Eddie J. Lambert
Encyclopedia
Eddie Joseph Lambert is an attorney
from Prairieville
, Louisiana
, who is a second-term member of the Louisiana House of Representatives
from District 59 in Ascension Parish
.
, where he graduated in 1974 from Istrouma High School
and played football and baseball.In 1978, Lambert received his Bachelor of Arts
from Louisiana State University
in Baton Rouge
. In 1982, he procured the Juris Doctor
degree from the LSU Paul M. Hebert Law Center. Prior to establishing his law practice, Lambert worked as an alligator
hunter for the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.Over the years, he continued his small business of rasing crawfish. He is also a member of Ducks Unlimited
and the National Rifle Association
.
Lambert's law firm, Lambert & Lambert, located in Gonzales
, specializes in Personal Injury, Criminal, Civil, Criminal Law, and Civil Law. Lambert began his law practice in 1985 and for a time was an assistant district attorney in the 23rd Judicial District. He refers to himself as a former "hard-nosed prosecutor."
on November 15, 2003, Lambert topped Diez, 9,601 votes (57.7 percent) to 7,026 (42.3 percent).As a Democrat
in 1999, Diez had polled 63 percent of the primary vote against another Democrat, Jeff Burns.
In 2007, Lambert was reelected to the House without opposition. He is vice chairman of the House Appropriations Committee and the Subcommittee on Education. He is a member of the committees on the Budget and Natural Resources and Environment as well as the subcommittees on Business Development and Litigation.
In 2011, Lambert voted with the House majority to make the Louisiana cigarette tax permanent. He then voted to override a veto of Governor Bobby Jindal
, who killed the permanent cigarette tax. The veto override failed to gain the two-thirds needed vote of the state House. Lambert also voted to prohibit the holding of hand-held cellular devices while driving, another measure which failed. In 2010, he was ranked 100 percent by the interest group, the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry
, but only 58 percent in 2008-2009 by the Louisiana National Federation of Independent Business.Lambert, considered a strong conservative has focused on extending and improving the road network in District 59. Lambert favors requiring lawmakers and local officials to disclose their personal incomes.
Most of Ascension Parish falls within House District 59, located on the east bank of the Mississippi River
and among the fastest-growing areas of the state. Former farmlands have become suburbia, with residents from Baton Rouge fleeing urban problems. Gonzales has become a major retail center, with a large outlet mall nearby but outside the district. Ascension Parish still has many working-class residents employed in construction and petrochemical plants, but the influence of organized labor there has declined in recent years. Suburban development has brought more middle-class residents who commute to administrative, government. and professional positions in Baton Rouge.
Near the end of the 2011 legislative session, Lambert sponsored a successful bill which returns the Louisiana presidential primary date from February, when it was held in 2008, to March, the date in and prior to 2004. Lambert's colleague, Alan Seabaugh
of Shreveport
, said that without the measure, signed by Governor Jindal, Louisiana would forfeit half its delegates at the 2012 Republican National Convention
set for Tampa
, Florida
. None of the Louisiana Democratic delegates in 2012 would be able to cast convention ballots in Charlotte
, North Carolina
, unless the date were returned to March. The measure hence switches the date of the primary to the third Saturday after the first Tuesday in March. Lambert, who has sought to tighten drunk-driving laws, attached a rider
to the presidential primary bill which clarifies the drinking age for underage boaters on Louisiana waterways.
Lambert is seeklng a third term in the nonpartisan blanket primary set for October 22, 2011.
, Mississippi
, Marilyn Lambert graduated from Mississippi State University
at Starkville
, with a Bachelor of Science
degree in education. Like her husband, she is a graduate of the LSU Law School. She is the 2011 vice president of Delta Gamma
in Baton Rouge, a member of Rotary International
, and an Ascension Parish judge.The Lamberts have three children, Mary Claire, John Malcolm, and Lori Lambert. Lambert is Roman Catholic and a member of the Knights of Columbus
men's organization. The family attends St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in Prairieville.
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
from Prairieville
Prairieville, Louisiana
Prairieville is an unincorporated community in Ascension Parish, Louisiana, United States. It is south of Baton Rouge and north of Gonzales, Louisiana. The latitude of is 30.302N. The longitude is -90.971W. Elevation is ....
, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, who is a second-term member of the Louisiana House of Representatives
Louisiana State Legislature
The Louisiana State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is bicameral body, comprising the lower house, the Louisiana House of Representatives with 105 representatives, and the upper house, the Louisiana Senate with 39 senators...
from District 59 in Ascension Parish
Ascension Parish, Louisiana
Ascension Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is the fastest growing parish in the state. Its population is 107,215 which is 39.9% greater than the 2000 census...
.
Background
The son of Elmo and Concetta Lucia Lambert, Eddie Lambert was born and reared in Baton RougeBaton Rouge, Louisiana
Baton Rouge is the capital of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is located in East Baton Rouge Parish and is the second-largest city in the state.Baton Rouge is a major industrial, petrochemical, medical, and research center of the American South...
, where he graduated in 1974 from Istrouma High School
Istrouma High School
Istrouma High School is a public school located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. It was founded in 1917, and is located in East Baton Rouge Parish. Its name is a local Indian word meaning "red stick". Red stick is also the English language translation of the French words baton rouge...
and played football and baseball.In 1978, Lambert received his Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
from Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, most often referred to as Louisiana State University, or LSU, is a public coeducational university located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The University was founded in 1853 in what is now known as Pineville, Louisiana, under the name...
in Baton Rouge
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Baton Rouge is the capital of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is located in East Baton Rouge Parish and is the second-largest city in the state.Baton Rouge is a major industrial, petrochemical, medical, and research center of the American South...
. In 1982, he procured the Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
degree from the LSU Paul M. Hebert Law Center. Prior to establishing his law practice, Lambert worked as an alligator
Alligator
An alligator is a crocodilian in the genus Alligator of the family Alligatoridae. There are two extant alligator species: the American alligator and the Chinese alligator ....
hunter for the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.Over the years, he continued his small business of rasing crawfish. He is also a member of Ducks Unlimited
Ducks Unlimited
Ducks Unlimited is an international non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation of wetlands and associated upland habitats for waterfowl, other wildlife, and people. It currently has approximately 780,000 members, mostly in the United States and Canada.-Introduction:Ducks Unlimited was...
and the National Rifle Association
National Rifle Association
The National Rifle Association of America is an American non-profit 501 civil rights organization which advocates for the protection of the Second Amendment of the United States Bill of Rights and the promotion of firearm ownership rights as well as marksmanship, firearm safety, and the protection...
.
Lambert's law firm, Lambert & Lambert, located in Gonzales
Gonzales, Louisiana
Gonzales is a city in Ascension Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 8,156 at the 2000 census. It has been called the "jambalaya capital of the world" and is famous for its annual Jambalaya Festival. Gonzales is part of the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Statistical Area.State...
, specializes in Personal Injury, Criminal, Civil, Criminal Law, and Civil Law. Lambert began his law practice in 1985 and for a time was an assistant district attorney in the 23rd Judicial District. He refers to himself as a former "hard-nosed prosecutor."
Legislative career
Lambert was elected to the House in 2003, when he upset the incumbent Republican Juba Diez. In the primary, Lambert and another Republican, George Cabanas, polled 6,581 votes (42.4 percent) and 3,002 (19.3 percent), respectively, as Diez trailed with 5,950 (38.3 percent.In the general electionGeneral election
In a parliamentary political system, a general election is an election in which all or most members of a given political body are chosen. The term is usually used to refer to elections held for a nation's primary legislative body, as distinguished from by-elections and local elections.The term...
on November 15, 2003, Lambert topped Diez, 9,601 votes (57.7 percent) to 7,026 (42.3 percent).As a Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
in 1999, Diez had polled 63 percent of the primary vote against another Democrat, Jeff Burns.
In 2007, Lambert was reelected to the House without opposition. He is vice chairman of the House Appropriations Committee and the Subcommittee on Education. He is a member of the committees on the Budget and Natural Resources and Environment as well as the subcommittees on Business Development and Litigation.
In 2011, Lambert voted with the House majority to make the Louisiana cigarette tax permanent. He then voted to override a veto of Governor Bobby Jindal
Bobby Jindal
Piyush "Bobby" Jindal is the 55th and current Governor of Louisiana and formerly a member of the United States House of Representatives. He is a member of the Republican Party....
, who killed the permanent cigarette tax. The veto override failed to gain the two-thirds needed vote of the state House. Lambert also voted to prohibit the holding of hand-held cellular devices while driving, another measure which failed. In 2010, he was ranked 100 percent by the interest group, the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry
Louisiana Association of Business and Industry
The Louisiana Association of Business and Industry, known by the acronym LABI, is the largest and most successful business lobbying group in the U.S. state of Louisiana. It was founded in Baton Rouge in 1976, when Louisiana adopted a new right-to-work law during the administration of Democratic...
, but only 58 percent in 2008-2009 by the Louisiana National Federation of Independent Business.Lambert, considered a strong conservative has focused on extending and improving the road network in District 59. Lambert favors requiring lawmakers and local officials to disclose their personal incomes.
Most of Ascension Parish falls within House District 59, located on the east bank of the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
and among the fastest-growing areas of the state. Former farmlands have become suburbia, with residents from Baton Rouge fleeing urban problems. Gonzales has become a major retail center, with a large outlet mall nearby but outside the district. Ascension Parish still has many working-class residents employed in construction and petrochemical plants, but the influence of organized labor there has declined in recent years. Suburban development has brought more middle-class residents who commute to administrative, government. and professional positions in Baton Rouge.
Near the end of the 2011 legislative session, Lambert sponsored a successful bill which returns the Louisiana presidential primary date from February, when it was held in 2008, to March, the date in and prior to 2004. Lambert's colleague, Alan Seabaugh
Alan Seabaugh
Alan Thomas Seabaugh is an attorney from Shreveport, Louisiana, who is a Republican member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from District 5 in Caddo Parish...
of Shreveport
Shreveport, Louisiana
Shreveport is the third largest city in Louisiana. It is the principal city of the fourth largest metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana and is the 109th-largest city in the United States....
, said that without the measure, signed by Governor Jindal, Louisiana would forfeit half its delegates at the 2012 Republican National Convention
2012 Republican National Convention
The United States 2012 Republican National Convention, in which delegates of the Republican Party will choose the party's nominees for President of the United States and Vice President of the United States, will be held during the week of August 27, 2012, in Tampa, Florida at the St...
set for Tampa
Tampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. None of the Louisiana Democratic delegates in 2012 would be able to cast convention ballots in Charlotte
Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. In 2010, Charlotte's population according to the US Census Bureau was 731,424, making it the 17th largest city in the United States based on population. The Charlotte metropolitan area had a 2009...
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, unless the date were returned to March. The measure hence switches the date of the primary to the third Saturday after the first Tuesday in March. Lambert, who has sought to tighten drunk-driving laws, attached a rider
Rider (legislation)
In legislative procedure, a rider is an additional provision added to a bill or other measure under the consideration by a legislature, having little connection with the subject matter of the bill. Riders are usually created as a tactic to pass a controversial provision that would not pass as its...
to the presidential primary bill which clarifies the drinking age for underage boaters on Louisiana waterways.
Lambert is seeklng a third term in the nonpartisan blanket primary set for October 22, 2011.
Personal life
Lambert and his wife, the former Marilyn Montgomery, married in 1985. Originally from Port GibsonPort Gibson, Mississippi
Port Gibson is a city in Claiborne County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 1,840 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Claiborne County.- History :...
, Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
, Marilyn Lambert graduated from Mississippi State University
Mississippi State University
The Mississippi State University of Agriculture and Applied Science commonly known as Mississippi State University is a land-grant university located in Oktibbeha County, Mississippi, United States, partially in the town of Starkville and partially in an unincorporated area...
at Starkville
Starkville, Mississippi
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 21,869 people, 9,462 households, and 4,721 families residing in the city. The population density was 851.4 people per square mile . There were 10,191 housing units at an average density of 396.7 per square mile...
, with a Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
degree in education. Like her husband, she is a graduate of the LSU Law School. She is the 2011 vice president of Delta Gamma
Delta Gamma
Delta Gamma is one of the oldest and largest women's fraternities in the United States and Canada, with its Executive Offices based in Columbus, Ohio.-History:...
in Baton Rouge, a member of Rotary International
Rotary International
Rotary International is an organization of service clubs known as Rotary Clubs located all over the world. The stated purpose of the organization is to bring together business and professional leaders to provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help...
, and an Ascension Parish judge.The Lamberts have three children, Mary Claire, John Malcolm, and Lori Lambert. Lambert is Roman Catholic and a member of the Knights of Columbus
Knights of Columbus
The Knights of Columbus is the world's largest Catholic fraternal service organization. Founded in the United States in 1882, it is named in honor of Christopher Columbus....
men's organization. The family attends St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in Prairieville.