What a special time over this holiday season. This week, I post my annual holiday  column of giving all  of us a  second chance. It takes us from Thanksgiving to Christmas and into the New Year’s. It is certainly one of those popular columns I’ve ever written, and I’m glad to share it with all...Read More

He sees you when you’re sleeping He knows when you’re awake He knows when you’ve been bad or good So be good for goodness’ sake! You’d better watch out””you’d better not pout””you’d better not cry”””˜cos I’m telling you why: this Christmas, it’s the Surveillance State that’s making a list and checking it twice, and it...Read More

Did the Russians make up like a bandit in the recent prisoner swap? A druggie basketball player who won’t stand for the national anthem, and we give up the merchant of death. Some deal!  There are a number of other American prisoners in the Soviet union who deserve to be brought home because of false...Read More

Monday, December 19th, 2022 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

There are a number of reasons why Louisiana has the highest insurance rates in all of America. I’ve listed many such reasons in previous columns I’ve written over the years. But the worst may not be over now. Just after the first of the year, the new Congress is considering tax options that may increase...Read More

Monday, December 12th, 2022 Baton Rouge, Louisiana  HOMEOWNERS INSURANCE MAY BECOME UNAFFORDABLE ALONG THE GULF COAST! Just when you thought the insurance crisis along the gulf coast, particularly in Louisiana, could not get any worse, along comes congress to try and really muck up the problems faced by property owners who are trying to protect...Read More

               “That was when they suspended the Constitution. They said it would be temporary.”””Margaret Atwood, The Handmaid’s Tale My friend John Whitehead has written a compelling new article about the continuing erosion of freedoms in America.  From Supreme Court decisions that fly in the face of what should be constitutionally...Read More

We have so many great holiday choices. Go to www.thelisburnpress.com.  Happy Holidays!Read More

Everyone in Louisiana is familiar with the proliferation of gambling throughout the state. We gamble on about everything here in the Bayou State.  But what about the limits? The legislature, rightly so, has pass laws requiring that you must be twenty one to gamble in Louisiana. But does the law have any teeth, and is...Read More

Most Americans come out their daily lives without any understanding or even concern about what is happening halfway around the world to keep all of us free. Serving our country by volunteering for military service seems to be the last thing any young man or woman wants to do. I volunteered to serve my country...Read More

Monday, December 5th, 2022 Baton Rouge, Louisiana  ILLEGAL GAMBLING HAS INVADED LSU! Gambling is everywhere in Louisiana. Presently, the state has 15 so called “floating” casinos, a huge land-based casino in downtown New Orleans, four racetrack casinos, 200 truck stop casinos and over 1000 restaurants and bars that have video poker machines. Wow!  So is...Read More

This lovely young lady plays the violin like an angel. She is stunning, and and she would be at any age. I would still like to hear her live in concert. But for now, I’ll just have to settle for many songs on Youtube. karolina Protsenko lives in California and is certainly child prodigy. Take...Read More

On this week’s Dateline Louisiana podcast, Rannah Gray and I talk about the difficult issue of affirmative action as it relates to college and university admissions. What will the Supreme Court decide? You can listen by Clicking Here. Read More

Mass shootings continue across the US with more of these deranged  gunman opening fire on innocent people. And often, prosecutors bring charges against the killers for committing hate crimes. So what’s a hate crime? If you shoot someone and they’re dead, do you pile on more charges against the killer? Do we get mixed up...Read More

Monday, November 28th, 2022 Baton Rouge, Louisiana WHY DO WE HAVE HATE CRIMES? There has been a wave of mass shootings in recent weeks.  At a gay nightclub in Colorado Springs, a shooter killed five people and injured 17 others that has been called a hate crime. In Chesapeake, Virginia, a Walmart supervisor shot and...Read More

WASHINGTON, D.C. “” The U.S. Supreme Court has refused to rein in the government’s power to indiscriminately pick and choose the laws by which it will abide, especially as it relates to the Sixth Amendment rights of the accused in criminal cases.  “We now live in a society in which a person can be accused...Read More

                To order, go to www.thelisburnpress.com.Read More

I can’t remember another year when the National Book Awards ceremony delivered such a powerful, unified message as it did Wednesday night in New York. Even before the presentation of the annual prizes that would enshrine a few titles in literary history, one inspiring speaker after another rose to defend our literary freedom. The theme...Read More

Thank goodness, elections are all over and we can get back to some normality. Unfortunately, for all of us in Louisiana, we’re the only state in the nation that has its gubernatorial elections in 2023. So we will take a break for the holidays, then get back to all the politics again.  What do you...Read More

Monday, November 20th, 2022 Baton Rouge, Louisiana LOUISIANA VOTERS NEED ELECTION ALTERNATIVES! In last week’s column, I wrote about the aversion of a large number of Louisiana voters who were not in favor of any candidate on the ballot.  Many voters just wanted to throw the bums out.  But most of the incumbents running for...Read More

“The votes are in. No matter who runs for office, no matter who controls the White House, Senate or the House of Representatives now or in the future, “we the people” have already lost.”  These are the chilling words of John Whitehead, one of the most vocal advocates against government abuse, and the taking of many...Read More

Are you ready for more electioneering and more politicians, asking us for your vote? I’m sure not. For goodness sakes, let’s take a break from all the political rhetoric. I write about this in my new column. The question I raise is, what difference to did all this campaigning make? Are we still not in...Read More

Monday, November 14th, 2022 Baton Rouge, Louisiana A BREAK FROM POLITICS SO WE DON’T GET FOOLED AGAIN! Don’t you and I deserve a campaign break? For months, we’ve been suffering through accusatory political rhetoric from both parties. I don’t know about you, but I think we all should tune out for a while. After all,...Read More

I’ve written several columns over the past few weeks about my first legal client, Jerry Lee Lewis.  If you’re interested in learning a lot more details about Jerry Lee’s life, and my relationship with him, I recorded a podcast recently that gives a great deal of information. You can listen to it at the link...Read More

This week, Rannah Gray and I talk about the role of local newspapers in our communities and why they need to survive. You can listen now: Go to https://datelinelouisiana.buzzsprout.com.   This week, Rannah Gray and I talk about the role of local newspapers in our communities and why they need to survive. You can listen...Read More

Jerry Lee Lewis went a long way from Ferriday Louisiana, traveling worldwide, and became the King of rock and roll music. But when it came to pick his final resting place, he told his wife he wanted to come back home to Ferriday.  I traveled this past Saturday to my old home of Ferriday, and...Read More

Rev. Jimmy Swaggart joined me in honoring Jerry Lee. November 7th, 2022 Ferriday, Louisiana I wrote last week about the passing of Jerry Lee Lewis, who, in my opinion, was the greatest rock and roller of all time. Since I was in attendance at his funeral, I thought readers would like to know how the...Read More

A huge hit on the FBI.  Republican members of the House Judiciary Committee in Washington  say in a report just released that the FBI is “rotted at its core,” has a “systemic culture of unaccountability” and is full of “rampant corruption, manipulation, and abuse.” The report is over 1000 pages long.  To read news reports...Read More

There’s a sadness that is taking over the world of rock ‘n’ roll this week. One of the all-time greats, the Killer himself, has passed away at 87. That’s right! Jerry Lee Lewis, from my hometown of Ferriday, Louisiana, is no longer with us.  Jerry Lee was my first client when I was a young...Read More

Monday, October 31st, 2022 Baton Rouge, Louisiana THE END OF ONE OF ROCK AND ROLL’S AL TIME GREATS!  Sad news for us rock and rollers all over America, and for that matter, all over the world. The Killer passed away last week after living a full 87 years of life.  Although he lived in a...Read More

I don’t know about you, but I love flash mobs. Large groups  dancing in public places that seem spontaneous, but obviously are well planned. Remember the movie Grease?More than 250 people participated in a “˜feelgood’ stunt this morning during rush hour at the Central Station in Antwerp, Belgium. Grease is definitely still the word! What...Read More

The Ukrainian War has received strong support from a number of American allies at the strong urging by the Biden Administration. But as the war has drug gone, some of the support is starting to weaken.  Italy’s new Prime Minister has been buddying up to Vladimir Putin, and India is trying to stay neutral. Great...Read More

Monday, October 23rd, 2022 Baton Rouge, Louisiana  TWO CHEERS FOR THE FRENCH- ESPECIALLY IN LOUISIANA! As the Ukrainian War drags on, some of America’s strongest allies are becoming less than supportive, in spite of strong urging by the Biden Administration.  India has failed to offer any help, and the British support is becoming shaky due...Read More

On the latest Dateline Louisiana podcast, Rannah Gray and I are talking about the Katrina story we can’t forget — portrayed in the Apple TV mini-series, Five Days @ Memorial. Lives tragically lost, questions unanswered. What would you do? You can listen here now: by Clicking Here.  Read More

Do you want to see how arbitrary and shortsighted our federal court system is? Take a look at this article involving a and effort by St. Louis minister to distribute a few sandwiches to the homeless.The city of St. Louis did not violate the First Amendment rights of a Christian pastor and his assistant by...Read More

A jury last week in Parkland, Florida recommended Nikolas Cruz get life in prison for killing 17 people, sparing Cruz from a death sentence after his lawyers argued he had a troubled upbringing.  I read a great deal about this case and I wasn’t impressed with his “upbringing” argument.  Hey, life growing up can be tough,...Read More

Monday, October 17th, 2022 Baton Rouge, Louisiana ABOLISH THE DEATH PENALTY IN LOUISIANA?  A jury last week in Parkland, Florida recommended Nikolas Cruz get life in prison for killing 17 people, sparing Cruz from a death sentence after his lawyers argued he had a troubled upbringing.  I read a great deal about this case and I...Read More

Rita Gardner passed away recently. This name may not be recognizable to you, but she’s someone that I have followed her for a long, long time, and her involvement in the longest running musical in American history could’ve influenced my life. In 1960, she originated the lone female role in an Off Broadway show that...Read More

Charles Cook a well-known writer for the National Review, a publication with conservative leanings, but well respected with their  unbiased articles.  Cook’s article this month is titled: “The Case for Dismantling the FBI.”  Cook’s conclusion is that there have been a long list of abuses by the FBI, and that the agency should be completely...Read More

Life and death.  Two different stories in this week’s column about one popular Louisiana official who survived cancer. And a serial killer who was to be put to death before he died in prison.  Eighteen years ago this week, Derrick Todd Lee received the death penalty in Louisiana. He was the state’s most notorious and...Read More

Monday, October 10th, 2022 Baton Rouge, Louisiana LIVING AND DYING IN LOUISIANA! Eighteen years ago this week, Derrick Todd Lee received the death penalty in Louisiana. He was the state’s most notorious and prolific serial killer. I was there in the courtroom when the verdict was handed down. It was a cool Tuesday evening, and...Read More

Washington DC is full of phony supposed leaders who pushed for more military involvement around the world but never served a day in the military. These blowhards are called chicken hawks. And there are lots of them around. I was exempt from the military draft back in the 1960s, but I still joined the army...Read More

It’s a new week and that means the latest episode of Dateline Louisiana just dropped! This week, Rannah Gray and I have a laugh or two about Louisiana’s unique brand of humor. You can listen here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/…/11358896-episode-15-the…Read More

Insurance rates for both homeowners and businesses in Louisiana are going through the roof. Companies are going broke, and the state run program, supposedly put together to help policyholders, wants a 63% increase. What? That’s just outrageous. Has the legislature done enough to curtail these high insurance rates and should Louisiana have an elected insurance...Read More

Monday, October 3rd, 2022 Baton Rouge, Louisiana WHAT TO DO ABOUT HOMEOWNER’S INSURANCE?  Well, what do you know.  We finally have a governor in Louisiana who is showing an interest in the property insurance crisis that is sweeping the state.  One of the problems here in the Bayou State is that the governor has no...Read More

Every week, Dateline Louisiana takes on topics Rannah Gray and I hear talked about in Louisiana. You can catch any episode at www.datelinelouisiana.com or the latest one by Clicking Here.Read More

  The Government’s War on Political Freedom! Check out the column below by our friend John whitehead with tTe Rutherford Institute.  John makes the point that the FBI never stops and Sheffers to invade itself in our personal freedoms. You can readers complete column by Clicking Here. “In so many of the little places of...Read More

It was 132 years ago this week. That’s the birthdate of one of Louisiana’s most powerful United States senators whoever served representing the Bayou state.  Senator Allen Ellender was a legend in the U.S. Senate serving for 35 years until his death in 1972.  I had quite an initial meeting with Ellender at a rural...Read More

Monday, September 26th, 2022 Baton Rouge, Louisiana HELLO AND GOODBYE TO LOUISIANA SENATOR ELLENDER! This week marks the birthday of former Louisiana U.S. Senator Allen J. Ellender.  He was born in 1890, and in his heyday, Ellender was the most prominent Senator in Washington and a powerful voice for the Bayou State. I first met...Read More

Every week, Dateline Louisiana takes on topics Rannah Gray and I hear talked about in Louisiana. You can catch any episode at www.datelinelouisiana.com or the latest one by Clicking  Here: Read More

This week, September 18th through September 24th, is Banned Book Week all over Louisiana and all over the nation.  The week has been recognized for over 40 years. So why is there such a rage in banning books today? National groups are coming into states like Louisiana to push for banning books that have been...Read More

Monday, September 19th, 2022 Baton Rouge, Louisiana CENSORSHIP ALIVE AND WELL IN LOUISIANA! Efforts to ban books are accelerating in Louisiana as well as all across the nation. According to a new report from the American Library Association, there have been “an unprecedented number of attempts to ban books,” more than any time in recent memory....Read More

  “We the people are the rightful masters of both Congress and the courts, not to overthrow the Constitution but to overthrow the men who pervert the Constitution.“ “” Abraham Lincoln It continually amazes me as to how the federal government ignores these specific requirements in the constitutional amendments that are part of our basic...Read More

Here’s a statistic that will surprise you. A national website has named New Orleans as the top city in America to retire. What are these people smoking? New Orleans is in a state of meltdown right now with murder and overall crime out of control. The leadership there is dysfunctional, and the locals feel unsafe...Read More

Monday, September 12th, 2022 New Orleans, Louisiana  THE SEARING OF A GREAT CITY’S SOUL! (New Orleans a war zone) The real estate website Home Bay just released its national rankings of the best places in the U.S. to retire.  So where is the number one location?  Are you ready for this? Numero Uno is the...Read More

Don’t mess with JB when he’s working out. One tough guy at 82.Read More

This month marks the 30th year anniversary of the FBI massacre at Ruby Ridge. It was simply an example of Militarized Central State Versus Individual Life and Liberty.  A chilling story of an FBI sniper who shot Vicki Weaver in the head as she held her ten-month-old baby at her home in Ruby Ridge, Idaho. The sniper...Read More

Thomas Jefferson and Andrew Jackson.  Both are iconic figures in American political history. They also are, in my opinion, the two most important figures in Louisiana history. Without the intervention activities of both Jefferson in Jackson, Louisiana could well not be a state today. But are they getting the respect they deserve? I write about...Read More

Monday, September 5th, 2022 Baton Rouge, Louisiana LOUISIANA DEMOCRATS BETRAY JEFFERSON AND JACKSON! I don’t know about you, but I have always loved to read and study Louisiana History. I’ve had the pleasure of teaching the history of the Bayou State at both Tulane University and LSU. And when it comes to examining the giant...Read More

John Whitehead heads up the Rutherford Institute, a think tank that is trying it’s best to protect our basic freedoms.  Here’s what he says about the FBI. “The government’s henchmen have become the embodiment of how power, once acquired, can be so easily corrupted and abused. Indeed, far from being tough on crime, FBI agents...Read More

It’s pretty obvious that President Biden does not read my weekly columns. He went ahead last week and forgave billions of dollars in student loans.  Both Republicans and Democrats were highly critical of the President’s action.  There are so many unanswered questions. How much is this forgiveness going to cost the taxpayers? Will loans be...Read More