Stephen J. Windhorst

Stephen Joseph Windhorst, known as Steve Windhorst (born February 12, 1957), is an appeals court judge of the Louisiana Fifth Circuit Court of Appeal, a position which he began on January 1, 2013. Prior to his unopposed election to the appeals court, Windhorst served as a judge of the 24th Judicial District Court in suburban New Orleans, Louisiana from 2000 to 2012.

Earlier, from 1992 to 2000, Republican Windhorst was a member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from Jefferson and Orleans parishes.^[1] His father, Fritz Windhorst of Algiers, a neighborhood of New Orleans, served as a Democrat-turned-Republican in the Louisiana State Senate from Orleans and Jefferson parishes from 1972 to 1992. The Windhorsts are of German and Italian descent.

Background

Windhorst graduated from Roman Catholic Archbishop Shaw High School in Marrero in Jefferson Parish, where he was a three-year letterman in football and tennis. He received his Bachelor of Arts and Juris Doctor degrees from Tulane University in New Orleans. A P.O.S.T. certified police officer, Windhorst completed the Gretna Police Training Academy. He was a reserve police officer from 1985–1988 and an assistant district attorney and criminal prosecutor from 1982 to 1989.^[2]

Legislative years

In the nonpartisan blanket primary, also known as the jungle primary, held on November 16, 1991, Windhorst upset and unseated fellow Republican Representative Terry W. Gee, who had served since 1980, beginning with the gubernatorial term of Governor David C. Treen, then of Jefferson Parish. In the primary balloting on October 19, Gee led the balloting with 45 percent, compared to 37 percent for Windhorst. The remaining 18 percent was cast for the lone Democrat in the race, Cynthia Davidson.^[3] In the November 16 general election, Windhorst was the big winner with 61 percent to Gee's 39 percent.^[4]

Windhorst was unopposed for re-election to the legislature in 1995 and 1999. In 1996, he lost, 56 to 44 percent, a bid for state judge to a longtime friend, Democrat Henry G. Sullivan, Jr., in Division M.^[5] Windhorst later said that he should have waited to run for judge because he really preferred to have remained longer as a legislator.

Judicial career

Four years later, on October 7, 2000, Windhorst was elected judge of Division J of the 24th Judicial District Court. In the heated parishwide judicial race for the seat vacated by the death of incumbent Judge Sheldon Fernandez, Windhorst defeated the well-financed campaign of Democrat George P. "Pat" Hand, 56 percent to 44 percent, despite Hand's early start in the race and his support by Sheriff Harry Lee of Jefferson Parish. Windhorst was supported by Gretna Police Chief B. H. Miller, Jr. Most political observers considered this another upset victory by Windhorst. This Pat Hand should not be confused with former Judge Kernan "Skip" Hand, a Republican from Jefferson Parish and also a former legislator.^[6]

Legislative career

Drawing on his extensive experience as a criminal prosecutor and police training and experience, Windhorst became a leader in anti-crime and law enforcement legislation. In 1993, his second year in the House, he become a key floor leader for the Louisiana District Attorneys Association and the Louisiana Sheriffs Association, having handled many complicated law- enforcement bills. He pushed to fruition laws which permit violent or repeat juvenile offenders to be treated as adults at the ages of 15 and 16, and in limited cases, at 14 years of age.

Windhorst also gained respect for his ability to handle a broad spectrum of complicated legislation. The Louisiana Association of Business and Industry recognized his ability to lead tough floor fights and debate. Although LABI had supported Windhorst's opponent, Representative Terry Gee in 1991, it soon aligned with Windhorst for his business-friendly positions. LABI then supported Windhorst in the 1995 and 1999 elections when he ran unopposed.

Louisiana Welfare Reform Act of 1995

Despite major opposition by the administration and legislative leaders of Democratic Governor Edwin W. Edwards, Windhorst authored and obtained passage of the Louisiana Welfare Reform Act of 1995, which trimmed welfare benefits and attempted to eliminate additional benefits for the births of additional children while on Aid to Families with Dependent Children. According to Windhorst, the act was also necessary for Louisiana to implement the anticipated federal welfare reform by the Republican Congress during the Clinton administration later, known as Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF).

House Leadership Role

In January 1996, at the beginning of his second term and the first of Governor Murphy J. "Mike" Foster, Jr., House Speaker Hunt Downer, a Democrat-turned-Republican from Houma, appointed Windhorst chairman of the House Administration of Criminal Justice Committee, through which all bills dealing with criminal law and gambling legislation must pass before moving to the full House of Representatives. Windhorst had been strongly opposed by some gambling interests, particularly Harrah's New Orleans Casino, but he was supported for the position by many sheriffs and district attorneys. Windhorst authored and claimed to have personally written all of the Foster administration's gambling reform legislation, which included public referenda and local options for parishes on all existing and future gambling.

Anti-Tax

Windhorst was a staunch fiscal conservative in the House, having refused to vote for any tax or general operating budget, contending that Louisiana was already spending twice what it needed. Government watchdog and critic C. B. Forgotston listed on his website Forgotston.com the votes of all legislators on tax issues, and showed that Windhorst was the only state legislator over a period of over two decades who never once voted for a new tax, a tax increase, or the extension of any existing tax.

According to the Baton Rouge Business Report, Windhorst was known for a quick and sometimes sarcastic wit during legislative debate on the floor of the House. Once while under attack by an opponent, Rep. David Armstrong, a liberal New Orleans Democrat, who implied that he (Armstrong) might soon be elected to the Senate and kill Windhorst's bills there, Windhorst retorted, "Well, if you do get elected to the Senate, the quality of debate will dramatically improve in both chambers."

Awards and memberships

In 1993, Windhorst was named “Legislator of the Year” by both Victims and Citizens Against Crime and the Alliance for Good Government. In 1995, Windhorst was again named “Legislator of the Year” by the Alliance for Good Government. In 2000, Windhorst was given the first and only "Craig L'Antigua Legislator of the Decade Memorial Award" by Victim and Citizens Against Crime, presented by its president and founder, Sanford Krasnoff. A Roman Catholic, he consistently supported the agenda of the Christian Coalition of America. He is a member of the Louisiana and Jefferson Parish bar associations, the Terrytown Civic Association, and the Republican Pachyderm Club of New Orleans. He is also affiliated with the Kiwanis Club and Citizens for a Clean and Beautiful West Jefferson. He is a former member of the Jaycees and serves on the Archbishop Shaw High School development bosard.^[2]

References