The Louisiana Board of Ethics has filed charges against Mayor LaToya Cantrell in connection with flight upgrades she made in 2022, upgrades the Ethics Board says violated the law.
According to a charging document posted on the Ethics Board's website on Thursday, the board notes that under the city of New Orleans's administrative policy, "employees are required to purchase the lowest airfare available" when traveling for city business. The board also noted that the policy says "employees who choose an upgrade from coach, economy, or business class flights are solely responsible for the difference in costs."
However, according to the charging documents approved by a board vote on October 5, Cantrell, in her capacity as mayor, flew first class domestically on the city's dime 13 times over an 18-months span from February 2021 through August 2022, each time purchasing tickets that exceeded the costs allowed by the city's travel policy and without reimbursing the city for the excess fares. The documents also says Cantrell flew internationally twice during that same time, violating the travel policy by purchasing tickets costing more than the lowest airfare available and not paying for the difference.
The board says in all, Cantrell overcharged the city of New Orleans $28,856.99. The charging documents note Cantrell began reimbursing the city in late September 2022, paying off her debt to the city in full on October 28, 2022.
In addition to accusing Cantrell of violating city policy, the Ethics Board charged Cantrell with violating the Louisiana law prohibiting public servants from receiving "anything of economic value, other than compensation and benefits from the governmental entity to which he is duly entitled, for the performance of the duties and responsibilities of his office or position." The Ethics Board is asking the Ethics Ajudicatory Board to hold a hearing into the matter.
Under Louisiana law, the Ethics Adjudicatory Board could fine Cantrell up to $10,000 and/or censure her if they find that the charges against her are valid.
However, LAPolitics.com publisher Jeremy Alford questions if any penalties imposed by the Ethics Board will force Cantrell to change her jet-setting ways.
"The interesting question here is: Does the Board of Ethics actually have any teeth?" Alford asked rhetorically. "Is a $10,000 fine and the threat of a public censure really enough to make a public official act differently?"
Alford also noted that the Ethics Board has a history of levying penalties below the maximum.
"Sometimes these fines can be reduced by request," Alford said. "The Board can cut it down. They do that quite a bit. Or she can wind up with a censure, which is basically a public criticism, which amounts to nothing."
