting effort as a way to counter Republicans in Texas. Mid-decade map adjustments have happened before, though usually in response to court orders rather than presidents openly hoping to manufacture more seats for their party. Larry Diamond, a political scientist at Stanford University, said there's a chance the redrawing of House districts won't succeed as Trump anticipates — but could end up motivating Democratic voters. Still, Diamond said he's concerned. 'It's the overall pattern that's alarming and that the reason to do this is for pure partisan advantage,' he said of Trump's tactic. Diamond noted that in 2019 he wrote a book about a '12-step' process to turn a democracy into an autocracy, and 'the last step in the process is to rig the electoral process.' The Justice Department acts on Trump's priorities Trump has required loyalty from all levels of his administration and demanded that the Department of Justice follow his directives. One of those was to probe ActBlue, an online portal that raised hundreds of millions of dollars in small-dollar donations for Democratic candidates over two decades. The site was so successful that Republicans launched a similar venture, called WinRed. Trump, notably, did not order a federal probe into WinRed. Trump's appointees at the Department of Justice also have demanded voting data from at least 19 states, as Trump continues to insist he actually won the 2020 election and proposed a special prosecutor to investigate that year's vote tally. Much as he did before winning the 2024 election, Trump has baselessly implied that Democrats may rig upcoming vote counts against him. In at least two of those states, California and Minnesota, the DOJ followed up with election officials last week, threatening legal action if they didn't hand over their voter registration lists by this Thursday, according to letters shared with The Associated Press. Neither state — both controlled by Democrats — has responded publicly. Attempts to interfere with voting and elections Trump's threat this week to end mail voting and do away with voting machines is just his latest attempt to sway how elections are run. An executive order he signed earlier this year sought documented proof of citizenship to register to vote, among other changes, though much of it has been blocked by courts. In the days leading up to the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol to reverse his 2020 loss, Trump's allies proposed having the military seize voting machines to investigate purported fraud, even though Trump's own attorney general said there was no evidence of significant wrongdoing. The Constitution says states and Congress, rather than the president, set the rules for elections, so it's unclear what Trump could do to make his promises a reality. But election officials saw them as an obvious sign of his 2026 interests. 'Let's see this for what it really is: An attempt to change voting going into the midterms because he's afraid the Republicans will lose,' wrote Ann Jacobs, the Democratic chair of the Wisconsin Elections Commission, on X. The president has very few levers to influence an election Derek Muller, a law professor at the University of Notre Dame, said the idea of seizing voting machines in 2020 was a sign of how few levers the president has to influence an election, not of his power. Under the U.S. Constitution, elections are run by states and only Congress can 'alter' the procedures — and, even then, for federal races alone. 'It's a deeply decentralized system,' Muller said. There are fewer legal constraints on presidential powers, such as criminal investigations and deployment of law enforcement and military resources, Muller noted. But, he added, people usually err in forecasting election catastrophes. He noted that in 2022 and 2024, a wide range of experts braced for violence, disruption and attempts to overturn losses by Trump allies, and no serious threats materialized. 'One lesson I've learned in decades of doing this is people are often preparing for the last election rather than what actually happens in the new ones,' Muller said. ___
New York Post
12 minutes ago
- New York Post
Curtis Sliwa's quality-of-life crackdown makes sense. But he still won't be the next mayor of New York City
Will Curtis Sliwa have any regrets if he wakes up on November 5 and Zohran Mamdani is the new mayor of New York — knowing he could have stepped aside and cleared the crowded campaign field that many fear will split the vote? 'Nope,' the Republican candidate told me. So he's not willing to sacrifice his candidacy to save the city he loves from socialism? Advertisement 'That's based on the idea that everyone is going to go over and vote Cuomo. Ain't happening. They hate Cuomo. I'm in the streets every day. All I hear is 'slapping fannies and killing grannies.' He's never apologized,' Sliwa said of Andrew Cuomo's Covid and #MeToo scandals. 8 Curtis Sliwa regularly campaigns in the subways he's patrolled as a Guardian Angel for decades. Debra L Rothenberg/Shutterstock Meanwhile, a new AARP poll shows Mamdani's support at 42% among registered voters; Cuomo is at 23%, fellow independent Adams is at 9%, and Sliwa claims 16%. It would stand to reason the three need to become one to beat the Democratic socialist. Advertisement But Sliwa says it isn't happening. 'Nobody is getting out. Cuomo isn't, [Eric] Adams isn't. Every day there's a discussion about dropping out, that's a good day for Mamdani,' Sliwa said. I met with the 71-year-old at his Midtown campaign headquarters. While he's been an NYC tabloid figure since the late 1970s, when he launched the civilian crime-fighting group the Guardian Angels, he's lately been almost unrecognizable — taking off his signature red beret in meetings to look more like a serious politician. 8 Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic Socialist, is leading the crowded field in the mayoral race. James Keivom Advertisement The thing is, I love everything Sliwa has to say, especially about quality-of-life crackdowns. He wants to cut taxes, ditch congestion pricing and tackle the costly epidemic of fare evasion. 'I laugh when Mamdani says 'free bus fare' and everyone is having a heart attack. I said, 'Hold on, people aren't paying in the first place. Why don't we just enforce the fare?'' Sliwa said. 'Adams didn't do it. Cuomo didn't do it. We need a no-tolerance policy.' 8 Mayor Eric Adams, who is running as an independent, is not performing well in polls. REUTERS Advertisement Can I get an amen? Like Mamdani, Sliwa speaks about affordability, especially for younger New Yorkers who cannot 'afford the American dream anymore. They're in their 30s and still living in a dormitory' — I think he means they have a lot of roommates — 'yet they have a professional career and make good money.' Unlike the photogenic Mamdani, the Republican is not offering a buffet of cockamamie socialist policy 'solutions.' But in this crowded field, I don't think Sliwa has a shot at taking down Mamdani and his dangerous DSA ideology. He wholeheartedly disagrees. 'I have a very good shot.' 8 Curtis Sliwa regularly campaigns on the subway, calling it the 'best focus group of all. All it costs you is a swipe.' Debra L Rothenberg/Shutterstock The last time Sliwa ran for mayor, in 2021, the city was lumbering through the Covid cloud. He lost to Eric Adams and earned only 27.8% of the vote. 'I feel I can start with about 28%,' Sliwa said, 'and if I can get up to 32, 33, 34%, I'll be the next mayor of New York City.' Advertisement This time around, his campaign is pushing early voting, trying to court Millennials and Gen Z-ers who aren't drunk on Mamdani's 'everything is free' socialist brew — and reaching out to Muslim voters. Mamdani is far, far more progressive than most Muslims in the city. But Sliwa believes many conservative Muslims are turned off by cultural attacks from some politicians on the right, like Marjorie Taylor Greene. Last month, the representative from Georgia shared a meme of the Statue of Liberty covered in a burka. Because of insults like that, 'Some feel compelled to support Mamdani,' said Sliwa. 8 Curtis Sliwa has been a tabloid staple since the late 1970s, when he started the Guardian Angels. Bettmann Archive Advertisement Still — 'All the halal and coffee wagons, Uber drivers are all capitalists. I'm working on them to vote for me.' Sliwa blames Adams and his cronyism scandals for the rise of Mamdani. As for Cuomo, 'He told a group in the Hamptons that he's moving to Florida if he loses. He's waving a white flag,' alleged the Canarsie native. Despite reports, Sliwa said President Trump hasn't offered him a job in Washington to get him out of the race — nor has Trump called the Republican candidate to offer support. 8 Curtis Sliwa has started removing his signature red beret during some campaign meetings. James Messerschmidt for NY Post Advertisement Sliwa is non-plussed. 'I believe the president has far more serious issues to deal with, like peace in Ukraine and, if he can — and he alone can — resolving the Gaza situation.' As we wrap up our interview, Sliwa puts on his hat and we venture down Sixth Avenue. The red beret is like a beacon, attracting a Midtown crowd. One man taps him for a selfie. A group of blue-collar workers abandon their spot in a lunch-truck line to shake his hand and wish him luck. A smartly dressed woman in her 50s flags him down. A black man calls out in heavily-accented English from behind the wheel of a black SUV: 'Curtis, I've always wanted to meet you!' Advertisement 8 Curtis Sliwa said New York voters haven't forgiven Andrew Cuomo and that he's never apologized for his personal and professional scandals. Matthew McDermott 8 Curtis Sliwa and his wife Nancy are passionate about cats and animal rights. Matthew McDermott A union plumber who grew up in Staten Island jumped off a bench to offer his support. He and his colleagues said they would vote for Sliwa … but they all moved out to the 'burbs during Covid because the city was too dirty, too crime-ridden and too expensive. It's a familiar refrain. Sliwa wants to save the city — are there enough voters left who want to as well?
Los Angeles Times
12 minutes ago
- Los Angeles Times
Trump's federal law-enforcement crackdown ripples through D.C. neighborhoods
WASHINGTON — The main drag in Washington's Columbia Heights neighborhood is typically crammed with people peddling pupusas, fresh fruit, souvenirs and clothing. On Tuesday, though, things felt different: The white tents that bulge with food and merchandise were scarcer than usual. 'Everything has stopped over the last week,' said Yassin Yahyaoui, who sells jewelry and glass figurines. Most of his customers and fellow vendors, he said, have 'just disappeared' — particularly if they speak Spanish. The abnormally quiet street was further proof of how President Trump's decision to flood the nation's capital with federal law enforcement and immigration agents has rippled through the city. Although troop deployments and foot patrols in downtown areas and around the National Mall have garnered the most attention, life in historically diverse neighborhoods such as Columbia Heights is being reshaped as well. The White House has credited Trump's crackdown with hundreds of arrests, while local officials have criticized the aggressive intervention in the city's affairs. The confrontation escalated Tuesday as the top federal prosecutor in the District of Columbia opened an investigation into whether police officials have falsified crime data, according to a person familiar with the situation who wasn't authorized to comment publicly. The inquiry could be used to bolster Trump's claims that the city is suffering from a 'crime emergency' despite statistics showing improvements. The mayor's office and the Police Department declined to comment. Blocks away from where Yahyaoui had set up shop, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and local police stopped a moped driver delivering pizza. The agents drove unmarked cars and wore tactical vests; one covered his face with a green balaclava. They questioned the driver and required him to present documentation relating to his employment and legal residency status. No arrest was made. The White House said there have been 465 arrests since Aug. 7, when the federal operation began, including 206 people who were in the country illegally. The Trump administration has ramped up immigration enforcement and the president signed an executive order on Aug. 11 to put the Police Department under federal control for 30 days; extending that would require congressional approval. Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, said Trump was 'unapologetically standing up for the safety of law-abiding American citizens.' Glorida Gomez, who has been working a fruit stand in Columbia Heights for more than a decade, said business is worse now than during the COVID-19 pandemic. She said many vendors stopped coming because they were afraid of encountering federal agents. Customers seem less willing to spend money too. Reina Sosa, another vendor, said that 'they're saving it in case something happens,' like getting detained by immigration enforcement. Ana Lemus, who also sells fruit, said that 'we need more humanity on that part of the government.' 'Remember that these are people being affected,' she said. 'The government is supposed to protect members of the community, not attack or discriminate against them.' Bystanders have recorded some arrests on video. On Saturday morning, Christian Enrique Carias Torres was detained in another part of the city during a scuffle with ICE agents, and the video ricocheted around social media. An FBI agent's affidavit said Carias Torres kicked one of the agents in the leg and another was injured when he fell during the struggle and struck his head on the pavement. A stun gun was used to subdue Carias Torres, who was charged Tuesday with resisting arrest. An alphabet soup of federal agencies have been circulating in the city. In the Petworth neighborhood, roughly 20 officers from the FBI, Homeland Security, Park Police and U.S. Marshals descended on an apartment building on Tuesday morning. A man extended his hands out a window while officers cuffed him. Yanna Stelle, 19, who witnessed the incident, said she heard the chatter from walkie-talkies as officers moved through the hallways. 'That was too many police first thing in the morning — especially for them to just be doing a warrant,' she said. From his actions and remarks, Trump seems interested in ratcheting up the pressure. His administration has asked Republican-led states to send more National Guard troops. Mississippi, Tennessee, Louisiana, West Virginia, South Carolina and Ohio have agreed to deploy a total of 1,100 troops to the city, on top of the 800 from the D.C.-based National Guard. Resistance to that notion is starting to surface, both on the streets and in Congress. On Tuesday, Democratic Rep. Sam Liccardo (D-San José) introduced a bill that would require a report outlining the cost of any National Guard deployment unrelated to a natural disaster, as well as its legal basis. It would also require reporting on any Guard interactions with civilians and other aspects of the operation. Forty-four Democrats have signed on in support, including Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, Washington's nonvoting delegate in the House of Representatives. Although the measure stands little chance of passing while Republicans control the chamber, it's a sign of a wider Democratic response to Trump's unprecedented moves in Washington. 'Are L.A. and D.C. a test run for a broader authoritarian takeover of local communities?' Liccardo asked. He added that the country's founders were suspicious of 'executive control of standing armies.' Abigail Jackson, a White House spokeswoman, said that 'Democrats continue to side with criminals over law-abiding Americans.' It's unclear what kind of help the National Guard will be able to provide when it comes to crime. 'The fact of the matter is that the National Guard are not law-enforcement trained, and they're not going into places where they would be engaged in law enforcement activity,' said Jeff Asher, a crime analyst and consultant at AH Datalytics. 'So I don't know that it's fair to expect much of it.' Trump declared in a social media post that his initiative has transformed Washington from 'the most unsafe 'city' in the United States' to 'perhaps the safest, and getting better every single hour!' The number of crimes reported in D.C. did drop by about 8% this week as compared with the week before, according to Metropolitan Police data. There was some variation within that data, with crimes such as robberies and car thefts declining while burglaries increased a bit and homicides remained steady. Still, a week is a small sample size — far from enough time for data to show meaningful shifts, Asher said. Referring to the monthlong period that D.C.'s home rule law allows the president to exert control over the Police Department, he said: 'I think 30 days is too short of a period to really say anything.' Brown, Whitehurst and Megerian write for the Associated Press. AP writers Michael Kunzelman, Alanna Durkin Richer, Jacquelyn Martin and Ashraf Khalil contributed to this report.
