Collection:LPB

Genre: Debate

Place Covered: Baton Rouge, East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana

Copyright Holder: Louisiana Educational Television Authority

Date Issued: 2015-04-23

Duration: 01:24:16

Subjects: Television debates | Elections, 2015 | Louisiana gubernatorial election, 2015 | Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana, Inc. | Politics | Government | Angelle, Scott | DARDENNE, JAY | Edwards, John Bel | Vitter, David | ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT | School choice | Public records | Transparency in government | Political ethics | Political corruption | Campaign Finance | STATE BUDGET | Taxes | Tax credits | HIGHER EDUCATION | Health Care | Louisiana Charity Hospital System | Environment | COASTAL EROSION | COASTAL RESTORATION

Contributors:

• Scott, Robert Travis Moderator
• Angelle, Scott Panelist
• Dardenne, Jay Panelist
• Edwards, John Bel Panelist
• Vitter, David Panelist

Robert Travis Scott of the Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana (PAR) moderates a debate at the 65th PAR Annual Meeting in Baton Rouge on April 23, 2015, between the four candidates for Governor: Public Service Commissioner Scott Angelle (R); Lieutenant Governor Jay Dardenne (R); State Representative John Bel Edwards (D); and United States Senator David Vitter (R). Since Senator Vitter could not attend the debate due to a vote in Washington, D.C., his answers were prerecorded. The debate begins with each candidate’s opening statement. The moderator then asks the candidates questions on the following topics: the Jindal Administration initiatives and policies that they agree with; the status of the open records law; the use of deliberative process privilege in denying public records requests; transparency in government; their proposed changes to the ethics laws; the enforcement of existing ethics laws; improving the state’s image of political corruption; how they plan to address the problems with the state budget; funding for higher education; consolidating the higher education governing boards; continuing the privatization of the Charity Hospital system; and the role of the governor in dealing with alleged environmental and coastal protection damage by oil companies. The debate ends with each candidate’s closing statement.