NEW ORLEANS — State Attorney General Jeff Landry is pushing for funding to be withheld from New Orleans if the City doesn't comply with Louisiana's abortion trigger laws once they take effect.
Right now, abortion is legal after a Baton Rouge judge extended a temporary restraining order today, putting those laws on hold.
In the letter, Landry directs the State's Bond Commission to defer decisions on money given to New Orleans for certain projects starting as early as this Thursday.
At an event in Hollygrove Tuesday morning, Mayor LaToya Cantrell responded to the letter.
"I think it's very unfortunate. But I will not be baited into politics," Cantrell said, "But I will stay for women."
In 2021, the Bond Commission temporarily withheld about $30 million dollars from New Orleans. It halted major projects including renovations to the Superdome.
Some lawmakers on the commission blamed a lack of funding, but others said it was because of concerns over the Mayor's COVID-19 policies.
Now, Landry wants the commission to do it again.
"It comes as no surprise," Cantrell said. "But it only makes me have to focus and double down on my efforts to ensure that the women of this city are in a safe haven and they're protected every step of the way."
The Mayor, the Orleans Parish District Attorney, NOPD and the New Orleans City Council have all said the abortion laws won't be enforced.
In a Tweet Tuesday morning, Council President Helena Moreno said, "I wish Mr. Landry could channel his fixation to target women and interfere in healthcare decisions to instead helping cities across LA battling major violence including the Acadiana region where he’s from. It’s about priorities. In NOLA we must prioritize curbing violence."
Landry's letter said that the State Constitution does not give New Orleans city officials the option to not enforce state law.
"A parish or municipality should not benefit from the hard-working taxpayers of this state while ignoring laws validly enacted by the people through their representatives," the letter said.