This is not the first time

This particular State Representative's spouse regularly punches down at critics online. This incident might be the most egregious example but it's not the first.

Although he has relied on a political consultant to communicate his message, Abramson’s wife Kim has fiercely defended her husband on Twitter. Shortly after I published my initial story, Ms. Abramson attempted to silence and intimidate a 21-year-old student reporter at LSU for sharing and commenting on my story.

Ms. Abramson, a lawyer, contacted the Dean of LSU’s Manship School and the head editor of LSU’s student newspaper alleging that this young reporter was “harassing” her and her husband. An LSU official responded with a vigorous defense of the student’s right to criticize those in power. (I am in possession of these records, but because they involve an undergraduate, I will defer to the student before publishing the content in its entirety).

Rep. Abramson is a shareholder in a law firm representing large oil and gas companies and has been previously accused of illegally using his influence as a legislator to benefit his clients, including BP. It’s not too difficult to figure out what this is really about.

This kind of thing has happened so regularly, in fact, that I've often wondered whether the Abramson's might be happier switching parties. That seems like it would be problematic for them given the  political hierarchy of Orleans Parish, although, electing a Republican in Abramson's district is not an inconceivable notion.

But I'm pretty sure Abramson is term-limited in the House anyway.  In which case, he may be interested in running next in State Senate District 9 where sanctimoniously arranging to have oneself run out of the party by a bunch of New Orleans "liberals" might look pretty good. If that's the case, then Mitch is certainly playing his part.

New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu has also weighed in on Democratic state Rep. Neil Abramson’s vote against Democratic state Rep. Walt Leger’s bid to be speaker of the Louisiana House.

“Walt Leger would have been a great speaker,” Landrieu said. “He has a history of bringing people together across party lines. For him to have lost this race in this way was a missed opportunity for bipartisanship. For him to lose it with the help of a democratic member of the New Orleans delegation is inexplicable.”

Except, I think we may have just explained it.