Sen. David Vitter Planning to Bring D.C. Shutdown-Style Politics to Louisiana
BATON ROUGE — The Louisiana Democratic Party released the following statement from Chair Karen Carter Peterson on today’s announcement that Sen. David Vitter plans to run for governor in 2015:
“We welcome the senator to the race and wish him well as he attempts to persuade Louisiana voters to give him a promotion — despite his record of ineptitude and obstruction,” said Louisiana Democratic Party Chair Karen Carter Peterson. “David Vitter as governor would mean more of the shutdown-style politics that Republicans have perfected in D.C., and there has been no bigger failure in the U.S. Senate than David Vitter.
“Louisiana is facing major challenges because of the damage Bobby Jindal has done to education and health care in our state, and Louisiana needs a governor that is willing to work across the aisle and get things done. Our junior senator does not fit the bill of someone who wants to put Louisiana first.”
Vitter’s record of obstructionism includes the following:
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He was one of two senators to vote against confirming Hillary Clinton as secretary of state.
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He continuously places holds on administration nominees, preventing an up-or-down vote.
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This fall he shut down the Senate and prevented votes on several important pieces of legislation by insisting on a vote on a non-related amendment.
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Vitter supported the GOP’s government shutdown, which cost Louisiana’s economy more than $90 million, and voted against reopening the government.
Vitter has not only derailed important legislation; he has failed to advance any legislation of his own. In a Congress noted for its inaction on issues critical for middle-class families, Vitter exceeds every other member of Congress in ineptitude. The Brookings Institute analyzed U.S. Representatives and Senators for their legislative effectiveness, ala “Moneyball,” and found that Vitter had introduced the highest number of bills last year — 61. At the same time, exactly zero of those bills has emerged from committee, giving Vitter a .000 “batting average.”
For more information about Vitter’s record, visit www.vitterforgovernor.com.
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