Mayor Cantrell's scandals, explained
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Photo illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios. Photo: Ludovic Marin/AFP via Getty Images
Mayor LaToya Cantrell has been dogged by scandals since she was elected in 2018.
Why it matters: The Democrat says many of the controversies are Republican-led attacks because she is a Black woman, the first one to hold the mayoral office in the city.
- Her critics disagree.
State of play: Here's a look back at some of the bumps during her tenure so far.
- She has spoken about most of these issues at press conferences.
Recall efforts: Residents launched an effort to recall Cantrell last year that ultimately failed in March when organizers were not able to get enough valid signatures.
- During the recall, her spokesman, Gregory Joseph, sent taxpayer-funded pamphlets that the City Council says violated city policy. Joseph goes before the City Council on Tuesday where they will decide whether to fire him.
Alleged affair: Cantrell and her bodyguard, NOPD officer Jeffrey Vappie, had an affair, according to accusations by Vappie's wife in divorce filings.
- Cantrell and Vappie have both denied the allegations, including in a colorful text exchange she had with a reporter in January.
Pontalba apartment: The city owns an apartment in the Upper Pontalba building in Jackson Square that has been used by mayors for years.
- Cantrell's use of it came under scrutiny when surveillance footage showed the mayor visiting the apartment, sometimes with Vappie.
- In March, the city's inspector general recommended the city relinquish the apartment and rent it to the public. And after a tussle with the mayor and the City Council, that happened in August.
First-class travel: Cantrell's international travel has sparked criticism that eventually led to her repaying the city nearly $29,000 she spent on upgrades like first-class airfare to France last year.
- She shot down the criticism at the time. "Anyone who wants to question how I protect myself just doesn't understand the world Black women walk in," she said during a media briefing.
- This year, she has been on at least two international trips: South Korea and France. The trip to South Korea cost more than $30,000 and included first-class and business-class upgrades.
- The mayor's office declined to release financial details about the recent France trip to Axios New Orleans. A public records request is pending.
Image consultant: FBI agents questioned retailers in 2022 related to Tanya Haynes, Cantrell's image consultant.
- Cantrell's campaign has paid Haynes and her business more than $230,000, according to WWL.
- At the time, the FBI and the acting U.S. attorney declined to comment about a possible investigation.
Forward Together: Cantrell started a nonprofit called Forward Together, but had to shut it down this year after the inspector general questioned two contracts that sent city money to her charity, WWL reports.
- The nonprofit had to repay more than $1 million to the city.
Smart Cities: A now-abandoned project to increase public internet access in New Orleans caused another scandal for Cantrell. A City Council investigation found evidence of potential contract-rigging, ethics violations and perjury by city officials, Verite reports.
- Two of Cantrell's staffers were involved, but the Louisiana Ethics Board cleared the employees, Jonathan Rhodes and Christopher Wolff, of any violations.
Zoom out: Cantrell has also had several other big problems to deal with during her two terms, including the collapse of the Hard Rock Hotel, the COVID-19 pandemic, an increase in violent crime, trash contract kerfuffles and the consent decree that governs the New Orleans Police Department.