Free Republic

Senators are not permitted to use Senate cash to fly to fundraisers - but that didn’t stop Democratic Louisiana Senator Mary Landrieu from taking 43 trips on her Senate office account. The Perkins Coie law firm reviewed Landrieu’s travel from her 18 years in the Senate: The report found that Landrieu's official office paid $33,727.02 -- about 11 percent of the total amount her official office paid for chartered flights during that time -- should have been prorated and paid by her campaign. Landrieu blamed the mistakes on "sloppy bookkeeping" in a written apology. Her constituents, however, may not be...

Democratic senator Mary Landrieu of Louisiana is already in the electoral battle of her life this November. Her national party is far out of step with Louisiana voters on health care, abortion, and energy issues, and the national mood is continuing to shift against the Democrats. And the leader of that party, President Obama, is deeply unpopular in the Bayou State. Mary Landrieu Senate portrait The best card Landrieu had was one she was first dealt: her last name and its legacy in Louisiana. Her father, Moon Landrieu, was a celebrated mayor of New Orleans, while her brother Mitch was...