State AG Files Petition For House Speaker

Attorney General Jeff Landry's office has announced, via press release, that he has filed a legal petition, on behalf of Louisiana State House Speaker Clay Schexnayder.

The petition is in response to the lawsuit that Governor John Bel Edwards filed to try to put a halt to the petition signed by a majority of the Louisiana House to halt Edwards' public health mandate.

Members of the Louisiana House, getting no where in the special session with curbing the Governor's powers during a public health emergency, signed a petition calling for a halt to the emergency for seven days. The end of that period is this week.

Attorney General Jeff Landry says it's entitled, "Answer and Reconventional Demand by Clay Schexnayder in his official capacity as Speaker of the Louisiana House of Representatives."

Click here to read the document.

AG Landry says,

The Governor not only rejected attempts by one of his co-equal branches of government to provide input and oversight, but he also ignored the checks and balances that underpin our government. He then filed a lawsuit in an attempt to gain extraordinary powers unfounded in law. But today, the people's representatives responded with a legal petition of their own to ensure the Governor follows the rule of law.

Lawmakers called themselves into special session, and several bills were heard that would have curtailed the power of the governor when it comes to public health emergencies; the only one that made it through the whole process and to the Governor' desked was vetoed.

Landry adds,

...by following the law, the people will get their seat at the table. After all: the powers authorized by the Louisiana Constitution, as enshrined in our laws, are held by the people and exercised by their elected Legislators.