Louisiana Senator Gives Up on Citizens Insurance CEO Job

State Sen. Dan “Blade” Morrish has dropped his bid to become the next CEO of the state-run insurer of last resort, the Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corp.

The Louisiana Board of Ethics had advised that Morrish would have a conflict of interest. Because he is chairman of the Senate Insurance Committee, he sits on Citizens’ board. Morrish, of Jennings, argued that since Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon would hire the CEO, there was no conflict.

After the ethics board guidance, Morrish filed for a declaratory opinion from the board, which would have set groundwork for an appeal.

But Morrish told The Advocate he scrapped the declaratory opinion request after learning Donelon has identified someone else for the job.

Citizens CEO Richard Robertson resigned from his $240,000-a-year job effective June 1.