Students are often urged to call their legislators if an important issue is passing through Louisiana Congress. Sometimes, especially during session, response times can vary.
In June, The Daily Reveille tried to contact the four legislators who cover districts that include the University’s campus – Representatives Stephen Carter and Patricia Smith, and Senators Dan Claitor and Yvonne Dorsey-Colomb. The legislators have since contacted The Reveille with further comments on the issue of getting in touch.
According to Carter, the e-mail sent to Carter’s office was lost in spam, and the voicemails were not received.
“That has never happened before,” he said. “It blows me away. I take pride as a public servant in making sure I return all phone calls.”
Carter explained his office line is forwarded to his assistant, Charlotte Gooch.
“Even if I’m out of town, I’ll return phone calls,” he said. Smith, whose office responded to an e-mail, said she had been at an out-of-town conference.
“[The conferences] are part of our learning and development outside of session,” she said.
Dorsey-Colomb was unavailable for comment due to personal reasons.
Claitor, who also serves on four legislative committees, explained his process of handling phone calls.
“I rarely return or accept phone calls on the floor of the Senate chamber,” he said. “I pay attention, as best I can, to what’s happening on the floor and respond to those issues, not the phone. I never accept phone calls in committee.”
Claitor also pointed out that most legislators have other jobs – he happens to be a lawyer. Therefore, he said, availability is limited, and it usually takes more than one attempt to reach him.
“Persistent people are successful and usually motivated,” Claitor said.
But he said there is one way to contact him that truly stands out – a letter in the mail.
“Handwritten ones have the most effect on me … I mean something that I can tell some personal, individual thought went into,” he said. “Not a recitation of the party line, not a regurgitation of something you heard on the radio, I mean something that the writer wrestled with and tamed into a letter.”
Claitor said he brings those letters home with him and shares them with his family and coworkers.
“It resonates, whether I agree with it or not,” he said. “It’s not fast, it’s not easy. It takes effort. I work very hard for the people and I appreciate somebody that takes real time to communicate me.”
____ Contact Taylor Balkom at [email protected]
Legislators address methods of making contact with constituents
July 23, 2012