By Abbey Brown, The Town Talk, August 26, 2008

26 Aug 2008 // U.S. Sen. David Vitter met with about 25 LaSalle Parish area residents Monday in sticking with one of his first campaign promises -- staying in touch with the people.

Most of his contemporaries, he said, don't work the same way he does and often skip meetings with small, rural parishes like LaSalle. But Vitter said skipping these parishes would cause him to "miss a lot of the best parts of Louisiana," including good values.

The first topic Vitter, R-Metairie, addressed during the LaSalle Parish Town Hall meeting at Jena's Town Hall building was working on lowering "sky-high" energy costs.

He said more areas need to be opened to drilling and alternative energy production must be encouraged to help bring prices down. Vitter pointed out that he's introduced a number of measures to accomplish those things, including a bill that would open up a number of new areas off of the coasts to exploration and drilling.

Before Monday afternoon's session, Vitter -- who plans on seeking re-election in 2010 -- joked that questions and concerns about gas and energy dominate the sessions and aren't just the "first question but the first through 10th question."

President of LaSalle Parish Republican Women Catherine Roberts said meetings like this one are important so people can stay connected to the federal government. She said she appreciates Vitter making the effort to hear their concerns and answer their questions.

This upcoming presidential election, she said, is the most important of her life because of critical issues like the economy, the war and energy costs and issues.

"Oil is very important to this community," Roberts said. "This town survives on oil and timber. We have to go have drilling. We have got to have drilling everywhere."

Mike Tinnerello, executive director of the El Camino Corridor Commission based in Winnfield, said he came to Monday's meeting to show his support and appreciation for Vitter's work on the expansion of U.S. Highway 84 through communities like Jonesville, Jena and Winnfield and hopes to encourage him to continue to commit to it.

Before the meeting began, Vitter, who has been linked to a high-end prostitution ring and incurred legal expenses trying to avoid testifying in the prostitution case, said he asked for a Federal Election Commission ruling about paying for the legal fees in the case.

"I'm going to follow the law," he said. "But my focus is on doing the job and addressing current issues like energy costs and economic developments like Fort Polk and La. Highway 28 West.

The FEC ruled last week that he could not use campaign funds to pay off more than $160,000 of legal expenses associated with the so-called D.C. Madam scandal, according to USA Today.

The ruling came in a draft opinion by the FEC.