On the day when a shootout was reported in a prime area of the French Quarter and the Metropolitan Crime Commission announced that car thefts in the city are a “runaway train,” New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell announced that she would be jetting off to South Korea.
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Following controversy after controversy, Mayor Cantrell survived a strong recall effort, in large part because of the extremely high standards set for recalling a politician in Louisiana. And now she embroils herself in controversy again.
For a mayor who has created controversy over her indignant demand that she fly first class on the taxpayer dime when that was against city law - Cantrell decides to travel to South Korea to attend the 2023 World Climate Industry Expo. Following is part of the press release announcing Cantrell’s trip:
“It is an extreme honor to be the only U.S. Mayor to attend and participate in this year’s World Climate Industry Expo in Busan, South Korea,” said Mayor LaToya Cantrell.“This presents the perfect opportunity to showcase the climate and sustainability action plans New Orleans has championed on a global stage. As a low-lying coastal city, we are on the front lines of an already changing climate, and now, more than ever, we must take advantage of opportunities like these to see how other countries are approaching the same issue and share best practices. Collective thought processes will allow all leaders in attendance to listen, learn, react and see how to best bring more innovative initiatives to our city. I will continue to advocate for the City of New Orleans both domestically and internationally to ensure we are implementing the best, most reliable and beneficial projects to help achieve our goal of net zero, or carbon-neutrality, by 2050.”
In the statement - Cantrell is bragging about that fact that she will be the “only U.S. Mayor to attend and participate” in the event. That might suggest that she was the only U.S. mayor worthy of being invited when, in reality, it probably means that every other mayor in the United States decided that the trip to South Korea was not worth the taxpayer dollars it would take to make the trip. But not to globe-trotting mayor we have - this is right up her alley and appears to be a priority in her role as mayor of our crime-ridden city.
From the beginning of her second term when she knew she would no longer face the voters of New Orleans, Mayor Cantrell has looked for excuses to travel and for awhile she was traveling with her alleged “booty-guard” - NOPD Officer Jeffrey Vappie - with whom she spent countless private hours under highly questionable circumstances.
Mayor Cantrell has attended many conferences, and I wonder what she actually learned at those conferences and how that information will benefit the city of New Orleans. Where is that information? Or could it be that Mayor Cantrell is primarily satisfying her self-indulgent desire to travel on the money from a broke - and broken - city?