AG: Landry letter got it all wrong

Reader: Hypocrisy run amok
October 1, 2013
The Obnoxious Sweater
October 1, 2013
Reader: Hypocrisy run amok
October 1, 2013
The Obnoxious Sweater
October 1, 2013

Dear Editor,

During the last several weeks, numerous news articles have been published concerning the filing by the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority – East, (SLFPA-E), of a suit against multiple oil companies, some stating that I authorized it. One individual even stated that the attorneys filing this suit were my “Buddies”, thus insinuating some sort of connection between me and those attorneys. Every one of these accusations is a lie and the individuals making these statements know it. They are pursuing a political agenda of special interest groups, and they will not let the truth stand in their way.

The truth is that by law, I cannot and did not authorize this suit.


I do not have the legal authority to authorize or prohibit the filing of suits by the SLFPA-E.

I also did not approve the SLFPA-E’s contract with their chosen attorneys.

Under Louisiana law, the Attorney General reviews RESOLUTIONS presented by political subdivisions to ensure the following: 1. Whether justification for hiring contract counsel appears in the resolution; 2. Whether the proposed attorneys are authorized to practice law in Louisiana and in good standing; and 3. Whether the proposed fee is within the ranges of fees normally charged. The resolution at issue was reviewed, all three conditions were met, and I so informed the Board. That determination was made on the basis of a review of the Resolution, not the Contract between SLFPA-E. I never saw the Contract until after the news article started running and I requested a copy.


I stand by the longstanding Louisiana Supreme Court’s ruling in Meredith v. Ieyoub, in which the Court held the State of Louisiana is prohibited from issuing contingency fee contracts. However, in the Meredith decision, the Supreme Court did not prohibit political subdivisions of the State from entering into such contracts. Had the Supreme Court prohibited political subdivisions from issuing contingency fee contracts, I would have rejected the aforementioned resolution immediately.

I do not know the attorneys involved in this suit. Of particular interest regarding the insinuation that I am somehow connected to this firm is one of the e-mails received by my office. This e-mail was sent from Mr. Bernie Boudreaux, a well-respected former Louisiana District Attorney and Executive Counsel to Governor Mike Foster, urging me to approve the Resolution. In the email Mr. Boudreaux states, “It is important to know that Jones, Swanson, Huddell and Garrison (JSHG) has never made any financial contributions to any of the Attorney General’s political campaigns, so there can be no criticism of the employment of JSHG as to that point. JSHG, a New Orleans law firm, is one of the most experienced law firms involved in environmental litigation, having successfully represented litigants in other states as well as Louisiana litigants, including entities owned by Governor Mike Foster, Bill Dore, and Buddy and Laura Leach, among others. The qualifications of that firm in such matters are unsurpassed. Also, there is a prescription issue related to the date of the storm, Hurricane Isaac, which was on Aug. 28, 2012, and so time is of the essence in this matter.”

I invite each and every editorial board in Louisiana and across the country that has or plans to run a story on this lawsuit to meet with me and my staff so that they may obtain the truth and print the truth. If they are not interested in the truth, then they can continue to publish the lies of my detractors.


James D. “Buddy” Caldwell,

Louisiana Attorney General