Louisiana Voice

Since 2010, there have been 152 153 mass shootings in the US, including those last week in Buffalo, Laguna Woods, California, and one in CHICAGO which escaped media attention but in which two died and another eight were wounded.

And those don’t include the innumerable one-on-one shootings that occur with increasing frequency. In Baton Rouge and New Orleans, like Chicago, we’ve become so desensitized that it’s only news now when there is not a shooting reported on the local news.

But an update of this story, posted earlier today, does include the sickening, nauseating shooting at an elementary school in Texas today that took the lives of 19 children, two teachers, and the shooter, who was taken down by Border Patrol agents.

Let that sink in. nineteen elementary school students who had done nothing to anyone and two teachers who was most likely grossly underpaid and underappreciated even as they tried to shield the kids from danger.

In those 152 153 incidents, 825 847 people have died and another 1,293 were wounded.

Many of the victims of the other 152 shootings were also children.

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, who, along with Donald Trump and Greg Abbott, is scheduled to speak at the NRA’s annual convention in Houston this weekend, predictably parroted the sacred 2nd Amendment right to bear arms (apparently including AR-15s, which today’s killer used in his assault. Well, Ted Cruz can go straight to hell along with those shooters who take innocent lives.

All of which kind of makes one wonder where all those open carry zealots were during those shootings. I thought the theory was the best way to stop the bad guys with guns was with good guys with guns.

But apparently, all those open carry advocates who strut around Walmart and Starbucks with their holstered sidearms to put their machismo on display for all to see just weren’t around when the killings took place.

Or maybe they just ran for cover when the shooting started.

Since 2010, Louisiana had 193 candidates for political office incumbents and other public officials who contributed more than $171,000 to the National Rifle Association (NRA), the singular opponent of reform of the ease with which Americans are able to purchase assault weapons, the armaments of choice for many of the perpetrators of the most senseless attacks.

And it’s worth mentioning that every penny of those contributions came from campaign funds, money given by campaign supporters, and not from personal bank accounts.

It’s also worth noting that every single one of the contributors bears a share of the responsibility for the needless killing that has taken place over that period. While they obviously did not bear the weapons used in the butchery, they did contribute to the mindset that has gripped this country that every slight, every perceived injustice, can be resolved with a damned gun – even if it involves the killing of innocent second-, third-, and fourth-grade children.

And “thoughts and prayers” won’t cut it anymore. Neither will saying, “This is not the time to discuss gun control.” We’re damned tired of hearing that crap. It’s time to drop the partisan bitching and act like the leaders you pretend to be. (Not that anyone expects that to happen, of course.)

Many of the “contributions” were for NRA membership dues.

STATE ETHICS LAWS allow for the payment of certain membership dues from campaign funds so long as the memberships are necessary for office holders to “stay in touch with their constituencies and/or to enhance their professional standing.” These memberships include the National Conference of State Legislatures, Common Cause, Public Affairs Research Council, etc. But paying for membership in the NRA might be considered a stretch.

Other payments appeared to simply be largesse to keep politicos in the good graces of the NRA.

Donors to the NRA include:

• Louisiana Supreme Court Justice Jeff Hughes – $8500;
• Louisiana State Supreme Court Justice Jay McCallum – $1040;
• Gov. John Bel Edwards – $700;
• Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff and brother to Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards, Daniel Edwards – $800;
• Vernon Parish Sheriff Sam Craft – $3600;
• Livingston Parish Sheriff Jason Ard – $3270
• Union Parish Sheriff Dusty Gates – $1500;
• Richland Parish Sheriff Gary Gilley – $3315;
• Allen Parish Sheriff Douglas Hebert, III – $3400;
• Retired Terrebonne Parish Sheriff Jerry Larpenter – $1400;
• Jefferson Parish Sheriff Joseph Lopinto, III – $1500;
• Calcasieu Parish Sheriff Tony Mancuso – $8230;
• Grant Parish Sheriff Steven John McCain – $965
• Caddo Parish Sheriff Steve Prator – $950;
• DeSoto Parish Sheriff Jayson Richardson – $2750;
• Ouachita Parish Sheriff Jay Russell – $1500;
• St. Tammany Parish Sheriff Randy Smith – $3400;
• Retired Lincoln Parish Sheriff Mike Stone – $455;
• Former Jefferson Parish Chief Deputy Sheriff Craig Taffaro, sentenced to five years’ probation after his conviction on six counts of tax evasion, five counts of filing false returns and a single count of failing to file a tax return – $105;
• Former State Rep. Andy Anders – $1490;
• Former State Rep. Chris Broadwater (R-Hammond) – $6600;
• State Sen. Cameron Henry (R-Metairie) – $3084;
• Former Calcasieu Parish District Attorney John DeRosier – $2900;
• Calcasieu-Beauregard parishes District Attorney Stephen Dwight – $725;
• Allen Parish Tax Assessor Richad Earl – $480;
• Former State Sen. Dale Erdy – $3050;
• Former State Rep. Jim Fannin – $2270;
• Public Service Commissioner Jimmy Field – $310;
• State Rep. Michael “Gabe” Firment (R-Pollock) – $630;
• Walker Mayor Bobby Font – $1600;
• Retired Webster Parish assessor Morris Guin – $1450;
• 15^th JDC District Attorney candidate Michael Harson – $1200;
• Former State Sen. and current Chairman of the Louisiana Gaming Commission Ronnie Johns – $1750;
• Former State Rep. Kay Katz (R-Monroe) – $293
• Former State Treasurer and current US Sen. John Kennedy – $376
• State Sen. Beth Mizell (R-Franklinton) – $475;
• Dwayne Munch, assistant to Jefferson Parish President
• 21^st JDC District Attorney Scott Perrilloux – $2300;
• Louisiana Wildlife & Fisheries Commissioner Harlie Reynolds of Dubberly – $845;
• State Rep. nee State Sen. and concealed carry advocate Neil Riser (R-Columbia) – $1325;
• Retired general counsel for the Louisiana Ethics Board Gray Sexton – $2000;
• Livingston Parish Assessor Jeff Taylor – $1375;
• State Sen. Mack “Bodi” White (R-Central) – $1600;
• Slidell Mayor Freddie Drennan – $2510;
• Former State Sen. Conrad Appel (R-Metairie) – $175;
• Former State Sen. Robert Adley (R-Bossier City) – $350;
• Former State Rep. Johnny Berthelot (R-Gonzales) – $700;
• Former State Sen. A.G. Crowe (R-Pearl River) – $125;
• Former State Sen. Gerald Long (R-Natchitoches) – $190;
• Former East Carroll Parish Sheriff Mark Shumate (ironically prohibited from possessing a firearm after pleading guilty to hunting with a convicted felon) – $3000;
• Former State Rep. M.J. “Mert” Smiley (R-St. Amant) – $240;
• State Rep. nee State Sen. nee State Rep. Francis Thompson (D-Delhi) – $110;
• Former US Sen. David Vitter (R-Metairie) – $175;
• House Speaker Clay Schexnayder (R-Gonzales) – $350;
• State Rep. Alan Seabaugh (R-Shreveport) – $850.

For some, their contributions appear to have been sound investments. Crowe, for example, received a $500 contribution from the NRA in exchange for his $125 contribution to the organization.

For his paltry $50 contribution in 2018, Attorney General Jeff Landry received a whopping $2500 back in the form of a 2020 campaign contribution from NRA.

Mizell’s $475 contribution to NRA was almost a wash as she received $500 from the NRA.

Schexnayder did a little better, getting $500 in 2020 after contributing $350 in 2012.

Others not so much. Bodi White, for example, received $500 in 2011 for his $1600 paid to NRA in 2011, 2012, and 2013.

Cameron Henry did even worse, receiving only $500 in 2019 in return for his $3084 contributed to the organization.

Likewise, Riser, who contributed $1325 over four years (2013, 2014, 2015, and 2019), received only $1000 in 2019.

Sheriff Lopinto, for his $1500 in 2018 and 2019 contributions totaling $1500, received only a $500 campaign contribution in 2015.

Seabaugh received only $250 in 2011 in exchange for his $850 paid to NRA in 2011 and 2020.

And while the NRA stiffed all the others listed above, it did open up its checkbook to some:

• US Rep. Steve Scalise – $1000;
• State Senate President Page Cortez (R-Lafayette) – $1000;
• State Rep. Sherman Mack (R-Albany) – $500;
• Former State Commissioner of Elections Suzanne Haik Terrell – $500;
• State Sen. Gary Smith (D-Norco) – $750;
• Former State Rep. and US Senate candidate Louis “Woody” Jenkins (R-Central) – $5000;
• Former State Sen. Danny Martiny (R-Metairie) – $1500;
• Former State Sen. James David Cain (R-Dry Creek) – $2000;
• State Sen. Barrow Peacock (R-Bossier City) – $1500.

And each of those must search his or her conscience to learn if those campaign contributions were worth the price paid in Texas today.