On the day after the federal government shut down, Congressman Ralph Abraham, a Republican representing Louisiana’s fifth district, flew to New Orleans to attend a $250 a ticket fundraiser for the Louisiana Republican Party, missing at least six different votes.
Although the LA GOP had announced that Congressmen Graves, Higgins, Johnson, and Scalise would also be in attendance, Abraham was the only member of Louisiana’s congressional delegation to show up to the event, which featured former White House chief of staff Reince Preibus as its keynote speaker. Scalise, the House Majority Whip, is recuperating from surgery at a D.C. hospital, and the other members of the delegation presumably realized, like President Trump did, that it would be terrible optics to attend a political fundraiser during the middle of a shutdown.
Abraham, who has recently signaled his intention to run for governor next year, did not publicly disclose or announce his decision to attend the “Elephant Gala,” but Dr. Craig Greene, a newly-elected member of the Public Service Commission, posted this photograph on both his Twitter and Facebook accounts:
From left to right: Roger Villere, Reince Preibus, Kristen Greene, Craig Greene, and Ralph AbrahamThe Bayou Brief is a non-profit news publication that relies 100% on donations from our readers. Help support independent journalism about the stories of Louisiana through a monthly or one-time donation by clicking here.
Although the LA GOP had announced that Congressmen Graves, Higgins, Johnson, and Scalise would also be in attendance, Abraham was the only member of Louisiana’s congressional delegation to show up to the event, which featured former White House chief of staff Reince Preibus as its keynote speaker. Scalise, the House Majority Whip, is recuperating from surgery at a D.C. hospital, and the other members of the delegation presumably realized, like President Trump did, that it would be terrible optics to attend a political fundraiser during the middle of a shutdown.
Abraham, who has recently signaled his intention to run for governor next year, did not publicly disclose or announce his decision to attend the “Elephant Gala,” but Dr. Craig Greene, a newly-elected member of the Public Service Commission, posted this photograph on both his Twitter and Facebook accounts:
