As seen at Insurance Journal:
Republican candidates for Louisiana insurance commissioner traded attacks in a debate on Sept. 11, leveling accusations of improper use of campaign funds and misuse of legislative perks.[...]
Donelon, the incumbent, accused Cain of improperly taking $60,000 in campaign money from an Alexandria bail bondsman and getting involved in a pyramid scheme that left dozens of residents a combined $80,000 poorer. Cain shook his head in denial, but did not directly answer the attacks.
Cain, a state senator from Dry Creek, said Donelon has mismanaged the Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corp., the quasi-state insurance firm for those who can’t afford insurance elsewhere. Cain also noted that Donelon, while a House member, awarded a Tulane University scholarship - a former perk for lawmakers - to his own daughter. Donelon has acknowledged that his daughter got the scholarship. [...]
If elected, Cain said he would push to abolish the Louisiana Insurance Rating Commission, the state body that has the power to approve or reject insurance firms’ attempts to raise rates by more than 10 percent. Its members are appointed by the governor.[...]
[Libertarian candidate and Baton Rouge insurance agent] Zaitoon said the bickering between Cain and Donelon was proof that the insurance commissioner job should be appointed by the governor, not elected by the people. He said that change would bring professionalism to the position and eliminate political spats.
With bickering of that sort, I can’t help but wonder if the Republican candidates are also implicitly pushing for a return to Louisiana’s “proud” tradition of insurance commissioners ending up in jail.
It’s times like this that I really wish the Libertarians were a viable party.