Jindal event to help Nungesser pay personal debt
Gov. Bobby Jindal is hosting a fundraiser — seeking up to $5,000 per contributor — to help Billy Nungesser get rid of $1 million in personal debt from his losing bid for lieutenant governor.
Jindal stayed out of the October race that incumbent Lt. Gov. Jay Dardenne won. Jindal said he worked well with both of his fellow Republican officials and would not take sides.
Nungesser, who is Plaquemines Parish president, said he asked for Jindal’s help “to eliminate some of my debt,” and the governor agreed to host a Jan. 17 fundraiser in New Orleans.
Jindal hosted an event for Nungesser when he ran for parish president, Nungesser said. “And I did one for him at my house,” he added.
Nungesser said he wants to get the debt erased so he’ll be ready “if there becomes an opportunity whether a special election or some other reason. There’s a lot of talk about people going to Washington.”
“If there is an opportunity, you have to have money available,” he said.
Jindal has been mentioned as having national political aspirations. In recent days he traveled to Iowa to help Texas Gov. Rick Perry as he campaigns for president. Perry came in fifth in Tuesday’s Iowa caucus balloting.
Dardenne said he was surprised to learn about Jindal’s fundraising help for Nungesser.
“I have not talked to him about it, but I would hope he would be as supportive of his friends in victory as his friends in defeat,” Dardenne said.
Jindal did not respond to a request for an interview placed with his office.
Timmy Teepell, Jindal’s political adviser, said Jindal stayed neutral in the lieutenant governor’s race as promised. “The race is over. Billy is a good friend. He has campaign debt left over, and he (Jindal) will help,” he said.
Teepell said if Dardenne had campaign debt, then Jindal would help him too if asked.
“I guess if he doesn’t have debt, it would be a fundraiser for a future election. That gets into taking sides — one candidate over another — in a future election,” Teepell said.
Dardenne said he does not have campaign debt.
“I don’t believe in going into debt. I don’t intend to do that for a campaign,” Dardenne said. “I raised and spent almost $1.5 million to combat what Billy did to attack me by using his own wealth. If that’s the criteria, then I don’t qualify.”
Nungesser spent $2.75 million in the race — $1.3 million in personal funds loaned to the campaign, as of the most-recent campaign finance report on file. Dardenne’s campaign spent $1.45 million based on the reports — none of it his own money.
The Jan. 17 fundraiser will be held at Mardi Gras World at the Port of New Orleans. A “private patron” party will be held from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. for those attending at the $5,000 contribution host committee level. The contribution brings four tickets to the fundraiser as well as a photograph with Jindal and Nungesser.
The general event begins at 7 p.m. with event sponsors paying $2,500 for two tickets and other attendees paying $1,000 per ticket.
A “save the date” notice sent to potential contributors said: “Politics is an ever-changing environment and timing is so important. Friends of Billy Nungesser wants to insure that as opportunities are presented in the future, we will have the resources to act and bring our message to voters.”