Federal Grand Jury Indicts New Orleans Mayor After Long Corruption Probe
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A federal grand jury indicted New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell on Friday after a long corruption investigation.
Cantrell’s lawyer, Eddie Castaing, confirmed to The Associated Press that an indictment was returned, and her name was read aloud by a federal magistrate judge as a defendant. The charges weren’t immediately known, though federal authorities scheduled an afternoon news conference.
The indictment is the culmination of a long-running federal investigation into the first female mayor in the city’s 300-year history.
As Cantrell heads into her final months in office, she’s alienated former confidants and supporters, and her civic profile has receded. Her early achievements were eclipsed by self-inflicted wounds and bitter feuds with a hostile city council, political observers say. The mayor’s role has weakened following voter-approved changes to the city’s charter meant to curb her authority.