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One state lawmaker and two members of Congress who represent St. Mary made have urged Congress to block the acceptance of Democratic electors who would confirm former Vice President Joe Biden’s election as president.

U.S. Sen. John Kennedy, U.S. Rep. Clay Higgins and state Rep. Beryl Amedee are all asking Congress to investigate allegations of voter fraud in the swing states that handed the election to Biden.

On Sunday, U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy, a Republican from Baton Rouge, joined a bipartisan group of 11 senators urging
Congress to accept Biden's election.

Congress is set to take up what would ordinarily be a routine piece of electoral paperwork, the certification of electors, on Wednesday.

On Saturday, Kennedy joined six fellow GOP senators and four Republicans who were elected to the Senate in November in saying they’ll vote against certifying the Biden-Harris electors from disputed states Wednesday. They’re seeking the appointment of a commission to investigate allegations of voting irregularities in states where results are disputed.

“A fair and credible audit — conducted expeditiously and completed well before January 20 — would dramatically improve Americans’ faith in our electoral process and would significantly enhance the legitimacy of whoever becomes our next President,” Kennedy said in a statement Saturday.

Higgins, R-Lafayette, represents the 3rd Congressional District, which covers St. Mary and St. Martin west to the Texas line.

Higgins said he has been looking into allegations of election fraud for a month. He plans to vote against certification of the Biden-Harris electors Wednesday.

“There is sufficient evidence, at a minimum, to investigate criminal acts, which may have compromised the integrity of our election,” he said in a statement Thursday. “This effort and action to safeguard our election systems must continue, even beyond January 20, 2021.”

As many as 140 U.S. House Republicans could vote against certification, according to national media accounts, although the Democratic majority there is widely expected to prevail.

The most specific set of grievances came not from the federal level but in a letter from 24 state House members, including Amedee, R-Gray. They urge members of Louisiana’s Republican congressional delegation to reject Democratic electors from the states that lifted Biden to victory Nov. 3: Arizona, Nevada, Georgia, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Michigan.

“Nineteen states have challenged the constitutional ‘appointment’ of the electors for the six states where much of the fraud occurred,” Amedee said in a press release distributed by the Louisiana Republican Party. “It is clear that roughly half the country disputes ‘the results’ of the election in these swing states.

“Louisiana has worked hard to protection election integrity. For Congress to casually certify elections results from states where blatant fraud was tolerated is offensive and unacceptable.”

The statement from Kennedy quoted a Reuters/Ipsos poll as finding that 38% of Americans, including 67% of Republicans, believe the presidential election is rigged.

Cassidy joined Republican U.S. Sens. Mitt Romney of Utah, Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski, independent Angus King and five Democrats in urging Congress to accept the Biden electors.

The text of the statement:

“The 2020 election is over. All challenges through recounts and appeals have been exhausted. At this point, further attempts to cast doubt on the legitimacy of the 2020 Presidential election are contrary to the clearly expressed will of the American people and only serve to undermine Americans’ confidence in the already determined election results. The voters have spoken, and Congress must now fulfill its responsibility to certify the election results. In two weeks, we will begin working with our colleagues and the new Administration on bipartisan, common sense solutions to the enormous challenges facing our country. It is time to move forward.”

The Kennedy and Higgins statements and the letter from the state House are attached below.

Louisiana residents who are at least 70 years old and some health care workers can begin scheduling appointments to receive COVID-19 vaccinations on Monday, Gov. John Bel Edwards said Thursday.

The news comes as the state sets a record for the most new cases of the illness reported over 24 hours. Edwards did not announce any new restrictions to control the spread.

Edwards said the contact information for about 100 pharmacies that will have available vaccines will be posted on the Louisiana Department of Health’s website Monday.

At least 45,289 COVID-19 vaccines have been administered in Louisiana, though Edwards thinks the actual total is higher because many vaccinations have not yet been reported to the state. The federal government has made more than 210,000 doses available to Louisiana, state officials said.

Hospital personnel, residents and staff of long-term-care facilities, and emergency medical services workers (including those that work for fire departments) are first in line for the vaccines.

Starting Monday, residents who are 70 years old or older and people who work at ambulatory, outpatient, dental and behavioral health clinics can begin making appointments with registered pharmacies to get vaccinated. Federal recommendations, which Louisiana officials generally plan to follow pretty closely, set the age cutoff at 74 years. Edwards said in Louisiana age 70 has been a “clear demarcation” for higher risk of severe complications and death.

Clients and employees of end stage renal disease facilities, home health agency patients and personnel, and students and staff of allied health schools are next on the state’s list of priorities.

State officials can’t say how long it will take to vaccinate most members of the high-priority groups, in part because they don’t know how many doses they will get during a given week until the previous week. Next week, Louisiana officials expect the state to get about 28,275 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine and 27,400 doses of the Moderna vaccine.

The Pfizer vaccines have been going to hospitals that have the ability to store them at the very cold temperatures necessary to keep them viable. Pharmacies will distribute most of the Moderna vaccines to long-term care facilities.

Only about 8,800 doses will be available for the new priority groups by appointment at registered pharmacies starting Monday, Edwards said, though more will be on the way during subsequent weeks. There are about 485,000 Louisiana residents who are 70 years old or older, he said.

“You’re not going to receive a vaccine dose if you don’t have an appointment,” he said, referring to long lines to get vaccinated in other states.

State officials reported 6,754 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, the most new cases in a 24-hour period since the pandemic began. There were 51 new deaths reported, bringing the total of confirmed and probable COVID-19 fatalities to 7,448.

The proportion of COVID-19 tests that come back positive is up to 10.7 percent (officials would prefer to see a rate below 5 percent) and the number of COVID-19 patients who are hospitalized is up to 1,717, officials report.

Carol Jean Pool Dalcour LaSalle, 83, a resident of Patterson, LA and native of Morgan City, LA, passed away peacefully on Monday December 28, 2020 at 2:25 PM at her residence.

A public viewing will be conducted from 3:00 P. M. until 6:00 P. M. on Sunday January 3, 2021 at Jones Funeral Home 715 Sixth Street Morgan City, LA. (BY MANDATE, all visitors are asked to adhere to the CDC/local regulations by wearing masks and practicing social distancing). Viewing will resume on Monday January 4, 2020 from 9:00 A. M. - 11:00 A. M. at the Mt. Pilgrim Baptist Church. A Private Celebration of Life Service will be held. Services will be accessible virtually by viewing the Jones Funeral Home, Inc. Facebook Page at 12 Noon on Monday January 4, 2021. Carol Jean will be laid to rest in the Morgan City Cemetery following funeral services.

Memories of Carol Jean will forever remain in the hearts of her three children, Joan Carol Dalcour, Alfredia M. Dalcour Jones, and Alfred Dalcour, Sr. all of Morgan City, LA; two step-daughters Monica and Tiffany; eight grandchildren and a host of brothers and sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews, very close cousins, friends and her community in which she served unselfishly for decades.

Carol Jean was preceded in death by her husbands; her parents, and both her maternal and paternal grandparents.

Arrangements entrusted to Jones Funeral Home.

An investigation into a home invasion Wednesday has resulted in the arrest of a Patterson man, the St. Mary Parish Sheriff's Office said.

Tyson Jeffrey James Celestine, 32, Patterson, was arrested at 1:45 p.m. Wednesday on a charge of possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and on a warrant for home invasion and armed robbery.

On Wednesday, deputies responded to an address near Zenor Road and U.S. 90 in reference to an armed robbery in which the complainant said that three male subjects entered the home and robbed them at gunpoint.

Through the investigation, Celestine was developed as one of the suspects. Detectives obtained a search warrant for his residence and upon executing the warrant, a pound of marijuana was found.

Celestine was transported to the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center for booking. Bail has been set at $550,000.

The investigation into the armed robbery/home invasion continues, the Sheriff's Office said.. If you have any information regarding this crime, please call 337-828-1960 or send tips and information on our website at www.stmaryso.com. You can remain anonymous.