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'''Daniel Wesley Richey,''' known as '''Dan Richey'''  (born October 31, 1948), is a former state legislator and a political consultant in [[Baton Rouge]], [[Louisiana]]. He advises "pro-family" candidates and organizations, including the Louisiana Family Forum. From 1997 to 2004, Richey served under appointment of [[Republican Party|Republican]] [[Governor]] [[Mike Foster|Murphy J. "Mike" Foster, Jr.]], as the director of the federally funded Governor's Program on Abstinence. [1]

'''Daniel Wesley Richey,''' known as '''Dan Richey'''  (born October 31, 1948), is a former state legislator and a political consultant in [[Baton Rouge]], [[Louisiana]]. He advises "pro-family" candidates and organizations, including the Louisiana Family Forum. From 1997 to 2004, Richey served under appointment of [[Republican Party|Republican]] [[Governor]] [[Mike Foster|Murphy J. "Mike" Foster, Jr.]], as the director of the federally funded Governor's Program on Abstinence. [1]

==Political overview==

==Political overview==

Richey was a [[conservative]] [[Democratic Party|Democratic]] member of the Louisiana House of Representatives for a single term from 1976 to 1980 and the state Senate from 1980 to 1984). He left the Democrats in 1984 because of the party's stance in encouraging [[abortion]]s. Richey first became an [[Independent]] and in 1994 switched to the GOP, when the party won majorities in the U.S. Congress for the first time since 1952. In 2004, Richey was elected to the Louisiana Republican State Central Committee from state Representative District 61 in East Baton Rouge Parish.  He defeated an [[African-American]], [[Kirt Bennett]], in a vote of 102 to 65 in a low-turnout [[closed primary]]. Bennett had been an unsuccessful candidate in 2003 for  lieutenant governor., a post won instead by [[Mitch Landrieu]]. [2] Richey was reelected to the central committee in the primary held on February 9, 2008, when he defeated Cyrus Greco, 414 (57 percent) to 313 (43 percent). [3]

Richey was a [[conservative]] [[Democratic Party|Democratic]] member of the Louisiana House of Representatives for a single term from 1976 to 1980 and the state Senate from 1980 to 1984. He left the Democrats in 1984 because of the party's stance in encouraging [[abortion]]s. Richey first became an [[Independent]] and in 1994 switched to the GOP, when the party won majorities in the U.S. Congress for the first time since 1952. In 2004, Richey was elected to the Louisiana Republican State Central Committee from state Representative District 61 in East Baton Rouge Parish.  He defeated an [[African-American]], [[Kirt Bennett]], in a vote of 102 to 65 in a low-turnout [[closed primary]]. Bennett had been an unsuccessful candidate in 2003 for  lieutenant governor., a post won instead by [[Mitch Landrieu]]. [2] Richey was reelected to the central committee in the primary held on February 9, 2008, when he defeated Cyrus Greco, 414 (57 percent) to 313 (43 percent). [3]

==Background==

==Background==

The six-parish district had candidates from five parishes – Richey (Concordia), Patten again (Catahoula), State Representative [[Lanny Johnson]] (Tensas), Assistant District Attorney Jimmie C. Peters  (La Salle), and Democratic National Committeewoman Mary Lou Trawick Winters (1935-2014), a native of [[Monroe, Louisiana|Monroe]], then living in Columbia in Caldwell Parish with her husband, Dr. Harry Hall Winters, III (1927-2019). Peters' boss and law partner was District Attorney (and former U.S. Representative) [[Speedy Long]] of Jena in LaSalle Parish. Peters thereafter became a judge of the Louisiana Third Circuit Court of Appeal. No candidate came from Franklin Parish.

The six-parish district had candidates from five parishes – Richey (Concordia), Patten again (Catahoula), State Representative [[Lanny Johnson]] (Tensas), Assistant District Attorney Jimmie C. Peters  (La Salle), and Democratic National Committeewoman Mary Lou Trawick Winters (1935-2014), a native of [[Monroe, Louisiana|Monroe]], then living in Columbia in Caldwell Parish with her husband, Dr. Harry Hall Winters, III (1927-2019). Peters' boss and law partner was District Attorney (and former U.S. Representative) [[Speedy Long]] of Jena in LaSalle Parish. Peters thereafter became a judge of the Louisiana Third Circuit Court of Appeal. No candidate came from Franklin Parish.

Richey recalled that he met in Columbia with former Governor [[John J. McKeithen]], who had been instrumental in Winters's election as national committeewoman. Richey found that the two were "apparently... on the outs... at the time of our election. At one meeting... he suggested that I make a big push with black voters by informing them that 'Mary Lou Winters was a member of not one, but two Lily-white country clubs.' That exact line appeared in campaign letters from me to black voters in the waning days of the election." Richey ran first in the primary and defeated Mrs. Winters in the second balloting, 58-42 percent. Prior to the Senate election, Winters, an LSU graduate, had been the chief [[lobbyist]] for the Louisiana State Medical Society, in which capacity she worked pro bono in 1975 to obtain passage of legislation to protect the medical profession against questionable lawsuits. Winters served for thirty-two years on the [[Democratic National Committee]] and attended all of the presidential nominating conventions during her tenure. [5] In 1996, Winters was an elector for the reelection of[[ U.S. President]] [[Bill Clinton]], who carried Louisiana in both of his elections. She was later the vice chairman of her state party.

Richey recalled that he met in Columbia with former Governor [[John J. McKeithen]], who had been instrumental in Winters's election as national committeewoman. Richey found that the two were "apparently... on the outs... at the time of our election. At one meeting... he suggested that I make a big push with black voters by informing them that 'Mary Lou Winters was a member of not one, but two Lily-white country clubs.' That exact line appeared in campaign letters from me to black voters in the waning days of the election." Richey ran first in the primary and defeated Mrs. Winters in the second balloting, 58-42 percent. Prior to the Senate election, Winters, an LSU graduate, had been the chief [[lobbyist]] for the Louisiana State Medical Society, in which capacity she worked pro bono in 1975 to obtain passage of legislation to protect the medical profession against questionable lawsuits. Winters served for thirty-two years on the [[Democratic National Committee]] and attended all of the presidential nominating conventions during her tenure. [5] In 1996, Winters was an elector for the reelection of [[U.S. President]] [[Bill Clinton]], who carried Louisiana in both of his elections. She was later the vice chairman of her state party.

In 1981, Richey was named "Legislator of the Year" by [[Young Americans for Freedom]] and the Louisiana Conservative Union. He was the national secretary of the American Legislative Exchange Council, a conservative group.

In 1981, Richey was named "Legislator of the Year" by [[Young Americans for Freedom]] and the Louisiana Conservative Union. He was the national secretary of the American Legislative Exchange Council, a conservative group.

After his legislative years, Richey practiced law from 1984 to 1989 in Vidalia in Concordia Parish, in the firm Koerber and Richey. After five years as a small-town lawyer, Richey abandoned his legal career. Instead, he became the director of development at Magdalen College,  a small private institution in Warner, [[New Hampshire]].

After his legislative years, Richey practiced law from 1984 to 1989 in Vidalia in Concordia Parish, in the firm Koerber and Richey. After five years as a small-town lawyer, Richey abandoned his legal career. Instead, he became the director of development at Magdalen College,  a small private institution in Warner, [[New Hampshire]].

After two years in New Hampshire, Richey returned to Louisiana in 1991 as a basketball coach and teacher at South Beauregard High School in Longville in Beauregard Parish, where his parents were then retired. In 1993, he became the news director/commentator at WBTR-TV (Channel 19) in Baton Rouge, an independent station then owned by Jenkins. He left the station to head the Louisiana’s Governor's Program on Abstinence (GPA).

After two years in New Hampshire, Richey returned to Louisiana in 1991 as a basketball coach and teacher at South Beauregard High School in Longville in Beauregard Parish, where his parents were then retired. In 1993, he became the news director/commentator at WBTR-TV (Channel 19) in Baton Rouge, an independent station then owned by Jenkins. He left the station to head the Louisiana's Governor's Program on Abstinence (GPA).

Richey recalled that when he graduated, "there was not a single person at Ferriday High School with [[venereal disease]]. There were only two out-of-wedlock births, and both girls married the guys." Richey urged parents to emphasize the transmission of disease from premarital sex, rather than only  an unwanted pregnancy: "For every one teenager who gets pregnant, ten get a disease." The only way to avoid this, Richey contended, is abstinence until marriage. [1]

Richey recalled that when he graduated, "there was not a single person at Ferriday High School with [[venereal disease]]. There were only two out-of-wedlock births, and both girls married the guys." Richey urged parents to emphasize the transmission of disease from premarital sex, rather than only  an unwanted pregnancy: "For every one teenager who gets pregnant, ten get a disease." The only way to avoid this, Richey contended, is abstinence until marriage. [1]

7. Public Broadcasting Service, Online NewsHour: Louisiana delegates - Democrats<br>

7. Public Broadcasting Service, Online NewsHour: Louisiana delegates - Democrats<br>

8. Leo Honeycutt, ''Edwin Edwards: Governor of Louisiana,'' Lisburn Press, 2009, p. 191.<br>

8. Leo Honeycutt, ''Edwin Edwards: Governor of Louisiana,'' Lisburn Press, 2009, p.&nbsp;191.<br>

9. Politics - Dec96 - Feb97<br>

9. Politics - Dec96 - Feb97<br>

18. ACLJ • American Center for Law & Justice.<br>

18. ACLJ • American Center for Law & Justice.<br>

19. Finch, Susan; Steve Ritea (2002-07-26). "Judge says religious groups got state abstinence grants - Program ordered to keep closer watch". The Times-Picayune. New Orleans, LA USA. p. B6. A state program to encourage sexual abstinence among adolescents has given money to individuals and groups that promote religion, a practice that violates the U.S. Constitution, a federal judge decided Thursday. Ruling in a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union, U.S. District Judge G. Thomas Porteous ordered the Governor’s Program on Abstinence to stop giving grants to individuals or groups that use the money to convey religious messages "or otherwise advance religion in any way in the course of any event supported in whole or in part" by the program.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles><br>

19. Finch, Susan; Steve Ritea (2002-07-26). "Judge says religious groups got state abstinence grants - Program ordered to keep closer watch". The Times-Picayune. New Orleans, LA USA. p. B6. A state program to encourage sexual abstinence among adolescents has given money to individuals and groups that promote religion, a practice that violates the U.S. Constitution, a federal judge decided Thursday. Ruling in a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union, U.S. District Judge G. Thomas Porteous ordered the Governor's Program on Abstinence to stop giving grants to individuals or groups that use the money to convey religious messages "or otherwise advance religion in any way in the course of any event supported in whole or in part" by the program.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles><br>

20. freedomforum.org: Louisiana abstinence money blocked from religious groups<br>

20. freedomforum.org: Louisiana abstinence money blocked from religious groups<br>