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Former GOP Senator Working to Ease Russian Sanctions

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Former Sen. David Vitter (R-LA) “is lobbying on behalf of companies linked to a Russian oligarch with ties to President Vladimir Putin, aligning himself with Trump administration efforts to ease sanctions on his clients,” CNN reports.

“Vitter, who has registered as a foreign agent, lobbied with several countries’ ambassadors and the Treasury Department to ease punishing sanctions imposed on major aluminum firms tied to oligarch Oleg Deripaska. After the Treasury Department agreed last month and eased the sanctions, Vitter was spotted in the Senate ahead of critical votes taking aim at the Trump administration move.”

Did Jindal Quit Campaign to Sink Vitter?

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“In Louisiana, it’s an open secret that Gov. Bobby Jindal (R-LA) concluded a years-long blood feud with Vitter by ending his presidential campaign on Tuesday,” the Washington Post reports.

Said political reporter Julia O’Donoghue: “You can’t get anyone to admit it, but it’s what everyone thinks. We spent two days talking about refugees and then two days talking about Jindal. Those first two days were the only ones in the runoff when John Bel Edwards was on defense.”

Re-Election Doesn’t Look Good for Vitter

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If Sen. David Vitter (R-LA) loses the race for Louisiana governor next week, “there is buzz among Republicans in Louisiana and Washington that he would not run for reelection to the Senate in 2016,” the Washington Post reports.

“A loss in the gubernatorial contest would open him up to a serious GOP challenger, and it would be much harder to hit up the donors who have spent this year funding his campaign. Vitter only had $26,216 in his federal campaign account at the end of September.”

Vitter Spy Found Behind Air Conditioning Unit

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The New York Times says the fundamentals still favor Sen. David Vitter (R) in the runoff for Louisiana governor — unless “bizarre developments” in the final 48-hour stretch of the primary prove damaging.

“The political world was astonished Friday night when news emerged that a private investigator conducting opposition research for the Vitter campaign was arrested in the New Orleans suburbs. The arrest arose from an almost comical sequence of events… According to Sheriff Normand, some in the group noticed a man who appeared to be filming their conversation with a small camera. When the man was confronted, he left the cafe and took off through the surrounding backyards. After a brief search, sheriff’s deputies found him hiding behind an air-conditioning unit. He was charged with criminal mischief, a misdemeanor.”

Woman Claims Vitter Got Her Pregnant

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Wendy Ellis, a prostitute who ultimately had a three-year relationship with Sen. David Vitter (R-LA), tells Jason Brad Berry that she had a child by Vitter. She says that Vitter told her to get an abortion when she was four months pregnant but she refused.

Ellis says she’s telling her story now because she is terminally ill and wanted to “set the record straight.”

Vitter Appears Vulnerable in Governor’s Race

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A new Public Policy Polling survey of Louisiana voters finds that Sen. David Vitter “has seen a large decline in his popularity over the last year, and that while he’s still favored to make the runoff for Governor he is in a bad position when it comes to a head to head match up with John Bel Edwards.”

Edwards now leads Vitter, 50% to 38%.

Key findings: “Vitter has become quite unpopular, with only 34% of voters rating him favorably to 51% with a negative opinion of him… A year ago Vitter looked like a clear favorite but he’s become very unpopular in the time since, and now it appears that there is a very good chance he will be defeated this fall.”

Vitter Asked About Prostitution Scandal

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Sen. David Vitter’s (R-LA) 2007 prostitution scandal has “been danced around in candidates’ forums for months, but the senator was confronted with a rare, direct question about his ‘serious sin’ during a public endorsement meeting Monday night,” the New Orleans Times-Picayune reports.

Said Vitter: “This question was planted as a gotcha question at me. I’ve spoken about my past and how my family has dealt with that. If that’s not good enough for you, then that’s not good enough. But it’s good enough for Wendy.”

Reporter Fired for Asking Vitter About Prostitutes

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Gawker: “Derek Myers, a television reporter with NBC affiliate WVLA in Baton Rouge, was fired from the network Tuesday after asking U.S. Senator and Louisiana gubernatorial candidate David Vitter about his admitted history of patronizing prostitutes. Myers believes that he was terminated because Vitter’s campaign threatened to pull $250,000 in advertising from WVLA over the confrontation.”

Extra Bonus Quote of the Day

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“I show up. I go to forums even when I don’t know what the questions are going to be. Oh, I have not frequented prostitution—and certainly have not done that sitting on the floor of the United States Congress.”

— Louisiana Lt. Gov. Jay Dardenne (R), quoted by WRKF, contrasting himself with 2015 gubernatorial rival Sen. David Vitter (R).

Jindal and Vitter Can’t Stand Each Other

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National Journal: “Bobby Jindal and David Vitter have every reason to be friends. Jindal would love to have Vitter praise him as he looks to make the leap from Louisiana governor’s mansion to the White House. Vitter, meanwhile, would benefit from Jindal’s support as he campaigns to take the outgoing governor’s job. But none of that is happening. Instead, years’ worth of bad blood between the two is spilling out, hurting both Republicans as they attempt to leap to higher office.”

“The pair’s poor relationship dates back to 2007, when Jindal was in the midst of his second run for governor and Vitter was caught up in the D.C. Madam prostitution scandal. Jindal made no effort to defend Vitter then, and three years later, the rift was cemented when Jindal declined to endorse Vitter during his 2010 bid to keep his Senate seat.”

Vitter Wants White House Screening of ‘The Interview’

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Sen. David Vitter (R-LA) is asking President Obama to invite members of Congress over to the White House to screen the movie, “The Interview,” the New Orleans Times Picayune reports.

“The flick was pulled from a planned Christmas Day release after Sony Pictures’ computers were hacked and violent threats were made against theaters that showed the film. The FBI said North Korea was behind the attack.”

Fleming May Run for U.S. Senate in Louisiana

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Rep. John Fleming (R-LA) is “very interested” in running for Senate in 2016 if Sen. David Vitter (R) is elected Louisiana governor next year, Roll Call reports.

“Louisiana only wrapped up the 2014 Senate race a few days ago, but soon state operatives may start thinking about another race. Vitter has already announced an exploratory committee to run for governor in 2015. If Vitter wins, Fleming said, he wants to succeed him in the Senate.”



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About Political Wire

goddard-bw-snapshotTaegan Goddard is the founder of Political Wire, one of the earliest and most influential political web sites. He also runs Political Job Hunt, Electoral Vote Map and the Political Dictionary.

Goddard spent more than a decade as managing director and chief operating officer of a prominent investment firm in New York City. Previously, he was a policy adviser to a U.S. Senator and Governor.

Goddard is also co-author of You Won - Now What? (Scribner, 1998), a political management book hailed by prominent journalists and politicians from both parties. In addition, Goddard's essays on politics and public policy have appeared in dozens of newspapers across the country.

Goddard earned degrees from Vassar College and Harvard University. He lives in New York with his wife and three sons.

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