The Louisiana Attorney General and a majority of state bond commission members remain at loggerheads over abortion. The city council and mayor agree that no city money should be used to investigate women thought to have had violated exceptions to the state's abortion ban. Landry says the city cannot choose to ignore state laws.
Loyola Law Professor Dane Ciolino says state attorney General Jeff Landry has a point.
"When city officials defy the written letter of any law passed by the legislature and signed by the governor there's a certain lawlessness and anarchy to that," Ciolino said. "But on the other hand, using the bond commission to try to enforce what he believes to be the right view of abortion law seems to be an inappropriate approach to the issue."
Landry has never shied from suing government officials before, suing both Governor John Bel Edwards and the Biden administration. So why isn't this a matter for the court?
"I don't think he really has any cause of action against any city official for the public statements they've made about for their views of the current state of abortion law in Louisiana and their intentions as to using city resources to enforce those state laws," said Ciolino.
Landry is using the bond commission similar to how a legislature would use its power of the purse to persuade New Orleans officials. But the bond commission isn't a legislature. Could the city pursue a legal remedy?
"That's a good question," Ciolino said. "And I'm sure the city's lawyers are looking at that."
Meanwhile the bond commission's latest delay in approval for a line credit for the Sewerage and Water Board threatens to hold up construction of an electrical substation that would mean better reliability for the city's drainage pumps.
