“This week, Rep. Vance McAllister (R) joined the most welcoming society in Louisiana politics. After getting caught kissing a staffer, he is now one of many politicians in the state to have a scandal appended to his Wikipedia page, another data point in the argument that there must be something in the water there that makes politicians a magnet for bad behavior. Here is anthology of some of those scandals and political oddities, from the state consistently ranked one of our most corrupt.” – Washington Post

“Louisiana won’t boost its minimum wage for hourly workers. The House labor committee rejected bills Thursday that would have set the state minimum wage higher than the hourly federal rate of $7.25 and would have allowed local governments to set their own minimum wage.” – Yahoo! News

“Lobbyists representing an alcohol-infused ice cream maker brought sweet treats Thursday to the State Capitol. Legislators looked curiously at the BuzzBars, but they still raised concerns about making them legal in Louisiana.” – Baton Rouge Advocate

“Edwin Washington Edwards — scoundrel, irresistible charmer, four-time governor, reality show star, convicted felon and the very last of the line of New Deal Southern Democrats — is running for Congress at age 86. That would be 12 years after he was sentenced to prison at the age of 75 on corruption charges. That would be 49 years after he was first elected to Congress in 1965 and his friend President Lyndon B. Johnson called him with congratulations and the phone number for Harold Barefoot Sanders, LBJ’s chief legislative aide. Edwards was so moved that he stood up at his desk to take the call.” – POLITICO

“Bud Carrouche wouldn’t answer our questions about the tens of thousands of dollars he put into his pocket every year. Now the former president of New Orleans Fire Fighter’s Pension & Relief Fund admits he broke state law, following a series of FOX 8 investigations called ‘Playing With Fire.'” – Fox8Live

“U.S. District Court in Baton Rouge refused an injunction Monday requested by Lt. Gov. Jay Dardenne in his copyright infringement suit against a pro-Medicaid expansion group.” – KATC

“The Senate Natural Resources Committee argued Wednesday whether a bill regarding legacy lawsuits would streamline or delay the clean-up of contaminated oilfield sites, eventually siding with the latter and killing SB 467 by Sen. Robert Adley, R-Benton. Lawmakers did, however, advance another of Adley’s bills on the matter that represents a compromise of sorts.” – LAPolitics.com

“The disconnect in the Republican reactions to the Vance McAllister and David Vitter scandals are hypocritical, says John Bel Edwards, a legislative leader and opponent against Vitter for governor in 2015.” – NOLA.com

“The New Orleans City Council has thrown out the rule requiring all city police officers, fire fighters and EMS personnel to live in Orleans Parish.” – WWL-TV

“Louisiana legislators advanced a bill Thursday that would make the Holy Bible the official Louisiana state book, despite concerns the move could prompt litigation.” – Baton Rouge Advocate