NEW ORLEANS — New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell said a weight has been lifted from her with the failure of the recall effort to secure enough signatures to force a vote, but she said she expects the criticism to continue and plans to go about her work as she has always done.
Cantrell held her weekly press briefing for her first public appearance since the recall failed on Tuesday.
Cantrell said that legal action was taken with regard to the number of signatures needed and the voter roles would continue because she feels there is a “flaw” in the system. She did say that she was grateful to the people of the city after the more than six-month ordeal.
“A huge thank you to the residents who understood that work was being done and also wanted to see the work continue under my administration,” she said. “A huge thank you to the employees of the city of New Orleans to not be distracted.”
Cantrell said her record was distorted by several groups and she expected it would continue. She also said that she would be writing a book, which is still untitled. She said the latest chapter though would probably be called “Recall.”
“There has been an intentional attempt to discredit my work as mayor. It’s been very clear that it’s coming from multiple angles. I don’t expect anything different,” she said.
Cantrell said that she would continue to work for all of the citizens whether they voted for her or not or signed to recall her or not.
Meanwhile, the NOLATOYA recall group said it would be examining legal possibilities and that also there could be some proposals to change legislation on the recall process.
Eileen Carter, one of the group’s organizers, tells WWL Radio's Newell Normand that attempts by The Advocate newspaper to obtain the names of those who signed the recall petition and possibly name them publicly, hindered the effort.
“We would have loved to have said from the beginning that no one’s name would have been made public, unfortunately, the Times-Picayune and The Advocate made that impossible to say… they had their foot on our neck, posting a photo of signatures, and we had those residents call us saying,… I’m scared, I don’t want any retaliation.”
Times-Picayune Editor Rene Sanchez said The Times-Picayune I The Advocate had no plans to publish names of citizens who signed the recall. In an article published February 8, 2023 Sanchez said, “We have no intention of publishing all the names recall leaders have gathered, as we have told them all along.”
The only signee whose name was published was Judge Jennifer Medley, who presided over a lawsuit between recall organizers, the Orleans Registrar of Voters and the Louisiana Secretary of State. Medley’s name was included in a story published March 8, more than a week after the petitions were delivered to the Registrar of Voters Office.
Carter said she was also hoping to address “inaccuracies” in the process that wouldn’t have been discovered had the process not played out.