Lawsuit against Jindal considered over reef money

Gov. Bobby Jindal’s appointees on the state’s wildlife and fisheries regulatory panel are threatening to sue the governor’s administration, The Associated Press reports. At issue is Jindal’s continuing diversion of millions of dollars donated by oil companies—specifically to turn old drilling rigs into artificial reefs—to instead pay for other items across state government. Jindal proposes using nearly $21 million from the fund for public colleges in the 2013-14 budget that he submitted to lawmakers. That would nearly drain the fund. Billy Broussard, vice chairman of the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission, says if the fund gets raided again without plans for repayment, the commission intends to file a lawsuit. Sean Lansing, a spokesman for Jindal, says the administration is continuing negotiations with commission members about the money, without offering further details.