When LouisianaVoice was first contacted about Troy Hebert back in December, one of the things our anonymous source said was that the former Commissioner of Alcohol and Tobacco Control was positioning himself for a congressional run.
While everything the source told us was verified in a month-long investigation, we simply could not bring ourselves to believe that Hebert would seriously believe he could be a serious candidate for Congress.
After all, the Jeanerette native had enough baggage to justify an extra train car on any such expedition to Washington.
For openers, the veteran legislator cum ATC commissioner had, while serving as a state representative, managed to finagle a state contract for debris cleanup following hurricanes Katrina and Rita. That alone was a flagrant conflict of interest but because he was apparently close to Bobby Jindal, the State Board of Ethics chose to look the other way.
Then there is his tenure at ATC, marked by constant battles with his agents. Rumors of racism on his part persisted and he required his agents to rise and chirp, “Good morning, commissioner” whenever he entered the room. At hearings on alcohol permit revocations and other penalties, he insisted on being called “judge,” though he was merely an administrative officer.
So we discounted out of hand the report that he might make a run for a congressional seat. We assumed he was taking aim of the seat now held by U.S. Rep. Charles Boustany who has made his intentions known that he plans to seek the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by David Vitter.
Nah, we said. The source is simply wrong.
But wait.
Politics necessarily dictate sizable egos and apparently there is none bigger than Hebert’s.
And there it was, when we googled “Hebert announces for U.S. Senate.” Up popped this link: http://www.katc.com/story/31082873/troy-hebert-to-run-for-senate?clienttype=mobile
That’s the web site of Lafayette television station KATC. We clicked on the link and this story appeared on our screen:
Troy Hebert, a former state senator and former commissioner of the state Alcohol and Tobacco Control Office, says he plans to run for the U.S. Senate this fall.
Hebert, who is from Jeanerette and lives in Baton Rouge, served in the Louisiana state Senate as a Democrat, but later switched to Independent. He was Alcohol & Tobacco Control Commissioner for the past five years and resigned at the end of December.
Hebert said he plans to run as an Independent.
“Given the number of voters that are fed up with both parties, the large number of registered Independents and the swollen number of republican candidates, simple math shows a great opportunity for voters to elect their first truly conservative Independent United States Senator,” Hebert said. “This realization has some people in high places, with a lot to lose, already trying to keep me out the race. They think I kicked their asses before, just think what I could do as a U.S. Senator.”
Hebert joins three other Louisiana politicians who have announced they are vying for U.S. Sen. David Vitter’s Senate seat. Vitter announced he would not seek re-election after losing the governor’s race last fall.
U.S. Rep. Charles Boustany, R-Lafayette, U.S. Rep. John Fleming, R-Minden, and state Treasurer John Kennedy, also a Republican, have said they are running.
So it’s not the House but the Senate that Hebert is running for. Seems our source was pretty much spot on with this opening line back on Dec. 18, 2015:
“I have watched all of Mr. Herbert’s actions in the last year with amazement. His latest attempts to go around the State to get name recognition for what I hear will be a Congressional run has led me from watching from the sidelines to sending you this information.”
“Herbert also has been holding town hall type meetings across the State after he announced his resignation at end of year so he can get name recognition for his run for Congress,” she said.
Okay, it’s not the House, but that and other information provided us was accurate enough for us to see that our source is up in the middle of Troy Hebert’s business—and he has no idea who it is.
Stand by folks. If you thought last fall’s governor’s race was nasty, you ain’t seen nuthin’ yet.
As C.B. would say if he were still with us: You can’t make this stuff up.
Louisiana Voice 
Unbelievable! Bring it on!
You didn’t mention Democrat Caroline Fayard. Any reason? http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2016/01/email_shows_caroline_fayard_pr.html
On Thu, Jan 28, 2016 at 4:03 PM, Louisiana Voice wrote:
> tomaswell posted: “When LouisianaVoice was first contacted about Troy > Hebert back in December, one of the things our anonymous source said was > that the former Commissioner of Alcohol and Tobacco Control was positioning > himself for a congressional run. While everything th” >
I didn’t mention any other candidates in what I wrote. The part that named candidates was a copy and paste from the Lafayette TV station’s story. That’s why I italicized it.
As Yakov Sminoff says, “What a country!!!!”
I changed my affiliation to Independent in 2009 after becoming fed up with the road Republicans were spiraling down. Now this buffoon wants to identify as an Independent. I feel pretty confident that Independents do not want Hebert representing them. This one doesn’t anyhow. His pettiness can only be challenged by his former boss. He’s definitely been drinking the same Koolaid and has about the same chance as Booby.
Hebert has no name recognition with me. Just tell me that if my Representative Fleming runs and is defeated, he won’t get to continue as
my Representative…although, he wins easily. I just don’t understand the people in my district that elect him. He is an organizer of that far right caucus that has blocked any and everything that would help “we the people.” Not enough Democrats vote and the Democrats do not field a strong candidate. It looks as if this will be the case with the Senate race. Simply depressing!
And probably your district has been gerrymandered to insure that Fleming or another Republican are the only ones who have a chance to win the district. You can thank the legislature for that.
Troy Hebert is a dang nice looking man. He might just can plater his face all over and win. Voters are shallow.
Maybe not from the women involved in the sexual extortion by Hebert being investigated by the FBI right now. And probably not by the women he threatened to sue for calling animal control on regarding his large dog (Great Dane I think) that was chained, unfed and abandoned, at the mansion he built by the lakes. Or the women forced to stand and recite their “good morning commissioner” each day. I see nothing attractive about him at all but hey, that’s just me. I realize your comment is tongue in cheek (I hope) but one look at Congress or our legislature will tell looks don’t count for much come election time. Matter of fact most of those guys (you could probably throw me in there too) are so ugly that only their mama could love ’em. Hebert’s problem is he’s sooo ugly on the inside and his only friend don’t live by the Capitol anymore.
Lol….I guess I’ll always love you, rascal.
Not surprising when you consider how much this fascist craves power and attention. Even before his rule of terror at ATC, he used to grandstand more than his share in the state legislature.
Two theories on his run:
1. He sees Clinton’s apparent viability and says, “Well. Why not me?”
2. He still remembers Tom Cruise’s first big hit (Risky Business) and is practicing the infamous line of “Sometimes you just got to say WTF.”