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, currently serving as the 57th Governor of Louisiana since 2024. A Republican, he previously served as the Louisiana Attorney General from 2016 to 2024. Before that, he was a U.S. Representative for Louisiana's 3rd congressional district from 2011 to 2013. Landry's career has been focused on law and politics within the state of Louisiana and at the federal level.

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Full Timeline Career & Achievements Controversies & Scandals

2010: Opponent Raises 1993 Incident

In 2010, Landry's opponent in an acrimonious Republican primary election raised the 1993 incident, but the District Attorney stated that Landry was never implicated in any crime.

September 2011: Landry Holds "Drilling=jobs" Sign During Obama Speech

In September 2011, Landry gained national attention by holding up a sign saying "Drilling=jobs" during President Obama's speech on a national jobs plan.

June 2012: Landry Claims Special Status for Muslims at TSA Screenings

In June 2012, Landry falsely claimed that the Obama administration was "granting special status or waivers to Muslims as they go through TSA screenings."

July 2012: Landry Opposes LGBT Studies Minor at University of Louisiana at Lafayette

In July 2012, Landry opposed the establishment of a minor in LGBT studies at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, writing a letter to the university's president asking him to drop the minor, but the request was declined.

August 2012: Landry Opposes LGBT Studies Minor

In August 2012, Landry urged the University of Louisiana at Lafayette to eliminate its lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender studies minor.

2015: Dispute over Common Core Lawsuit

In 2015, Landry and Governor Edwards had a public dispute over a lawsuit regarding the Common Core State Standards Initiative.

September 2016: Landry Blocks Anti-Discrimination Contracts

In September 2016, Landry announced that he would block Governor Edwards's attempt to require state contracts to protect gay and lesbian employees from discrimination based on sexual orientation.

2016: Dispute with New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu

In 2016, Jeff Landry was involved in a dispute with New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu over crime reduction efforts. Landry formed a task force without consulting local law enforcement and claimed New Orleans was more dangerous than Chicago. This led to accusations that Landry overstepped his authority and endangered law enforcement officers.

March 2017: Edwards Appeals LGBT Case; Landry Criticizes Edwards

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

April 2017: Lawsuit Against Governor Edwards Over Escrow Funds

In April 2017, Landry filed a lawsuit against Governor Edwards concerning the freezing of $4 million in escrow funds from a 2013 pharmaceutical settlement. Landry argued his office needed the funds for its budget, while Edwards accused Landry of opposing budget cuts affecting other state offices. Landry withdrew the suit three months later.

July 2017: Threat to Litigate Over DACA

In July 2017, Landry joined a group of Republican attorneys general, led by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, threatening to litigate against the Donald Trump administration if the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy was not terminated.

2017: Misspending campaign funds

Starting in 2017, Landry misspent campaign funds on part of a car note on a Chevrolet Suburban.

April 2018: Advocating for Religious Expression in Schools

In April 2018, Landry partnered with U.S. Representative Mike Johnson and actor Kirk Cameron to advocate for student-led prayer and religious expression in public schools, citing First Amendment rights. They participated in promotional videos and prayer rallies in response to a lawsuit against the Bossier Parish School Board over the integration of Christianity into classroom instruction.

2019: Declined to Support SAFE Banking Act

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

December 8, 2020: Joined Lawsuit to Overturn Presidential Election Results

On December 8, 2020, Landry joined a lawsuit initiated by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, challenging the 2020 presidential election results in Georgia, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania. The lawsuit sought to invalidate the electoral votes of these states, but was quickly rejected by the U.S. Supreme Court on December 11.

November 2021: Lawsuit Alleging Concealment of Records and Retaliation

In November 2021, Matthew Derbes, a former deputy director, sued Landry, alleging that he concealed records related to Derbes's sexual harassment complaints and retaliated against him. Landry also sued reporters for requesting public records related to the case, which was criticized by the editor of The Advocate.

December 2021: Landry Urges Disciplinary Action Against Professor

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

2021: Sued Federal Government Over Vaccine Mandate

In 2021, Landry sued the federal government over its requirement for health care workers to be vaccinated against COVID-19, calling it an unconstitutional attack.

August 2022: Landry Urges Delay of Funding for New Orleans Power Station

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

December 2022: Establishment of "Protecting Minors" Tip Line

In December 2022, Landry established a tip line called "Protecting Minors" to address concerns related to librarians, teachers, and other personnel in schools and libraries, focusing on issues like early sexualization and abuse.

December 2022: Campaign Funds Misspending Investigation

In December 2022, an investigation by The Advocate revealed that, starting in 2017, Landry misspent campaign funds on part of a car note on a Chevrolet Suburban. The Louisiana Board of Ethics decided not to take any action.

February 2023: "Protecting Innocence" Report on Libraries

In February 2023, Landry drafted a report titled "Protecting Innocence" that focuses on libraries and supports legislation restricting minors' access to certain materials.

September 2023: Ethics Charges Filed Against Landry

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

March 2024: Reversed Criminal Justice Reforms

In March 2024, Landry signed several bills reversing criminal justice reforms initiated by the 2017 Justice Reinvestment Initiative. These changes included eliminating parole, reducing opportunities for convicts to earn points for good behavior, increasing penalties for carjackings and weapons offenses, and authorizing nitrogen gas and electrocution as methods of execution. He also enacted a law allowing concealed handguns to be carried without permits.

June 2024: Restricted Free Speech Protections on College Campuses

In June 2024, Landry enacted a law that excludes acts of civil disobedience from free speech protections on college campuses. The law, Senate Bill 294, was presented as a measure to protect free speech while also addressing concerns about pro-Palestinian protests and support for terrorist groups.

June 2024: Mandated Posting of Ten Commandments in Public Schools

In June 2024, Landry signed a bill into law mandating the posting of the Ten Commandments in every public school classroom in Louisiana. He called it "one of my favorites" and anticipated legal challenges. Civil liberties groups immediately challenged the law, and a district judge blocked the bill. However, the Attorney General plans to appeal the decision.

November 2024: Landry Urges Disciplinary Action Against LSU Professor Nicholas Bryner

In November 2024, Jeff Landry urged LSU to take disciplinary action against professor Nicholas Bryner after Bryner's comments on the 2024 presidential election were shared on social media by Landry. Bryner's remarks during a class sparked controversy after a video was forwarded to Landry.

2024: Political Donations from Pfizer

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

2024: Loosened Vaccine Requirements and Limited Public Health Authority

In 2024, 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.

January 14, 2025: LSU Professor Ken Levy Criticizes Landry and Faces Removal

On January 14, 2025, LSU law professor Ken Levy criticized Jeff Landry for his treatment of Nicholas Bryner, commenting on case law changes and sharing his views on Donald Trump during a class. Subsequently, Levy received a letter notifying him of his removal from his teaching position.

March 18, 2025: Resumption of Executions in Louisiana

On March 18, 2025, Jessie Hoffman Jr. was executed by nitrogen hypoxia in Louisiana for a 1996 rape-murder, marking the state's first execution in 15 years and making Louisiana the second state to use nitrogen gas for execution after Alabama.

2025: Criticism for Landry's Response to 2025 New Orleans Truck Attack

In 2025, Landry faced criticism for his response to the New Orleans truck attack. Hours after the January 1 attack, he posted a photo of himself smiling and giving a thumbs-up with his wife and others outside a steakhouse in the city. In response to the criticism, Landry defended his actions and emphasized the city's resilience.