ST. TAMMANY PARISH, La. — The months-long recall effort to remove St. Tammany Parish Coroner Christoper Tape from office has come up short of the required number of signatures.
The recall effort started after exclusive reports from WWL Louisiana brought to light decades-old child sexual assault claims against Dr. Christoper Tape, who became coroner after he ran unopposed back in the Fall.
“With the submission deadline set for Monday, Family First St. Tammany has a difficult update to share: we have not reached the required number of signatures to proceed with the recall petition against the Coroner,” said a statement from the recall petition organizers, Family First St. Tammany.
“We want to express our deepest gratitude to the brave survivors who shared their painful stories at our events. Your voices are the heart of this movement, and we remain committed to advocating for a future where all survivors are treated with the dignity and respect you were denied.”
The statement continues, “To our dedicated supporters, thank you for your unwavering support throughout this journey. We are profoundly thankful for each and every one of you. The substantial support we've received, the conversations we've sparked, and the scrutiny we've directed towards the office will undoubtedly influence future elections.”
“Looking ahead, we urge our community to be more vigilant during the election qualifying periods. We encourage you to step forward if you envision a better future and drive to lead. Our community thrives on the strength of its leaders, and it's crucial that “we the People” have the power to choose who represents us.”
Organizers of this recall petition had six months to collect about 38,000 signatures from registered voters in St. Tammany Parish in order to remove Tape from office. He remains as St. Tammany Parish’s coroner.
Shortly after Family First St. Tammany's announcement, Dr. Tape released a statement saying:
"I'm certainly glad it's over, but I have never allowed it to be a distraction from doing the good work of this office. We will continue to prioritize serving the families of our parish and spending taxpayer money wisely and transparently."
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