AG Jeff Landry Says Senate Budget Proposal Would Damage His Office

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Senators have proposed to reverse a $7 million oil spill recovery payment given to Attorney General Jeff Landry's office.

Landry says the cut could damage his office's operations, including work to fight cybercrime and crimes against children. He's trying to get lawmakers to scrap the Senate-approved proposal, awaiting debate in the House.

Senators say the recent $7 million transfer of oil spill money wasn't handled properly.

Finance Committee Chairman Eric LaFleur says the money would be moved to Gov. John Bel Edwards' coastal office. The coastal office, LaFleur says, would reimburse Landry's office for any legal expenses tied to its work on the oil spill litigation settlement.

LaFleur expects the attorney general to receive more than $4 million.

Landry's office said the budget bills don't even guarantee that minimum payment.

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