Election season in State Senate District 22 has been anything but typical. One of the candidates has some real issues that could cost him more than an election loss.

There is a great deal of controversy constantly swirling around one of the candidates, one of which got the candidate nicknamed “Hot Dog” Hugh Andre due to an incident that has now exploded in the Animal Rescue world on Facebook. More photos have surfaced of dogs burned in a sugar cane field owned by Andre where the fires were alleged to have been intentionally set with full knowledge of the mother and her puppies in the field. https://m.facebook.com/story.php/?id=100000900032106&story_fbid=24197478239865507

Andre’s supporters are haplessly defending him on Facebook saying Andre told them he didn’t know the dogs were yet supporters also claimed he helped look for them before burning the field. Both of those statements cannot truthfully co-exist. Andre has not publicly cleared anything up himself, which is emerging as the norm for this race.

Yet as shocking and sick as the assertions of intentionally burning dogs alive are, Andre’s non-answers on other grave allegations that have surfaced, if true, have far greater gravity.

As The Hayride previously reported, [https://hayride1.wpenginepowered.com/2023/09/hugh-andres-foreign-campaign-worker-problem/], Hugh Andre enjoys federal subsidies for his farming endeavors and according to public information from the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Labor, he enjoys cheap farm labor under using the H2A agricultural visa program.

The body of federal law is quite clear about the involvement of foreign nationals in American elections. The Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA) expressly prohibits foreign nationals from making any contributions or expenditures in connection with any election in the United States. The intent behind these restrictions is clear: to prevent foreign influence in our democratic processes. It is vital to keep electoral influence and decisions in the hands of those who live, work, and pay taxes here in America.

Locals are alleging and have provided photographs of Andre’s campaign using these foreign workers as campaign staff yet again in constructing things like large yard signs and even a parade float used by the campaign used this past weekend in a parade. Andre’s farm where photos were snapped of construction taking place not only houses what’s colloquially termed a “foreign man camp” but is also the same place Andre claims is his residence instead of his home in Youngsville.

If these workers are actually from Andre’s farm, employed under the H2A Visa program, there are serious legal issues in question regarding labor laws and the visa exploitation. Further, anything of value donated to a campaign other than cash must be reported as an in-kind contribution.

As early voting begins on Saturday, September 30, the voters of Senate District 22 should be asking Andre directly: are your campaign workers American citizens? If not, can you explain how this is legal?

The ball is in the Andre Campaign’s court.