AG Jeff Landry does not want State taxpayers footing bill
of projects until City officials confirm they will enforce laws
BATON ROUGE, LA – Amid news of the New Orleans City Council,
Mayor, Police Chief, District Attorney, and Sheriff pledging not to enforce
Louisiana’s abortion laws – Attorney General Jeff Landry called on the
Treasurer and his fellow Bond Commission Members to delay any applications and
funding for the City until its officials have affirmed they will enforce State
laws.
“As Attorney General and member of the Bond Commission, it
is my belief that a parish or municipality should not benefit from the
hard-working taxpayers of this State while ignoring laws validly enacted by the
people through their representatives,” said Attorney General Landry. “In light
of the City’s open defiance of the will of the people of Louisiana, I urge the
Bond Commission to defer any applications for the City of New Orleans, Orleans
Parish, and any local governmental entity or political subdivision under its
purview. In addition, any other funding that will directly benefit the City of
New Orleans should also be paused until such time as the Council, Mayor, Chief
of Police, Sheriff, and District Attorney have met with and affirmed that they
will comply with and enforce the laws of this State and cooperate with any State
officials who may be called upon to enforce them.”
“The officials in New Orleans took an oath of office to
support and enforce the laws of our State, yet they appear to have decided that
some laws are not worthy of enforcement,” added Attorney General Landry.
“Nothing in the statutes, the City Charter, or the State Constitution permits
these officials to blatantly ignore State law, conspire not to enforce it, and
violate their oaths of office in this manner. In fact, our State
Constitution prohibits this very conduct.”
In a letter to the Treasurer, Attorney General Landry noted
that many Members of the Bond Commission, including the Governor, have gone on
the record casting votes in support of the very laws that these elected
officials are blatantly and publicly refusing to uphold. “I ask that you and my
fellow Bond Commission members join me in ensuring that the parishes and
municipalities of this State comply with all laws of our State, especially
those protecting the lives of the unborn,” wrote Attorney General Landry.