Allan Katz and Danae Columbus
This week’s announcement outlining the specifics of the most comprehensive consent decree ever enacted by the Justice Department is a breath of fresh air. With it will come more transparency, accountability and better policies, philosophies and practices.
Really, the NOPD brass and their consultants like the Vera Institute should have been able to come up with most of these changes on their own. But the federal monitor will hold the NOPD’s feet to the fire. As the public becomes more involved in this process through community participation, the rank and file cops should also be brought in. They bring institutional knowledge and deserve the right to participate.
With a steep $44 million price over the four-year mandated period, the program could force budget reductions in other areas or increases in taxes. And, either way, it will still not put more cops on the streets which we so desperately need.
Former Mayor Marc Morial shines this week
It’s Marc Morial week in New Orleans. The former mayor is hosting the National Urban League convention and President Obama here which has brought in thousands of progressive Americans and corporate executives of all races to our city to network and be inspired about the opportunities of tomorrow, especially for our youth. The N.U.L. Experience Expo Hall, the Career Fair, the Small Business Entrepreneurship Summit, the State of Urban Education Plenary Session, the Project Ready College Fair and the Youth Leadership Summit Town Hall are drawing thousands from this region and across the nation. President Obama will deliver a message tonight that he hopes will inspire African-American voters across the country.
But perhaps Marc’s most significant and emotional event was the Gumbo Coalition Reunion held Sunday night at Gallier Hall attended by 1,000 of his friends and former staffers as well as those who worked for or admired his father, the late mayor Dutch Morial. And what a reunion it was: gumbo from eight restaurants, music and memorabilia — historical photographs, press clippings, pins, t-shirts, and ties — from both administrations.
It was the camaraderie that made the event special. People came from across the country including St. Louis restaurant owner Sam Kogos and transit exec Dean Bell. Sybil Morial talked about her soon-to-be-published tell-all book. Assessor Errol Williams talked about how he applied for his first job at City Hall. Judge Michael Bagneris recognized all the elected officials who came up through Dutch including Public Service Commissioner Irma Muse Dixon, Sheriff Marlin Gusman and Clerk of Court Arthur Morrell. Court of Appeals Judge Terri Love showcased all the members of the judiciary who rose up through Dutch or Marc. The Morial grandchildren were in their Sunday best and there seemed to be dozens of them. And dozens of former staff members from Dutch’s and Marc’s time caught up with folks they haven’t seen in years.
In a genuinely gracious moment, Marc stressed how important former Mayor Moon Landrieu was to opening the doors at City Hall to African-Americans. It was actually Moon who hired the first black department head and gave folks like Bob Tucker a hand up.
Marc also chose to recognize Xavier University President Dr. Norman Francis with a $10,000 donation from his family. Dr. Francis was the first African-American law student at Loyola University in the early 1950’s and as such became friends with fellow law student Moon Landrieu. Moon invited Dr. Francis to his home for a birthday party, but Moon’s mother Loretta refused to let Dr. Francis in the door.
Although Moon and Dutch were political enemies, Marc and Mitch have a warm friendly relationship that dates back to their childhood. Marc praised Mitch and Mitch praised Marc. Marc also praised U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu who was seated next to her parents.
But the person who drew the most praise was former police chief Richard Pennington and the innovative Comstat program he installed that significantly reduced crime in New Orleans back in the 1990s. Now, the word is that Comstat is coming back. Many were asking Pennington when he was coming back. They remembered that he said New Orleans needed at least 1,700 cops.
Marc held this event to greet his old friends and build on his family’s legacy. He told us he was not interested in running for Congress from the 2nd Congressional District and loved his current job as Chief Executive of the National Urban League, the people around the country he was in contact with every day, and the innovative programs he got to create which benefit millions of Americans. He also said this job gave him the opportunity to watch his kids grow up; something that Dutch probably never had time to do.
For political insiders, it was a glorious evening that evoked memories of great political campaigns, the end of segregation in New Orleans, the construction of the Louisiana Superdome, the New Orleans Arena, the Morial Convention Center and the development of the city’s $3 billion a year tourism industry. It was also a reminder that for 26 of the last 42 years, either a Landrieu or a Morial has sat in the mayor’s chair at City Hall. Some will say that’s a terrible thing that tells us what’s wrong with New Orleans.
There are those who deeply regret that U.S. Attorney Jim Letten could never put together a case to indict Marc. But others of us believe that the politics of the Landrieu and Morial families have been progressive, inclusive and visionary and vastly better than any alternative we’ve been offered. In actual truth, aside from Jimmy Fitzmorris and the late Donald Mintz, it’s difficult to think of anyone who has offered themselves in a mayor’s race in the last 50 years that had the stature, vision or passion of Moon Landrieu, Dutch Morial, Marc Morial or Mitch Landrieu.
Allan Katz spent 25 years as a political reporter and columnist at The Times-Picayune, and is now editor of the Kenner Star and host of several televsion programs, including the Louisiana Newsmaker on Cox Cable. Danae Columbus is executive producer of Louisiana Newsmaker, and has had a 30-year career in public relations, including stints at City Hall and the Dock Board. Among the recent candidates who have been represented by their public relations firm are City Councilwoman Stacy Head, Lt. Gov. Jay Dardenne and state Rep. Robert Billiot.