Eric Lach: June 5, 2011 - June 11, 2011

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Jindal Gives Senators Confidential Copies Of Health Care Agency Report

Eric Lach | June 10, 2011, 9:29AM

Gov. Bobby Jindal (R-LA)

Updated at 11:57 AM ET

Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal's administration has handed over a report it commissioned on the agency that manages state employees' health insurance, after state senators on Wednesday raised the propsect of a legislative subpoena. But the report is still not being made available to the public.

Brenda Hodge, communications director for the Louisiana state Senate, told TPM that the subpoena was not issued because lawmakers were able to "reach an agreement with the [the Division of Administration] a to receive a copy of the report."

The report, prepared by New Orleans company Chaffe & Associates, was commissioned as part of the administration's plan to privatize the Office of Group Benefits (OGB), which oversees health care for around 250,000 state workers, retirees and their dependents. The report apparently analyzes OGB's financial value. At a Senate & Governmental Affairs Committee confirmation hearing last week, Commissioner of Administration Paul Rainwater and OGB Chief Scott Kipper were asked about the report. During the hearing, Rainwater promised to get senators a copy of the report, but this week he went back on that pledge. That prompted lawmakers to vote to issue a subpoena -- though it was never issued.

While handing over the report, Rainwater asked the senators to keep the document secret, according to The Associated Press.

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Topics: Bobby Jindal, Louisiana, Office Of Group Benefits

Sarah Palin

Sarah Palin Emails To Be Finally Released

Eric Lach | June 10, 2011, 6:45AM

Sarah Palin

Friday is the day the state of Alaska is finally releasing the emails it has been holding onto from Sarah Palin's time as governor. Media outlets first requested the documents more than two years ago, when Palin was running for vice president.

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Topics: Alaska, Sarah Palin

Bobby Jindal

Lawmakers Subpoena Jindal Over Health Care Agency Report

Eric Lach | June 9, 2011, 9:23AM

Gov. Bobby Jindal (R-LA)

Members of a Louisiana State Senate panel voted Wednesday to issue a rare legislative subpoena, and gave the Jindal administration 24 hours to turn over a report it commissioned on the agency that manages state employees health insurance.

The administration's plan to privatize the agency, the Office of Group Benefits (OGB), has been under fire from critics for months, and questions have been raised over the fate of OGB's $500 million surplus. Recently, the fight has centered on the so-called "Chaffe report," a financial analysis of OGB prepared for the state by New Orleans-based Chaffe & Associates. Commissioner of Administration Paul Rainwater, in charge of the agency that oversees OGB, told members of the State Senate's Senate & Governmental Affairs Committee at a hearing last week that they could have copies, but later went back on that pledge. Those same Senators have now put some force behind their request.

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Topics: Bobby Jindal, Louisiana, Office Of Group Benefits

Bobby Jindal

Pre-Resignation, Louisiana Official Gave Trainwreck Testimony On Health Care Privatization (VIDEO)

Eric Lach | June 9, 2011, 6:45AM

Gov. Bobby Jindal

Just a few days before his resignation was announced, Scott Kipper, the man handpicked to help the Jindal administration privatize Louisiana state employees' health insurance, was grilled by lawmakers about the plan. At a hearing on June 1, some members of the State Senate's Senate & Governmental Affairs Committee accused Kipper of being less than truthful in his testimony.

The administration has said that privatizing the Office of Group Benefits, which manages the health insurance of around 250,000 state workers, retirees and their dependents, would save taxpayers money, and get the state out of the health insurance business. But critics have countered that OGB isn't broken, and doesn't need fixing, and some have raised questions about the fate of the agency's $500 million surplus.

At the hearing last week, though, the senators were particularly focused on the so-called "Chaffe report," an evaluation of OGB recently prepared by a New Orleans company named Chaffe & Associates. Lawmakers wanted to know why the administration has kept the report private, and Kipper struggled to come up with answers they liked.

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Topics: Bobby Jindal, Louisiana, Office Of Group Benefits

Bobby Jindal

Resignation Raises New Questions On Jindal's Health Care Privatization Push

Eric Lach | June 8, 2011, 6:45AM

Gov. Bobby Jindal (R-LA)

Less than two months ago, Scott Kipper replaced Tommy Teague as the head of Louisiana's Office of Group Benefits (OGB). Teague was apparently ousted for his refusal to go along with the Jindal administration's plan to privatize the agency, which manages state workers' health insurance. This week, the saga took another twist, with Kipper turning in his own resignation.

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Topics: Bobby Jindal, Office Of Group Benefits

Evan Bayh

Evan Bayh Joining Chamber Of Commerce Anti-Regulation 'Road Show'

Eric Lach | June 7, 2011, 11:54AM

Former Sen. Evan Bayh (D-IN)

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has hired former Senator Evan Bayh (D-IN) to participate in a regulatory reform "road show" of speeches, events and media appearances, according to a memo obtained by iWatch News.

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Topics: Chamber of Commerce, Evan Bayh, Tom Donohue

John Edwards

John Edwards Plea Deal Undone By Prospect Of Jail Time

Eric Lach | June 6, 2011, 10:01AM

Former Senator John Edwards (D-NC)

Prosecutors made a final offer to John Edwards before he was indicted last Friday, but the former senator and presidential candidate could not accept the prospect of jail time, according to a report in The News & Observer. The deal would have avoided felony charges for Edwards, making it possible for him to keep his law license. But in exchange for pleading guilty on three misdemeanor campaign finance law violations, prosecutors wanted a sentence that would result in up to six months in prison.