Jindal Chief of Staff: Redistricting In Louisiana Is Actually About Nancy Pelosi

Timmy Teepell, self-proclaimed “Road Scholar” and on-again, off-again Chief of Staff for Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, has finally revealed what the fight over the I-20 district is actually about: Nancy Pelosi. Quoting from The Town Talk:

“I don’t want to give Pelosi a vote,” Teepell said. “We don’t think it makes sense to have one horizontal district that goes across the top” of the state “because a district like that just becomes another vote for Pelosi.

“Pelosi did a number on us the last time she was speaker,” Teepell said.

Although I think it’s absurd and completely out of touch, I still appreciate Teepell’s candor. Finally, the Jindal administration shows their cards.

At the end of the day, for Teepell and Governor Jindal, Congressional redistricting in Northern and Central Louisiana has nothing to do with ensuring fair and accurate democratic representation. Instead, they are more concerned with any redistricting plan that coherently and logically allows both Northern and Central Louisianans their own distinctly regional voice in Congress, because, hypothetically, that would potentially allow for greater competition between Republicans and Democrats, something they feel so threatened by they would rather delay any decision for an entire year.

So enter Nancy Pelosi, the 70-year-old Congresswoman from California who has absolutely nothing to do with any of this.

I’m not sure who Timmy Teepell thinks he is fooling, but certainly, the people of Central and Northern Louisiana will not be hoodwinked by this blatant and ridiculous ploy. It’s insulting and reckless to inject Nancy Pelosi into any discussion about the merits of logically allowing Congressional representation for both Central and Northern Louisiana, and it’s absolute, definitive proof of the extent to which the Jindal administration seeks to politicize Congressional redistricting, without any regard for the actual and distinct differences between the two regions.

Nancy Pelosi. Seriously? SERIOUSLY?

You have to wonder if Timmy Teepell has ever actually visited or met with the people of Central or Northern Louisiana, and you have to question Governor Jindal’s seriousness of purpose. Apparently, he’d rather delay any decision for an entire year; he must feel supremely confident about his chances for reelection. Quoting:

Five of Louisiana’s seven congressmen have asked Gov. Bobby Jindal to postpone redrawing the state’s congressional districts until early next year, according to a letter dated Friday and released to The Town Talk by U.S. Rep. Rodney Alexander’s office Saturday afternoon.

The Associated Press reports the governor’s spokesman Kyle Plotkin saying Jindal agrees with the delay but that it’s the decision of the Legislature, which reconvenes Monday.