January 10, 2024 | Posted in News
HERE AT THE STATE CAPITOL, JOINED BY A VERY SPECIAL GUEST. SOMEBODY THAT REALLY NEEDS NO INTRODUCTION ACROSS THE STATE OF LOUISIANA. THE GOVERNOR, JEFF LANDRY. FIRST OFF, THANKS FOR SITTING DOWN AND TALKING WITH US. WELL, THANK YOU FOR COMING IN AND VISITING. I LOOK FORWARD TO VISITING WITH YOU AND ALL ALL OF THOSE THAT ARE WATCHING. YEAH. LOOK, IT’S IT’S A BIG DEAL FOR SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA AND THE REST OF THE STATE. LET ME JUST ASK THIS QUESTION JUST TO GET IT OUT THE WAY. ARE YOU READY FOR THIS? WHAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN WHEN YOU BECOME THE 57TH GOVERNOR OF LOUISIANA? WE’RE GOING TO GET TO WORK BECAUSE WE GOT A LOT TO DO. UH, YEAH. WE’RE READY. I MEAN, LOOK, UH, WE, UH, WE WE RAN A CAMPAIGN BECAUSE WE KNEW WE WOULD BE READY. WE, UH, WE DIDN’T RUN TO LOSE. WE RAN TO WIN, AND WE WON BIG AND AND I THINK, LOOK, THE GREAT THING WAS, WAS THAT WE DIDN’T JUST WIN BECAUSE OF ONE PARTICULAR SECTION OF THE STATE. I THINK WE GOT A BROAD, UH, SWATH OF VOTERS FROM ACROSS THE STATE THAT SUPPORTED US, UH, THAT BELIEVED IN US, THAT BELIEVED THAT WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO STRUCTURALLY CHANGE SOME THINGS, UH, IN THIS STATE SO THAT THIS STATE STARTS TAKING ITS RIGHTFUL PLACE IN THE SOUTH AND IN THE COUNTRY. LOOK, WE’RE GOING TO ASK YOU ABOUT JOBS AND THE OUTWARD MIGRATION. I KNOW THOSE ARE THINGS YOU WANT TO ADDRESS, BUT LET’S TALK CRIME. THAT’S REALLY BEEN WHAT YOU CAMPAIGNED ON. YOU HAVE A LAW ENFORCEMENT BACKGROUND AS A SHERIFF’S DEPUTY AND A POLICE OFFICER. YOU’VE ALREADY WORKED SOME DEALS IN NEW ORLEANS WITH THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY, JASON WILLIAMS, TO LET THE ATTORNEY GENERAL COME IN AND PROSECUTE SOME CASES. BUT WHAT, IF ANYTHING, IS THE BIGGER PLAN TO STOP CRIME IN PLACES LIKE NEW ORLEANS? BECAUSE THAT SEEMS TO BE THE NUMBER ONE ISSUE FOR PEOPLE THAT WE HEAR ABOUT. WELL, ABSOLUTELY. LOOK, NEW ORLEANS, UH, CERTAINLY HAS HAD A CRIME PROBLEM FOR QUITE SOME TIME. IT’S IT’S REACHED A, AN EPIC PROPORTION, UH, OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS. OF COURSE, IT’S NOT JUST THE ONLY PLACE IN THE STATE THAT HAS A CRIME PROBLEM. UH, WE’VE GOT SOME STRUCTURAL PROBLEMS IN OUR CRIMINAL JUSTICE LAWS THAT WE’RE GOING TO ADDRESS IN A SPECIAL SESSION ON CRIME. WE’VE ALREADY DONE SOME THINGS THAT I THINK NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE THOUGHT WE COULD DO. WE SAT DOWN WITH THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY. WE TALKED ABOUT SOME OF THOSE STRUCTURAL THINGS. HE SHARED WITH ME, SOME OF THE CONCERNS AND THINGS THAT HE SAW. UH, BASICALLY, OR HE FELT INHIBITED. HIS ABILITY TO DO, UM, HIS JOB IN THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS. I SAID, OKAY, WELL, I’LL TELL YOU WHAT, I WILL WORK ON THOSE IF YOU LET ME WORK WITH YOU SO THAT WE CAN BRING THE STATE POLICE IN, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THE NEW ORLEANS POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS REALLY, UNDER THIS CONSENT DECREE, BEEN DECIMATED AND THE ABILITY TO BUILD IT BACK IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN OVERNIGHT. WE ARE COMING INTO THAT CITY. WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A PLAN, AND THAT PLAN IS GOING TO BE WELL THOUGHT OUT. IT’S GOING TO BE STRUCTURAL. IT’S GOING TO INCLUDE ALL OF THE STAKEHOLDERS AS YOU SAW, WE’VE ALREADY HAVE AN AGREEMENT WITH JASON WILLIAMS. AND AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE VISITING WITH THE JUDGES AND EVERYONE ELSE INSIDE THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM SO THAT WE CAN STEM THE TIDE OF VIOLENCE AND BRING THAT CITY TO ITS FULL POTENTIAL. WE CANNOT ADDRESS ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY IN NEW ORLEANS UNLESS WE ADDRESS CRIME. AND LET ME ASK YOU THIS. WHEN YOU SAY YOU’RE COMING INTO THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS, LOOK, IT’S A DEMOCRATIC CITY. IT’S A MAJORITY BLACK CITY. THERE ARE NO CITYWIDE REPUBLICAN ELECTED OFFICIALS. YOU ARE A REPUBLICAN. CAN YOU WORK WITH LATOYA CANTRELL AND THE COUNCIL MEMBERS THERE TO GET A DELICATE BALANCE, WHERE IT DOESN’T LOOK LIKE YOU’RE COMING IN AND TAKE IT OVER, BUT YOU CAN ALSO TRY TO HELP THE ISSUES THAT NEW ORLEANS IS FACING. ABSOLUTELY. LOOK, I CAN WORK WITH ANYONE. I REALLY I REALLY CAN. AND I MEAN, WE’VE PROVED IT ALREADY. I MEAN, LOOK, NO ONE THOUGHT THAT JASON I COULD SIT DOWN AND HAVE A CORDIAL RELATIONSHIP. WE DIDN’T HAVE JUST A CORDIAL DISCUSSION. WE HAD A GREAT ONE. UH, HE POINTED OUT SOME THINGS WE WE FOUND COMMON GROUND. I THINK THEY DID THAT. THAT’S THE MISGUIDE AND MISINTERPRETATION ABOUT MAYBE WHO I AM ABOUT MAYBE THE STATE OF POLITICS IN THE STATE OR IN THE NATION AS A WHOLE. IF YOU’RE WILLING TO SIT DOWN WITH A PERSON AND IF THAT PERSON IS WILLING TO LISTEN TO YOU, WE MAY NOT AGREE 100% OF THE TIME. I MEAN, ME AND MY WIFE DON’T AGREE 100% OF THE TIME, BUT SHE WINS 100%, RIGHT? RIGHT. UM, BUT THE IMPORTANT THING IS THAT WE FIND THE THINGS THAT WE CAN AGREE ON AND WE FOCUS ON THOSE BECAUSE EVERY TIME WE FOCUS ON SOMETHING THAT WE CAN AGREE ON AND WE MAKE THAT ISSUE BETTER, THEN THAT’S BETTER FOR THE CITIZENS OF THE STATE. LET ME TALK ABOUT THIS CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM. IT WAS USHERED IN YEARS AGO BY BOTH DEMOCRAT S AND REPUBLICANS. HAS THAT WORKED IN LOUISIANA? NO. LOOK, I WAS THE ONLY STATEWIDE ELECTED OFFICIAL IN THE STATE, UH, EXCEPT FOR US SENATOR JOHN KENNEDY, WHO JOINED ME AT THE TIME SAYING THAT IF WE DID IT THIS PARTICULAR WAY, WE WERE GOING TO HAVE A PROBLEM. LO AND BEHOLD, WE’VE GOT A PROBLEM. LOOK, THE GOAL SHOULD ALWAYS BE TO REFORM OUR CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, TO MAKE IT BETTER, MORE TRANSPARENT. BUT YOU SHOULD START WITH MAKING SURE THAT VICTIMS HAVE THE LOUDEST VOICE, RIGHT? AND THAT THE GOAL IS NOT TO LET PEOPLE OUT OF JAIL. THE GOAL IS TO HOW DO YOU KEEP PEOPLE FROM GOING TO JAIL, AND HOW DO YOU KEEP THEM FROM GOING BACK TO JAIL? IF YOU USE THOSE THINGS AS A METRICS, IF YOU USE THOSE THINGS AS A GOAL, THEN YOU ABSOLUTELY IMPROVE THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. WILL YOU WORK WITH LAWMAKERS? THE CHATTER DOWNSTAIRS IN THE HOUSE AND SENATE IS THAT THEY’RE GOING TO CLAW BACK A LOT OF THESE CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORMS. DO YOU SUPPORT THOSE INITIATIVES? ABSOLUTELY. BECAUSE, LISTEN, IF THOSE THINGS WERE WORKING, I NUMBER ONE, I WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ELECTED. UH, NUMBER TWO, THE PEOPLE WOULD NOT HAVE RESPONDED THAT PARTICULAR WAY AND WE WOULDN’T HAVE A CRIME PROBLEM. WE WOULDN’T BE HAVING A DISCUSSION. WE’D HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT SOMETHING ELSE, NOT CRIME. LET’S LAST QUESTION ON CRIME, BECAUSE WE DO WANT TO GET TO A COUPLE OF TOPICS HERE. CRIME IS DOWN RIGHT NOW IN THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS, BUT PEOPLE JUST DON’T FEEL SAFE. THEY GET FRUSTRATED WHEN THEY HEAR A LOT OF I KNOW, I KNOW, THE NUMBERS ARE SLIGHTLY DOWN. HOW ABOUT THAT? OKAY, OKAY. THAT’S LIKE SAYING, LISTEN, THIS IS WHAT IT SAYS. LIKE, SAY YOU LIKE SAYING, YOU KNOW, JEFF, I’VE GOT THIS UNBELIEVABLE. I’M ON THIS UNBELIEVABLE DIET. I GAINED 10 POUNDS. WELL TREVOR, YOU GAINED 10 POUNDS, BUT YOU’RE ON A DIET, SO. YEAH, BUT IF I WOULDN’T HAVE BEEN ON A DIET, I’D HAVE GAIN 20. THAT DOESN’T WORK. LOOK, AND THE QUESTION IS, IS CRIME ACTUALLY A LITTLE BIT DOWN IN THE CITY IN YARDS OR OR ARE THE REPORTS BEING NARROWED DOWN? LOOK, I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE AN AUDIT OR PEOPLE I THINK PEOPLE HAVE LOST SO MUCH FAITH IN THE SYSTEM IN THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS. I DON’T KNOW THAT THEY’RE REPORTING THE CRIME, JUST NOT CALLING POLICE WHEN SOMETHING HAPPENS. WELL, RIGHT. ALL RIGHT. I MEAN, LISTEN AGAIN, THOSE ARE THINGS THAT I BELIEVE, UM, BUT HERE’S WHAT I DO KNOW. I DO KNOW THAT THE LEVEL OF VIOLENCE AND THE LEVEL OF CRIME IN THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS IS UNACCEPTABLE. IF YOU’RE TELLING ME IT’S DOWN, IT’S STILL NOT ACCEPTABLE. ALL RIGHT, LET ME ASK YOU THIS. YOU WROTE AN OPINION TO A LOCAL PAPER. I ACTUALLY READ IT. I’M GOING TO READ YOUR QUOTE. IT’S I KNOW IT WAS. IT WAS WELL WRITTEN. IT SAID ALTHOUGH WE HAVE A DIVERSE STATE AND MANY DIFFERENCES, MOST LOUISIANANS WANT THE SAME THING. A GOOD JOB, A GREAT EDUCATION FOR THEIR KIDS AND AND THEY WANT A SAFE PLACE TO LIVE. THEN YOU CONTINUE TO SAY, NOW BEGINS A NEW CHAPTER FOR LOUISIANA, ONE WHERE PROMISES ARE KEPT IN OUR GOVERNMENT TRULY SERVES THE PEOPLE OF LOUISIANA. ARE YOU GOING TO BE A GOVERNOR FOR EVERYBODY IN LOUISIANA? BECAUSE, LOOK, CAMPAIGN RHETORIC GETS DIVISIVE. THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WATCHING THIS RIGHT NOW WHO SAY, LOOK, I JUST DON’T THINK JEFF LANDRY REPRESENTS ME. CAN YOU PROMISE TO BE A GOVERNOR FOR ALL THE PEOPLE OF LOUISIANA? ABSOLUTELY. LOOK, I THINK THAT THE CAMPAIGN THAT WE RAN, I THINK THAT THE REASON WE WON AND SHOCKED A LOT OF PEOPLE IS THAT WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT, WE DIDN’T RUN A DIVISIVE CAMPAIGN. WE RAN A CAMPAIGN THAT THAT EVERYONE IN THE STATE, REGARDLESS OF THEIR PARTY AFFILIATION OR THEY OR THEIR IDEOLOGY, BELIEVED IT. I DON’T THINK THERE ARE NOT MANY PEOPLE IN THE STATE THAT DON’T BELIEVE WE HAVE A CRIME PROBLEM. EVERYONE BELIEVES WE HAVE ONE. EVERYONE BELIEVES THAT OUR EDUCATION IS IN DISMAL, UH, CONDITION. I MEAN, WE SEE THE STATISTICS OUT THERE. WE KNOW WHAT THE ECONOMIC CONDITION OF THE STATE IS BECAUSE WE SEE IT, BECAUSE OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE LEAVING THE STATE RATHER THAN COMING TO THE STATE. LOOK, JUST THIS WEEK, THERE WAS A GREAT REPORT PUT OUT ON ON THE TOP FIVE STATES. THE TOP FIVE STATES THAT HAVE SEEN ASTRONOMICAL POPULATION GROWTH, THAT HAVE INCREASED THEIR CONGRESSIONAL NUMBERS. BECAUSE THE MORE PEOPLE MOVE IN, THE MORE SEATS THEY GET IN CONGRESS. THOSE FIVE ALL IN THE SOUTH, RIGHT? RIGHT. TEXAS, FLORIDA, SOUTH CAROLINA, TENNESSEE, TENNESSEE, UM, I THINK ARKANSAS, ARKANSAS. YEAH. I MEAN, I LIKE IT JUST GOES ON AND ON AND ON. BUT GUESS WHAT? ALL OF THOSE ALL AROUND US, WHAT’S WRONG WITH US? WE GOT THE GREATEST PEOPLE. WE GOT WE THE PEOPLE WILL COME TO THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS DESPITE THE VIOLENCE. NOW THINK ABOUT THAT. JUST THINK, IF THE VIOLENCE WASN’T THERE, HOW MANY PEOPLE WOULD COME? WHAT IS YOUR PLAN TO GET MORE JOBS? BECAUSE I THINK ONE OF THE THIS KIND OF GOES HAND IN HAND WITH WHAT YOU JUST ADDRESSED. THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WATCHING THIS RIGHT NOW WHO HAVE THIS ATTITUDE OF, LOOK, MY KIDS HAVE TO GO SOMEPLACE ELSE. THEY HAVE TO GO TO TENNESSEE OR THEY HAVE TO GO TO FLORIDA, OR THEY HAVE TO GO TO TEXAS TO FIND BETTER OPPORTUNITY AND BETTER JOBS. WHAT IS YOUR PLAN TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON’T LOSE THESE KIDS? IS THAT THE BRAIN DRAIN STOPS AND THAT WE KEEP PEOPLE HERE AND WE KEEP AND RECRUIT GREAT JOBS TO THE STATE OF LOUISIANA? WELL, FIRST OF ALL, I THINK IT’S IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT WHETHER IT’S CRIME, EDUCATION OR THE ECONOMY OR HOW WE ATTRACT JOBS OR HOW WE KEEP PEOPLE FROM LEAVING, IT’S REALLY NOT MY PLAN. IT’S OUR PLAN BECAUSE WE PUT TOGETHER A TRANSITION TEAM AND THEY WERE GREAT MEN AND WOMEN FROM ALL PARTS OF THE STATE. OKAY. STAKEHOLDERS, LAWYERS, EDUCATORS, UH, GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS. AND WE ASK THEM TO COME UP WITH PLANS TO ADDRESS THOSE THINGS. WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS WE WANT TO FOCUS ON THE BUSINESS AND THE INDUSTRIES THAT GREW THE STATE, THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE STUCK THROUGH THE STORMS, THE DEVASTATION, THE NATURAL DISASTERS, THE HIGH TAXES, THE BAD ROADS AND STILL WERE ABLE TO CARVE OUT A LIVING. WE WANT TO GO IN THERE AND IMPROVE THAT. AND WHEN YOU IMPROVE THAT, WHEN YOU IMPROVE YOUR OVERALL BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT, THEN I THINK EVERYTHING ELSE BECOMES ORGANIC AND WE’RE GOING TO WORK EACH AND EVERY DAY TO RETAIN AND TO ATTRACT JOBS, OFFSHORE OIL AND GAS. IT’S A PASSION OF YOURS. OBVIOUSLY, WE ALL KNOW THAT YOU FEEL LIKE THIS STATE SHOULD BE PRODUCING MORE THAN WHAT IT DOES. CAN YOU END THE LITIGATION? I KNOW A LOT OF TRIAL LAWYERS THEY GOT IN YOUR CORNER THIS ELECTION SEASON. CAN YOU END THAT? CAN YOU CONTINUE TO GROW THAT INDUSTRY AND ALSO MAINTAIN THE HEALTH OF LOUISIANA AS WE LOOK, WE’VE BEEN SAYING ALL ALONG, SAY, EIGHT YEARS AGO WHEN THIS WHOLE THING STARTED, I WOULD REMIND EVERYONE THAT BECAUSE OF OUR LEADERSHIP, WE WENT IN THERE IN A NUMBER OF LAWSUITS ACROSS THE COAST, HAS NOT GROWN BY ONE OVER THE LAST EIGHT YEARS. WHY? BECAUSE I WENT IN THERE, I SPOKE TO THE INDUSTRY. I SPOKE TO THE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, AND I SPOKE TO THE LAWYERS, THE PLAINTIFFS, WHO I MEAN, THE LAWYERS WHO WERE REPRESENTING THE PLAINTIFFS. AND I SAID, LISTEN, WE’RE GOING TO SETTLE THIS OUT OR YOU CAN GO TO COURT AND A JUDGE CAN DECIDE IF Y’ALL WANT A RESOLUTION. I’M HAPPY TO HELP. BUT THE ONLY RESOLUTION THAT I’D BE AGREEABLE TO IS TO MAKE SURE THAT, NUMBER ONE, THE INDUSTRY CAN THRIVE. RIGHT? THAT’S THAT IS THE NUMBER ONE PART, OKAY, THAT WE REDUCE THE REGULATORY BURDEN THAT IF THERE’S ANY MONEY OUT THERE, ALL OF THAT MONEY IS GOING DIRECTLY TO THE COAST. AND ACCORDING TO THE MASTER PLAN THAT THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE HAVE APPROVED. IN OTHER WORDS, WE DON’T WANT TO SQUANDER THE MONEY. SO, YES, I THINK THAT WE CAN SETTLE THIS OUT. I THINK THAT WE CAN FIND A RESOLUTION. UM, AND THEN I THINK THAT WE CAN OPEN THE DOOR TO THE INDUSTRY AND SAY, COME ON BACK IN AND PUT THIS THING TO BED ONCE AND FOR ALL. BUT YOU KNOW WHAT IT TAKES. IT TAKES LEADERSHIP AND IT TAKES DETERMINATION. AND I BELIEVE WE CAN DO IT. LOOK, I KNOW WE ARE RUNNING OUT OF TIME, AND I DO WANT TO TOUCH ON SOMETHING THAT’S A HOT BUTTON ISSUE IN THE STATE. OBVIOUSLY, I KNOW YOUR STANCE WHEN IT COMES TO ABORTION, LGBTQ, LGBTQ RIGHTS AND OTHER THINGS. LET’S TALK ABOUT THE INSURANCE CRISIS IN LOUISIANA, BECAUSE SO MANY PEOPLE ACROSS SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA RIGHT NOW ARE WATCHING THIS, SAYING, I MAY HAVE TO LEAVE BECAUSE MY INSURANCE QUADRUPLED, WHICH IS INSANE TO EVEN SAY THAT OUT LOUD. DO YOU PLAN TO WORK WITH THE INCOMING INSURANCE COMMISSIONER TO TRY TO SOLVE THIS? AND WHAT OUTSIDE THE BOX IDEAS DO YOU HAVE? BECAUSE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT DOESN’T APPEAR TO BE GOING AWAY ANY TIME SOON. LOOK, WE’VE ALREADY LED ON THAT. I’VE ALREADY LED ON THAT. I MEAN, WE WE WERE THE ONES WHO FILED THE SUIT AGAINST FEMA, UM, TO STOP THE RISE IN PREMIUMS THAT THE FLOOD INSURANCE PROGRAM WAS GETTING READY TO IMPLEMENT ON THE CITIZENS OF THIS STATE. RIGHT. WE WE ALREADY HAVE TAKEN ACTION IN THAT, IN THAT REGARDS, WE’VE GOT A MULTITUDE OF INSURANCE CRISIS. I SPOKE TO TIM ACTUALLY YESTERDAY AT A RECEPTION THAT HE ATTENDED. HIM AND I HAVE AGREED THAT LISTEN, WHEN HE HAS A PACKAGE, WHEN HE HAS A COUPLE OF ACTION ITEMS THAT HE BELIEVES ARE GOING IS GOING TO MOVE THE METRICS AND HELP OUR CITIZENS, WE’RE GOING TO SIT DOWN. AND WHETHER WE HAVE TO DO IT IN A SPECIAL OR WHETHER WE CAN DO IT IN A REGULAR, WE’RE GOING TO ACT. BUT WHAT WE WANT IS WE WANT A METHODICAL PLAN. WE DON’T WANT TO JUST BE THROWING MONEY OUT THE WINDOW. NO ONE UNDERSTANDS THE INSURANCE CRISIS MORE THAN ME, MY WIFE AND I WHEN WE LIVED IN NEW IBERIA. GUESS WHERE WE GOT OUR INSURANCE FROM? CITIZENS. THE INSURANCE CARRIER OF LAST RESORT. SO BELIEVE YOU ME, WHEN I TELL PEOPLE THAT I HAVE STOOD IN THEIR SHOES, I LITERALLY HAVE. UH, AND SO I UNDERSTAND IT INTIMATELY. AND WE’RE GOING TO WORK EACH AND EVERY DAY TO TRY TO GET THAT, THAT THAT PROBLEM SOLVED. AND CAN YOU LOOK, YOU ARE THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, AT LEAST, YOU KNOW, FOR A BRIEF PERIOD OF TIME HERE. DO YOU MAKE SURE THAT BAD COMPANIES DON’T COME INTO THE STATE? BECAUSE I THINK THAT’S A BIG PROBLEM, IS THAT SO MANY PEOPLE FEEL RIPPED OFF BY THEY FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE TO JUMP THROUGH BURNING HOOPS JUST TO GET WHAT’S THEIRS WHEN THEY LOSE SOMETHING. AND THEN THESE COMPANIES PULL OUT AND THEY HAVE TO FIGHT WITH THEM. IS THAT PART OF THE PROBLEM AS WELL, TOO? ABSOLUTELY. LOOK, I THINK THAT I THINK THAT’S WHY WE HAVE TO TAKE A METHODICAL, CAREFUL APPROACH TO THIS. CERTAINLY IT’S A CRISIS, AND CERTAINLY IT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT BOTHERS ME THE MOST IS THAT I PAY MY INSURANCE PREMIUM ON A MONTHLY BASIS. IF I’M 15 DAYS LATE, WHAT HAPPENS? THEY CANCEL IT, OKAY. AND THEN WHEN I GOT A CLAIM, HOW LONG IT TAKES THEM TO ANSWER IT? MONTHS. WERE YOU PRETTY GOOD, RIGHT? MAYBE YEARS. YOU HAVE YEARS AND THEN YOU GOT TO GO GET IT. SO IN OTHER WORDS, THEY’RE FORCING PEOPLE TO GET LAWYERS, RIGHT? RIGHT. AND THEN THEY’RE FORCING THE CONFLICTS THAT’S THERE. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT AS WE WORK TOWARDS SOLVING THE STRUCTURAL PROBLEMS WITH THE INSURANCE CRISIS, THAT WHAT WE DO IS WE DON’T DISADVANTAGE THE CONSUMER, AND WE DON’T ALLOW COMPANIES TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE CONSUMER AS WELL. AND AND LOOK, I THINK THAT’S ONE OF THE UNIQUE THINGS ABOUT ME TRANSITIONING FROM ATTORNEY GENERAL TO GOVERNOR IS THAT FOR EIGHT YEARS I HAVE BEEN A CONSUMER ADVOCATE. WE HAVE RAN A CONSUMER PROTECTION DEPARTMENT. WE INTIMATELY UNDERSTAND THOSE THINGS. AND SO THAT’S WHY WE’RE GOING TO WORK TO SOLVE THEM. AND I THINK WE’LL DO IT WITH THE HELP OF BOTH THE LEGISLATURE AND THE NEW INSURANCE COMMISSIONER. ALL RIGHT. GOVERNOR ELECT JEFF LANDRY, SOON TO BE GOVERNOR JEFF LANDRY, BEFORE WE GO, I SEE THAT YOU HAVE REARRANGED THE OFFICE A LITTLE BIT. THERE’S A PICTURE OF RONALD REAGAN RIGHT OVER YOUR SHOULDER. POLITICAL MENTOR OF YOURS, SOMEBODY THAT YOU LOOK FORWARD TO. I TAKE IT THAT WAS NOT HERE DURING YOUR, UH, DURING THE JOHN BEL EDWARDS YEARS? NO, THAT ONE WAS UPSTAIRS. OKAY. YEAH. NO, LOOK, I THINK I THINK THE ONE THING THAT REAGAN REPRESENTED REPRESENTED MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE WAS THAT HE WAS A GREAT COMMUNICATOR, UH, AND THAT HE WAS ABLE TO ACTUALLY CONVINCE PEOPLE AS TO WHY HE WAS TAKING A POSITION, EVEN IF THEY DISAGREED WITH THE POSITION HE WAS TAKING. HE WAS ABLE TO AT LEAST GIVE HIM A LEVEL OF COMFORT THAT THEY HAD BEEN HURT AND THEY HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE. ALL RIGHT. WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. GOOD LUCK. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THAT’S ALL THE TIME THAT WE HAVE FOR THIS EDITION OF THE HOT SEAT. WE ARE AT THE STATE CAPITOL. THIS IS GOVERNOR JEFF LANDRY. YOU CAN SEE THIS ENTIRE SEGMENT STARTING MONDAY MO