Update: Confirmation hearing June 01, 2022 at 1:00pm Room F.
Ronnie Johns
The governor can make appointments, but did you know the Senate gets the final say? This session Louisiana’s Senate will decide which of John Bel Edwards appointments to confirm or deny. One appointment that should be of particular interest was made specifically to stop the Senate overriding JBE’s series of vetoes last session.You may recall the deal made between Senator Ronnie Johns and the governor just before Louisiana’s 2021 Veto Override Session. If Johns did not show up, JBE would appoint him head of Louisiana’s Gaming Control Board, which comes complete with a six-figure salary. That sure looks like giving or offering to give, anything of value with the intent to influence his conduct. Johns took the deal. He chose to not do his job as a legislator in order to receive something material in return.
When asked about the appointment, Governor Edwards was open about his use of these “tactics.”
“I used all those (tactics) that were at my disposal that previous governors have used and that they were using downstairs themselves,” Edwards said. “Are we going to take politics out of politics?”
Senate should hold both John Bel Edwards and Ronnie Johns accountable by denying this appointment. Refusing to confirm this appointment would be refusing the status quo.
Chairman of Senate and Government Affairs, Sharon Hewitt has not given a specific date for this hearing. However, we know appointments will be heard in the last couple of weeks of session. We will be watching closely.
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