Julie O’Donoghue

Julie O'Donoghue

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Julie O’Donoghue is a senior reporter for the Louisiana Illuminator and producer of the Louisiana Illuminator podcast. She’s received awards from the Virginia Press Association and Louisiana-Mississippi Associated Press. Julie covered state government and politics for NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune for six years. She’s also covered government and politics in Missouri, Virginia and Washington D.C. Julie is a proud D.C. native and Washington Capitals hockey fan. She and her partner, Jed, live in Baton Rouge. She has two stepchildren, Quinn and Steven.

FBI director Kash Patel attends Gov. Landry’s alligator hunt fundraiser
Louisiana

FBI director Kash Patel attends Gov. Landry’s alligator hunt fundraiser

Sep 10, 2026
Julie O'Donoghue
President Donald Trump’s controversial FBI director, Kash Patel, was a guest this week at Gov. Jeff Landry’s annual alligator hunt in the Atchafalaya Basin. The annual event, now in its 16th year, is Landry’s signature campaign fundraiser and often draws...
LIV Golf declares bankruptcy owing Louisiana $1.2M for canceled event
Louisiana

LIV Golf declares bankruptcy owing Louisiana $1.2M for canceled event

Sep 09, 2026
Julie O'Donoghue
LIV Golf still owes the state of Louisiana $1.2 million after canceling a golf tournament that was supposed to take place in New Orleans in June. The state of Louisiana is listed as the 20th largest creditor in paperwork LIV...
Louisiana public defenders struggle to cover expenses, audit report says
Louisiana

Louisiana public defenders struggle to cover expenses, audit report says

Sep 08, 2026
Julie O'Donoghue
More than a quarter of Louisiana’s 42 local public defender offices spent more money than they received during fiscal year 2024-25, highlighting the yearslong budget struggles of public defense overall. The 24th Judicial District office, which covers Jefferson Parish, had...
College athletics lawsuit sheds light on Louisiana DAs with private law practices
Louisiana

College athletics lawsuit sheds light on Louisiana DAs with private law practices

Sep 08, 2026
Julie O'Donoghue Piper Hutchinson
A high-profile lawsuit over who can participate in college athletics led to an unusual showdown Thursday between two of Louisiana’s best-known prosecutors: Orleans Parish District Attorney Jason Williams and Tony Clayton, who leads criminal cases in Iberville, Pointe Coupee and...
Louisiana’s Medicaid program will lose another provider, affecting 290,000 people
Louisiana

Louisiana’s Medicaid program will lose another provider, affecting 290,000 people

Sep 01, 2026
Julie O'Donoghue
Louisiana will lose one of its five Medicaid insurance plans at the end of the year, according to information the Louisiana Department of Health provided Tuesday. The Healthy Blue plan, offered by Elevance Health and Blue Cross Blue Shield of...
Louisiana Democratic Party comes out against amendment to limit governors’ time in office
Louisiana

Louisiana Democratic Party comes out against amendment to limit governors’ time in office

Sep 01, 2026
Julie O'Donoghue
The Louisiana Democratic Party voted over the weekend to oppose a constitutional amendment to prohibit governors from running for office again after they have served more than one and a half terms, equal to six years. Proposed Amendment 4 will...
Louisiana takes a step toward adopting Medicaid work requirements
Louisiana

Louisiana takes a step toward adopting Medicaid work requirements

Aug 31, 2026
Julie O'Donoghue
Louisiana’s proposed work requirements for Medicaid enrollment largely adhere to the new guidelines Congress and President Donald Trump laid out last year. The new state regulations are expected to go into effect for Medicaid recipients in January. The proposed rules...
Louisiana GOP makes controversial endorsements for Congress. More could follow.
Louisiana

Louisiana GOP makes controversial endorsements for Congress. More could follow.

Aug 29, 2026
Julie O'Donoghue
The Republican Party of Louisiana’s leadership is facing backlash after endorsing candidates in Louisiana’s two competitive congressional races using an opaque, private process. The Louisiana GOP’s eight-member executive committee initially voted Aug. 23 to back New Iberia state Sen. Blake...
Landry says he won’t talk to New Orleans mayor until after Murrill indictment investigation
Louisiana

Landry says he won’t talk to New Orleans mayor until after Murrill indictment investigation

Aug 14, 2026
Julie O'Donoghue
Gov. Jeff Landry said he won’t personally talk to New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno until after an investigation determines who was behind the July indictment of Attorney General Liz Murrill. “She’s always free to have a discussion with my staff,”...
Vetoed state money partially restored for New Orleans music center
Louisiana

Vetoed state money partially restored for New Orleans music center

Aug 14, 2026
Julie O'Donoghue
Correction: This report was updated to show the Ellis Marsalis Center for Music is the Upper 9th Ward of New Orleans. Louisiana lawmakers have partially restored funding for the Ellis Marsalis Center for Music in New Orleans that Gov. Jeff...
Louisiana signs $192.6 million no-bid contract with Motorola for public safety, police technology
Louisiana

Louisiana signs $192.6 million no-bid contract with Motorola for public safety, police technology

Aug 14, 2026
Julie O'Donoghue
Louisiana lawmakers signed off Thursday on a 10-year, no-bid contract worth $192.6 million to provide public safety equipment and technology for law enforcement and the prison system. The deal gives Motorola $138.2 million to upgrade and maintain the Louisiana Wireless...
Lawmakers ponder $54M no-bid contract for police cameras, communications
Louisiana

Lawmakers ponder $54M no-bid contract for police cameras, communications

Aug 12, 2026
Julie O'Donoghue
Louisiana lawmakers will consider a $54 million, no-bid contract Thursday for disaster communications services, body-worn and dashboard cameras and other technology state law enforcement agencies use. Gov. Jeff Landry’s administration recommended last month that the Joint Legislative Committee on the...