Gov Jindal threatened to cut jobs from AG department if AG ( a dem) did not support HCR lawsuit

http://rawstory.com/rs/2010/0407/olbermann-jindal-blackmailed-ag/

Olbermann: Gov. Jindal ‘blackmailed or bribed’ his attorney general

By David Edwards and Daniel Tencer
Wednesday, April 7th, 2010 -- 11:12 am


MSNBC's Keith Olbermann on Tuesday named Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal "the worst person in the world" over claims the Republican governor "blackmailed or bribed" his Democratic attorney general into joining a multi-state lawsuit challenging the health care overhaul.

Noting that Louisiana Attorney General Buddy Caldwell is now "debasing himself" by joining the lawsuit, Olbermann pointed to an article in Eunice Today that alleges Caldwell didn't want to be the "token Democrat" joining the lawsuit but was "backed into a corner" by Jindal.

The Attorney General said the decision was made more out of the necessity of saving jobs in his agency than any real hope—or desire—of overturning the health care law.

One employee said Caldwell, in a candid admission, claimed that a deal was made with Jindal. Under terms of that agreement, the governor would not make additional cuts in the attorney general’s budget if Caldwell joined in the litigation. Caldwell agreed to be the “token Democrat,” he said, so that he might save additional job cuts by an administration whose state goal is to reduce the number of state employees by as much as 5,000 per year over three years.

"In other words, Governor Jindal either blackmailed Attorney General Caldwell or bribed him," Olbermann said. "'Support this moronic, pathetic, partisan, legally flimsy lawsuit on behalf of the insurance companies or we'll fire your employees.'"