New Orleans City Councilman Eugene Green confirms that he has had a meeting with Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry.
That meeting came as the governor refuses to engage with Mayor Helena Moreno and five council members embroiled in the controversy surrounding Attorney General Liz Murrill's indictment.
"We had a very cordial and professional meeting, and the other politics, I guess, didn't really come up," Green said. "The issue was: what's going on in District D and what we can do to work together to make certain things happen."
According to Green, he has taken some flak for meeting with the governor.
"Certainly people have said, 'What were you doing meeting with the governor?'" Green said. "But some of the people who said that say crazy things anyway."
Green defended his decision to meet with Governor Landry, noting that several state-owned facilities, roads, and waterways are in his district.
"My district includes LSU New Orleans, Southern University at New Orleans, (and) the Delgado campus. It includes all the lakefront. It includes everything along navigable waterways, the Industrial Canal, (and) the New Basin Canal," Green said, adding that the bridges over the canals and Chef Menteur Highway are also state-controlled. "In my district, communication has to exist because there is so much interaction between the state and the city."
Green further defended himself by saying he seized on an opportunity that presented itself.
"Who would pass up an opportunity to speak to the governor of the state of Louisiana?" Green asked.
Green says the Governor will soon reach out to council member Leslie Harris. He adds that he's hopeful the governor will resume communications with the mayor and other council members.
"At the end of the day, I think that will change in time, but most important is: there are still issues that need to be addressed," Green said.
