‘Two little boys crying wolf’: Landry calls for shared blame on LA’s insurance crisis

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The only difference between trial lawyers and insurance companies, Gov. Jeff Landry told state lawmakers Monday in his speech to open the 2025 legislative session, is that one wants to skin you from the ankle up and the other wants to skin you from the ear down.

Landry’s stance that both sides are to blame puts him at odds with the historical approach his fellow Republicans have taken, which has largely put trial lawyers and their roadside billboards in their crosshairs. With his flashy statements, the governor teed up the fight over insurance legislation, which is certain to take center stage in the 59-day session.

“The only thing worse than a little boy crying wolf is two little boys crying wolf,” Landry said, referring to trial attorneys and the insurance industry.

While no Republican lawmakers joined Landry’s staff in standing to cheer for his remarks about insurance, legislative leaders are not necessarily against his plan to hold both parties responsible.

“It needs to be everybody,” House Speaker Pro Tempore Rep. Mike Johnson, R-Pineville, said in an interview after the governor’s remarks. “I agree with that 100% because none of us are perfect, and certainly those two groups have room to be better.”

Legislative Democrats seemed inclined to work with the governor. House Democratic Caucus Chairman Rep. Matt Willard, D-New Orleans, praised Landry for calling for legislation that would prohibit credit checks for setting insurance premiums.

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Lawmakers hope Landry will embrace the bills they send him. If not, their early passage could give them the opportunity to override his vetoes.

Last year, Landry vetoed a highly anticipated, so-called “tort reform” bill that would have further capped damages an auto accident victim can seek from the insurance company of the driver at fault. Trial lawyers, who donated considerable amounts of money to Landry’s gubernatorial campaign, opposed the bill.

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“I am just as tired of seeing Morris Bart as I am of seeing the lizard,” Landry said at a news conference last week, referring to billboards and commercials from the New Orleans personal injury lawyer and the national insurance company Geico.

Bart later hit back on social media.

“Maybe I should learn how to hunt?!!” Bart wrote, referencing a turkey hunting trip to Texas that Landry took the week before with Gordon McKernan, one of Bart’s competitors, and several members of legislative leadership. Those gathered discussed insurance legislation, The Advocate reported.

At the same time, Landry’s relationship with Commissioner of Insurance Tim Temple has declined, with the pair openly feuding. In an interview Monday, Temple was hesitant to criticize Landry but said he was looking forward to working on the insurance issue with Landry.

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