Landry doubles down on claim taxpayers will pay off Brian Kelly, despite board chair saying they won’t | LSU
BATON ROUGE, La. – Gov. Jeff Landry on Thursday repeated his claim that Louisiana taxpayers will foot the bill as LSU pays off fired football coach Brian Kelly despite the head of the school’s board of supervisors saying “self-generated” funds in the athletic department and private donors would come up with $53 million.
During a question-and-answer period following a news conference on statehouse issues, Landry had said Wednesday that the state’s residents would pay off Kelly. Speaking on the Pat McAfee Show on Thursday, Landry doubled down, prompting an incredulous response from the host.
“It’s crazy that the taxpayers in the state are on the hook for that contract,” McAfee said. “It’s insane.”
The LSU Board of Supervisors Chairman Scott Ballard told WBRZ this week it isn’t true. WBRZ previously reported that Ballard had said the buyout will be paid by “self-generated athletics funds and private donors.”
Amid the flap, Landry’s political adviser Brent Littlefield called WBRZ on Thursday to note that an LSU representative had signed Kelly’s contract, putting the university on the hook for its terms. As a state institution, he said, Louisiana taxpayers ultimately are responsible for the deal.
Landry made other errors in his Wednesday news conference on matters involving football: He said current LSU Athletic Director Scott Woodward, a former Texas A&M AD, was responsible for Jimbo Fisher’s historic $77 million buyout from the Aggies. Fisher’s contract was actually renegotiated by A&M AD Ross Bjork after Woodward had left the school.
Landry also said that Kelly and Fisher have the same agent, which is false. Kelly is represented by Trace Armstrong and Fisher’s agent is Jimmy Sexton.
