The campaign for a recall election of New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell has asked New Orleans Inspector General Ed Michel to investigate a brochure the mayor's office mailed to more than 100,00 New Orleans residents.
NoLatoya.org chairman Belden Batiste and vice chair Eileen Carter hand-delivered their written request Friday afternoon.
"We believe this brochure was paid for by city funds (tax payer dollars) and sent only to a select number of registered voters (approximately 100,000) instead of the entirety of residents of the city," the recall campaign leaders wrote.
Gregory Joseph, Mayor Cantrell's communications director, said the flyer was mailed to "106,633 of our fellow New Orleanians who actively participate in our local democracy."
The recall leaders went on to say in their letter that this appears to be the only mailer of this type ever issued by the mayor's office.
[shortcode-inline-related expand="1" link="/wwl/news/local/mayors-office-defends-2022-recap-brochure" headline="Mayor's office: 2022 recap brochure example of "direct and transparent communication"" image="/media-library/image.jpg?id=64202991"]"It leaves us to further believe that this is a self-promoting political mailer touting the mayor's alleged accomplishments," the letter states. "Could it be in response to the aggressive campaign that the NOLATOYA RECALL is waging. Could this be recall intimidation to residents?"
The recall organizers ask the inspector general to ascertain the following:
1. Were public funds used to pay for the brochure and at what cost?
2. How many brochures were mailed and when were they mailed?
3. Who designed the brochure and were public funds used for that?
4. How were the recipients chosen and why were they not mailed to every citizen?
5. Why send a recap now when nothing of this kind was sent in Cantrell’s previous years as mayor?
6. Were all state and local laws adhered to in the preparation, printing, and mailing of the brochure.
Joseph said the brochure was printed at a cost of $18,322.95 and the postage cost the city $32,623.07.
You can read the recall campaign's complete letter below:
NoLatoya.org
NoLatoya.org
