NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell will take the podium for the first time after word broke Tuesday that the NOLATOYA recall effort to remove her from office did not meet state requirements.
On Wednesday, the Mayor will address the public from the city hall. Though the main topic of the press conference is the city’s public safety efforts, we can expect the mayor to speak on other issues at hand, including the recall effort.
“A lot of things I won’t say, I am leaving it for the book, read about it,” Mayor LaToya Cantrell said.
Mayor Cantrell said she’d be writing a book, and she has plenty of material to write her still untitled tell-all-book.
“I have a lot of chapters and the most recent chapter is recall,” she said.
She said the failed recall which fell short by nearly 18-thousand signatures is now in her rear view mirror.
“Clearly, a weight lifted. No doubt about that,” she said.
The press conference comes only one day after Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards received the certified NOLATOYA petition documents from the Orleans Parish Registrar of Voters. Less than three hours later, the Governor announced that out of more than 60,000 signatures on the petition, less than half of them were from registered voters in the city, falling short of the roughly 45,000 signatures needed.
In a statement issued Tuesday following the recall news, the mayor said that she wanted New Orleans to put the failed recall effort behind it and refocus on other issues facing the city. However, NOLATOYA recall organizers Recall organizer Beden Batiste says the recall effort has not ended and there are plans to challenge those numbers.
Even though the recall did not get enough signatures to call for a recall election it did show discrepancies within the voter rolls. Thousands who have died or moved are still considered active voters.
The Mayor’s lawsuit against the Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin who reached an agreement with recall organizers to remove inactive voters from the rolls still stands.
“As it relates to voter protection and standing by democracy those lawsuits will move forward,” she said.
Cantrell said it is about moving forward, putting in the work, regardless of those who are against her.
“What is evident is there’s been orchestration to discredit me and my role as Mayor of New Orleans, I don’t expect that to stop,” Mayor Cantrell said.
In a statement from NOLATOYA recall organizers they said, “The efforts of the recall have just begun, we are exploring all legal options at this time. We will move forward with legislation to correct the injustices that we were met with along this process. We will continue to fight for the city we love.”
“There’s always lessons. I embrace it all the time because I know there is a lesson in it. Progress in the City of New Orleans, the best is yet to come,” Mayor Cantrell said.
Watch Wednesday’s press conference here:
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