A special meeting of the New Orleans City Council today will discuss the fate of Gregory Joseph, New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell's communications director. It is an event unprecedented at city hall.
"My memory on this goes back, professionally, 50 years," said political analyst Clancy DuBos. "I have never seen a council do this."
DuBos said the council will be establishing a template for how to do this.
"I'm pretty sure this is the first time that any city council has attempted to use this authority," he said.
The council investigated Gregory Joseph after city funds were used to pay for a campaign-style mailer to likely voters, promoting Cantrell's accomplishments as mayor, during a recall campaign that was attempting to get Cantrell removed from office.
Conflicting testimony during that investigation led to the council voting to charge Joseph with "incompetence" and "misconduct."
Section 3-125 of the city's home rule charter states that the council "may bring charges against any person appointed to the unclassified service for lack of qualifications, incompetence, neglect of duty, failure to comply with a lawful directive of the Civil Service Commission or gross misconduct in reference to that person's duties."
The council voted 4-2 to accuse Joseph of "incompetence, neglect of duty, and gross misconduct."
According to the charter, a simple majority, or four votes, is all that is needed to have Joseph removed.
DuBos says even if that happens, this story is far from over.
"This matter could well wind up in court," said DuBos. "There's an expectation, quietly , at city hall, that if the council votes to remove him, that the mayor will simply create another position and name him in an interim capacity to that."
