Infamous woke New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell has decided to plead not guilty to 11 federal charges, including conspiracy, wire fraud, and obstruction of justice, all related to her alleged misuse of over $70,000 in public funds for personal time with security officer Jeffrey Vappie.
For context, LaToya, whom locals have begun to refer to as “the destroya,” is barred from international travel and faces scrutiny amid past financial improprieties. Rafael Goyeneche, a local watchdog, said the charges were unsurprising, citing the abuse of public resources as the primary concern.
Additionally, local politicians like Democrat Leslie Bouie expressed concern over the city’s negative portrayal but urged the public to wait for a conviction before passing judgment. Furthermore, other Democrats emphasized the presumption of innocence.
Addressing the scandal, the City of New Orleans Mayor’s Office issued a statement which read, “Regarding today’s arraignment, the City of New Orleans will continue to stand by its policy of reserving comment. Additionally, on the advice of counsel, the Mayor will not make any statements before or after today’s legal proceedings.”
Digging into the details of this scandal, Rafael Goyeneche, president of the Metropolitan Crime Commission, was surprised. “Residents that paid any attention to this are not surprised that she got indicted,” she explained.
Building on this point, she defended arguments from progressives, saying, “And I think most people are sophisticated enough to realize that neither one of them was indicted for having a personal relationship; They were indicted for using public funds to finance and pay for their personal relationship.”
Concluding her comments, Goyeneche emphasized that this pattern was typical of Cantrell’s career in politics. She noted, “What we’re seeing her do as mayor, she did to a lesser extent as a member of the city council. The only difference between being a councilmember and the mayor is that you get a lot more power and you get access to a lot more money.”
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Adding more context, Leslie Bouie, the chair of the Orleans Parish Democratic Executive Committee, emphasized the reputational damage to the city. “So, it’s always a concern to me when New Orleans is portrayed in a negative light,” Bouie said.
However, she walked back her condemnation, noting, “However, I do feel that the mayor deserves a day in court. She hasn’t been convicted of anything yet. So, for me, it’s unfortunate that it happened. I’m concerned that it did happen. But I think we have to wait and see how it plays out in the courts.”
Reframing the issue, Dadrius Lanus, the Executive Director of the Louisiana Democratic Party, pivoted to the next election. “There are some tremendous candidates right now who have represented the Democratic Party well, and we are just very excited about who could possibly win. The city of New Orleans is one of the most vibrant and creative cities across our country, and it serves as a platform not only for our state, but also for the Democratic Party,” he whined.