LACAG: Coussan’s Record Is Troubling On Major PSC Issues
State Senator Jean-Paul Coussan is running against fellow Republican Julie Quinn (along with one Democrat) to become the next member of the Louisiana Public Service Commission. The PSC regulates utility companies that provide everything from electricity to certain telecommunications services to Louisiana citizens. It is critical that members of the PSC understand the struggles of working Louisiana families and diligently protect them against oppressive utility rates. PSC members must have both the inclination and the courage to oppose, when necessary, powerful companies whose primary focus is on being profitable rather than protecting ordinary citizens.
Does JP Coussan fit the bill? Based on his record on massively important issues, the answer is a resounding NO.
After routinely promising to oppose raising taxes on Louisiana citizens, one of the first things Coussan did as a legislator in 2016 was vote for a massive, multi-billion dollar sales tax increase, the largest in America.
In 2020, Coussan was one of 23 Republican legislators who betrayed House conservatives and cut a deal with the Democratic Black Caucus to get the abysmal RINO Clay Schexnayder elected Speaker. Coussan was rewarded with the coveted Chairmanship of the House Natural Resources Committee (HNRC). Schexnayder’s election, and the debauched way it occurred, severely damaged both the morale and the agenda of the conservative legislative caucus. Schexnayder spent the bulk of his time as Speaker paying homage to John Bel Edwards and dutifully killing good legislation that would have served ordinary Louisiana citizens, not the least of which was Rep. Kathy Edmonston’s important legislation to prohibit mandatory, experimental COVID shots for school children.
During COVID, when Rep. Alan Seabaugh was working tirelessly with other conservative legislators to vacate Governor Edwards’ draconian Covid lockdown that was destroying businesses and impoverishing families, Coussan couldn’t be found. He offered zero assistance as Louisianans suffered.
As Chairman of the HNRC, Coussan was in a uniquely powerful position to put the brakes on Carbon Capture Sequestration (CCS) projects in Louisiana. Part of Joe Biden’s Green New Deal, CCS is a fraud being propped up by the biggest and most blatant theft of funds from the public treasury in American history. Due significantly to massive taxpayer CCS subsidies, our federal debt is projected to be $50 trillion by 2034. When and if the American economy suffers irreversible collapse, the CCS poison pill will be a major reason why.
Not only did Coussan do nothing to defeat the plethora of pro CCS bills in his Committee, he failed to support legislation that would have simply ended the practice of eminent domain whereby private corporations can seize the property of Louisiana citizens for CCS projects; nor did he support legislation to allow local governments, with input from local citizens, to decide for themselves whether to allow CCS projects in their Parishes. Both bills died in Coussan’s Committee under the silent gaze of its Chairman.
Perhaps some of the foregoing is why Coussan initially failed in an 8-6 vote to win the endorsement of the Republican Parish Executive Committee (RPEC) in his home Parish of Lafayette. Moon Griffon’s description of the highly questionable way Coussan ultimately secured the endorsement is pure gold, and incredibly revealing.
John F. Kennedy famously said that “The people are the boss, and will get the kind of government they demand and deserve.” The people deserve better than Jean- Paul Coussan on the Public Service Commission and would do well to demand it.
J. Christopher Alexander
Louisiana Citizen Advocacy Group
www.lacag.org