In an expected move, New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell has filed a lawsuit challenging the settlement which lowered the number of signatures needed for her recall petition. The lawsuit is mainly directed at Louisiana Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin, who had worked up the settlement with recall organizers to lower the signature threshold in a move that has been called a “backroom deal” by some. Along with Ardoin being at the forefront, the lawsuit also mentions Judge Jennifer Medley who had approved the settlement.
The lawsuit seeks to nullify the recall petition due to Ardoin’s settlement and Judge Medley’s signing of the petition, both actions Cantrell’s legal team has declared as being unlawful.
The lawsuit declares that Ardoin’s settlement that was reached with the recall organizers is invalid.
The settlement sought to lower the number of signatures needed for the recall as if 25,000 voters would have been removed from the active voter rolls, without actually removing anyone from the rolls. This number was agreed upon after a data company had discovered that there were 30,000 voters on the active rolls in Orleans Parish who had either moved or died.
Cantrell originally criticized the move when news of it broke in early March. The mayor chose to express her criticism in a laughably desperate attempt to paint it as racism, when she made the claim that the recall organizers were not just going after her but black voters from Orleans Parish.
The lawsuit also argues that Judge Medley’s signing of the recall petition and failure to disclose that when presiding over the case is also solid grounds for nullifying the petition.
The Times Picayune had recevied a list of signatures on the recall petition after the settlement to lower the voter counts was reached. It was then revealed that Judge Jennifer Medley had signed the petition.
Signatures on the petition are still being counted currently, and this lawsuit only adds to the uncertainty of the entire situation.
