[StBernard] Jindal Voting Record

[Westley Annis]

LA-GOV: Jindal's Misinformation Campaign, Boasso's Rapid Response
<http://www.dailykingfish.com/showDiary.do;jsessionid=B498BD1E8415B10FA4F346
BDB07F708E?diaryId=239>  

by: pointecoupeedemocrat
<http://www.dailykingfish.com/userDiary.do;jsessionid=B498BD1E8415B10FA4F346
BDB07F708E?personId=5> 

Mon Aug 20, 2007 at 19:13:53 PM CDT 

Desperate candidates resort to desperate tactics when the evidence is
stacked against them.  Witness this negative commerical entitled "They Cant
[sic] Stop Corruption" released by the Jindal campaign today,
<http://blip.tv/file/346523/>  one that ostensibly compares Jindal's record
on ethics with those of Foster Campbell and Walter Boasso.  Notice how all
the claims made in the commercial are unsourced and unfounded, and notice
how "Bobby" only appears in a small still photograph enclosed in a box
relegated to the lower margin of the frame at the commercial's end.  

"Bobby," you see, cannot appear in a commercial on ethics, as the record on
ethics "Bobby" has established in Washington, DC, is not one of a reformer;
it is one of a corrupt and venal DC insider, one in which donations from the
likes of Jack Abramoff, Tom DeLay, and Tony Rudy can purchase the following
votes, votes Ryan <http://www.dailykingfish.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=232>
didactically outlined in a diary just a few days past:

pointecoupeedemocrat
<http://www.dailykingfish.com/userDiary.do;jsessionid=B498BD1E8415B10FA4F346
BDB07F708E?personId=5>  :: LA-GOV: Jindal's Misinformation Campaign,
Boasso's Rapid Response
<http://www.dailykingfish.com/showDiary.do;jsessionid=B498BD1E8415B10FA4F346
BDB07F708E?diaryId=239> 

*	Jindal voted twice against the creation of a bi-partisan Ethics Task
Force. Both votes were on motions to table (or effectively kill) a
resolution by Rep. Nancy Pelosi that would have created a bipartisan Ethics
Task Force, with equal representation of Republicans and Democrats, to make
recommendations for restoring public confidence in the House Ethics process.
Jindal voted for both motions, effectively voting to kill creation of the
Ethics Task Force. (HR 213, Vote #106, 4/14/05; Passed 218-195
<http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2005/roll106.xml> ; HR 153, Vote #70, 3/15/05;
Approved 223-194 <http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2005/roll070.xml> .) 

*	Jindal voted against effort to denounce “culture of corruption” in
which votes in the House were held open until wavering House members could
be won over through favors or threats. In 2005, Jindal voted against a
resolution denouncing the “culture of corruption exhibited by the Republican
leadership” in the House of Representatives. This measure was in response to
the vote on the 2003 Medicare Drug Bill, in which voting was held open for
nearly three hours in order to get a majority. Votes typically run for 17
minutes. One Republican lawmaker, who voted no, claimed that he was promised
money for his son’s campaign if he voted yes. The resolution also stated
that the Republican leadership underestimated the cost of the program to
gain more Republican votes. The vote was on a motion to table (or kill) the
Pelosi resolution containing the language. Jindal voted for the motion,
effectively voting to kill the resolution. (HRS 591, Vote #622, 12/8/05;
Approved 219-188 <http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2005/roll622.xml> )  

*	Jindal voted against closing the lucrative “revolving door” between
lobbying and lawmaking. In 2005, Jindal voted against an attempt to prohibit
House members from negotiating lucrative job deals capitalizing on their
committee memberships. Members of Congress, other politicians and government
employees often leave their positions to lobby for firms over which they
once had oversight or regulation responsibilities. Special interests spent
$13 billion lobbying Congress from 1998 to 2003, and hundreds of former
members of Congress are employed as lobbyists. The measure, which Jindal
voted against, was rejected by a vote of 196-219. (HRS 5, Vote #5, 1/4/05;
Failed 196-219 <http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2005/roll005.xml> ) 

  

Walter Boasso rapidly responded to Jindal's latest attempt to dupe the
voters of Louisiana.  Below is a press release I received today from a
member of the Boasso campaign.  I reproduce it in full, as it is not yet
posted on Boasso's website. 

"Sideshow" Bobby's  Negative Sleight of Hand

First Negative Ad of Campaign Season Betrays Jindal's fear/hypocrisy 

For Immediate Release  Brian Welsh: 225-216-2440 

August 20, 2007 

Baton Rouge: In an attempt to shift away from his campaign's own blatant
hypocrisy and history of opposing ethics reform in Washington DC,
gubernatorial Bobby Jindal fell into desperation and negativity mode today
with the first attack ad of the campaign season.

Whatever, Bobby. 

The list of Bobby's corrupt DC benefactors and beneficiaries rattle off like
a greatest hits compilation of A-list corruption. Tom Delay, Jerry Lewis,
Don "The Choker" Sherwood, Jack Abramoff lobbyist Tom Rudy and Roy Blunt. 

Combined these individuals face investigations, trials and jail time for
everything from money laundering and swapping pork projects for campaign
cash to the attempted strangling of an extra-marital girlfriend. 

And yet, in order to shield and protect these corrupt politicians, Jindal
voted against creating a Bi-Partisan Ethics Task Force, voted in favor of
easing the way for the dismissal of ethics complaints and even voted against
closing the revolving door between the government and lobbying sectors-a
major plank of Jindal's Louisiana ethics reform plan. (See votes below)

In return, this line-up of DC's Most Wanted dumped more than $40,000 in
campaign cash into Jindal's bank account. 

State Senator Walter Boasso, (D-Arabi), Democratic candidate for Governor,
who spent the most recent legislative session championing the "glass
pockets" legislation that would have required state lawmakers to disclose
their sources of personal income, called Jindal's ethics plan and negative
ads, "cheap political theater designed to distract voters from his appalling
record on the issue of ethics." 

"The bottom line is that Bobby Jindal has two sets of ethical rules. Those
he talks about and those he actually lives by," Boasso said. "He takes money
from and votes to protect some of the most corrupt politicians in Washington
DC history and then he comes down to Louisiana and tries to convince voters
that he is some ethical champion. 

"This is nothing more than a lame attempt to distract voters from this
truth," Boasso said. "That truth being that Mr. Jindal takes money from
unethical politicians and votes to protect unethical politicians. In my
book, that makes him an unethical politician." 

### 

Jindal Voted Against Creating a Bipartisan Ethics Task Force. In 2005,
Jindal voted against establishing a panel that would have equal
representation of Republicans and Democrats to make recommendations to
restore public confidence in the House ethics process. The measure was
defeated.  [HRS 213, Vote 106, 4/14/05]

Jindal Opposed Closing The Lucrative "Revolving Door" Between Lobbying &
Lawmaking. In 2005, Jindal voted against a measure to prohibit Members of
the House from negotiating lucrative job deals that capitalize on their
committee membership. Politicians or federal employees frequently leave
office for the insider game of lobbying and advising private interests on
how to do business with the federal government. Special interests and the
lobbyists they employ spent more than $13 billion lobbying Congress from
1998 to 2003. More than 250 ex-members of Congress now lobby Congress.
Recently, former Rep. Billy Tauzin (R-LA) became PhRMA' top lobbyist after
he helped draft a Medicare prescription drug bill as chairman of the Energy
and Commerce panel. The measure was rejected, 196-219. [HRS 5, Vote 5,
1/4/05; Gannett, Op-Ed, 4/20/05; Baltimore Sun, 1/4/05]

Jindal Voted to Dismiss Ethics Complaints.  In 2005, Jindal voted for a rule
(H Res 241) under which the House would automatically adopt a resolution
repealing three changes to the Rules of the House dealing with ethics
committee procedures that were made at the start of the 109th Congress,
including a rule that allowed the automatic dismissal of an ethics complaint
that is not disposed of by the committee within 45 days. [HR 240, vote 145,
4/27/05; CQ Floor Votes] 

Not only is Boasso attacking Jindal for the votes those concerned with the
ethics of "Bobby" regularly cite and discuss; he is now tying "Bobby" to DC
politicians such Jerry Lewis (R-CA), who is presently under investigation,
<http://www.beyonddelay.org/summaries/lewis.php>  and former Rep. Don "The
Choker" Sherwood (R-PA), who allegedly strangled his mistress,
<http://www.beyonddelay.org/summaries/sherwood.php>  both of whom are
corrupt Republican politicians with whom "Bobby" regularly cavorted in
Washington, DC.  Boasso is also explaining to voters how "The Revolving
Door," which Jindal supports, operates, and he is using former southeast
Louisiana Republican Rep. and notorious lobbyist for the pharmaceutical
industry Billy Tauzin, Jr.,
<http://www.commondreams.org/headlines04/0209-08.htm>  as an exemplum.  To
quote a statement posted on this blog a few weeks back:  "Walter Boasso
educates the voters; Walter Boasso's numbers grow."
<http://www.dailykingfish.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=154>  

Also important is Boasso's incorporation of verifiable evidence in his
campaign's response to Jindal's vacuous commercial.  Timmy Teepell could not
provide such evidence in the release I have refuted pointe by pointe in my
last three diaries <http://www.dailykingfish.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=236> .
For "Bobby," you see, is running from and against his record,
<http://www.dailykingfish.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=183>  and this entails
the concealment of facts, not their disclosure.  Boasso, on the other hand,
can cite evidence in the name of ethics and of transparency, for he is not
burdened with the questionable baggage "Bobby" willfully collected in
Washington, DC.  

Boasso's campaign demonstrated how professionals engage in rapid response.
Now let us see how long Bobby's sideshow will run now that it has been
exposed as a baseless farce performed by clowns plucked from Jindal's
campaign staff. <http://www.dailykingfish.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=215> 

For Immediate Release                                                  

September 20, 2007

What Others Have to Say About Jindal's DHH 

Record of Shame 

Dr. Charles Vanchiere, American Academy of Pediatrics, on Jindal: "I was
glad when he left the state. He had his marching orders to get the money out
of Medicaid, which he did. But he did not have the life experiences to
understand the effects   of budgets on human misery." (A Young Man's Fancy
Turns To Medicare, Washington Post, 11/10/98)

Shreveport Times editorial on the state of Louisiana's health care system:
"And Bobby Jindal   will get to explain why the needle didn't move a whole
lot when he was running the Department of Health & Hospitals under Louisiana
Governor Mike Foster." (Editorial, Shreveport Times, 1/9/07)

Mimi Jackson, then-Louisiana Alliance for the Mentally Ill president, on
Jindal's cuts to health care: "This is a terrible situation for the mentally
ill and their Families. The state is not only effectively denying patients
critical medications, but inviting more serious and expensive problems that
could be avoided." (DHH  policy blocks medicine, group says, The Advocate,
12/20/96)

Jackson on Jindal's mental health cuts: "Despite the fact that this state
has had budget surpluses in a number of recent years, mental health funding
has been cut, cut, cut.  We warned that there would be more people needing
expensive hospitalizations because of the severe cuts in funding for
medication and doctor's services. It's happening as we speak. We have had
more suicides as well.  It appears to those who cannot speak up for
themselves because of the difficulty, stress and pain of schizophrenia,
severe depression, manic-depression (bipolar illness) and other very serious
brain disorders are being treated like the dog who is still being beaten
even though he has already expired." (Letter to the Editor, Times-Picayune,
2/11/97)

Don Buchanan, a spokesman for the Louisiana Health Care Authority, which
oversaw the Charity hospitals, on Jindal's cuts to the Charity system:
"We're talking about drastic steps. This compounds an already very serious
situation." (Needy Won't Lose Benefit; State To Keep Program Afloat,
Times-Picayune, 6/20/96)

Richard Clark, then-executive director of the Community and Residential
Services Association, on Jindal's cuts to private facilities for the
disabled: "Homes will close and the state will be saddled with the burden of
trying to deal with those additional clients.   Private providers are again
hamstrung in their efforts to more efficiently and economically serve
persons with developmental disabilities." (State cuts will hurt homes for
disabled, director says, The Advocate, 7/10/97) 

Hazel Wright of LaPlace, commenting on the Medically Needy program: "They
say we make too much money, but I don't see it. You have to eat and pay for
the medication and you still have all the bills to pay." Ms. Wright, 63
years old, had been twice hospitalized for a heart attack and surgery. Her
bills for just one hospital stay totaled $108,000. She may have qualified
for the Medically Needy Program, but Jindal had closed it to new recipients.
(In A Year, Medicaid Leaner, Stable; Top Health Cop Aims At Fraud,
Times-Picayune, 3/23/97)

Art Quiambao, a 63-year-old Louisiana citizen, had a heart attack in 1996,
began giving his nitroglycerin tablets to his wife for her heart ailments
because her pills were too expensive. She had been eligible for Medicaid,
but was not after Jindal toughened the eligibility rules. Quiambao said:
"I'm just taking less (nitroglycerin tablets). They say that if you do
exercise it will help." (In A Year, Medicaid Leaner, Stable; Top Health Cop
Aims At Fraud, Times-Picayune, 3/23/97) 

Shannon Robshaw, former executive director of the Mental Health Association
in Louisiana: "We still have a system that when (Jindal) came in he said he
would treat differently and he has not done that. He came in talking about
this stuff, but when you look at the results, specifically in mental health,
it just hasn't happened." (In A Year, Medicaid Leaner, Stable; Top Health
Cop Aims At Fraud, Times-Picayune, 3/23/97)

Vicki Brown Johnston of Baton Rouge, writing about Jindal's closing of the
inpatient adolescent care unit in the Greenwell Springs Hospital: "These
troubled children will become the next generation of unemployable homeless,
if left untreated by an uncaring society. Of course, these children are not
voters yet, and are left out of the political process in determining our
state budget. (Jindal) also stated that the adolescents wouldn't be hurt by
closing the unit at the hospital, because there are facilities in New
Orleans and Hammond. These families are under enough pressures, without
having to leave their own communities to get care. These out-of-town
facilities will be under their own financial demands, without adding to
them. I'm very afraid these children will receive no care if it's
unavailable in their own community ." (Greenwell Springs Hospital, The
Advocate, 4/15/96)

Dr. Michael Ellis of the Louisiana State Medical Society, addressing how
cuts in Medicaid payments to doctors hurt patients: "With what I'm going to
get paid for them, I can't pay my office overhead. We all see (Medicaid
patients) to some degree, but we don't want to open the floodgates." (La.
Medicaid cuts implemented, The Advocate, 7/2/96)

Louisiana Nursing Home Association Executive Director Joe Donchess, on
Jindal's nursing home cuts: "If the department wants to start off hurting
the sickest of the sick, poorest of the poor, oldest of the old, they are
right on target."(Officials target nursing home Medicaid funds, The
Advocate, 2/14/96)

###

Please find the information on Jindal's voting record for law enforcement.
open attachment.

Please see excellent evaluation listing printed in the Washington Post which
has Congressman Jidal Ranked as No. 432 out of 439 in Effectiveness as a
member of the House of Representatives.

This is particular significant when you consider that a recent CNN/Time Poll
taken in September revealed that ONLY 18% of the American Voters gave
Congress a Favorable Approval Rating.

Just put these 2 together-   Jidal's Rating-  Ranked in the Bottom 2% of a
Class which has a 18 % Approval Rating !!!!!!!!   You  got to be Joking me.
NOW  Congressman Jidal is Asking the Voters of Louisiana for a Promotion
with that kind of Scorecard  !!!!!!  

Go to: www.congress.org/congressorg/power_rankings/overall.tt
<http://www.congress.org/congressorg/power_rankings/overall.tt> 

BOBBY JINDAL: HIS RECORD ON LAW ENFORCEMENT DOESN’T STAND UP

Potential Attacks

Ø       Bobby Jindal has voted against reauthorizing the COPS program, which
provides financial assistance to state and local police to hire more
officers. It has been called “perhaps the single most important anticrime
program of the 1990s and the early part of this decade.”

Ø       Jindal has voted three times against increases to COPS funding

Jindal has voted consistently against COPS program

Jindal voted four times against the Community Oriented Policing Services
(COPS) program. The COPS program, first implemented in the Violent Crime
Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, is a federal program that provides
financial assistance to state and local police to hire more officers.
Supporters have called COPS “perhaps the single most important anticrime
program of the 1990s and the early part of this decade.” [Congressional
Record, Page H4748, 6/28/06; 1994 Annual Report of the Attorney General of
the United States, http://www.usdoj.gov/ag/annualreports/ar94/finalag.txt]

·       Jindal voted to cut COPS funding by $476 million.  In 2006, Jindal
voted against an amendment to the Fiscal Year 2007 Commerce, Justice and
State appropriations bill. The amendment would have provided an additional
$476 million to the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program.
This additional funding would allow the hiring of 6,500 additional police
officers all across the country. The amendment was defeated 185-236. [HR
5672, vote #341, 6/28/06; Failed 185-236, R 52-173, D 132-63, I 1-0; House
Rejects Effort to Trim Mars Mission Funds, CQ Today, 6/28/06; Congressional
Record, Page H4748, 6/28/06]

·       Jindal voted against restoring $200 million in funding for local
police departments.  In 2005, Jindal voted against an amendment to the
Fiscal Year 2006 Commerce, Justice and State appropriations bill
appropriations that would have restored $100 million for justice assistance
grants to state and local law enforcement and $100 million for law
enforcement grants under the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS)
program. The appropriations bill cut a total of $410 million in grants to
state and local law enforcement from FY 2005 funding, bringing the total
cuts to these programs over the previous four years to almost $1 billion.
The amendment was rejected 196-230. [HR 2862, Vote #244, 6/14/05; Failed
196-230, R 21-206, D 174-24, I 1-0; Congressional Record, Page H4438,
6/14/05]

·       Jindal voted against a $78.3 million increase in COPS funding.  In
2005, Jindal voted against an amendment to the Fiscal Year 2006 Commerce,
Justice and State appropriations bill that would have increased funding for
the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program by $78.3 million.
[HR 2862, Vote #247, 6/14/05; Failed 130-297, R 55-173, D 75-123, I 0-1]

·       Jindal voted to block effort to reauthorize COPS for three years.
In 2005, Jindal voted against an effort to reauthorize the COPS program for
an additional three years. The vote was on a motion to order the previous
question on a gang deterrence bill, thus ending debate and the possibility
of amendments on the bill. Supporters of COPS stated that, if the motion was
defeated, they would offer the amendment reauthorizing COPS. Jindal voted
for the motion, effectively ending any chances for a vote on the
reauthorization of COPS. [HR 268, Vote #164, 5/11/05; Passed 227-198, R
227-0, D 0-197, I 0-1; Congressional Record, Page H3131, 5/11/05]