Black Caucus sues Blanco

After Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco cut millions of dollars from the state's budget, she received a memo from state attorney general Charles Foti, telling her she was allowed to cut up to 10% of the budget without legislative approval, so she used an executive order to make additional cuts. Foti based his decision on wording in the 2005 budget bill. However, the Louisiana constitution does not permit a governor to cut more than 5% of the budget without approval of the Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget.

According to the Legislative Black Caucus, the governor was out of line in doing what she did, and the caucus has filed suit against her, saying that the state constitution always trumps other rules set forth in bills.