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Dardenne Calls for Payback

 Jay Dardenne is urging payback from a couple of fellow Republicans.

“David’s got a lot of money in the super PAC. Bobby’s got a lot of money in super PACs and taxpayers of Louisiana ought not be having to fund those efforts. That’s the point I’m really making,” Dardenne said of his call for David Vitter and Bobby Jindal to reimburse the state of Louisiana.

Dardenne is running for governor, and last week he issued a statement through his campaign, calling on U.S. Senator DavidVitterand his affiliated super PAC, “The Fund for Louisiana Future” to refund $70,000 collected from the state.

“What got my attention was the state having to pay for attorney’s fees on the lawsuit he brought to raise all the money from the super PAC.”

The Louisiana Democratic Party has also called on Vitter for reimbursement.

But Dardenne, a Republican, isn’t just going after his competition in the governor’s race. He recently issued statements asking Governor Bobby Jindal’s presidential campaign to pick up the tab for Jindal’s security detail, when the governor is off on that campaign’s business.

“The governor ought to have his protection,” Dardenne explains. “I’m just saying it ought not be paid for by the taxpayers, when it’s exclusively to pursue a campaign for the presidency out of state.”

Instead, Dardenne believes Jindal should take his cue from another presidential hopeful, Governor Scott Walker of Wisconsin.

“You know, Scott Walker set the standard. He said from day one he was going to use his super PAC, or have a super PAC pay for his protection.”

Yet as Lieutenant Governor, Dardenne has his own State Police security detail, though he says he has refused 24/7 protection all along. He does admits State Police are with him more often these days.

“You know, when you’re acting governor, you’re it. And when the governor’s out of state and I’m acting governor, they’ve made it even more clear it’s appropriate for them to be with me, in case something happens,” Dardenne says, to clarify.

That means State Police are often traveling with Dardenne on his gubernatorial campaign stops, and not just when he is handling his lieutenant governor duties.

Copyright 2021 WRKF. To see more, visit WRKF.

Sue Lincoln is a veteran reporter in the political arena. Her radio experience began in the early ’80s, in “the other L-A” — Los Angeles.

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