NEW ORLEANS — The New Orleans City Council is expected to start the process of removing Gregory Joseph from his role as Mayor LaToya Cantrell's communications director after a preliminary finding revealed he used $50,000 in city funds on an anti-recall mailer in January.
The council sorted through thousands of documents over a six-month period, and reviewed testimony from both Joseph and Chief Procurement Officer Julien Meyer.
Council President J.P. Morrell sent a letter to Cantrell on Wednesday (Sept. 6) stating the council found that the mailer was in violation of state law.
It is in Morrell's opinion that Joseph "willfully acted to subvert the city's procurement rules" and "willfully caused public funds to be expended for a partisan political purpose."
Morrell also notes in the letter that there is no evidence of misconduct by either Cantrell or Chief Administration Officer Gilbert Montano.
"My review of the evidence indicates that Mr. Joseph was the driving force behind the mailer," Morrell wrote to Cantrell. "Nothing I have reviewed has indicated that either you or Gilbert Montano were aware of the extent of Mr. Joseph's activities. Neither you nor CAO Montano were aware that Mr. Joseph acted to subvert procurement rules or to expend public funds on partisan political activities."
See the full letter below:
Morrell also called for a special hearing to finalize the council's findings on Sept. 12, following the joint Climate Change & Sustainability and Economic Development committee meetings.
Cantrell has vehemently denied any wrongdoing by herself or her staff, including Gregory Joseph, stating the council was engaging in “bullying tactics” and “political trickery."
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