NEW ORLEANS — Sen. Karen Carter Peterson, D-New Orleans, was issued a misdemeanor citation by Louisiana State Police for remaining places after being forbidden last month at the L’auberge Casino Resort in Baton Rouge, an indication she is banned from the casino.
The circumstances surrounding her status with L’auberge are unclear and casino management would not elaborate.
“While we always cooperate fully in any and all regulatory or law enforcement related issues, as a longstanding policy matter, we do not provide comment on these types of inquiries regarding guest related incidents that may or may not have occurred, nor can we provide comment on any individual that may or may not have been banned from our casino,” said Kim Ginn, General Manger of L’Auberge Baton Rouge.
The summons was issued to Peterson at 11:32 a.m. on February 27, the day before Peterson posted on Twitter that she was riding in the Muses parade in New Orleans.
Sgt. Rob Fontenot, who is assigned to the LSP Gaming Enforcement Division, issued the ticket.
Again, the circumstances surrounding the issuance of Peterson’s citation are unclear and a spokesman for Louisiana State Police declined to comment while the misdemeanor charge is under review by East Baton Rouge Parish District Attorney Hillar C. Moore, III.
Peterson is the first woman to serve as Chair of the La. Democratic Party and two years ago, the national Democratic Party elected her Vice Chair of Civic Engagement and Voter Participation, a position previously held by Donna Brazile.
While Peterson isn’t one to shy away from making bold statements, particularly at the podium on the Senate floor, she declined to comment to WWL-TV for this story.
Peterson sits on several powerful committees in the Senate, and even serves as chairwoman of the Senate & Government Affairs Committee in a Republican-controlled legislature.
But her influence doesn’t stop there. She also sits on Judiciary B, which regulates the Louisiana State Police and the Revenue & Fiscal Affairs committee, which handles revenue and taxation for the state, and she sits on the Local & Municipal Affairs committee.
Like the rest of the Senate, Peterson is up for re-election this fall.
