The Hayride

Three highly-publicized issues involving U.S. Sen. David Vitter in the past two weeks, along with an increasing momentum for Republican and conservative candidates nationwide, seem to be driving a major surge for Louisiana’s junior senator in his bid for re-election this fall, as a new Rasmussen poll has Vitter scorching his Democrat opponent, Congressman Charlie Melancon, [...]

Filed under: Charlie Melancon, David Vitter, Democrats, Elections, James O'Keefe, Jim Letten, Mary Landrieu, Polls, Sports | 13343 Comments »http://thehayride.com/2010/02/vitter-crushing-melancon-by-24-points-thanks-to-recent-events/Vitter+Crushing+Melancon+By+24+Points+Thanks+To+Recent+Events2010-02-12+20%3A20%3A31macaoidh

In yet another example of the stellar success of the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Louisiana, the public corruption trial of former Democrat state senator and 2006 U.S. congressional candidate Derrick Shepherd concluded today with a 37-month jail sentence, three years’ supervised probation and a $45,000 fine. As WWL reports:

Filed under: Democrats, Jim Letten, New Orleans | 1319No Comments »http://thehayride.com/2010/02/another-skull-for-letten-shepherd-gets-three-years/Another+Skull+For+Letten%3B+Shepherd+Gets+Three+Years2010-02-12+00%3A27%3A20macaoidh

In the two weeks since the New Orleans Saints won the NFC Championship Game and launched the NFL franchise into its first Super Bowl, a good deal of national attention and well-wishing has descended upon the city. That’s been a good thing. But along with the kudos and good feelings have come an aggravating, and, [...]

Filed under: Aaron Broussard, Bobby Jindal, Business, Economy, Education, Elections, George W. Bush, Jim Letten, Mitch Landrieu, New Orleans, Sports | 12383 Comments »http://thehayride.com/2010/02/saints-super-bowl-trip-hopefully-washes-away-katrina-pity/Saints%27+Super+Bowl+Trip+Hopefully+Washes+Away+Katrina+Pity2010-02-06+16%3A19%3A31macaoidh

Echoing a number of statements we’ve made here at the Hayride, estimable New Orleans Times-Picayune columnist James Gill let loose today with a brutal – and highly entertaining – smackdown of the Louisiana Democrat Party and some of the loopy notions it has been peddling of late.

Filed under: Buddy Leach, David Vitter, Democrats, James O'Keefe, Jim Letten, Mary Landrieu | 1178No Comments »http://thehayride.com/2010/02/t-ps-gill-skewers-state-dems-on-vitter-letten-okeefe/T-P%27s+Gill+Skewers+State+Dems+On+Vitter%2C+Letten%2C+O%27Keefe2010-02-04+16%3A12%3A37macaoidh

Two items involving U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Louisiana Jim Letten surfaced today, neither likely having much to do with each other. First, Letten was finally given the official go-ahead from Attorney General Eric Holder as a reappointed U.S. Attorney. The move, which was telegraphed last week following Holder’s conference with Louisiana Sen. [...]

Filed under: David Vitter, Democrats, Eric Holder, James O'Keefe, Jim Letten, Mary Landrieu, Media, New Orleans | 11301 Comment »http://thehayride.com/2010/02/letten-officially-reappointed-pulls-out-of-okeefe-case/Letten%2C+Officially+Reappointed%2C+Pulls+Out+Of+O%27Keefe+Case2010-02-02+03%3A30%3A48macaoidh

The Times-Picayune is reporting today that Attorney General Eric Holder has assured Sen. David Vitter that U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Louisiana Jim Letten will be sticking around and a formal announcement will be made soon – a development which will trigger a release of holds on “blue slips” Vitter has been practicing [...]

Filed under: Barack Obama, David Vitter, Eric Holder, Jim Letten | 1069No Comments »http://thehayride.com/2010/01/lettens-status-clarifying-wheels-to-turn-on-nominee-holds/Letten%27s+Status+Clarifying%3B+Wheels+To+Turn+On+Nominee+Holds2010-01-29+03%3A28%3A10macaoidh

As the ever-more-curious James O’Keefe arrest story continues to develop, the Louisiana Democrat Party has now weighed in with a reliably breathless, stupid and illogical statement. In a release late this afternoon, acting state party head Michael McHale said the following… “This is a Louisiana Watergate. Louisiana families are shocked and outraged that these men [...]

Filed under: Charlie Melancon, David Vitter, Democrats, Jim Letten, Mary Landrieu, New Orleans, Steve Scalise | 10354 Comments »http://thehayride.com/2010/01/breathless-state-dems-attempt-to-tar-vitter-for-okeefe-caper/Breathless+State+Dems+Attempt+To+Tar+Vitter+For+O%27Keefe+Caper2010-01-27+03%3A31%3A51macaoidh

Yesterday, President Barack Obama nominated Stephanie Finley, an assistant U.S. Attorney in Lafayette, to fill the open U.S. Attorney post for the Western District of Louisiana. Finley, who has been a federal prosecutor, judge advocate and Lieutenant Colonel in the air force reserve, has spent the last 18 years in federal service. She seems to [...]

Filed under: Barack Obama, David Vitter, Jim Letten, Mary Landrieu | 938No Comments »http://thehayride.com/2010/01/obama-nominates-finley-for-u-s-attorney-post-still-silent-on-letten/Obama+Nominates+Finley+For+U.S.+Attorney+Post%2C+Still+Silent+On+Letten2010-01-21+16%3A24%3A41macaoidh

After seven years of Ray Nagin, the people of New Orleans are all too familiar with the idea of a buffoon as their mayor. It’s questionable whether an appetite exists for another pea from that pod. Such an appetite would have to be ravenous in order for it to do John Georges any good in [...]

Filed under: Democrats, Elections, Jim Letten, John Georges, Mitch Landrieu, New Orleans | 778No Comments »http://thehayride.com/2010/01/yep-hes-a-joke-all-right/Yep+-+He%27s+A+Joke%2C+All+Right2010-01-13+07%3A41%3A47macaoidh

It’s a controversy which has been going on for some time now, but a stalemate between Louisiana’s two senators over Jim Letten’s future as the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Louisiana is beginning to get some traction in the local media. Letten, who was elevated to his current position in 2001 after having [...]

Filed under: Aaron Broussard, Barack Obama, David Vitter, Democrats, Eric Holder, Jim Letten, Mary Landrieu, New Orleans | 7662 Comments »http://thehayride.com/2010/01/vitter-landrieu-blue-slips-and-letten/Vitter%2C+Landrieu%2C+Blue+Slips+And+Letten2010-01-12+15%3A46%3A45macaoidh