LaFonta Stunt Causes Havoc In Louisiana House
Yesterday, New Orleans Democrat and Congressional candidate state Rep. Juan LaFonta nearly managed to sneak through a concurrent resolution in the Louisiana House of Representatives which would have asked Congress to investigate Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal for a “slow response” to the Gulf oil spill.
The bill, HCR 144, which would normally have gone through a committee but for some reason did not, reached the floor yesterday amid a host of other bills gaining little attention from the assembled legislators in the House. And for some reason House Speaker Jim Tucker, not to mention the rest of the Republican delegation in the House, found himself asleep at the switch and was caught unaware when LaFonta’s bill came up – as a result, no one knew what they were voting on when the bill passed, 91-0.
The summary of the bill states:
Memorializes congress to direct EPA to investigate the governor of La.’s refusal to timely declare a state of emergency in response to the Deepwater Horizon oil rig.
Immediately after the vote, Jindal aides approached several leges and informed them they had just voted to ask Congress to investigate the governor. A few dropped jaws later, a motion by House Speaker Pro Tem Joel Robideaux (I-Lafayette) to reconsider the vote was made and quickly brought to a vote by Tucker.
Things then became even more interesting. As soon as LaFonta’s bill passed, he bolted from the floor, ostensibly to “drop off a bunch of papers in his truck.” As such, he wasn’t on the floor for Robideaux’s motion to reconsider, and when Tucker called it for a vote Rep. Rick Gallot (D-Ruston) – a member like LaFonta of the House Black Caucus – objected, saying that House tradition dictates a bill can’t be reconsidered unless its author is on the floor.
Tucker chose to resolve the controversy by noting there is no written rule dictating that a bill’s author must be on the floor, and thus the vote proceeded and the bill was reconsidered by a 60-32 vote.
LaFonta then reappeared on the floor and made a stink, suggesting that the House was disrespecting its traditions by voting on a reconsideration of his bill while he was gone. He was joined by the House Black Caucus members at the back of the chamber. Tucker eventually gaveled down the protest.
Video of the exchange can be found here. The LaFonta bill comes up around the 10:25 mark, and at the 50:30 mark you can see the fireworks begin when Robideaux’s motion to reconsider comes up.
LaFonta was attempting to pull off a stunt. He was trying to pass through a resolution with controversial content at a time when house members are typically distracted. It's a disgrace that an elected representative would use such scurillous and underhanded tactics. The fact is the house did not know what it was voting on, and that is no one's fault but LaFonta's.
It's actually Tucker's fault. This is hardly the first time LaFonta has pulled a stunt like this – no bill he offers should ever be passed via unanimous consent under any circumstances.
LaFonta was attempting to pull off a stunt. He was trying to pass through a resolution with controversial content at a time when house members are typically distracted. It's a disgrace that an elected representative would use such scurillous and underhanded tactics. The fact is the house did not know what it was voting on, and that is no one's fault but LaFonta's.
It's actually Tucker's fault. This is hardly the first time LaFonta has pulled a stunt like this – no bill he offers should ever be passed via unanimous consent under any circumstances.
LaFonta is a disgrace
LaFonta is a disgrace
LaFonta is not a disgrace. It is a shame that the elected officials have to rely on their hired hands to keep the in line….Is reading and listening not two skills the lawmakers should have.
LaFonta is not a disgrace. It is a shame that the elected officials have to rely on their hired hands to keep the in line….Is reading and listening not two skills the lawmakers should have.
The house should not have been voting on any bill without knowing what it was. LaFonta and everyone who voted without knowing its content are disgraceful.
The house should not have been voting on any bill without knowing what it was. LaFonta and everyone who voted without knowing its content are disgraceful.
1.read the bill 2. dont vote unless you know whats in the bill3.send the idiot LaFonta packing next re-election time. maybe he can run for U S Congresss, seems he already has the most disgusting parts down pat.
He IS running for Congress. LaFonta and Cedric Richmond are running in the Democrat primary for Joseph Cao's seat down in New Orleans.
1.read the bill 2. dont vote unless you know whats in the bill3.send the idiot LaFonta packing next re-election time. maybe he can run for U S Congresss, seems he already has the most disgusting parts down pat.
He IS running for Congress. LaFonta and Cedric Richmond are running in the Democrat primary for Joseph Cao's seat down in New Orleans.
I like how you fools are blaming LaFonta just because he is a Democrat, and giving a free pass to 60 some-odd Republicans WHO VOTED WITHOUT KNOWING WHAT WAS IN THE BILL.
In other words: Irresponsible Republicans = fine, any Democrat = bad.
You obviously have no idea how the Legislature works. If every concurrent resolution, which by its nature is a non-binding statement which doesn't directly affect policy, went through statutory exegesis nothing would get done and legislative sessions would last for eight months. LaFonta knew this and carefully plotted an assault on the governor he knew would simply waste the legislators' time and be voted down overwhelmingly. He did it as a media stunt in an effort to boost his Congressional run.
If you like that kind of crap out of your politicians, then you're a perfect example of why Louisiana is struggling to emerge from the bottom of every national list.
I like how you fools are blaming LaFonta just because he is a Democrat, and giving a free pass to 60 some-odd Republicans WHO VOTED WITHOUT KNOWING WHAT WAS IN THE BILL.
In other words: Irresponsible Republicans = fine, any Democrat = bad.
You obviously have no idea how the Legislature works. If every concurrent resolution, which by its nature is a non-binding statement which doesn't directly affect policy, went through statutory exegesis nothing would get done and legislative sessions would last for eight months. LaFonta knew this and carefully plotted an assault on the governor he knew would simply waste the legislators' time and be voted down overwhelmingly. He did it as a media stunt in an effort to boost his Congressional run.
If you like that kind of crap out of your politicians, then you're a perfect example of why Louisiana is struggling to emerge from the bottom of every national list.
[...] can forget the chaos in Tucker’s House on May 4, 2010, when democrat Juan LaFonta managed to pass HCR 144 by a vote of 91-0 asking [...]