Thursday, May 27th, 2021 Baton Rouge, Louisiana ARE PROSECUTORS ABOVE THE LAW IN LOUISIANA! Has prosecutorial misconduct become an epidemic in Louisiana? A number of national publications seem to think so. Nary a week goes by when there is not a story of some Louisiana prosecutor supposedly pursuing justice by breaking the law. Just recently,...Read More

We (The Lisburn Press) have a new book out by my friend Oscar Shoenfelt, Baton Rouge attorney, about his experiences of being a sports agent. The book is off to a great start, with sports fans around the country placing an order. Oscar by the way is at Duke university, waiting to receive a new...Read More

Former Louisiana governor buddy Roemer passed away this week. We were both political rivals and good friends. I have fond memories of working with Buddy, and also running against him. I write about his career in public life in my new column this week. You can read it now by going to the Red Flashing...Read More

Being the Governor, is this a great job or what? Buddy Roemer Louisiana’s 52nd governor died this week at the young age of 77.  Our political ambitions crossed on several occasions over the years, but we always remained good friends. This was particularly true as we each grew older. Buddy Roemer had, in my opinion,...Read More

I had the honor of being the speaker last week at the dedication of a special memorial for former governor Jimmie Davis at Louisiana College in Pineville. It was nice to renew acquaintances with many old friends. I’m pictured with some of the ladies who were active in organizing and supporting the program.  You can...Read More

What happens to a major state university that has fallen from grace, is dramatically underfunded, and has plummeted in national rankings of first-rate colleges throughout the country? You bring in new leadership don’t you?  That’s what my home state university, LSU, has done as it tries to recoup, and re-obtain the national standing it held...Read More

Thursday, May 13th, 2021 Baton Rouge, Louisiana A NEW PRESIDENT’S CHALLENGE: DEALING WITH THE RISE AND FALL OF LSU Louisiana State University, located in my hometown of Baton Rouge, takes on a new president in the coming weeks. And to say that he has a big job ahead of him is an understatement. Educationally, the...Read More

I guess, as I look back over my 81 years, I would pursue many more hobbies and fun activities. One would be dancing more. I wish I were a better dancer, and always wanted to take some dancing lessons. Never did, but enjoyed seeing those great performers in the past who danced so well. Take...Read More

The day of my weekly column is posted this week, May 6, is my 81st birthday. Yes I’m getting older, but at least I’m around, still alive, and taking up a storm. I’m 81, still on the run, and having fun. It’s been a full and satisfying 81 years. Sure there were highs and lows,...Read More

Thursday, May 6th, 2021 Baton Rouge, Louisiana THE CHALLENGES AND CHARMS OF GETTING OLDER! I woke up earlier this week, followed my normal routine of walking the dogs, picking up the morning papers, pouring my large glass of orange juice half filled with water to dilute the sugar, checked my emails, walked out on the...Read More

A special day over the weekend remembering our mothers.  My mother, Helen May Gentry Brown, would’ve been 104. She lived till she was 93, and really led a full life.  On the day she passed away, she talked to all three of her children, attended her bridge club and her financial group. I was blessed...Read More

Long Life of Books! I find it  pleasant surprise now and then when older books that have been published by The Lisburn Press turn up. A friend of mine was checking out a flea market over theLafayette  area recently, and look what he found. My first book, printed back in 2005, is still making the...Read More

Jimmy Davis was the singing governor of Louisiana, who made motion pictures, wrote many songs, and serve two terms as governor. He is best known for singing what is considered one of the most popular American songs throughout the world. You know!  Yes its You are my Sunshine!  The Governor use to come by my...Read More

Thursday, April 30th, 2021 Baton Rouge, Louisiana GOVERNOR JIMMIE DAVIS BROUGHT US SUNSHINE! I am honored to travel to Alexandria Louisiana next Saturday to visit Louisiana College for the dedication of a special memorial honoring former Louisiana Governor Jimmy Davis. I’ll be the guest speaker, and will have lots of interesting stories about the governor...Read More

My good friend of many years, former Alabama insurance commissioner Mike Weaver, passed away this week. He had a wonderful sense of humor, was there to help anyone in need, and had one of the best insurance minds I ever met. He was a young 70 years old, and passed away way too soon. We...Read More

  The Louisiana legislature is considering a large number of new laws that supposedly bring more integrity to the election process. The same effort is being made in states across the country. Most of this comes from the allegations of election fraud in the past presidential election, espoused with a little proof, by then president...Read More

Thursday, April 22ed, 2021 Baton Rouge, Louisiana IS THERE ELECTION FRAUD IN LOUISIANA? A number of members of the Louisiana legislature are on a quest to tighten Louisiana election laws. There are allegations all over the country about voter fraud being rampant, particularly following the recent presidential election.  Is there any truth to such charges? ...Read More

A new report from a Washington, D.C. think tank gives Louisiana an “F” grade for its insurance regulatory environment. Florida, that has a much greater Hurricane damage exposure, gets a “B” ranking. What’s going on? Why is Louisiana at the bottom of the barrel when it comes insurance regulation? I have a good bit of...Read More

Thursday, April 22ed, 2021 Baton Rouge, Louisiana LOUISIANA INSURANCE ENVIRONMENT GETS AN “F” Louisiana has one of the worst insurance regulatory environments in the nation. That is according to Washington-based conservative think tank R Street Institute in its Insurance Regulation Report Card. And no, it’s not because of the trial lawyers or the big insurance...Read More

It used to be a Louisiana problem. But now there are serious natural disasters happening all over the country. Louisiana is still at the top of the list when it comes to having higher insurance rates. So what do we do? There is an idea that has been out there for sometime, going back 25...Read More

Thursday, April 15th, 2021  New Orleans, Louisiana HURRICANE SEASON “” DO YOU FEEL LUCKY?  WELL DO YA?  It’s the kickoff for hurricane season and forecasters are predicting as many as 17 named storms with anywhere from 3 to 6 of these storms growing into major hurricanes. Here on the Gulf Coast, we certainly perk up...Read More

Several recent articles have appeared recently by and concerning former Alabama governor Don Siegelman. Don and I became good friends we both served as secretary of state back in the 1980s. He was a dedicated public official who had his eyes set on becoming governor, and he finally did one day. An out of control...Read More

In recent months, there is been widespread discussion of creating crimes based on age. Is there a difference on what someone is thinking? If your loved one is murdered, doesn’t make any difference what the reason might be? Shouldn’t the punishment be the same based on the crime that is committed? Or should there be...Read More

There is renewed interest in hate crimes legislation in state legislatures as well as on the federal level in recent months. Much of this interest stems from attacks over gender, race, and other categories were primarily minority groups are involved. So, what’s a hate crime you ask?  If someone is premeditatedly shot and killed, that’s...Read More

From the first time I heard the song by Leonard Cohen, I loved “Hallelujah.” Many people have recorded it in various ways. Here’s a marvelous rendition by two talented musicians called the TwoCellos. It’s certainly worth a listen.Read More

Many of you readers are too young to remember the massacre that took place in the Vietnam war and an isolated location called My Lai. It was some 33 years ago, and hundreds of innocent Vietnamese were slaughtered by US troops. It was certainly one of the low points in American military history.  More innocents...Read More

There is a major effort going on today to change the name of Fort Rucker Alabama to Fort Hugh Thompson. You may have never heard of warrant officer Thompson, but history has shown that he played a crucial role in changing the perception of the Vietnam war. He was the Louisiana guy from Lafayette. It...Read More

Glad you’re checking out my website. I hope you and your family all have a safe and happy Easter weekend.Read More

March Madness is into his final competitive games to pick the top team in college basketball. Like many readers, I’m a diehard basketball fan. But what happened to college basketball? There’s been a number of scandals in recent years, and allegations of way too much money in the system. I say something needs to change....Read More

Thursday, March 25th, 2021 Baton Rouge, Louisiana SADNESS OVER MARCH MADNESS! March Madness has captivated millions of sports fans al over America. Let me begin right off by saying that I am a college basketball diehard through and through. Like most sports fans, I cheer on my favorite teams in a number of sports. But at...Read More

The insurance industry has a whole list of complaints and blames as to why the cost of insurance is so high. In my home state of Louisiana, it’s referred to, by some business interests, as a judicial hellhole. The reference is directed at the trial lawyers and those who want to give everyone access to...Read More

March 618h, 2021 Baton Rouge, Louisiana  IS LOUISIANA A JUDICIAL HELLHOLE? According to several watchdog organizations, Louisiana has one of the worst judicial climates in the country.  The state has been given the dubious title of the nation’s judicial hellhole by several neutral watchdog groups. Campaign funds given to a judicial candidate are often cited as...Read More

There has been a lot of talk about reform in the criminal justice system. Hey, I’m not soft on crime. If you’re guilty, then you should be punished. Sometimes severely punished when a life is taken. But prosecutors can make mistakes or purposely hide evidence that can show that an accused is innocent.  That’s particularly...Read More

Thursday, March 11th, 2021 Baton Rouge, Louisiana  THE BETRAYAL ON JUSTICE IN LOUISIANA! There’s a lot of talk about judicial reform Both in Louisiana as well as the rest of the nation.  Unfortunately, there have been major abuses of innocent people being connected here in the Bayou state. You may not recognize the name of...Read More

Allegations of sexually abusive clergy continue to dominate a good part of the news across the nation.  There were some legal deadlines approaching last week, so there was a rash of new lawsuits filed. And although this whole priest pedophile scandal has spread worldwide, you may be surprised to learn that the early signs of...Read More

As most of you know, former NFL all star quarterback Peyton Manning is from down in Louisiana. Everyone claims to know the man and his famous family and follow all their exploits. I’m no exception. Paeton is now retired and doing some really creative commercials. And usually a funny one of him at a retirement...Read More

 LOUISIANA AND THE TURMOIL IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH! We all know that there is a crisis in the Catholic Church right now. Allegations of sexually abusive clergy are pouring in worldwide.  And numerous new allegations have been pouring in down here in Louisiana. Unfortunately, roots of this terrible tragedy engulfing the Catholic Church all over...Read More

Thank goodness it’s starting to warm up. Springtime means lots of things. And one of the big items for me is the kickoff of the baseball season. I’m a regular at spring training down in Tampa Florida. And I’m a diehard Yankees fan. I’ll tell you why in my new column that is now posted....Read More

Thursday, February 25th, 2021 Baton Rouge, Louisiana SPRING FEVER AND BASEBALL! Despite the recent cold weather, springtime is right around the corner and my favorite time of year. The weather warms up without a lot of humidity.  Flowers bloom at their very best. It’s the season of my birthday.  If you live in Louisiana, we...Read More

The FBI is under attack by news media and public officials all over the country for failing to aggressively take action to stop the riots against the Capitol in Washington,DC on January 6. There were any number of warnings that riots against the nation’s  Capitol would take place.  Although there was much material out there...Read More

February 18th, 2021 Baton Rouge, Louisiana TRUMP DISPARAGES LOUISIANA HEROES! Whatever one things of former President Donald Trump, there are certainly some things accomplished, particularly as regards to the economy. I’ll give him credit for this. But I am highly critical of how his mouth got in the way when it came to honoring those...Read More

I agree with many Louisianans feel like our former president, Donald Trump, did some positive things during his four years in public office. But his downfall was his big mouth. He just couldn’t help but criticizing those who’s stars shine as brighter brighter than him. One example are the military heroes, particularly from Louisiana. Trump,...Read More

As most of you know, former NFL super quarterback Peyton Manning is from my home state Louisiana. One of the greatest football players of all time. But he hasn’t left the public eye. He’s produced a lot of comic videos and advertisements. Check out his retirement home below.Read More

Mardi Gras this year was a deserted day.  Take a look at Bourbon Street.  Hoping for a return to normal next year.Read More

Wish we were parading and catching beads. We will just have to wait it out until next year.Read More

Like most Americans, I’m concerned about domestic terrorism that’s been taking place throughout the country. It’s happening by groups on both the right and the left.  But I’m also concerned about the loss of our personal freedoms. The so-called Patriot Act is now allowing the government to spy on more and more Americans, and take...Read More

Thursday,  February 11th, 2021 Baton Rouge, Louisiana WHAT’S HAPPENED TO FREEDOMS IN AMERICA? Most Americans agree on the importance of safeguarding basic freedoms protected by the constitution.  But here’s where it gets a little murky.  Do we have to give up certain of these freedoms to be safe and secure? The current and past presidents,...Read More

I always loved the crowd singing, with me joining in, a great song YMCA. It’s a song that gets the crowds going at sporting events, and any other type of large gathering. I get a little confused taking my arms to form out the letters, but I always enjoy trying. Here’s a group called the...Read More

Every yearly Mardi Gras weekend, I join a crowd of old friends, particularly a number of former elected officials. Governors, judges, other state wide officials and legislators all gather in the New Orleans French Quarter on one of the balconies shown to the left. A great gathering to renew all friendships. Unfortunately, because of the...Read More

I am an unabashed huge fan of Mardi Gras. I’ve been going to the annual Fat Tuesday, celebration for almost 60 years. And for those of you that haven’t followed the Mardi Gras tradition, it’s not just one day. It’s a whole season lasting over a month. The feeling of Mardi Gras is captured, in...Read More

February 4th, 2021 Baton Rouge, Louisiana LOUISIANA TO THE TREASUREY DEPARTMENT- LEAVE OLD HICKORY ALONE There is a major push by the bureaucrats in Washington to put the first woman on the face of paper currency. There are a number of choices, and you will get no argument form me that there certainly is a...Read More

There supposedly is about to be a major push by the Biden administration to put a civil rights activist, one Harriet Tubman, on the $20 bill. In doing so, Louisiana hero Andrew Jackson will be sent out to pasture. One of the knocks on Jackson by current critics is that he was a slaveholder. Well, so...Read More

If there was an ever a life full of laughter, gracious, caring and just to an all around good guy, it was my brother-in-law former state representative Steve Carter. Steve unfortunately passed away last week having contracted the Covid virus. He was a young 77 years old. Accolades from people all over the state have...Read More

My longtime friend of many years, former state Senate president Michael O’Keefe, passed away this past week. He was 89 years old. Mike was my mentor when I was elected to the Louisiana State Senate back in 1972. He put me on key committees, and looked after me as a young lawmaker in the early...Read More

Thursday, January 28th, 2021 Baton Rouge, Louisiana  KEYSTONE PIPELINE-LOUISIANA’S ECONOMIC SAVIOR? Almost overnight, the approval of the Keystone pipeline has become a controversial  issue as new President Joe Biden has, for the time being, cancelled the continuing building of the pipeline.  And is building the pipeline the huge job creator and economic bonanza that both...Read More

The Keystone pipeline has become an issue  now President Joe Biden has canceled any further construction. The oil industry in Louisiana is pleading how important a Keystone pipeline is to the economic future of Louisiana. My reaction? Hogwash! The issue will not mean diddlysquat to the Bayou State. No new jobs will be created and...Read More

Here’s a great parody of Donald Trump’s final day in office.Late Show host James Corden arrives at work in a good mood knowing there’s only One Day More of monologue jokes with Donald Trump serving as President of the United States. Glad we are able to  laugh at this weird and unsettling ending.Read More

I always wanted to be a good fiddle player. Yes, I bought several fiddles, I have instructional books, and I even went over to Tom’s Fiddle and Bow,  a fiddle shop located in the small south Louisiana community of Arnaudville.  The trash I made, I just couldn’t learn the chords at my age. I wish...Read More

Former Louisiana politician Jim Brown reminds us the FBI is a deeply-flawed federalagency run by             ambitious bureaucrats          January 20th, 2021 by tomaswell JIM BROWN, Louisiana’s erstwhile legislator, secretary of state, gubernatorial candidate, state insurance commissioner and self-described victim of an over-zealous FBI HATCHET JOB, today has...Read More

The FBI again is facing heavy criticism for their failure to adequately anticipate the violence that took place in Washington DC last week. Their local office in Virginia had expressed some ‘concerns,”  but the agency failed to assess and predict the level of the mayhem and violence that took place. Blunderings by the FBI are...Read More

If you’re a college football fan, it’s time to fess up and call it just like it is. There are some great coaches in college football, but hands-down, Alabama coach Nick Sabin is the best. Numero Uno.  His Crimson Tide team absolutely demolished Ohio State in this past Monday night’s national championship game.  Oh I...Read More

Thursday, January 14th, 2021 Baton Rouge, Louisiana SABAN: THE BEST THERE EVER WAS! I don’t normally write a sports column, but a few words would seem appropriate after Alabama’s startling victory this past Monday night in the College Football Championship game. Simply put, love him or hate him, Alabama head coach Nick Saban is the best...Read More

My law school roommate, Bill Weinberg who lives up in eastern Kentucky, has written a perceptive Op Ed article on the changing nature of US Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell. You will be fascinated to read that Bill’s wife Lois ran against McConnell some years back, and the Weinberg’s have certainly been critical of McConnell...Read More

For those of you who have read my new book, My Louisiana Odyssey, you know that I wrote about rock and roller Jerry Lee Lewis, who was my first client when I started practicing law up in the little town of Ferriday, Louisiana. Jerry lee is 85 now, and slowing down a bit, but still...Read More

Should trials in America be televised? Particularly when there is great public interest? This would seem to be a no brainer. Of course they should. But many courts, particularly in the federal system, do not allow cameras in the quart room. The Supreme Court of the United States specifically for bids and he said cameras....Read More

Thursday, January 7th, 2021 Baton Rouge, Louisiana TELEVISE FEDERAL TRIALS?  OF COURSE! With one recent Supreme Court Justice confirmed and another just appointed by President Trump, the issue of televising hearings before the nation’s highest court will surely be discussed. The Supremes have stood steadfastly against letting the public watch the cases argued before them,...Read More

Hopefully, we all are kicking off the New Year on a positive note.  It’s an understatement to say that 2020 wasn’t much of a year for any of us. But I am hopeful, as I’m sure you are, of a much better prognosis for all of us in 2021. Do you make New Year’s resolutions?...Read More

January 1, 2021 Baton Rouge, Louisiana NEW YEAR THOUGHTS FROM THE BAYOU STATE! Do you make New Year’s resolutions? I always do.  A New Year always brings with it promise and uncertainty, but this coming year brings with it a greater foreboding than we have experienced in the past.  The Chinese have a saying: “May...Read More

I hope you’re ready for the many holiday events that will take place in the coming days. In this week’s column, I write about this special time of year. It begins at Thanksgiving when the pilgrims came to America and were looking for a second chance. Then on to Christmas, when we were given a...Read More

Thursday, December 24th, 2020 Baton Rouge, Louisiana THE HOLIDAYS OFFER US A SECOND CHANCE! Most of us have been swept up in the momentum of the holiday season. We have passed Thanksgiving, reached the Christmas milestone and are approaching New Year’s Day, the third in the trilogy of holidays. Sure, there is a lot of our...Read More

During this holiday season, we all know that lots of social drinking takes place. Often, it’s not responsible. Louisiana has as one of the highest percentages of drunk drivers and accidents involving drunk drivers in the nation. We pay through higher insurance rates. But we also pay in loss of lives in serious injury. What...Read More