NEW ORLEANS — Mayor Cantrell and Councilmember JP Morrell went head to head Wednesday.
In her weekly press conference, the mayor accused the council of spending taxpayer funds, which was immediately addressed by Morrell in his own emergency press conference minutes after.
“What is clear is that this council continues, just continues to pour hundreds of thousands of dollars of tax payer money into investigations that continue to yield little to no results at all,” Cantrell said.
“The council spent zero dollars on that investigation. That was actually done by staff in house,” Morrell said. “I’m sorry we might have paid for the transcripts which maybe were a couple of hundreds of dollars.”
Cantrell’s accusations stemmed from her addressing the council’s investigation into mailers the council says were sent illegally in response to the recall. Cantrell said the investigation is unconstitutional but declined to further explain.
“There’s gray area. I believe there’s a level of things that are unconstitutional. That’s my opinion and that’s what I’m sharing at this time,” she said.
But Morrell pointed to the city charter.
“The charter clearly provides for this process we have followed that process to a T,” he said.
That investigation has led the council to move to terminate Gregory Joseph, the mayor's head of communications, but Cantrell refuses.
“No I’m not firing anybody. I’m not firing anyone. I’m supporting I’m supporting a city employee who is now a part of a community of city employees who have been disrespected, villainized, discriminated against,” Cantrell said.
Instead, she says council has created a toxic environment that has led to key employees to leave, including, she says a recent resignation by the acting DPW Director, Sarah Porteus. Morrell disagrees and says, there was actually a general support across the Council to confirm Porteous.
“If the mayor believes that us holding departments accountable to do their job is creating a toxic work environment then I’d argue what’s the alternative? Do we let government exist in disfunction to spare peoples feelings?” he said.
Gregory Joseph has still not commented on the Council’s investigation or their decision to terminate him. Wednesday, WWL-TV tried to speak with him but was denied.