Harris, Johnson, 13 other legislators join Landry lawsuit against Edwards

According to an attorney for the group, 15 Louisiana legislators, including 25th District Representative Lance Harris and 8th District Representative Mike Johnson are intervening on the side of Attorney General Jeff Landry in his lawsuit against Governor John Bel Edwards over an executive order banning discrimination in state government against LGBT people.

Intervening is a procedure used in a lawsuits where a court allows a third party or parties to join either the plaintiff or defendant even if that third parity was not part of the original suit.

"The Governor bypassed legislative approval so my clients are intervening in this case to protect their Constitutional authority," said attorney Chris Victory, who is representing the 15. "This executive order is simply a play by the Governor to circumvent the Legislature who have rejected similar measures numerous times; the will of the people through their elected legislators should not be trampled by an overreaching executive."

Joining Harris in the intervention announced Thursday are legislators Beryl Amedee, Lawrence Bagley, Phillip DeVillier, Rick Edmonds, Raymond Garofalo, Cameron Henry, Dodie Horton, Frank Howard, Mike Johnson, Blake Miguez, Jay Morris, Clay Schexnayder, Alan Seabaugh, and Julie Stokes.

According to the release, the legislators are petitioning the court "as members of the Louisiana House of Representatives who are constitutionally empowered to debate, legislate and pass laws in this state concerning issues of public policy, and who have debated and repeatedly rejected bills concerning the recognition of 'gender identity' rights identical to those rights mandated in Executive Order NO. JB 2016-11."

On Wednesday, a hearing on Landry's effort to block Edwards' order was pushed back to Nov. 29. Both sides arrived in court Wednesday. But lawyers for the two elected officials disagreed on what should be handled in the hearing.

Judge Todd Hernandez spent nearly two hours in a closed-door meeting with the lawyers, trying to work out scheduling details. When they emerged, the new hearing date was set.

The Republican Landry says the Democratic governor's anti-discrimination order violates the state constitution. Landry's asking for a preliminary injunction prohibiting Edwards from enforcing the order.

Edwards accuses Landry of repeatedly exceeding his authority and is asking Hernandez to define the attorney general's role in office.