Rep. Bill Cassidy, R-La. and Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La. battled head-to-head last night in the final debate before the U.S. Senate runoff election this Saturday, Dec. 6. WAFB-TV hosted the debate in its studio, airing it live across Louisiana, where Cassidy and Landrieu repeatedly exchanged blows regarding Landrieu’s chartered flights and Cassidy’s timesheets at LSU Health Sciences Center.
Landrieu opened the debate by presenting her charter flight records, expecting Cassidy to bring his timesheets though moderator John Snell said props were not allowed in the debate Landrieu used the issue as ammunition throughout the night.
Landrieu defended the controversy surrounding the Senate funds used to cover her chartered flights, calling it a “bookkeeping error.”
She quickly threw the heat to Cassidy by mentioning his six years working for the LSU Health Sciences Center. She said Cassidy failed to sign many of his timesheets and is suspicious of the origin of the few signatures present on the timesheets.
“Cassidy has padded his own payroll for the last six years,” Landrieu said.
Cassidy denied these claims, saying he signed his timesheets and blamed the suspicious signatures on his handwriting as a doctor. Landrieu, however, said Cassidy owes the tax players an explanation. She said he is the only representative in Congress with a “sweetheart deal” like this one with LSU Heath Sciences Center.
Nonetheless, he said he would like to continue working for LSUHSC even if elected.
Landrieu said she does not expect Cassidy to win the election, but if he does, she foresees him being subpoenaed and investigated for his timesheets.
Following the debate, Landrieu spoke to press. She referenced four University students arrested last year for payroll fraud because they did not complete their timesheets, hoping LSUPD will investigate Cassidy as they did these four students.
“He is not exempt from laws that govern ethics,” Landrieu said.
Cassidy declined to speak to the press following the debate.
However, during the debate, panelist Cynthia Arceneaux asked Cassidy and Landrieu their feelings on race relations considering the recent events in Ferguson, Missouri.
Landrieu said race relations have deteriorated although this country’s strength is its diversity.
“Our country is built on multiethnic unity,” Landrieu said.
This country has made strides in understanding, Cassidy said, but relations are not necessarily better. He said race relations are better than during the time of Jim Crow laws, but there is room for improvement.
When asked about his stance on abortion, Cassidy pointed out a stark difference between Landrieu and himself — Cassidy said he is pro-life and Landrieu is pro-choice.
However, Landrieu said she does not support abortion but the government should not be able to make the choice for citizens.
“I don’t want Congress in the hospital room,” Landrieu said.
On the popular issue of drug testing welfare patients, Landrieu could not recall her voting record on the issue but argued people who receive tax breaks and government subsidies should be drug tested.
“Beating up on the poor is not going to solve the problems of our country,” Landrieu said.
Cassidy defended himself with his experience as a doctor, saying he cared for poor people in the health care system for the last 25 years. He said drug testing would be unfair to the welfare recipient.
“At some point, government becomes the problem,” Cassidy said.