August 29, 2023

Dear Friends,

Louisiana Election Update: Louisiana has 79 contested state legislative primaries this year, a 14% decrease from 2019, with 60 contested seats in the House and 19 in the Senate. Because of term limits and legislators running for other positions, at least 28% of the Legislature will be represented by newcomers next year, the second-largest such percentage since 2011. Read more about the breakdown heading into October’s primary from The Center Square.

LFF’s LouisianaVoterGuide.Org available Sept 23^rd!

Some schools in Louisiana yesterday either canceled class or implemented heightened security following a series of bomb threats across the state. 

Schools in Livingston, Grant, Assumption, Ascension, St. James Parishes and more experienced disruptions on Monday due to these threats, and there were threats to other parish school systems as the academic year began.

So far, law enforcement agencies have deemed these threats to be hoaxes, but hopefully suspects will be apprehended soon.

Louisiana voters are opposed to Governor John Bel Edwards's attempt to provide clemency for 57 prisoners on death row, according to a recent poll.

NOLA reports 51% of voters are against Edwards's persistent effort to reduce sentences for death row inmates, while 41% are in favor. Eight percent of voters remain undecided. Fifty-six of the state's 57 total death row inmates have submitted requests for clemency.

The findings reveal a sharp divide: 73% of Republicans, 27% of Democrats, and 52% of Independents indicated opposition to Edwards's proposal. In contrast, 20% of Republicans, 64% of Democrats, and 40% of Independents expressed support for clemency.

East Baton Rouge District Attorney Hillar Moore and Attorney General Jeff Landry have criticized Edwards's proposal as a violation of protocol and an affront to victims' families. Landry remarked that any modification to the execution of this penalty should occur through the legislature, rather than by executive action of the governor. 

Don’t forget to take a look at how our lawmakers voted this past legislative session with LFF’s Legislative Scorecard.

The Daily Wire reports that the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has stopped collecting adverse events related to COVID-19 vaccines. 

“Thank you for your participation. Data collection for COVID-19 vaccines concluded on June 30, 2023,” the website reads.

“Does this mean that the CDC believes that the mRNA Covid-19 injections are so safe, there is no need to monitor adverse event reports any longer?” writes Dr. David Gortler, a fellow at the Brownstone Institute who previously held a senior position and advisory role at the FDA. 

Gortler said the FDA's Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) database reportedly attributes the vaccines as the primary cause of over 1.5 million adverse events in the US, such as heart attacks, myocarditis, and pericarditis cases. 

“In George Orwell’s 1984, characters were told by The Party to ‘reject the evidence of your eyes and ears.’” Gortler said. “Now, the CDC isn’t even allowing that evidence to be collected for review. It’s a terrible idea for any product, let alone novel mRNA technologies.”

Friends, please join us in praying for all those affected by the wildfires in our state, the storm which threatens our Gulf neighbors and Louisiana children as parents seek a healthy learning environment. “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer” Romans 12:12.

In His Service,

Gene Mills
President, Louisiana Family Forum

P.S. LFF’s Silver Anniversary Gala is one month away! There’s no better way to celebrate decades of impact and the statesmanship of lawmakers who advocated for life, liberty, and limited government in our state. Click here for more information.