WASHINGTON -- Yes, 2012 has been a nasty one in terms of political rhetoric. All you need to do is watch the negative ads inundating the TV networks in key battleground states. But not all the nasty rhetoric is coming from politicians on the ballot. Last week, Republican Gov. Bobby Jindal and Democratic Sen., Mary Landrieu had quite the verbal slugfest.
It started at a Senate committee hearing last month when Landrieu expressed frustration that Jindal hadn't worked to convince fellow congressional Republicans to support her efforts to fund FEMA's disaster fund to handle hurricanes like Hurricane Isaac.
Yet, she said, it wasn't stopping him from demanding the disaster fund be used to fund damage from Hurricane Isaac, without any local match.
Landrieu said the federal government is unlikely to waive a requirement for a 25 percent match because the storm doesn't meet the damage criteria spelled out by federal statute and suggested Jindal use the state's rainy day fund to help hard-pressed parishes pay the matching costs. "He (Jindal) did not help with a dime into that fund, but he asks for 100 percent reimbursement from it," Landrieu said.
When Jindal staffers read about her remarks, they responded angrily, saying the rainy day fund constitutionally can't be used to pay local shares of FEMA emergency funds. If the state were to help parishes, the staffers said, the money would have to come from education or health care.
"Mary Landrieu wants to cut more funding from education and healthcare to cover up for her inability to do her job in Washington," said Jindal spokesman Kyle Plotkin. "When parish presidents approach the Senator for help, she should do her job and not pass the buck."
The angry comments are setting off some speculation that Jindal, whose current term as governor ends at the end of 2015, might challenge Landrieu when she seeks a 4th term in 2014.
Jindal, who has been campaigning hard for the Romney-Ryan ticket after being considered as Romney's running mate, has previously said he will complete his second term as governor.
Source: http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2012/10/jindal_and_landrieu_arent_runn.html
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