NEW ORLEANS — Shortly after the New Orleans City Council unanimously voted to suspend Communications Director Gregory Joseph following an ethics investigation into the misuse of taxpayer money, Mayor LaToya Cantrell issued a statement in support of her top aide.
"I am extremely disappointed by the Council's vote today," said Cantrell of Joseph's suspension for allegedly using taxpayer dollars to distribute a controversial mailer touting the mayor's success to perhaps counter recall efforts at the time.
"It is deplorable that, once again, the New Orleans City Council has used their power to publicly humiliate those making daily sacrifices to advance this city rather than using their power to actually legislate and move this city forward.
"Orleans Parish just had the lowest voter turnout across the State of Louisiana, and instead of focusing on how we strengthen and unite each other across political and social divides, they would rather weaken our City's already-depleted workforce and focus on tearing apart an educational and informative brochure celebrating our accomplishments as a community.
"From our measured progress in leading the nation in violent crime reduction to aggressively tackling blight and making major infrastructure improvements, these are the real issues and initiatives that the public care about most, and we will keep delivering these types of meaningful results for the people. I want to say to all City employees – your work matters. I thank you, and the people of New Orleans thank you for showing up every day to help move our city forward."
The council voted to terminate Joseph in September, but Cantrell refused to dismiss him which led to this month's hearing.
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