A mailer touting Mayor LaToya Cantrell's accomplishments in office has landed her in more controversy. Questions about that mailer--and who paid for it--could lead to a state investigation.
"There are two different agencies that are charged with looking at this," WWL host and former Jefferson Parish sheriff Newell Normand said. "One would be the Board of Ethics as to whether or not there is a violation of state law in the utilization of city funds to promote one's self in a political nature. The language is fairly clear in the statute that that is prohibited. The second investigative agency that would have jurisdiction over this matter as well because it's spending of state dollars--or tax dollars--is the legislative auditors office."
Normand said he couldn't say if or when those agencies would launch investigations, adding that no one knows the case loads those agencies have. However, he said they could launch inquests whenever they want.
"In either case, each investigative body could self-initiate an investigation or respond to a complaint being filed by a taxpayer, an elected official, or any individual that has an interest," Normand said.
Normand says those investigators would have to figure out if Cantrell's mailer legitimately promotes the city government and her administration or if she crossed the line and used public funds for self-promotion. He said those investigators would have to answer two questions.
"One: whether or not city dollars were used; and two: whether or not this mailer on its face violates the statute," Normand said. "When you just take a cursory review of this mailer, it addresses her, it has her picture, and it talks about what she's done throughout the pamphlet as opposed to what the administration has accomplished."
Normand says Cantrell's defense would include what she and other mayors have done previously when sending out mailers to residents.
"She would have to articulate what the position of the city is," Normand said. "Some potential evidence would be how many times they have done this before (and) is this something they do an annual report on."
Normand added that history could also hurt Cantrell's case.
"If the news reports are correct and this is the first time that this has been done in her administration, I don't know about you, but I don't believe in coincidences," he said.
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