Louisiana Supreme Court intervenes in Orleans clerk showdown
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Chelsey Richard Napoleon, center, before City Council on Monday. Photo: Carlie Kollath Wells/Axios
The Louisiana Supreme Court stepped in Thursday and paused a high-stakes game of chicken between Attorney General Liz Murrill and Mayor Helena Moreno.
Why it matters: The tensions have been ratcheting up this week between the Republicans who lead the state and the Democrats who lead its biggest city.
The big picture: The state Supreme Court said it will review the law that merged the civil and criminal clerk positions in Orleans Parish, The Times-Picayune reports.
- Until then, Chelsey Richard Napoleon will run the consolidated clerk office, the court said.
- The action came after the council this week voted 5-2 to name retired Judge Calvin Johnson as interim clerk of court, a position Murrill says belonged to Napoleon.
- Napoleon and Johnson were both overseeing election prep Thursday.
Zoom in: Murrill on Wednesday demanded city leaders withdraw their support for Johnson and end their plan to hold a special election, according to letters she sent to Moreno and other city officials.
- If they don't, the letters threaten to have them removed under the state's usurper law. The governor, a Republican, would then appoint their replacements.
- Moreno and five city council members say they will wait for the courts to decide the clerk case.
Zoom out: Napoleon is suing Moreno, Council President JP Morrell and Johnson.
- The council met for about 45 minutes Thursday in executive session to discuss the lawsuit and declined to comment after adjourning.
- Meanwhile, Calvin Duncan, whose criminal clerk position was eliminated by lawmakers, is suing the state to overturn Act 15, which consolidated the clerkships.
- Gary Crockett, a U.S. Senate candidate, also filed a lawsuit saying Act 15 is unconstitutional.
- The Supreme Court took up both cases, citing "the urgent need to provide a definitive resolution to prevent further confusion," John Simerman wrote for The Times-Picayune.
The intrigue: It's unclear whether the Supreme Court's involvement resolves Murrill's threats to remove Moreno and the council members from office.
- Murrill and Moreno both put out statements supporting the court's involvement.
- They did not respond to Axios' questions about the usurper law.
Go deeper: Louisiana's political chaos shows no signs of slowing