Petty palace intrigue is swirling around the annual Mardi Gras Ball celebration in Washington, D.C., as Senator Bill Cassidy has allegedly used his position on The Mystick Krewe of Louisianians to revoke tickets purchased by State Representative Roger Wilder to the exclusive D.C. Mardi Gras Ball.
Denial email from Zoe Aguillard, an employee of Senator Bill Cassidy’s office.
Sources say Cassidy’s move stems from a private comment Wilder made to friends expressing his support for State Senator Blake Miguez, who personally told Wilder last week that he was going to run against Cassidy for the U.S. Senate. Wilder then told several friends that he would support Miguez in his U.S. Senate run in 2026 and encouraged them to do the same.
What was apparently too much for Cassidy and his supporters was Wilder’s statement to his friends that he wanted to vote for the proven, battle-tested, accomplished conservative in the race, not the person who voted (in 2021) against the man who would soon be the 47th President of the United States, Donald J. Trump.
In February 2021, Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana made headlines by voting to convict former President Donald Trump during his second impeachment trial, citing his belief that “I voted to convict President Trump because he is guilty.” This decision was met with swift backlash from the Louisiana Republican Party, which unanimously voted to censure Cassidy for his vote.
According to sources, word of Wilder’s support for Miguez reached Cassidy, prompting the senator to revoke Wilder’s access to his already purchased tickets to the ball. This move has raised some eyebrows. Critics are accusing Cassidy of politicizing the event, using his influence to enforce loyalty to his re-election campaign and punish dissent by privately communicating with friends to rally support for Miguez.
After traveling to DC for the celebrations, Wilder confirmed that he received notice that his tickets had been revoked and that his money for their purchase would be refunded. “Yes, my D.C. Mardi Gras tickets were revoked for being honest about Sen. Cassidy’s impeachment vote,” Wilder responded when reached for comment. “No worries,” he continued. “Perhaps I’ll have his ticket in 2026!”
The D.C. Mardi Gras Ball is a long-standing Louisiana tradition held annually in Washington. It is a prestigious, bipartisan gathering of Louisiana politicians, business leaders, and influential figures. The ball celebrates Louisiana culture and provides an informal networking opportunity for those with ties to the state’s political landscape.
“This is a disappointing display of pettiness,” said one analyst familiar with Louisiana’s political dynamics. “The D.C. Mardi Gras Ball has always been about celebrating our state and bringing people together, not political score-settling.”
Miguez has yet to comment on the matter.
There have been no reports of Democrats revoking already-purchased tickets, although Republicans have most assuredly disparaged them. Whether this will have long-term repercussions for the collegiality of the D.C. Mardi Gras Ball moving forward or for Cassidy and his supporters remains an open question.
If Cassidy knew how many people had the same private thoughts as Rep. Roger Wilder, he would be dancing alone on the floor at the Washington Hilton this evening!
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Give us the tools, and we will finish the job.
Churchill’s rallying cry echoes today: “Give us the tools, and we will finish the job.” Here's how you can help hold the line for Louisiana’s conservative values.
One historical figure I frequently look to for inspiration is Winston Churchill. With little more than grit and determination, he rallied his countrymen to overcome overwhelming odds and save the world. He had a plan and a team, but on February 9th, 1941, he needed resources to further stimey the evil forces bearing down on England.
He closed his radio broadcast on that fateful day, saying, "Put your confidence in us. Give us your faith and your blessing, and, under Providence, all will be well. We shall not fail or falter; we shall not weaken or tire... Give us the tools, and we will finish the job."
Here we are some eighty years later, and evil again bears down upon us. To be sure, Donald Trump will do his part in Washington, DC. However, Louisiana and her local communities are our jobs - yours and mine. It's up to us to hold the line against the Left's encroachment in Louisiana. That's the work Citizens for a New Louisiana has already been doing for nearly eight years. We've shored up our gains in Lafayette, Livingston, and St. Tammany parishes. However, many more parishes are currently undefended! Will you help us to expand more Conservative bulwarks into other parishes?
Churchill knew that success was only possible with additional resources. That remains true today. We can only continue this critical work with support from friends like you. We don't just think Louisiana is worth saving; we're doing our part to accomplish it, one little bit at a time. Are you on board? Here's your chance to prove it. Partner with our movement or chip in monthly so this critical work continues.
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