I don't know much about Jindal, I remember his flubbed response to Obama State of the Union. I also recall his terrific response to the BP debacle.
After reading this, I am heartened that he has the ability to work with both sides of the asile, that's the formula needed to govern & get things done. clo
Bobby Jindal's trial attorney ties
Just how wide has Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal's support grown as he cruises to a second term?
Even some of the biggest Democratic trial lawyers are opening up their wallets for the 40-year-old Indian-American chief executive.
Just this week, Burton LeBlanc, the vice president of the American Association of Justice (formerly known as the Association of Trial Lawyers of America), hosted a $5,000-a-couple fundraiser at his Baton Rouge home for Jindal.
"Burton and I have been friends for a long time. I asked him to do it," Jindal campaign aide Tim Teepell said of the LeBlanc event. "Bobby is working to win the support of every Louisianan."
LeBlanc and his firm have doled out hundreds of thousands of dollars to Democrats over the years, including to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and President Obama.
But the support is deeper than just one prominent attorney.
Earlier this year, the Metairie-based firm of Gauthier, Houghtaling and Williams threw a $1,000-per person cocktail party to benefit Jindal's reelection.
And Forbes magazine recently pondered the "strange bedfellow" relationship between Jindal and Baron & Budd, the Dallas-based firm -- also steeped in Democratic politics -- that was tapped to handle the state's litigation against BP.
As Forbes notes, partner Russell Budd held a fundraiser at his home for Obama and grew "famously close" with the Clinton administration.
Jindal's trial lawyer ties won't be a liability in the run-up to this November, but an open question is whether the money and relationships could be viewed as a liability on the national stage.
Having often been mentioned as a potential vice presidential contender, the generous support from such prominent Republican bogeymen might give pause to a potential GOP nominee like Rick Perry or Mitt Romney during the vetting process.
Then again, in Teepell's words, Jindal's team thinks "people will understand when you're running for office you want the support of everyone."
http://www.politico.com/blogs/davidcatanese/0911/Bobby_Jindals_trial_attorney_ties.html?showall
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