How "crooked" are Louisiana politicians ?

Living outside Louisiana, I frequently encounter folks, particularly in Texas, who enjoy rubbing my nose in the corruption in Louisiana government and it's crooked politicians, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. And there's plenty of truth there. Edwin Edwards, Jim Brown, Jerry Fowler, Sherman Bernard, Doug Green, William Jefferson, Joe Delpit, and my favorite, Potch Didier (re-elected Avoyelles Parish Sheriff while serving a term in his own jail), are but a few in the long list of the indicted and/or convicted.

Most of the time when I encounter categorical statements by residents of other states, I ask them to give me an example. Few can. Occasionally, someone mentions Edwards. Some bring up Huey Long. Most can't name a Louisiana elected official in the last 50 years.

I've often wondered if outsiders' views of Louisiana government and politics are exaggerated or if I have always been in a sort of blind denial, knowing it's bad, but believing it's not as bad as others think. I've tried to objectively assess this for years. I'm still not sure. A quick net search will produce evidence of blemishes in many states (I didn't seach them all). Does Louisiana really have the most corrupt government in the country ? Or has it's crooked politician reputation assumed legendary status ?

What do you think ?

 

I honestly don't think they are any more corrupt that their counterparts in any other state. I think the distinction is that we have flamboyant and corrupt politicians who barely mask the fact that they are corrupt, and we continue to elect them.

There is no doubt in my mind that should Edween get out of jail today and annonce his candidacy for governor tomorrow that he would end up in the run-off.

 

99.9% of all of them are crooked, we just have a storied history of rewarding those who dont even use k-y when they bend us over decade after decade.

 

verrrrryyyyyyy

 

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I know for a fact that the bidding on the 2004 Louisiana State tourism contract was fixed by Mitch Landreau. The company that won the bid was an up and coming company from Metairie that was owned by a white male. Mitch wanted the company that does his campaigns (peter mayer) to get the contract OR a minority owner.

He made the committee that voted on the contract vote four times. When the vote still didn't come out like he wanted he split the contract amongst the company that won 10%, a company with a minority owner 25%, and the company that does his campaign ads 65%.

I'm sure this stuff happens everywhere but it really pissed me off.

 

THEY ARE THE BEST MONEY CAN BUY!!!!!!!!!!