Isn't it Just a Bit Early for a Victory Cigar?


I'm still not going to bet against him, but I guess the final days of a campaign are when the stops get pulled...and who knows what comes out:

Former state Attorney General Richard Ieyoub said Monday that U.S. Rep. Bobby Jindal worked against him in a tobacco lawsuit that resulted in billions of dollars for Louisiana...

In 1996, Jindal was the Republican Foster administration’s secretary of the state Department of Health and Hospitals when Ieyoub, a Democrat, filed suit against tobacco companies to recoup the state’s medical costs in treating smoking-related illnesses.

Tobacco interests used affidavits sworn out by Foster and Jindal to attempt to squash Ieyoub’s lawsuit.

The tobacco interests argued in court filings that the Foster and Jindal affidavits showed Ieyoub did not have the authority to sue on behalf of the state and DHH.

The affidavits amounted to an abbreviated list of facts, including that Foster and Jindal were not consulted on the decision to sue the tobacco companies.

In January 1997, state District Judge Wilford D. Carter of Lake Charles’ 14th Judicial District ruled Ieyoub did have the authority to file suit.

By June 1997, Louisiana was one of a number of states that shared in a $370 billion settlement by tobacco companies for the financial toll of smoking on states’ Medicaid programs.

Louisiana share was an estimated $4.7 billion, much of which was sold to generate an immediate $1.2 billion in 2001.

Gov. Kathleen Blanco proposed, then backed off, plans to sell the remaining 40 percent of the settlement. The amount varies depending on the market for bonds but could exceed $1 billion.

And:

Georges spends most of the interview claiming that Jindal is stealing all his policy ideas from Georges, but I feel like I could make the case that Georges is stealing stuff from YRHT for his campaign attacks. (Though, again, I must stress that I was obviously joking last year, whereas Georges is serious.)

Back to work over here...I might have to have another short day, post-wise, thanks to an after-hours work project...