Breaking ground for the Marine Center with Louisiana Senate President Sammy Nunez Photo courtesy of the the Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium But Treen also pursued more conventional elements of conservatism. He signed into law a bill mandating the teaching of “creationism science” (it was subsequently overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court), reformed the code of Criminal Procedure, and got passed a workman's compensation package, though not one as ambitious as he had hoped. He also instituted major tax cut legislation which seemed to little impede either the state’s economy or Treen’s popularity until the oil bust occurred. And with Louisiana sports a sacred cow, Treen secured funding for a new “Rajin Cajuns” stadium at the Lafayette campus of the University of Louisiana. It would be called the Cajundome. Treen signing legislation Photo courtesy of Randy Haynie One lasting legacy Treen does not immediately get credit for is what has since become the “warehouse district” of New Orleans. Treen had lobbied hard to bring the 1984 World Fair …show more content…
In 1982 alone, Treen used his veto pen 234 times. For much of the ’83 campaign, Edwards was a solid favorite to regain his old job. Treen meanwhile ran on his record and against the Edwards persona, who was still dogged by grand jury investigations and a jet-setting, high-living style. At one point, Treen said incredulously, “You can do this in Louisiana. You can go in and try to help yourself and use government to help your friends and your cronies and the people of Louisiana will still elect you.” Treen also hit Edwards on having issued more than 1,000 pardons, including some who went on to commit murder and rape (ironically, one of the men pardoned shot and killed Edwards’ brother during the