Louisiana Voice

It should give us all a warm fuzzy feeling to know that while we struggle, in the light of runaway inflation brought on by yet another political war, to put gas in our cars, pay rent, utilities, put food on our tables, pay medical bills and educate our children, our legislators are doing quite well, thank you very much.

It’s so nice to know our elected officials in Baton Rouge are free to dip into their campaign funds to pay for such things as travel to and lodging for the Washington Mardi Gras celebration while their constituents content themselves with watching highlights of the Eunice Courir de Mardi Gras & Chicken Run on TV.

And they don’t stay at Motel 6 or even that place with the two oak trees. No, they drop $1700 on a single night’s stay at the Waldorf Astoria or $1100 at the less pricey Hilton International. And that’s after spending more than $4000 on airfare to D.C. and back home.

But hey, it’s not their personal money. No, they made certain of that when they passed a bill last year that allows them to use campaign contributions for such things. They even think nothing of writing out checks of $5175 for New Orleans Saints tickets or $4000 on LSU athletic tickets, saying, of course, they’re for “constituents.” Sure, if you consider contractors, lobbyists or major contributors as “constituents.”

Of course, a few years ago, LouisianaVoice found one north Louisiana legislator who paid state ethics fines, car loan payments and even an IRS tax bill from campaign funds.

It’s a slush fund folks, a miniaturized version of America’s number-one crime family’s IRS $1.8 billion IRS lawsuit settlement—except that settlement also carried the proviso that the IRS is forevermore prohibited from ever even so much as investigating Dementia Don. Translation: he is now free to pursue any scam his little heart desires—as if he hasn’t already.

But again, worry not. FAJITA (Forget About Jurisprudence If Trump’s Around) Don says the increase in the price of gasoline is only a trifle, or in his words, “peanuts.” Of course, he has never pumped fuel a single time in his life, so he wouldn’t really know, now, would he?

Well, let’s just take a looky-look at what constitutes a trifle or peanuts in his rarified world: the Iran War has resulted in Americans spending an extra $42.6 billion on fuel costs—so far. Broken down, that’s $24.25 billion on gasoline and $19.35 on diesel.

Oil companies are pointing to the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz for the spike in fuel costs. If that was all there was to it, then the oil companies would also be feeling the financial pinch. Such, however, is just not the case.

Take Shell Oil Co. for example, reported first-quarter profits of $6.93 billion, a healthy jump of 24 percent from the same quarter of 2025.

Just thought you’d want to know that not everyone is suffering. Some take good care of themselves.