Most Talked-About Controversies Linked to Jeff Landry

Public opinion and media debates around Jeff Landry—discover key moments of controversy.

Jeff Landry is an American politician and attorney who is the current Governor of Louisiana, since 2024. A Republican, Landry previously served as the state's Attorney General from 2016 to 2024. Prior to his statewide roles, he represented Louisiana's 3rd congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2011 to 2013. Landry's career reflects a trajectory from federal legislative service to state-level executive leadership.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Controversies & Scandals

1993: Drug Search at Landry's Home

In 1993, while Jeff Landry was a St. Martin Parish deputy, a search warrant was executed at his rental home after his roommate smuggled cocaine and stashed it underneath the house. Landry signed the search warrant.

2010: Incident Raised in Republican Primary Election

In 2010, during an acrimonious Republican primary election, Landry's opponent raised the 1993 incident involving a drug search at Landry's home. The District Attorney stated that Landry was never implicated in any crime.

September 2011: Landry Holds Sign During Obama's Speech

In September 2011, Jeff Landry made national headlines by holding up a sign saying "Drilling=jobs" during Obama's national jobs plan speech.

June 2012: Landry Claims Obama Administration Granting Special Status to Muslims

In June 2012, Jeff Landry claimed that the Obama administration was "granting special status or waivers to Muslims as they go through TSA screenings." This claim was false, as no such religious exemption existed.

July 2012: Landry Opposes LGBT Studies Minor

In July 2012, Jeff Landry opposed the establishment of a minor in LGBT studies at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and asked the university's president to drop the minor. The president declined.

August 2012: Landry Urges Elimination of LGBT Studies Minor

In August 2012, Jeff Landry urged the University of Louisiana at Lafayette to eliminate its lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender studies minor, claiming it did not align with the college's mission.

2015: Dispute Over Common Core Lawsuit

In 2015, soon after Jeff Landry took office as attorney general, he became embroiled in a public dispute with Governor Edwards over a lawsuit regarding the Common Core State Standards Initiative. Landry eventually deferred to Edwards and dropped the suit.

September 2016: Landry Blocks Edwards' Attempt to Protect Gay Employees

In September 2016, Jeff Landry blocked Governor Edwards' attempt to require state contracts to protect gay and lesbian employees from discrimination based on sexual orientation, leading to a lawsuit.

December 14, 2016: Judge Declares Edwards' Order Unconstitutional

On December 14, 2016, Judge Todd Hernandez declared Governor Edwards' order regarding protection of gay and lesbian employees unconstitutional in the case brought by Attorney General Jeff Landry.

2016: Dispute over street crime in New Orleans

In 2016, Jeff Landry became involved in a dispute with New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu over efforts to reduce street crime. Landry created a task force without consulting the Louisiana State Police or the New Orleans Police Department. He claimed New Orleans was more dangerous than Chicago. The NOPD Superintendent stated that Landry lacked the authority to engage in law enforcement in New Orleans and that he had ignored the city's home rule charter. Landrieu claimed the task force put officers' lives in jeopardy.

March 2017: Edwards Appeals LGBT Case

In March 2017, Governor Edwards announced that he would appeal the LGBT case that Jeff Landry won before Judge Hernandez. Landry accused Edwards of "playing petty politics".

April 2017: Lawsuit against Edwards over pharmaceutical settlement funds

In April 2017, Jeff Landry sued Governor Edwards over the freezing of $4 million in an escrow fund from a 2013 pharmaceutical settlement. Landry argued his office was entitled to the funds to meet its budget, while Edwards stated it was due to budget cuts imposed on other state offices. Landry accused Edwards of playing petty partisan politics, while Edwards dismissed the suit as a "dog and pony show".

July 2017: Threat to litigate over DACA policy

In July 2017, Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry joined a group of Republican attorneys general, led by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and Idaho Governor Butch Otter, in threatening the Donald Trump administration with litigation if Trump did not terminate the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy put into place by President Obama.

2017: Landry starts misspending campaign funds

In 2017, Jeff Landry started misspending campaign funds on a car note for a Chevrolet Suburban. The Louisiana Board of Ethics took no action due to the expired statute of limitations.

April 2018: Arguments for student-led prayer in public schools

In April 2018, Jeff Landry, along with U.S. Representative Mike Johnson and Christian actor Kirk Cameron, advocated for student-led prayer and religious expression in public schools, citing the First Amendment. They participated in a promotional video and prayer rallies organized in response to a lawsuit against the Bossier Parish School Board over the incorporation of Christianity in class presentations.

2019: Landry Chairs Committee Targeting 'RINO' Legislators

In 2019, Jeff Landry chaired the Louisiana Committee for a Conservative Majority, which targeted "Republican in Name Only" (RINO) state legislators in the elections. He expressed a desire for party members to rally around conservative orthodoxy.

2019: Declined to support the SAFE Banking Act

In 2019, Jeff Landry declined to sign a letter in support of the SAFE Banking Act, which would have allowed marijuana-related businesses access to the banking system.

2019: Landry Stops Misspending Campaign Funds

In 2019, Jeff Landry stopped misspending campaign funds on a car note for a Chevrolet Suburban. The Louisiana Board of Ethics took no action due to the expired statute of limitations.

December 8, 2020: Joined lawsuit to overturn 2020 presidential election results

On December 8, 2020, Jeff Landry joined a lawsuit initiated by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, seeking to overturn the results of the presidential election in Georgia, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania. The lawsuit challenged election processes in those states, alleging unconstitutional actions. The U.S. Supreme Court rejected the suit on December 11.

November 2021: Lawsuit alleging concealment of records and retaliation

In November 2021, Matthew Derbes, the former district attorney's office criminal division deputy director, sued Jeff Landry, alleging that he concealed records related to Derbes's sexual harassment complaints and retaliated against him. The suit claimed investigations were hampered and complaints were mischaracterized. Landry sued to seal records requests, but a judge sided with the press, and the supervisor, Pat Magee, resigned. Landry then released information that exposed Derbes as the whistleblower.

December 2021: Landry Urges Disciplinary Action Against Professor

In December 2021, Jeff Landry urged Louisiana State University president William Tate to take disciplinary action against professor Robert Mann for referring to one of Landry's staff members as a "flunkie" on Twitter.

2021: Sued federal government over COVID-19 vaccine mandate

In 2021, Jeff Landry sued the federal government over its requirement for healthcare workers to be vaccinated against COVID-19, calling it an "unconstitutional and immoral attack".

July 2022: State's Near-Total Abortion Ban

In July 2022, the state of Louisiana put a near-total ban on abortion which resulted in Jeff Landry urging the Louisiana State Bond Commission to delay funding for a power station in New Orleans due to the city's decriminalization of abortion.

August 2022: Landry Urges Delay in Funding Power Station

In August 2022, Jeff Landry urged the Louisiana State Bond Commission to delay funding for a power station in New Orleans due to the city's decriminalization of abortion.

September 2022: Commission Approves Funding Despite Landry's Objections

In September 2022, the Louisiana State Bond Commission approved funding for a power station despite Jeff Landry's objections.

December 2022: Landry Establishes "Protecting Minors" Tip Line

In December 2022, Jeff Landry established a tip line called "Protecting Minors" to address concerns related to librarians, teachers, and other personnel in schools and libraries regarding the sexualization of children. Most of the complaints submitted were spam.

December 2022: Investigation Reveals Misspent Campaign Funds

In December 2022, an investigation revealed that Jeff Landry misspent campaign funds on a car note for a Chevrolet Suburban starting in 2017. The Louisiana Board of Ethics took no action due to the expired statute of limitations.

February 2023: Landry Drafts "Protecting Innocence" Report

In February 2023, Jeff Landry drafted a report titled "Protecting Innocence" focusing on libraries and supporting legislation restricting minors' access to certain materials deemed obscene by local public library boards.

September 2023: Charged with ethics violations

In September 2023, the Louisiana Board of Ethics charged Jeff Landry with accepting a gift related to his position as state attorney general. He was accused of accepting private air travel from campaign donors without reporting it on financial disclosures. Landry called the charges "election interference".

March 2024: Reversed criminal justice reforms

In March 2024, Jeff Landry signed several bills that reversed criminal justice reforms initiated by the 2017 Justice Reinvestment Initiative. He eliminated parole, cut the ability of convicts to earn points for good behavior, increased penalties for carjackings and weapons offenses, and permitted two more methods of execution: nitrogen gas and electrocution. He also signed a bill allowing concealed handguns to be carried without permits.

June 2024: Law excluding civil disobedience from free speech protections on college campuses

In June 2024, Jeff Landry enacted a law in Louisiana that excludes acts of civil disobedience from free speech protections on college campuses. Senate Bill 294, introduced by Senator Valarie Hodges, was intended to protect campus speech, particularly in response to pro-Palestinian protests since the Gaza war outbreak.

June 2024: Mandate to post the Ten Commandments in public schools

In June 2024, Louisiana became the first state to mandate posting the Ten Commandments in every public school classroom. Jeff Landry signed the bill into law, anticipating a lawsuit. Civil liberties groups challenged the law shortly after it was signed. A district judge blocked the bill but the Attorney General of Louisiana plans to appeal the decision.

2024: Political donations from Pfizer

As of 2024, Jeff Landry has accepted $25,000 in political donations from American pharmaceutical and biotechnology company Pfizer.

2024: Signed bills loosening vaccine requirements

In 2024, Jeff Landry signed five bills into law that loosened vaccine requirements, limited the power of public health authorities, and cast doubt on the safety of vaccines.