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By ZEKE MILLER and
MELINDA DESLATTE
Associated Press
BOSSIER CITY — President Donald Trump said the impeachment probe has been “very hard” on his family, even as he tried to flex his political muscle to flip the governor’s mansion in deep-red Louisiana.
Speaking in friendly territory in a state he carried in 2016 by 20 percentage points, Trump lashed out Thursday at Democratic investigators and what he called a “deranged impeachment witch hunt.” While arguing it was a political boon for his reelection, he acknowledged for the first time a personal toll from the impeachment process that stands to cloud his legacy.
“I have one problem,” Trump said. “Impeachment to me is a dirty word, it’s been very unfair, very hard on my family.”
The House began public impeachment hearings Wednesday.
Trump repeated his denials of wrongdoing in his dealings with Ukraine, asserting he had no need to ask that nation to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden and his family.
“We took down Bush, Clinton, Obama, with no experience, but I had you and we won,” Trump said of his 2016 victory. “Think about that and then think about me — ‘Gee, let’s get some help from Ukraine in order to beat sleepy Joe Biden.’ I don’t think so.”
He added, “The people of this country aren’t buying it,” claiming polls show a benefit to Republicans as Democrats focus on impeachment.
“We did nothing wrong,” Trump insisted, “and they’re doing nothing.”
Even in reliably Republican Louisiana, the gubernatorial contest has reached its final days ahead of Saturday’s election as a tossup. Democrat John Bel Edwards is vying for a second term against little-known Republican political donor Eddie Rispone.
“If you want to defend your values, your jobs, and your freedom, then you need to replace radical John Bel Edwards with a true Louisiana patriot, Eddie Rispone,” Trump said at the rally in north Louisiana’s Bossier City.
The Shreveport area is prime territory to reach out to backers of Republican U.S. Rep. Ralph Abraham, the gubernatorial primary’s third-place finisher. Both Edwards and Rispone are targeting Abraham’s voters, knowing those 317,000 people can help decide the race’s outcome. Abraham endorsed Rispone and appeared at the rally with Trump.
Louisiana has the last of three Southern governor’s races this year, all targets of intense interest from the GOP and Trump. While Republicans kept the seat in Mississippi, they lost Kentucky’s governorship, with Republican incumbent Matt Bevin conceding the race Thursday.
Smarting from the Kentucky outcome, Trump has turned his focus to Louisiana and defeating Edwards, the Deep South’s only Democratic governor. Thursday’s event was the president’s third in the state’s gubernatorial competition.
Arguing for Edwards’ removal, Trump told the crowd that while the nation is doing great economically, Louisiana isn’t. He said it’s at the bottom for economic development while at the top for murders, adding, “You’re doing lousy compared to others.”
Rispone, owner of an industrial contracting firm, spent millions on the race, hitched his candidacy to Trump and hammered a pro-Trump theme ever since.
“What Trump has done for our country has been phenomenal. ... The economy is booming in the United States, but it’s not booming in Louisiana. We’re falling behind,” Rispone said at an event in Baton Rouge. “We want to do for Louisiana what Trump has done for the nation.”
Edwards suggested Rispone has turned repeatedly to Trump because he can’t stand on the strength of state-specific issues. Rispone has dodged details of how he’d balance the budget with his proposed tax cuts and what he wants to accomplish in a constitutional convention.
Rispone is “trying to nationalize this race because that’s the only shot he has,” Edwards said Thursday at a campaign rally in Shreveport.
Race watchers say Trump’s influence can only stretch so far.
“I don’t think Trump’s bringing more to the table than has already been brought into the campaign,” said Michael Henderson, director of Louisiana State University’s Public Policy Research Center.
Edwards supporters say Trump’s visits are actually boosting their own chances, helping to turn out black voters and other Democrats who skipped the primary.
Melissa Toler, a 65-year-old retiree who voted early in New Orleans, chose Edwards “because he’s the best candidate, the most qualified, and the most reasonable.” She said Trump’s visits to Louisiana stirred up interest.
“I’m a registered independent and he whips me up, not in a good way,” Toler said.
In New Orleans and other cities with high concentrations of African American voters, a wave of ads says Rispone’s tight ties with Trump are a reason to vote for Edwards. And while Edwards sidesteps direct criticism of the president, the Louisiana Democratic Party posted ads on Facebook declaring, “If Rispone wins, Trump wins” and asking voters to “keep hate out of Louisiana” by supporting Edwards.
The anti-Trump messaging by outside groups and Edwards’ own grassroots outreach effort to black voters appear to be having an effect. African American turnout during the early voting period jumped significantly above primary levels, a critical piece of Edwards’ strategy to win a second term.
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St. Mary Excel will convene a panel of area municipal and parish leaders to revisit recommendations made as a result of the 2018 Urban Land Institute report, Morgan City and Berwick Louisiana: Building the Foundation for a New Economy along the Atchafalaya River.
Media personality Danika Foley will facilitate the Facebook live stream event at 9 a.m. Tuesday.
In this hourlong program, government leaders and public administrators will report on progress and challenges in economic diversification.
Topics of tourism expansion, shifting from reliance on oil and gas to support and expand industries in the area’s safe harbor maritime location, neighborhood revitalization, healthcare, workforce development, and quality of life factors will be discussed.
Should you miss tuning in to the live event, you may find the recorded event on the KWBJ Facebook page.
The event is being hosted to share information and to maintain community support in advancing the area.

Shane Paul Scully, age 31, of Morgan City, earned his angel wings on Monday, November 11, 2019. Although sudden, the loss of Shane will never leave our hearts.
Shane is survived by his parents, Bryan Paul and Lisa Ann Scully Sr.; two kids, Cory Thomas Scully and Chrislynn Ann Scully; his fiancé, Jasmine Guidry; his life brother, Nicholas Wiggins; one half-brother, Bryan Scully Jr. and his wife, Mickki; one niece, Ava Scully; his godchildren, Jeremy Voisin Jr., and Isabella and Christian Wiggins; his godparents, Jennifer Daigle and Howard Scully; and his uncle, Andri Giroir.
Shane is welcomed into Heaven with open arms by his maternal grandmother, Dolores Guillory; a paternal grandfather, Lennis Scully Sr. and paternal grandmother, Mary Ann Scully; his uncle, Chris Scully; and his childhood friends, Thomas Rivet IV, Cory James Percle and Skyler Delaune.
A memorial visitation will be held for Shane on Monday, November 18, 2019, from 5 p.m. until 9 p.m. at Hargrave Funeral Home with memorial services taking place at 8 p.m.
In lieu of flowers donations can be made to Hargrave Funeral Home.

Shipbuilder Metal Shark has delivered two new pilot boats to New Orleans-based operator Belle Chasse Marine Transportation LLC.
Designed in-house by Metal Shark and built at the company’s Jeanerette production facility, “Jet 1” and “Jet 2” are 45-foot welded aluminum Defiant-class monohull pilothouse vessels featuring an extensively proven hull design. The vessels feature a unique deck arrangement designed for pilots and customized to meet BCMT’s specific requirements.
Both vessels were recently delivered and are now operating on the Mississippi River, providing service to Belle Chasse Port of New Orleans clients.
Like all of Metal Shark’s Defiant-class pilot boats, the climate-controlled pilothouses of the new vessels feature Metal Shark’s signature “Pillarless Glass” for significantly improved visibility, in a reverse-raked arrangement developed specifically for pilot operations. Visibility is further augmented by the vessel’s elevated, centerline helm position, and large overhead skylights that provide upward visibility while approaching and operating alongside moving ships.
Fully flush non-skid decks allow for unimpeded access around the vessel, and hand rails have been placed within easy reach of all crew, inside the cabin and outside on deck, at all times. Low-level LED pathway lighting enhances safety during nighttime operation. The vessel’s large, functional swim platform, plus easily accessible Jason’s Cradle, dive ladder, and throwable life rings, are intended to assure quick and safe crew retrieval in the event of a man overboard situation.
Designed in close collaboration with the client, the new vessels feature a unique rooftop pilot boarding arrangement with retractable platforms allowing for both port and starboard pilot boardings. Lower forward port and starboard platforms and integrated foredeck stairwell, all with carefully-placed grab rails, allow for safe and secure transfer in the widest possible range of scenarios.
Powered by twin Cummins Marine QSM11 diesel engines coupled with Hamilton HJ322 waterjets, Jet 1 and Jet 2 demonstrate pinpoint maneuverability while delivering a cruise speed in excess of 30 knots and a top speed in the 40 knot range.
A urethane-sheathed, closed-cell foam Wing collar provides durable and resilient fendering. Shock-mitigating seating has been provided for a crew of five, and anti-fatigue floor covering has been provided in the pilothouse and the belowdecks crew spaces. Additional features include a galley, enclosed head compartment, v-berth, and large walk-in mid-cabin storage compartment.
“By combining our military-proven hull designs with modern, crew-friendly features, we are delivering smarter and more user-friendly pilot boats that simply work better than the industry’s legacy product offerings,” said Metal Shark’s CEO Chris Allard. “We continue to task ourselves to deliver improved platforms that deliver improved comfort, efficiency, reliability, and safety to our customers.”
sociations, towboat operators, and other clients worldwide.