On the road again: Gov. Bobby Jindal is in Iowa this week to help Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s presidential campaign in the last push before the first-in-the-nation Jan. 3 caucuses. Jindal spokesman Frank Collins says the Louisiana governor will be campaigning Tuesday and Wednesday in Iowa for Perry, who is seeking the GOP presidential nomination. Jindal is returning to Baton Rouge on Wednesday. Perry is trying to mount a comeback following widely panned appearances in the debates. Jindal has previously traveled to Texas to help raise money for Perry’s campaign. Jindal endorsed Perry several months ago, when the Texas governor was a rising star in the GOP presidential field.
Media malady: A federal judge has tabled former Jefferson Parish President Aaron Broussard’s request for a “formal inquiry” into media reports forecasting his indictment in a payroll fraud case. Acting as his own attorney, Broussard asked for an inquiry into whether two broadcast reports on the eve of his Dec. 2 indictment compromised the secrecy of the grand jury proceedings. In a ruling posted Monday, U.S. District Judge Hayden Head rejected the request but said Broussard’s lawyer can refile it. Head says Broussard isn’t entitled to “hybrid representation.” Broussard pleaded not guilty on Friday to charges he conspired to fraudulently award a lucrative parish job to his wife, Karen Parker, who is now divorced from Broussard. Former Jefferson Parish Attorney Tom Wilkinson also pleaded not guilty in the case.
Going down to New Orleans: In more than 30 years in professional baseball as a player, coach, manager, scout, instructor, field coordinator and assistant to the general manager, Ron Hassey has visited many cities across the country—but never New Orleans—The Times-Picayune reports. Hired as the New Orleans Zephyrs’ manager Monday by the Miami Marlins, Hassey soon will be seeing The Crescent City for the first time. “I have never been there,” Hassey says. “I have heard some good things about it.” Hassey, 58, managed Jupiter, the Marlins’ high Class A affiliate, the last two seasons. The Zephyrs are the Marlins’ Triple-A team. The Marlins also announced that Damon Minor will return to the Zephyrs as hitting coach, and Charlie Corbell will be back as pitching coach. Dustin Luepker will be the team’s athletic trainer. He was the trainer at Jacksonville, the Marlins’ Double-A team, for the past three seasons. Read the full story here.
Today’s poll question: What effect do you think the death of North Korean leader Kim Jong Il will have on the global economy?
