MICKEY MURPHY IS LAND GRABBER'S HAND-PICKED SUCCESSOR

10/13/2015-- 7:28 PM CDT

In a previous report, we noted that Democratic Senate candidate Mickey Murphy was downplaying his Democratic party label in the race for the 12th district senate seat. The seat is open because current Senator Ben Nevers is term- limited. Nevers is a fellow Democrat, and our sources say that Murphy is Nevers' hand- picked successor.

The Democratic party label carries more than enough stigma these days in Louisiana, but Murphy's ties to Nevers could make it even more of an uphill battle. For Ben Nevers has taken positions and supported legislation that has come under fire in recent years.

Years ago, we wrote about the ongoing controversy regarding man-made reservoirs in Louisiana. One of our concerns was with the Oak Grove community in Washington Parish, where homeowners were facing a government land grab to build the planned reservoirs.

Senator Ben Nevers was among the architects of the "reservoir legislation" which enabled the government to take private property.

According to reports, there was a hearing back in 2005 where Nevers explained his position. Senator Nevers testified that no one loved Washington Parish as much as he did, and how it hurt him to have to do things for the betterment of the parish that would displace his friends.

He went on to say that the reservoir was for much- needed potable water. He offered no evidence of the need for potable water; he just said that there was a need.

Though permits to build the reservoir have been denied, the Washington Parish Reservoir commission has not given up. This video shows a meeting of the commission in July, where the residents of the community confront the commission about the attempted land grab by the government to make way for the reservoir.

Nevers has also gone on record saying that the Stelly tax Plan should be re-instated. Critics of the plan have long criticized it as a burden on middle class families, which is what led to the bill's repeal.

Mickey Murphy's close ties to Nevers would likely mean a continuation of the Nevers agenda. Will the people of the 12th district support it? Only time will tell.

(C) THE DEAD PELICAN 2016