Judge Throws Out Landrieu Residency Case

A Baton Rouge judge threw out a law suit that suggested Mary Landrieu was not a resident of Louisiana and should not be able to run for the United States Senate. The suit was brought by former Senate candidate Paul Hollis whose lawsuit suggested that Landrieu was no longer a Louisiana resident and that she in fact was a resident of Washington D.C.

The judge threw the case out on grounds that such a law suit could not be filed unless the candidate in question actually won the election. Many political observers believe the case was simply political grandstanding on behalf of Mr. Hollis who has thrown his support behind Landrieu's chief opponent Bill Cassidy.

Joshua Stockley, a political science professor at the University of Louisiana at Monroe, believes this dismissal should put an end to the case all together.

"Really this is not an issue and it ceases to be relevant at this time to the campaign,"

LSU Law professor John Baker says that if Landrieu does win the election the case is brought back before the courts the issue will then become based on "intent"

"And the intention is she must have lived here and intends to return here. "So as long as she can show that she's lived here, which she can, and intends to return here -- that's strong evidence."

Both Baker's and Stockley's comments were reported in a story published by the Louisiana Radio Network on Friday.

Meanwhile Hollis says he plans to reenter the lawsuit should Landrieu win. Landrieu's attorneys say they welcome the challenge and feel very confident they can demonstrate to the courts that their client is in fact qualified to serve as an elected official from the State of Louisiana.