Peep Goat

Peep Goat 04.29.09

Thibodeaux in the Game

After telling many that he was “not interested” in the U.S. District Court judgeship being vacated by Tucker Melancon because he was seeking appointment to the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, Louisiana 3rd Circuit Court of Appeal Judge Gene Thibodeaux has jumped into the race, making courtesy calls to politicos close to U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu. The senior senator will make a recommendation to the White House. This comes as a surprise to district judges Jules Edwards and Alonzo Harris, who are also candidates, and were encouraged to seek the post by fellow African-American jurist Thibodeaux. Thibodeaux apparently felt the odds were too steep to successfully jump from the state appellate bench to the U.S. Fifth Circuit.

Judge Thibodeaux, while known to be a bit left of center politically, is also regarded as a very intelligent member of the bench and a hard worker. He is well-liked among members of the legal community of the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeal, which stretches through most of south Louisiana. I remain convinced that the most likely choice will be an African-American (there currently are no black judges in the Western District), and Thibodeaux will certainly make Landrieu’s short list.

Lobbying for the Crown

It’s cherry blossom-in-bloom time up here in the nation’s capital of Washington, D.C., which means it’s time to pick next year’s Washington Mardi Gras royalty. Congressman Charles Boustany will be chairman of the 2010 ball for the first time. According to congressional sources, Dayna Haynie of Lafayette, daughter of uber-lobbyist Randy Haynie and an STM graduate, will reign as queen.