Collection:LPB

Genre: Panel

Place Covered: Louisiana

Copyright Holder: Louisiana Educational Television Authority

Date Issued: 2011-02-23

Duration: 00:55:57

Subjects: Filmed panel discussions | Apportionment (Election law) | Louisiana. Legislature | Politics | Government | Gerrymandering

Contributors:

• Sanford, Shauna Host
• Godoy, Al Producer
• Gautreaux, Kevin Producer
• Blanchard, Troy Interviewee
• Flournoy, Melissa Interviewee
• Fleming, John Interviewee
• Stonecipher, Elliott Interviewee
• Guillory, Elbert Interviewee
• Rigamer, Greg Interviewee
• Bremen, William Speaker
• Melancon, Michael Speaker
• Burk, Kenneth Speaker
• Eberhard, Jessica Speaker
• Hughes, Travis Speaker
• Washington, Frank Speaker
• Shelmire, Fran Speaker
• Fernandez, Jose Speaker
• Seymour, Robert Speaker
• Sonnier, Celeste Speaker
• Hurst, Lawrence Speaker
• Dawson, Ray Speaker
• Smith, Phillip Speaker
• Gallot, Rick Panelist
• Donahue, Jack Panelist
• Neustrom, Alison Panelist
• Cross, Pearson Panelist

This episode of the series “Louisiana Public Square” from February 23, 2011, features Shauna Sanford leading a discussion between the audience members and panelists on the upcoming Special Session of the Louisiana Legislature on redistricting. A background report on the topic precedes the discussion. It includes interviews with: Dr. Troy Blanchard of the LSU Department of Sociology; Dr. Melissa Flournoy, the director of Louisiana Progress; Congressman John Fleming; Elliott Stonecipher, a political and demographic analyst; State Senator Elbert Guillory; and Greg Rigamer of GCR & Associates. The audience members then discuss: whether the redistricting process will be done fairly; their concerns about the Legislature being in charge of redistricting; and the issue of race in the process. A panel of experts then joins the audience to answer their questions. The panelists are: State Representative Rick Gallot, the chairman of the House and Governmental Affairs Committee; State Senator Jack Donahue, the chairman of the Senate and Governmental Affairs Committee; Dr. Alison Neustrom, a research director with the Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana (PAR); and Dr. Pearson Cross, a political science professor at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. They discuss: where they are in the redistricting process; majority minority districts; their confidence in creating a plan that will be approved by the United States Department of Justice; concerns about partisanship; the competing plans for redrawing the state’s Congressional districts; and concerns about gerrymandering.