“House Majority Whip Steve Scalise got some help interviewing potential new hires for his press shop from an unlikely source: a federal lobbyist.” – POLITICO

“The office met with and sought the advice of many current and former members of House leadership and their staff to gauge best practices while building up the Whip operation,” Tatum said. “John Feehery is a well-respected former senior House leadership communications aide whom the office has previously contracted with to provide media training. The office has only ever sought his advice and opinion as a communications professional with many years of House leadership experience.” – NOLA.com

“Let’s review Feehery’s history as a ‘communications aide’ to House Leadership…he was Speaker Denny Hastert’s spokesman. Yes Team GOP, by all means let us return to the glory days of Hastert’s speakership. You know, the one that ended with the GOP being wiped out in 2006. But don’t worry, he only came to that job after working for Haley Barbour’s lobbying firm.” – Ace Of Spades

“At election time, U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu always has a tricky line to walk on abortion, balancing her Catholic faith and Louisiana’s strong anti-abortion stances with her Democratic politics and her support of abortion rights.” – Thibodaux Daily Comet

“Forest Wright, a New Orleans energy policy advocate, has announced his candidacy for the Louisiana Public Service Commission District 1 seat. Wright, a Republican, is challenging Republican Eric Skrmetta, who was elected to the District 1 post in 2008.” – NOLA.com

“Lawyer Ron Johnson collapsed Wednesday morning during the trial of a civil rights lawsuit challenging Baton Rouge City Court election boundaries and was taken from the federal district courthouse by emergency medical personnel, another lawyer involved in the case said.” – Baton Rouge Advocate

“U.S. Rep. Bill Cassidy, R-Baton Rouge, officially opened his U.S. Senate campaign headquarters at the Republican Party of Louisiana’s office in Lake Charles during a rally Tuesday afternoon.” – Lake Charles American Press

“August 7 has been declared “Governor Edwin Edwards Day” — in Austin, Texas. Austin Mayor Shelley ‘Lee’ Leffingwell put Edwin’s day in the city in motion, according to the Edwards campaign, who sent out a release about the matter Tuesday afternoon (Aug. 5).” – NOLA.com

“Gov. Bobby Jindal is asking a judge to prohibit state education leaders from using testing material tied to the Common Core standards in Louisiana’s public schools. Jindal filed a petition Wednesday seeking an injunction that would keep the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education and the education department from administering any standardized tests developed through a testing consortium aligned with Common Core.” – Baton Rouge Advocate

“A Tulane University think tank has issued its annual report on public education in New Orleans, noting strides made in performance since the state assumed authority over most of the city’s schools, but also citing the need for numerous improvements.” – WWL-TV