Marsha Shuler
Baton Rouge Advocate
Baton Rouge, LA, United States
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Past articles by Marsha:
Troy Brown loses Senate leadership post
State Sen. Troy Brown, facing a misdemeanor domestic abuse battery charge, will give up the only leadership role he has in the state Senate. Senate President John Alario said Thursday that Brown agreed to step down as vice chairman of the Senate Environmental Quality Committee until legal issues are resolved. Alario said he discussed the … → Read More
Jeb Bush announces Louisiana campaign team
Republican presidential hopeful Jeb Bush’s campaign on Tuesday named his Louisiana steering committee and finance chairs. St. Tammany Parish President Pat Brister, state Sen. Conrad Appel of Metairie, state Rep. Nancy Landry of Lafayette and former state Commissioner of Elections Suzie Terrell will work to build Bush’s grassroots infrastructure. Meanwhile, fundraising efforts will be led by New… → Read More
Lt. Gov.-elect Nungesser: "No pink slips"
Lt. Gov.-elect Billy Nungesser visited his soon-to-be state offices Monday, assuring employees they would still have a job after his January inauguration if they wanted it. “I’m not going in there and cleaning house. That doesn’t benefit anybody,” Nungesser said. “I’m not giving anybody a pink slip. I’m going to call every one of them … → Read More
LABI president: Vitter rejection a "character" vote
Voters spoke loudly that “character matters” when they rejected U.S. Sen. David Vitter as governor, the president of the state’s major business lobby said Monday. “The race began as a referendum on his well-chronicled personal issues and polarizing approach and he was never able to change that topic,” Louisiana Association of Business and Industry president … → Read More
Louisiana legislators' compensation rising
Despite state financial woes, Louisiana legislators got a boost in their annual compensation this month. The increase in legislators’ pay package comes because their per diem jumped from $150 to $157 – a $7 a day increase. By law, legislators’ per diem is adjusted automatically every time the federal government changes the reimbursement rate for food … → Read More
La. Sheriffs endorse John Bell Edwards for governor
Democratic governor candidate John Bel Edwards has received the endorsement of the Louisiana Sheriffs’ Association, the group’s president Lincoln Parish Sheriff Mike Stone announced Monday. “I’m so proud to stand with law enforcement who work hard to keep our people safe,” tweeted Edwards in response to the news. The sheriffs’ endorsement is highly coveted. The association stayed … → Read More
Travel executives dispute anti-Dardenne ad
Executives of the Louisiana Travel Promotion Association are criticizing a governor’s campaign ad that attacks Lt. Gov. Jay Dardenne over an overseas trip. The ad, paid for a pro-U.S. Sen. David Vitter super PAC, alleges Dardenne wasted taxpayer money as he traveled with his wife and campaign contributors to celebrate his birthday. “The ‘Birthday Bash’ … → Read More
Vitter, Angelle decline state employee, teacher retirees invite
Retired state employee and teacher groups wanted to know where the four major governor’s candidates stood on issues important to them, like pension and health care benefits. But two of the candidates declined overtures – Republicans U.S. Sen. David Vitter and Public Service Commissioner Scott Angelle About two months ago the candidates were invited to “closed … → Read More
Early voting numbers show low interest in Oct. 24 statewide elections; undecided voters could cause 'huge fall off' in turnout
Final early voting numbers show voter interest is tepid, at best, in Saturday’s statewide elections featuring the governor’s race at the top of the ballot, → Read More
Judge rules Bobby Jindal lawyers to testify about decision to cancel Medicaid contract
State attorneys must testify about what went into the decision to abruptly cancel a nearly $200 million Medicaid contract, 19th Judicial District Court Judge Tim Kelley ruled Tuesday. → Read More
Louisiana voter demographic continues to shift; more now choosing to be unaligned with major political parties
More African-Americans, more women, more of the elderly and fewer Democrats are eligible to vote later this month than in the last governor’s race. The → Read More
Despite positive evaluations, most state employees did not get their Oct. 1 pay raises
More than 35,000 of Louisiana’s rank-and-file classified employees received their favorable evaluations, but they’re not getting their pay raises. Officials at most state government agencies say they → Read More
Two ex-Louisiana auditors face ethics charges alleging misuse of public funds for events like Mardi Gras, NBA All-Star game
Two former Department of Children & Family Services auditors joined their boss in facing ethics charges related to the misuse of public funds. The Louisiana → Read More
Richest campaign, wealthiest PAC shown in new campaign finance reports for Louisiana governor's race
Campaigns and political action committees have pumped millions into the Louisiana governor’s race over the past two months. According to The Advocate’s analysis of campaign finance reports → Read More
LSU cancels BRF contract to operate Shreveport, Monroe hospitals
LSU has pulled the plug on its contract for Biomedical Research Foundation of Northwest Louisiana operation of public hospitals in Shreveport and Monroe. LSU served formal notice to the Foundation, citing breach of the public purpose set forth in the cooperative endeavor agreement. CEA. Under that agreement, BRF must withdraw as the parent company of University Health … → Read More
Jindal chief of staff has bollards wreck
Gov. Bobby Jindal’s chief of staff got caught Thursday afternoon by the security bollards at the State Capitol. Melissa Mann, the governor’s chief of staff, was driving into the parking lot behind the State Capitol when the steel poles that restrict entrance came up and wrecked the front of her SUV. Mann left the police … → Read More
Lt. Gov. Jay Dardenne has shown an independent streak in his political career
Jay Dardenne got his first taste of Louisiana politics as the student member of the LSU Board of Supervisors. He couldn’t vote, but he sat between two → Read More
Capitol Access Road construction about to cause more traffic headaches for downtown workers, Spanish Town residents
Baton Rouge, /News/: The Capitol Access Road is closed at the bridge near the Governor’s Mansion due to road construction related to a State Capitol security upgrade. The road won’t reopen until Jan. 5. The shutdown means more traffic headaches for downtown workers as well as → Read More
Planned Parenthood sues Jindal administration
Planned Parenthood went to federal court Tuesday to try to block Gov. Bobby Jindal’s attempt to yank Medicaid funding from its Louisiana operations. If the court doesn’t → Read More
More State Capitol work to begin
The clock starts running in September in a race to complete roadwork around the State Capitol before a new governor is inaugurated there in January. Barber Brothers Contracting Co. got the contract award with a bid of $1.39 million, state Division of Administration spokesman Gregory Dupuis said. Exact start date of the 120-day job has … → Read More