Attorney General Liz Murrill
An Orleans Parish Grand Jury is reportedly investigating whether Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill’s made illegal threats to New Orleans officials. During a news conference Wednesday morning, Murrill said she knew nothing beyond what had been reported by the media.
“I’ve never received any notice from anybody,” said Murrill. “I literally got a phone call from a person in the press yesterday that said, ‘Have you heard this?’ and I said, ‘No.'”
May 13, Murrill sent letters to Mayor Helena Moreno, five city council members and Orleans Parish District Attorney Jason Williams, threatening to remove them from their offices over a special election for a newly merged clerk of criminal and civil courts. Murrill said she stands by the letters she sent.
“My job is the Attorney General, and it is defined in law, in the Constitution,” said Murrill. “So whatever anybody else does, I will continue to do my job as Attorney General the way that I think is appropriate.”
Moreno responded via social media when she received the letters. “It is surprising that the attorney general put all of this in a letter, considering there is also a criminal law that prohibits intimidating or threatening a public official in an effort to try to influence their decision or change their position,” she said.
The city called the special election, which was struck down by the State Supreme Court, after the legislature eliminated the office of Orleans Parish clerk of criminal court and merged that role with that of the clerk of civil court, dictating that the civil court clerk fill the newly merged role. Murrill pointed out that her job is not to make the law, but rather to defend the law.
“I didn’t have any involvement with the judicial legislation that changed the judges, and I had no involvement with the legislation regarding the clerk’s office,” said Murrill.
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