LaPolitics Report

Alfred "Butch" Speer, a member of the state Ethics Board and the former clerk of the House of Representatives, has survived constitutional conventions and more than one round of redistricting. He's also forgotten more about regular sessions than most of us will ever learn. Recorded in February 2015, this episode features a terrific overview of how Speer landed one of the Legislature’s most high-profile gigs.

This latest episode arrives in May 2024, the 10th anniversary of the passing of LaPolitics founder John Maginnis. In addition to writing a couple of valuable books on Louisiana politics, and creating the state's most popular trade publication for politicos, Maginnis produced a DVD set called "How to Get Elected." The guest for this episode, consultant Jason Hebert of the Political Firm, was among the voices used by Maginnis for that DVD set and he shares some memories from the project. Staying on theme, Hebert also gives his tips for how to get elected, from making the initial decision and raising money to being a candidate.

This is it! The very first episode of the LaPolitics Report podcast, featuring John Alario, one of only three American politicians to have served as both a House speaker and Senate president in the same state Legislature. Recorded in August 2016, Alario opened up about what he considered then to be his future in politics and his greatest regret at the Capitol. He also discussed the role of Donald Trump's politics in Louisiana and dished on the art of revenge. Plus, enjoy our regular blast-from-the-past audio file profiling Edgar "Sonny" Mouton, who ran for governor in 1979. Mouton's bid fell short, but left behind some of the funniest oratory of the cycle — and the 1970s.

Recorded in October 2016 during season two of the LaPolitics Report podcast, this episode features Commissioner of Administration (and then-state House Speaker) Taylor Barras. He explained how he learned about politics in a grocery store, via the family business growing up, and told us what it was like using Huey Long's old desk. You'll even hear why Huey had special switches installed under that desk as well! In our usual time-capsule segment, we drop in on the House floor for the final night of the 1979 regular session. You'll love this audio! It includes Billy Tauzin's rendition of Edgar Allan Poe's most well-known work and Bubba Henry's imitation of Earl Long. Plus, join in for a quick review of a list of Louisiana's 10 most influential elections, as compiled by author Errol Laborde of New Orleans magazine.

Episode 64 features Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry, who focuses most of his interview on this year's proposed constitutional convention. He offers his take on the Senate's perceived opposition and answers a question about what role (if any) former President Donald Trump could play in a potential ratification vote. Landry also reflects on his earliest memories of politics in Acadiana and offers some concluding words on the challenges involved with public records laws — as he sees them.

Recorded in December 2016, this opening to the third season of the LaPolitics Report featured Liz Mangham, a founding member of Southern Strategy Group’s Louisiana office. She discussed the lobbying trade in the Bayou State, her paintings and what it was like working on Kathleen Blanco’s successful run for governor. A fierce defender of the governmental relations practice, she said she believes "on any given day, each citizen of Louisiana is represented by multiple professionals working on their behalf." While she doesn't gloss over the importance of having a book of business at the Capitol, Mangham explained what's involved in managing various issues at the local level, including city councils, police juries and school boards. (This episode also opens up with an audio blast-from-the-past courtesy of retired Chief Justice Kitty Kimball.)

Recorded in August 2016, this episode features Randy Haynie, a well-known lobbyist around the Capitol and the former president of the National Association of State Lobbyists. Haynie took us through the days when lobbyists weren't even required to register with the state, up through modern reporting requirements. He spoke about public perceptions, the different kinds of lobbyists you’ll find at the Capitol and some of the most common professional mistakes made in that building. Haynie discussed the Louisiana Political Hall of Fame, and talked about his own display there. Plus, he explained how he ended up voting several times— and then hurriedly changing those votes — while working on the Senate floor as a young sergeant-at-arms. If you’re looking for your usual dose of Louisiana political history, this is the episode for you! In addition to Haynie’s personal collection of stories, which is vast, we kicked off this episode with an audio sampling of Puggy Moity, whose stranger-than-fiction story has partly been lost to history. If you’ve never heard of Puggy, you’re in for a treat. He was a professional ballot spoiler in the 1960s and 1970s who sometimes ran for more than one office at a time. He purchased 30-minute blocks of late-night TV for what amounted to political infomercials and wild and loose rants.

One of the most storied names in Louisiana politics — Cleo Fields — is the guest for Episode 63 of the LaPolitics Report podcast. A former and current member of the Louisiana Legislature's upper chamber, Fields is the chair of the Senate and Governmental Affairs Committee. That's the panel that drafted Louisiana's new Black-majority congressional district, which Fields intends to run for this fall. He discusses his humble upbringing in Port Allen, having a judge for a brother and the mom that raised them both. Plus, Fields weighs in on the proposed constitutional convention and his relationships with late Gov. Edwin Edwards and current Gov. Jeff Landry.

To followup on a series of tax-related episodes, we brought in Jason DeCuir, who formerly served as chief of staff, assistant secretary and executive counsel at the Louisiana Department of Revenue. DeCuir is the co-owner and partner of Advantous Consulting and the founding partner of Advantous Law. From gubernatorial appointments and department-level hires to the 2025 session and the approaching fiscal cliff, DeCuir covered quite a bit of ground in Episode 62. The show also opens with a special recording of "Every Man a King."

This April 2017 interview with Francis Thompson (then a state senator, now a representative again) was one of the longest we've recorded, and rightfully so. Thompson is Louisiana's longest serving lawmaker — and he has much to impart. In this unmissable episode, Thompson shares some terrific stories about his very first day in the state House in 1975, the sometimes harsh politics of late Gov. Edwin Edwards and how sideways the social structure of the Capitol has become in the 21st Century. As is always the case, we kicked off this episode by focusing on our shared political history with a few memories from Cokie Roberts. She discussed what it was like being the child of two members of Congress — and how tearing down campaign signs of her parents’ opponents was part of her upbringing!