One of the state's most brilliant political minds, John Maginnis was 66.
LaPolitics founder and Publisher John Maginnis died Sunday morning at the age of 66.
The staff of LaPolitics Weekly and LaPolitics.com reported Sunday morning that founder and Publisher John Maginnis died earlier this morning at his New Orleans residence. The announcement included no cause of death.
Below is what the political news source released:
From his first foray in the business, delivering The State-Times on his bike after school, to his first journalism job for The Catholic Commentator, John devoted his life to reporting the news. Through his three books, "The Last Hayride," "Cross to Bear," and "The Politics of Reform," he became one of the most recognizable names in Bayou State politics.
He had worked Louisiana's political beat since 1972, finding publishing successes first with Gris Gris magazine and later Louisiana Political Review. The latter gave way to The Fax Weekly in 1993, which underwent a name change - to LaPolitics Weekly - not long after. In recent years, John expanded the political newsletter and its digital counterpart, LaPolitics.com, by adding new staff, developing media partnerships and broadening its editorial scope.
His syndicated opinion column appeared in 21 newspapers around the state. He was also a featured speaker for civic groups and organizations across the Gulf Coast. In 2000, John was inducted into the Hall of Fame of the LSU Manship School of Mass Communications.
With his wife, Jackie Drinkwater-Maginnis, John enjoyed spending weekends in his beloved New Orleans after long days of covering state government in Baton Rouge and the election landscape statewide. His fervor for politics, in fact, was overshadowed only by his love for Jackie and the rest of his family.
John touched many lives and will be missed. When complimented on his work, John was fond of saying, "I owe it all to the material." Those who knew him best, however, knew better.
Funeral arrangements are pending and will be announced at a later date.