Changes

==Political life==

==Political life==

===Three elections as attorney general===

===Three elections as attorney general===

When William Guste announced that he would not seek a sixth term as attorney general in 1991, Ieyoub filed for the position as the leading candidate. He was challenged by two fellow Democrats, future state Treasurer and subsequent Republican convert [[John Neely Kennedy]] and Winston Riddick, and the principal Republican choice that year, former state Representative and state Senator [[Ben Bagert|Bernard J. "Ben" Bagert, Jr.]], of New Orleans. Ieyoub led the field with 447,423 votes (31 percent) to Bagert's 312,960 (22 percent), Kennedy's 288,104 (20 percent), and Riddick's 224,200 (16 percent). Two other Republicans also ran and divided 11 percent of the primary vote.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, 1991.<ref/>

When William Guste announced that he would not seek a sixth term as attorney general in 1991, Ieyoub filed for the position as the leading candidate. He was challenged by two fellow Democrats, future state Treasurer and subsequent Republican convert [[John Neely Kennedy]] and Winston Riddick, and the principal Republican choice that year, former state Representative and state Senator [[Ben Bagert|Bernard J. "Ben" Bagert, Jr.]], of New Orleans. Ieyoub led the field with 447,423 votes (31 percent) to Bagert's 312,960 (22 percent), Kennedy's 288,104 (20 percent), and Riddick's 224,200 (16 percent). Two other Republicans also ran and divided 11 percent of the primary vote.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, 1991.</ref>

Ieyoub and Bagert went into the [[general election]] at the same time that former Governor [[Edwin Edwards]] was being challenged by the one-time leader of the [[Ku Klux Klan]], then state Representative [[David Duke]] of [[Jefferson Parish, Louisiana]]. Ieyoub defeated Bagert by a wider margin than that by which Edwards finished off Duke. The Calcasieu district attorney won the race by a margin of more than two to one:  1,147,592 (69 percent) to 517,660 (31 percent). Bagert lost his own Orleans Parish in the election; the defeat ended Bagert's long career in state politics. Ieyoub's 1,147,592 vote tally was the highest numerical total ever obtained by a statewide candidate in Louisiana history until that time.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, 1991.</ref>

Ieyoub and Bagert went into the [[general election]] at the same time that former Governor [[Edwin Edwards]] was being challenged by the one-time leader of the [[Ku Klux Klan]], then state Representative [[David Duke]] of [[Jefferson Parish, Louisiana]]. Ieyoub defeated Bagert by a wider margin than that by which Edwards finished off Duke. The Calcasieu district attorney won the race by a margin of more than two to one:  1,147,592 (69 percent) to 517,660 (31 percent). Bagert lost his own Orleans Parish in the election; the defeat ended Bagert's long career in state politics. Ieyoub's 1,147,592 vote tally was the highest numerical total ever obtained by a statewide candidate in Louisiana history until that time.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, 1991.</ref>

Attorney General Ieyoub cleared [[Fred Baden]] of wrongdoing stemming from an audit of municipal books in [[Pineville, Louisiana|Pineville]], where Baden served as mayor from 1970 until his defeat in 1998.<ref name=adtt>Bret H. McCormick, "7-term Pineville Mayor Fred Baden remembered for 'big heart,'" ''Alexandria Town Talk,'' December 18, 2009.</ref>  Legislative Auditor [[Dan Kyle]] claimed that Ieyoub had ignored critical evidence that would have found Baden guilty of [[malfeasance]] office. However, Ieyoub reported that a lengthy investigation concluded "there is insufficient evidence to support a criminal prosecution."<ref name=adtt/> Baden said at the time that he knew he would be cleared of the allegations. "I felt all along that I would be cleared of these allegations. ... I never did anything wrong. We never took anything from the city that we didn't earn."<ref name=adtt/>

Attorney General Ieyoub cleared [[Fred Baden]] of wrongdoing stemming from an audit of municipal books in [[Pineville, Louisiana|Pineville]], where Baden served as mayor from 1970 until his defeat in 1998.<ref name=adtt>Bret H. McCormick, "7-term Pineville Mayor Fred Baden remembered for 'big heart,'" ''Alexandria Town Talk,'' December 18, 2009.</ref>  Legislative Auditor [[Dan Kyle]] claimed that Ieyoub had ignored critical evidence that would have found Baden guilty of [[malfeasance]] office. However, Ieyoub reported that a lengthy investigation concluded "there is insufficient evidence to support a criminal prosecution."<ref name=adtt/> Baden said at the time that he knew he would be cleared of the allegations. "I felt all along that I would be cleared of these allegations. ... I never did anything wrong. We never took anything from the city that we didn't earn."<ref name=adtt/>

Ieyoub claimed among his major accomplishments as attorney general the promotion of "initiatives that protect our children and help our children lead a better quality of life." He was active in the fight against [[narcotics]] through the Louisiana Coordinating Council on the Prevention and Treatment of Drug Abuse. Ieyoub worked closely with the National Council Against Drinking and Driving. His office has been nationally recognized for combating underage drinking and [[drunken driving]]. He established a statewide school safety program and created a high-technology unit that targets sexual predators on the Internet.

Ieyoub claimed among his major accomplishments as attorney general the promotion of "initiatives that protect our children and help our children lead a better quality of life." He was active in the fight against [[narcotics]] through the Louisiana Coordinating Council on the Prevention and Treatment of Drug Abuse. Ieyoub worked closely with the National Council Against Drinking and Driving. His office has been nationally recognized for combating underage drinking and drunken driving. He established a statewide school safety program and created a high-technology unit that targets sexual predators on the Internet.

Ieyoub was a member of the National Association of Attorneys General.

Ieyoub was a member of the National Association of Attorneys General.