NEW ORLEANS — Mayor Latoya Cantrell expressed her support for her Communications Director, Gregory Joseph, a day after the New Orleans City Council called for his resignation.
Cantrell was asked at her weekly briefing if she would go forward with firing Joseph. She responded by saying, "No, I'm not firing anybody. I'm not firing anyone. I'm supporting. I'm supporting a city employee that is a part of a community of city employees that have been disrespected, villainized, and discriminated against by prejudices. Conscious bias, unconscious bias, sexism, the list goes on and on."
Cantrell also called out the City Council, saying they are pouring taxpayers' money into investigations that yield little results.
"They went on to spend $700,000, to various firms politically connected to both council members Morrell and Moreno on an investigation again, that yielded no findings at all. In fact, you know, what the state ethics board even issued in July report stating that, and I'm gonna quote it 'found no evidence of a violation of the code in this matter,'" Cantrell said.
City Council voted 4-2 Wednesday that Communications Director Gregory Joseph's actions do warrant termination on Tuesday,
Cantrell has until October 3 to terminate Joseph. If she doesn’t, Joseph and the administration will have the opportunity to appear at a hearing before the council to dispute any facts already laid out in the course of this investigation.
Joseph is under fire for using city funds to send out thousands of mailers to New Orleans voters earlier this year.
The council claims the mailers violated policy and, possibly, state law.
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