AND WE’RE TALKING WITH THE STATE LAWMAKER WHO IS NO STRANGER TO CONTROVERSY, SPEAKING OUT ON TOPICS NEAR AND DEAR TO WHAT SHE BELIEVES AND WHAT SHE THINKS IS IMPORTANT TO HER DISTRICT. WDSU’S TRAVERS MACKEL CAUGHT UP WITH STATE REPRESENTATIVE MANDY LANDRY RIGHT WHERE UPTOWN MEETS CENTRAL CITY. THERE’S THINGS THAT DON’T MAKE SENSE, LIKE WAY MORE MONEY INTO THE CRIMINAL SYSTEM AND DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS. AND WE’RE LIKE, LOOK, WE HAVE THE HIGHEST, IF NOT ONE OF THE HIGHEST AMOUNT RATE OF INCARCERATED PEOPLE. WHY AREN’T WE PUTTING IT ON THE FRONT END? WHY ARE WE BUILDING MORE, MORE PRISONS? AND IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS, WE’RE GOING TO PUT A RIDICULOUS AMOUNT OF PEOPLE IN PRISON. WHY ARE WE DOING THAT? LOOK, THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM WENT THROUGH A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, LED BY JOHN BEL EDWARDS. IT WAS RIGHT BEFORE YOU GOT IN THE LEGISLATURE, BUT YOU HELPED CARRY IT THROUGH IN 19. THERE ARE SOME, INCLUDING OUR CURRENT GOVERNOR, WHO SAYS, LOOK, IT JUST ISN’T WORKING. CRIME NUMBERS SPIKED UP, BUT DID WE GIVE IT A LONG ENOUGH TIME TO SEE IF THESE CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORMS WOULD WORK? IT WAS ALREADY WORKING ON A SMALL LEVEL BECAUSE IT HAD ONLY BEEN A FEW YEARS. NOT ENOUGH MONEY HAD BEEN PUT INTO THE PROGRAMS, BUT IT WAS WORKING SLOWLY, AND ONE OF THE MAJOR DIVIDES ON THE HOUSE FLOOR, A DEBATE I WAS INVOLVED IN WITH ONE OF THE THE PROPONENTS WAS THE INTERPRETATION OF THE NUMBERS AND THE GOVERNOR’S ADMINISTRATION FROM LAST YEAR, DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS WERE DISAGREEING WITH WHAT THE, UH, HARDCORE REPUBLICAN SIDE WAS SAYING, WHAT THE NUMBERS ARE. IF YOU CAN’T AGREE ON NUMBERS, WHERE DO YOU GO FROM THERE? AND AND IT WAS WORKING AND IT WAS SLOW AND WE HAD COVID IN THE MIDDLE THERE. UM, BUT NOW WE’RE GOING TO THROW MORE PEOPLE IN AND THEY’RE ALL GOING TO SERVE 85%. ALL OF THEM, NO MATTER IF THEY’RE A MODEL PRISONER. SO THIS IS FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE WATCHING THIS RIGHT NOW WHO ARE DEMOCRATS. AND NEW ORLEANS IS A PREDOMINANTLY AFRICAN AMERICAN. BLUE CITY SURROUNDS BY THE REST OF A RED STATE. IT FEELS LIKE EAST BATON ROUGE, OBVIOUSLY SAME AS NEW ORLEANS, BUT YOU HAVE THOSE TWO DOTS THAT KIND OF STICK OUT RIGHT ON THE MAP FOR PEOPLE WATCHING. THEY’RE SAYING, MAN, IF I’M A DEMOCRAT, I JUST FEEL LIKE THE STATE IS GOING MORE RIGHT. A LOT OF PEOPLE WATCHING THIS GOING TO SAY, GOOD, BUT SOME WATCH THIS IS GOING TO SAY, WHAT CAN WE DO FROM A CITY AND STATE STANDPOINT TO MAYBE NOT GO AS FAR? RIGHT? I KNOW YOU’VE BEEN FIGHTING THE GOOD FIGHT, BUT IT DOES SEEM LIKE EVERY VOTE IN THE SENATE WENT 2911, WHICH IS RIGHT DOWN PARTY LINES IN THE STATE’S HOUSE, WHICH HAS A SUPERMAJORITY OF REPUBLICANS. WHEN I LOOK AT VOTES, IT WAS 70 SOMETHING REPUBLICANS VOTING YES FOR EVERYTHING. WHAT DO YOU TELL DEMOCRATS RIGHT NOW WHO FEEL OVERWHELMED BY THE FACT THAT THEY FEEL LIKE THE STATE IS GOING MORE RIGHT? UM, STAYING WHERE YOU ARE, FIRST OF ALL, BE MORE VOCAL ABOUT IT. AND JEFFERSON PARISH IN SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA AND THE BAYOU IS WHERE WE CAN CHANGE IT. UM, YOU KNOW, JEFFERSON PARISH WENT TO JOHN BELL. THEY WERE ONE OF THE THE EARLY PEOPLE THAT WENT RIGHT. I’M FROM JEFFERSON PARISH, AND THAT’S WHERE THINGS HAVE BEEN SWITCHING. WHEN THE GUN BILLS WERE COMING UP, I WAS EVEN ON YOUR SHOW. I NEVER THOUGHT THAT WOULD HAPPEN. PEOPLE DOWN HERE, INCLUDING NEWELL AND LAW ENFORCEMENT, SAID, WAIT A MINUTE, WE’RE GOING TOO FAR WITH THIS. AND YOUR BAYOU AREA IS ALSO PRETTY CATHOLIC AND PRETTY MODERATE. AND I THINK THOSE VOTERS ALSO NEED TO WAKE UP. AND THOSE OF US WHO LIVE IN THE CITY ARE FROM THERE, NEED TO HELP THEM WAKE UP AND SAY, WE’RE GOING TOO FAR. AND LOOK, THESE ARE AREAS THAT 30 AND 40 YEARS AGO WERE BLUE. I MEAN, LOOK, PEOPLE FORGET HARRY LEE, WHO KNEW NORMAN IS A DISCIPLE OF WAS A DEMOCRAT. HELL, THEY JUST ATTORNEY RIGHT IN JEFFERSON PARISH, PEOPLE FORGET PAUL CONNICK IS STILL A DEMOCRAT, RIGHT? BECAUSE HE WAS FOR GENERATIONS. UM, IS THAT EASIER SAID THAN DONE? GETTING PEOPLE IN JEFFERSON AND TERREBONNE AND LAFOURCHE TO TO ESSENTIALLY LEAN BACK, CENTER OR LEFT? I THINK IT WILL HAPPEN. BUT UNFORTUNATELY IT’S STILL GOING TO HAVE TO BE BAD FOR A WHILE FOR PEOPLE TO SEE IT. THE GUN SITUATION KHERSON UM, IF WE DON’T FIGURE OUT WE MEAN THE LEGISLATURE, WHAT’S GOING ON WITH MONEY IN THE NEXT YEAR OR TWO? THAT’S THE NUMBER ONE REASON FOR PEOPLE TO HATE GUN GOVERNMENT. IF IF YOU’RE OUT OF MONEY AND EVERYTHING’S BEING CUT AND THAT’S GOING TO COME UP AND IT’S JUST DIFFERENT DOWN HERE, THE CATHOLIC BACKGROUND WORKING CLASS BACKGROUND THAT I THINK THEY’RE ALREADY STARTING TO SEE IT. I MEAN, LOOK AT THE STATEWIDE POLL ON THE NEW GUN LAW. 70% SAID THAT’S TOO FAR. AND I THINK IF YOU CAN GO DEEPER INTO THAT, WHEN YOU SAY IT’S TOO FAR, WHAT EXACTLY ARE YOU POINTING OUT WITH THE GUN LAW? BECAUSE, LOOK, THE GOVERNOR PUSHED THIS AND THEY DID GO IN WITH AN OVERWHELMING MAJORITY IN THE PRIMARY. SO WHEN YOU WHEN YOU TOUCH ON THAT, WHAT DID YOU MEAN IT GOES TOO FAR. IT’S WHAT WAS ON TALK RADIO HERE. AND WHAT’S EVEN IN THE SURROUNDING PARISHES. WHAT LAW ENFORCEMENT SAYS IS YOU CANNOT LET PEOPLE CONCEALED CARRY WHO DON’T HAVE TRAINING. THEY HAVE TO KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH THAT GUN, WHEN TO PULL IT, HOW TO SHOOT IT. ARE YOU GOING TO HAVE A BUNCH OF WANNABE COWBOYS WHO ARE PULLING OUT A GUN IN A SITUATION AND RESULTING IN SHOOTING EVERYONE AROUND THEM, AND THEY AGREE? I MEAN, WHEN DO WHEN DO WE IGNORE LAW ENFORCEMENT IN THE LEGISLATURE? IT IS INTERESTING LAW ENFORCEMENT WAS AGAINST THE CONCEALED CARRY BILL JUST A YEAR OR TWO AGO, AND THIS YEAR FOR YEARS, THEY KIND OF GOT OUT THE WAY BECAUSE IT WAS A BIG PUSH BY THE GOVERNOR. I MEAN, DO YOU THINK AND I HATE TO SAY THIS, BUT DO YOU THINK POLITICS ARE AT PLAY WITH SOMETHING LIKE THAT BECAUSE YOU HAD THE POLICE CHIEF IN NEW ORLEANS WHO WAS WIDELY POPULAR RIGHT NOW, AND A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE CREDITED HER WITH THE REDUCTION IN CRIME. SHE SAID, I DON’T THINK THIS IS A GOOD BILL, BUT IT’S STILL SAILED THROUGH THE HOUSE AND SENATE WAS SIGNED INTO LAW. SO FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, THE SHERIFFS MAYBE THE CHIEFS OF POLICE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT IT HAD THE VOTES AND THEY MAYBE HAD TO HOLD THEIR POWDER FOR OTHER ISSUES, WHICH I DISAGREE WITH THEM, POLICY LEVEL FOR UNO ORDER OF POLICE, WHICH I DON’T AGREE WITH A LOT. THEY STOOD, STOOD THEIR GROUND AND SAID NO, THIS IS PUTTING OUR GUYS ON THE STREET, ON BOURBON STREET, YOU KNOW, LATE AT NIGHT. THIS IS PUTTING THEM MORE AT DANGER. AND THEY WERE JUST IGNORED AND NEW ORLEANS WAS IGNORED. WE, A BUNCH OF US TRIED, MYSELF INCLUDED, TO AT LEAST SAY, COME ON, KEEP IT, KEEP IT HOW IT IS AROUND MARDI GRAS, AROUND BOURBON STREET, AROUND THE FRENCH QUARTER. YOU WERE PUTTING US IN TOURIST AT RISK. NOT EVEN THE TOURIST ARGUMENT, DID THEY? LISTEN TO. AND NEW ORLEANS IS FREAKING OUT. THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY IS FREAKING OUT. TOURISTS ARE GOING TO KNOW WHAT’S HAPPENING, AND I HOPE WE ARE ABLE TO FIX SOMETHING SOON. YEAH, WE’RE ALL GOING TO KEEP WALKING HERE. WE ALL WE ARE ON LOUISIANA AVENUE IN YOUR DISTRICT. WE ARE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THINGS IN YOUR DISTRICT. BUT LET’S KEEP TALKING ABOUT THE GUNS HERE BECAUSE IT REALLY IS BIG. SHOULD THE LEGISLATURE HAVE LOOKED AT CARVE OUTS? I KNOW THAT WAS A BIG TALKER. I THINK YOU WERE ONE OF THE ONES THAT WANTED THAT, ESPECIALLY FOR THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS. IT DIDN’T HAPPEN. THE BILL GOT PULLED BY ALONZO KNOX, ONE OF YOUR COLLEAGUES NEVER CAME BACK UP. SHOULD THEY HAVE CREATED CARVE OUTS FOR CERTAIN PARTS OF NEW ORLEANS? BECAUSE NEW ORLEANS IS VERY DIFFERENT THAN THE REST OF LOUISIANA. IT’S SO DIFFERENT. I MEAN, WHAT 17, 18 MILLION VISITORS A YEAR? UM, MY PREDECESSOR, WALT SAID, WE HAVE ABOUT A MILLION PEOPLE HERE. YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT WHO’S NOW THE TOURISM LEADER FOR THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS. HE KNOWS YOU TOOK HIS SEAT WHEN HE WAS. I TALKED TO HIM REGULARLY ON THESE ISSUES. I SAID, HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE HERE MARDI GRAS DAY, REALLY? HE SAID, ABOUT A MILLION. THAT’S A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE. UM, THERE’S JUST SO MUCH ALCOHOL IN THE CITY. THAT’S KIND OF WHAT WE DO AT MARDI GRAS. UM, HERE’S AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT HAPPENED. I HAD A LITTLE BILL THAT JUST HAD A ZONE AROUND A MARDI GRAS PARADE. 100FT. CAN’T HAVE A WEAPON THERE CONCEALED, AND THERE’S PLENTY OF LAW ENFORCEMENT. UM, WHO ARE UNDERCOVER OR NOT. AND AND IT ACTUALLY MADE IT TO THE HOUSE FLOOR, WHICH WAS SURPRISING BECAUSE TWO REPUBLICANS VOTED AGAINST IT. THE NRA RAN SOCIAL MEDIA ADS AGAINST THEM ALL WEEKEND, ATTACKING THEM FOR THIS, FOR A MINIMAL BILL. AND SO THEN THEY FEEL PRESSURE BECAUSE THEY’RE GETTING ATTACKED. WELL, ONE OF THEM STILL VOTED FOR IT, BUT WE GOT NINE REPUBLICAN VOTES, WHICH IS MORE THAN I THOUGHT WE’D GET. BUT THE REST OF THEM FELT PRESSURE, AND IT’S RIDICULOUS. I’M LIKE, THIS IS SOME STRANGE GROUP. THEY DON’T DO ANYTHING ELSE FOR YOU. WE CARE ABOUT GUNS. COME ON. SO LET ME ASK YOU ABOUT YOU PERSONALLY. YOU HAVE DEALT WITH A LOT OF OF SOCIAL MEDIA PUSHBACK PEOPLE. YOU’RE ON SOCIAL MEDIA, YOU’RE VERY ACTIVE. IT’S THE SPOT WHERE PEOPLE ARE RIGHT NOW, WHETHER IT BE TWITTER, INSTAGRAM, FACEBOOK, TIKTOK. YOU GET A LOT OF PUSHBACK WITH THESE ISSUES. HOW DO YOU FEEL WHEN YOU PUT SOMETHING UP AND SOMEBODY BECAUSE, LOOK, THE STATE IS LEANING MORE, RIGHT? IT’S NO SECRET WE’RE GOING THERE. WE HAVE A VERY RIGHT LEANING REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR. A LOT OF PEOPLE WATCHING THIS RIGHT NOW SUPPORT HIM AND SUPPORT REPUBLICAN BASED ISSUES. HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH IT WHEN YOU GET A LOT OF PUSHBACK? BECAUSE EVERYBODY’S GOT AN OPINION ON SOCIAL MEDIA GOING, I CAN’T STAND THIS, MANDY. I DON’T I DON’T WANT YOU TO KEEP PUSHING THIS. I DON’T WANT YOU TO KEEP SAYING THIS. SOME HAVE USED THIS LINE. THEY SAY YOU’RE THE AOC OF THE LOUISIANA LEGISLATURE. YOU AND SOME MAY LOOK AT THAT AS A COMPLIMENT. SOME FEEL LIKE THAT IS KNOCKING YOU WHEN THEY SAY, WELL, SHE’S A LOT YOUNGER THAN ME. SO I DO TAKE IT AS A COMPLIMENT. Y’ALL ARE RELATIVELY THE SAME IN THE BALLPARK. YOU KNOW, THIS IS A NEW A NEW POLITICS. I THINK BEING PUBLICLY ONLINE AND RESPONDING TO PEOPLE IS KIND OF THE NEW WAY OF PRESS RELEASES AND, UM, YOU KNOW, GIVING A SPEECH SOMEWHERE AND PEOPLE LIKE THAT INTERACTION, IT’S MADE ME BETTER AT MY ISSUES AND WHAT I WANT TO DO, BECAUSE I GOT TO HAVE IT ON LOCKDOWN BECAUSE IF I DON’T HAVE SOMETHING RIGHT, THEY LET ME KNOW. AND SO IT’S MADE ME LIKE REALLY KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT THE ISSUES I CARE ABOUT. AND PART OF THE REASON I RESPOND, BECAUSE A LOT OF MY COLLEAGUES, I DON’T RESPOND TO THOSE PEOPLE. I SAID, WELL, THEY’RE NEVER GOING TO KNOW YOU, BUT I DO IS BECAUSE OTHER PEOPLE ARE READING IT AND THEY’RE LEARNING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE ISSUE. AND SOMETIMES THE PERSON I’M TALKING TO SAYS, WELL, I DON’T AGREE WITH YOU, BUT THAT’S A GOOD POINT. AND I THINK THAT’S IMPORTANT. AND NOT EVERYONE AGREES, BUT I DO. IS IT UNFORTUNATE? I’M GOING TO ASK YOU THIS BECAUSE I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE LIKE WHEN WE DO THIS, WHEN WE PULL THE VEIL BACK, YOU GET ALONG WITH A LOT OF YOUR REPUBLICAN COLLEAGUES. YOU MAY GO TO DINNER, YOU MAY GET DRINKS. I MEAN, MOST OF THE PEOPLE THAT WE ELECT, I FEEL LIKE ARE QUALIFIED TO BE THERE. I MEAN, YOU WENT TO NOTRE DAME AND GEORGETOWN LAW SCHOOL FOR PEOPLE WHO DID NOT REALIZE THAT, UM, IS IT UNFORTUNATE THAT WHEN YOU CAN GET ALONG WITH SOMEBODY AT THE BALLROOM OR AT THE DINNER TABLE, BUT YOU FIGHT LIKE CATS AND DOGS INSIDE THE CHAMBER, IT A LOT OF THE PEOPLE ON THE FAR RIGHT. I HAVE A CORDIAL RELATIONSHIP. IT IS HARD TO GET PAST SOME OF THOSE ISSUES BECAUSE I THINK WHAT THEY’RE DOING IS VERY HARMFUL, AND THEY THINK THE SAME OF ME. BASICALLY, I THINK THEY THINK I’M CRAZY. AND, UM, THEY INSERT TOO MUCH RELIGION, WHAT THEY DO. BUT THERE’S A WHOLE GROUP IN THE MIDDLE THAT I KNOW DON’T AGREE WITH ALL THIS, AND I’M VERY DISAPPOINTED AT TIMES IN HOW THEY VOTE, BUT I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO KIND OF KEEP UP A CONVERSATION. AND FOR PEOPLE LIKE ME TO EXPLAIN WHY WE VOTE A CERTAIN WAY, THAT IT’S NOT NECESSARILY A PARTY LINE. AND MAYBE ONE DAY IT’LL CHANGE. BUT I THINK IT’S IMPORTANT. THAT’S WHY WE’RE THERE. YEAH, TO EDUCATE EACH OTHER AND YOU’RE THERE TO REPRESENT YOUR DISTRICT AND YOUR DISTRICT OVERWHELMINGLY VOTED YOU IN FOR A SECOND TIME. SO YOU WERE VOTING HOW YOUR VOTERS WANT YOU TO VOTE, JUST LIKE SOMEBODY WHO REPRESENTS AN ULTRA CONSERVATIVE DISTRICT WANTS THEM. AND THEIR REPRESENTATIVE TO VOTE AS WELL. REALLY QUICKLY BEFORE WE WRAP UP, BECAUSE WE DO APPRECIATE YOU TALKING TO US IN YOUR DISTRICT. I LIKE YOUR SHADE. JUST HAVE YOUR NAME ON IT. MINE ARE JUST VERY BAD. UM, IT IS HOT TODAY AND IT IS SUNNY TODAY. UM, KEY ISSUE FOR YOUR DISTRICT AND IT’S A VAST BROAD DISTRICT THAT THAT ENCOMPASSES PARTS OF UPTOWN AND CENTRAL CITY. WHAT’S THE NUMBER ONE ISSUE THAT YOU’RE FIGHTING FOR RIGHT NOW FOR YOUR DISTRICT? WELL, THERE IS MY INDUSTRIES HERE. AND THEN IT’S SORT OF NEW ORLEANS ISSUES. MY MAJOR INDUSTRIES, UM, SERVICE INDUSTRY AND RETAIL. WE HAVE SECOND LINE STUDIOS, WHICH IS THE FIRST MAJOR FILM STUDIO, AND THEN A BUNCH OF BREWERIES DOWN THERE. SO IT’S JOBS, IT’S ECONOMIC. THAT’S WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE DISTRICT. BUT OVERALL IT’S CITY ISSUES, SEWAGE AND WATER. RIGHT. I JUST LOOKED AT STEPHANIE’S ISSUE WITH YOU. THAT’S WHAT EVERYONE TALKS ABOUT. LOOK, YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT A REPUBLICAN AND STEPHANIE HILFERTY. I THINK EVERYBODY DIFFERENCE. YEAH. DEMOCRAT. REPUBLICAN. YEAH. YOU CAN AGREE. SEWAGE AND WATER BOARD I MEAN IS A BIG ISSUE NO MATTER WHAT. I DISAGREE ON SEWAGE AND WATER BOARD, UM, CRIME ISSUES MAY BE DIFFERENT VIEWS OF HOW TO DEAL WITH THEM, BUT NOT REALLY BECAUSE, UM, EVEN OLDER RESIDENTS, YOU KNOW, I’M A WELL, I GUESS, MIDDLE WHITE RESIDENT, OLDER BLACK RESIDENTS, WE’RE WEARY. MAYBE OF IF LAW ENFORCEMENT GOES TOO FAR. BUT UNDERSTANDING THAT WHAT’S GOING ON WITH THESE KIDS, WHY ARE THEY LEFT HOME ALONE? LIKE, WHY ISN’T ANYONE WATCHING THEM? LIKE, WHAT’S GOING ON HERE? AND SO THERE’S, I THINK, A SHARED UNDERSTANDING THAT MIGHT NOT BE THE SAME UNDERSTANDING ELSEWHERE IN THE STATE. ALL RIGHT. CRIME IS A IS A BIG ONE TOO. CRIME NUMBERS ARE GOING DOWN WHICH IS GOOD IN THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS. WHATEVER THEY’RE DOING IS WORKING. I THINK EVERYBODY WATCHING THIS. YES. CAN I APPLAUD THAT? MANDY I WISH WE COULD TALK MORE. UH, UNFORTUNATELY, WE ARE OUT OF TIME. SURE. STATE REPRESENTATIVE MANDY LANDRY IN HER DISTRICT. WE ARE TRYING TO TAKE A LOT OF THESE TO THE STREETS, TO THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND LET PEOPLE GET IN TOUCH WITH THEIR LAWMAKERS AND HEAR FROM THEM. AND WE APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME TO TALK. IT’S BEEN FUN. THAT’S ALL THE TIME THAT WE HAVE. FOR THE HOT SEAT, YOU CAN SEE THIS ENTIRE SEGMENT STA