Kennedy, McConnell, Judiciary Republicans urge Garland to prosecute criminal protests outside judges’ homes
Jun 15 2022
WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) joined Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Ranking Member Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and other Republican members of the Senate Judiciary Committee in urging Attorney General Merrick Garland to prosecute criminal protests outside the home of judges.
“We continue to be baffled over the lack of prosecutions under Title 18, Section 1507 of the U.S. Code. We understand it is the policy of the Justice Department not to discuss any pending or potential investigations, but this is an urgent matter of national importance,” wrote the senators.
Last week, a man attempted to assassinate Justice Brett Kavanaugh after learning where the justice lived by watching videos of the protests in front of his house. Reports indicate that those seeking to intimidate the justices at their homes plan to expand their campaign of harassment to their children’s schools.
“While judges serve a public office, the principle of judicial independence means that their deliberations should be free from influence outside the courtroom. . . . This means especially that their deliberations should be free from harassment and intimidation, nowhere more than in their homes where their families reside,” they continued.
“The responsibility of a judge—or justice—is to follow and apply the law according to his or her judgment. It is not to do so according to the judgment of their community, or the desires of their political party, or the will of the mob. It is only their judgment that counts. This is why they are given life tenure, so that external considerations—such as politics or public opinion—will not influence their constitutional duties.
“Given these important distinctions it is only fitting that Congress prohibited the parading and picketing of judges’ houses in order to influence their decisions. It is a measure that preserves judicial independence,” the lawmakers explained.
Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Ben Sasse (R-Neb.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) also signed the letter.
The letter is available here.
WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) released the following statement upon President Joe Biden’s nomination of U.S. Magistrate Judge Dana Douglas to a seat on the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals:
“I enjoyed meeting with Judge Douglas recently. I look forward to reviewing her record and getting to know her more in the coming weeks and when she comes before the Judiciary Committee.”
Kennedy introduces legislation to ensure felons can’t avoid paying restitution to victims
Jun 15 2022
WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) today introduced the Inmate Financial Accountability Task Force Act to ensure that crime victims receive the restitution offenders owe them.
“Convicted felons shouldn’t be able to hoard their money for cigarettes, snacks and games while dodging what they owe to their victims and their own children. I’m thankful to work with Congressman Gooden to make sure that crime victims get the restitution they’re entitled to—and that it comes from the pockets of the people who wronged them,” said Kennedy.
“Criminals in federal prison should not be shielded from their debts and obligations. Victims of their crimes deserve payment, and the mothers and fathers of their children deserve on-time child support payments. This bill would inject more accountability into the criminal justice system and is long overdue,” said Rep. Lance Gooden (R-Texas), who introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives.
Because victims of crime rarely see any of the financial compensation they are owed, the Inmate Financial Accountability Task Force Act wouldcreate a task force to examine the Bureau of Prisons’ (BOP) collection of victim restitution, child support for inmates’ children and fines.
While there have been several high-profile cases, including the Boston Bomber and Larry Nassar, of inmates who have spent thousands of dollars on themselves while paying the bare minimum in restitution to victims, the problem with collecting restitution remains widespread. Analysis from the Government Accountability Office found that the Justice Department collected just four percent of restitution owed from 2014 through 2016—only $1.5 billion of the $34 billion ordered.
Currently, the restitution process is outdated and fragmented. It involves several state and federal agencies, the judicial system and law enforcement organizations. In addition, it is challenging for law enforcement to monitor, deter and report illicit financial activity within BOP accounts in real-time.
The task force would issue a report to Congress with suggestions to prevent illicit financial activity and suggest best practices for federal agencies to improve the collection of money owed to victims and child support due to inmates’ children.
Text of the bill is available here.
WASHINGTON—Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) today announced a $6,160,056 Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant in disaster aid for Louisiana.
“This much needed $6 million will go towards supporting our State Police, and will help the city of Thibodaux clear debris,” said Kennedy.
The FEMA aid will fund the following:
- $4,534,943 to the Louisiana Department of Public Safety (State Police) for emergency protective measures as a result of Hurricane Ida.
- $1,625,113 to the city of Thibodaux for debris removal as a result of Hurricane Ida.
Kennedy, Louisiana delegation urge Bureau of Prisons to ensure staff levels at FCC Oakdale
Jun 13 2022
WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) led Louisiana’s congressional delegation in urging the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) to address staffing shortages and roles at Federal Correctional Complex (FCC) Oakdale in Allen Parish.
FCC Oakdale houses approximately 2,000 federal inmates and faces unsustainably low staffing levels that is nearing crisis. There are approximately 116 staff vacancies, including 65 vacancies for correctional services staff, at the facility. These vacancies force FCC Oakdale to rely on mandatory overtime in order to meet the basic safety needs of its mission.
“The use of mandatory overtime and augmentation as a solution to chronic staffing shortages is a dangerous practice. These practices lead to exhaustion, fatigue, and apprehension among FCC Oakdale employees. Sadly, these solutions are increasingly becoming the norm at FCC Oakdale and elsewhere,” wrote the lawmakers.
“As concerned members of the Louisiana Delegation, we write to inquire about actions the Bureau of Prisons plans to take in order to maintain adequate staffing levels at the FCC Oakdale facility. We ask that you consider using existing authorities, such as the ability to provide retention bonuses, that will keep staff onboard and allow FCC Oakdale to attract additional personnel needed to perform critical staffing functions,” they explained.
The delegation’s request would not require any additional funding, as the BOP already has funds that could be used to support safety by providing retention bonuses to Oakdale staff.
Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) and Reps. Steve Scalise (R-La.), Mike Johnson (R-La.), Julia Letlow (R-La.), Clay Higgins (R-La.), Garret Graves (R-La.) and Troy Carter (D-La.) also signed the letter.
The full letter with its specific requests for information is available here.
Kennedy joins Republican colleagues in opposing SEC’s move to overregulate farmers, ranchers
Jun 13 2022
WASHINGTON—Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) today joined Sens. John Hoeven (R-N.D.) and Tim Scott (R-S.C.), in addition to 29 other colleagues, in opposing a proposed rule from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) that would require publicly-traded companies to make certain climate-related disclosures in registration statements and reports. In voicing their concerns regarding the SEC’s regulatory overreach, the senators called for the rule to be rescinded due to the burden it would place on farmers, agricultural producers and ranchers.
“While farmers and ranchers have never been subject to SEC oversight, the proposed rule’s Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions reporting requirement would place a major reporting burden on the many agricultural producers that provide raw products to the value-chain. This substantial reporting requirement would significantly burden small, family-owned farms with a new, complex and unreasonable compliance requirement, resulting in costly additional compliance expenses, reduced access to new business opportunities, and potential consolidation in the agriculture industry,” they wrote.
“Should the SEC move forward with this rule, it would be granted unprecedented jurisdiction over America’s farms and ranches, creating an impractical regulatory burden for thousands of businesses outside of the scope of the SEC’s purview, including our nation’s farmers and ranchers,” they continued.
The letter is available here.
Kennedy, Inhofe introduce the Keep Our Communities Safe Act to fix “catch-and-release” loophole
Jun 10 2022
WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), joined a group of more than 10 senators, led by Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), in introducing the Keep Our Communities Safe Act. The legislation would close the “catch-and-release” loophole. That policy requires the government to release illegal aliens into the United States’ interior after detaining them for six months, if no other country accepts them for deportation.
“America’s border crisis threatens our national security and the safety of our local communities. We can’t afford to send violent offenders out into the country, and the Keep Our Communities Safe Act would make sure that officials don’t ‘catch and release’ offenders when they are here illegally,” said Kennedy.
The Keep Our Communities Safe Act would close the loophole that prevents the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from detaining illegal immigrants for more than six months when:
- The alien’s release would threaten the safety of the community and the alien either is an aggravated felon or has committed a crime of violence;
- The alien would be removed in the reasonably foreseeable future;
- The alien would have been removed if not for the alien’s refusal to make all reasonable efforts to comply and cooperate with DHS efforts to remove him or her;
- The alien has a highly contagious disease;
- The alien’s release would have serious adverse foreign policy consequences; or
- The alien’s release would threaten national security.
Full text of the bill can be found here.
WASHINGTON—Sen. John Kennedy today announced $2,121,496 in Federal Emergency Management Agency grants in disaster aid for Rapides Parish in Louisiana.
“I’m thankful for this grant that will directly help prevent people’s homes in Rapides Parish from facing flood damage,” said Kennedy.
The grant will fund projects that raise the flood elevation level of 15 properties in the Parish.
Kennedy: Biden administration stoked inflation, wasted COVID funds on baseball stadiums and horse racing
Jun 09 2022
Watch Kennedy’s comments here.
WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) released the following statement on the historic rate of inflation and record gas prices affecting Louisiana families under President Joe Biden, including their causes and remedies.
Excerpts of his comments include:
“Inflation is gutting all of us like a fish.”
. . .
“I know many of you feel like government has let you down and that government doesn’t care about you or about your future, or you kids’ future, and I feel the same way sometimes.
“People are having to dig into their savings. A dozen eggs just jumped from $1.62 to $2.52. A single pound of ground beef was $4.66 a year ago. Now it’s $5.41. Chicken is up more than $4 a pound.
“Food banks in our state are even having to cut back. They’re having trouble stocking their shelves to feed our people. And, look, it’s summer: Electricity costs are up 11%.
“Used cars and trucks are up 23%. You can’t afford to put gas in your car or truck even if you can buy one, and we’re seeing just record prices every day.
“This inflation, there’s nothing magical about its cause. [The] federal government just printed too much money. I mean, the last bill that President Biden passed—he just put us over the top: It was $2 trillion dollars. $2 trillion dollars! That’s 2,000 billion dollars.
“And they said it was a COVID bill, but it wasn’t. It was really an expansion of our already generous welfare program. . . . And a lot of the money was wasted.”
. . .
“They built a $28.5 million apartment complex in Seattle, Washington for the homeless, with views of the Space Needle in Washington.
“In Rhode Island, they spent $53,000 remodeling a city hall and buying ergonomic chairs.
“In New York, they used $12 million to expand a minor league baseball stadium.
“In Arizona, they spent $7.2 million to increase the prize money at horse racing tracks.
“We can get this inflation under control, but we’ve got to do two things: Number one, we’ve got to stop spending money we don’t have, and we’ve got to stop printing it. We’ve got to do what you do every day and live within your budget.
“And number two, the president has just got to get his boot off the throat of the oil and gas industry. Oil and gas prices are not going to come down as long as we’re having to buy oil from foreign countries at these inflated prices. Oil and gasoline are not going to come down until we go back to producing our own. It’s just that simple. And we can get there if the Biden administration will stop its war on the oil and gas community.”
View Kennedy’s full comments here.
WASHINGTON – Sens. John Kennedy (R-La.) and Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) today introduced the Stop Gun Criminals Act to reduce gun violence by establishing a mandatory minimum sentence of five years for felons who possess a firearm illegally.
“Repeat criminals commit a large amount of the shootings that afflict American communities. They think gun laws are meant to be broken. Compassion and common sense tell us that getting those proven offenders off the streets will save lives and reduce gun violence. The Stop Gun Criminals Act would ensure that violent criminals who break our gun laws can’t continue threatening innocent communities,” said Kennedy.
“Violent felons commit the vast majority of gun crimes and should be held accountable for their actions. Instead of releasing criminals onto the streets to commit more crime, our bill will establish mandatory minimum sentences for repeat offenders,” said Cotton.
A small number of criminals carry out a disproportionate number of shootings, making communities across the country less safe. Despite this, the current average federal sentence for all firearm crimes, including for repeat offenders who fire a gun in the commission of a crime, is only 4.25 years.
The bill would also increase penalties for the most serious criminals who use guns to commit additional crimes. The Stop Gun Criminals Act would increase the mandatory minimum sentence for serious repeat felons—those with at least three prior convictions for crimes that are punishable by at least 10 years—who use a gun in the commission of additional crimes. It would increase the minimum sentence in those cases from five years to seven years.
Criminals who brandish a gun during a crime would face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, rather than the current seven-year minimum.
Criminals who fire a gun while committing a crime would face a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years, rather than the current 10-year minimum.
Finally, the bill makes a technical correction to the Armed Career Criminal Act that clarifies the definition of a serious felony as any crime for which the maximum sentence is 10 years or more.
Text of the bill is available here.
