The recall petition to remove LaToya Cantrell from the New Orleans Mayor's Office can succeed in getting the more than 53,342 signatures it needs, if it is handled the right way, says WWL's Newell Normand. Normand says the will is there, the recall effort just needs to be organized.
"It is quite a task. I agree with folks that say this is like running a political campaign because it truly is," said Newell.
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"This administration has failed. Not only failed, but failed miserably," said Newell. "It became evident to me that we needed to talk about what were the remedial measures available to us to change the course we were set upon."
Newell says that's why he brought up the possibility of a recall election earlier this week.
The signatures have to be gathered in 180 days, and considering that just under 30 percent of the electorate voted in Cantrell's reelection, a successful recall will take major work.
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"I think the frustration that people are expressing across the city as the result of accumulation of issues and failures of this administration that the will is there," said Newell. "This is going to be all about organization, organization, organization."
Normand said Cantrell’s failure to promptly take on the difficult task of crime reduction has put the New Orleans Police Department and the citizens of New Orleans in a dangerous situation.
"I've met with folks. They're willing to finance this initiative," said Newell. "It's just like a political campaign."
Newell said that means the mayor will also likely use her political organization to try and blunt the recall effort, or even do her job as mayor to address some of the issues that have people upset with her.
"The possibility of a recall election has both a direct and an indirect impact and influence on this administration," he said. "It's a question, though, of the mayor, as to whether or not she's really willing to say mea culpa, take ownership of some of these failures, admit to this, try to redirect, reengineer this administration?"
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