Louisiana Attorney General LIZ MURRILL (photo courtesy of Louisiana Attorney General's Office/Facebook)
Attorney General Liz Murrill has filed lawsuits seeking records related to the now-dismissed 16-count indictment against her. Murrill alleges the grand jury process was used for political purposes after she was indicted on malfeasance and public intimidation charges.
“If it turns out that this just did magically happen without anybody being involved in it, and nobody was targeting me because they were mad at the governor or mad at me; you know, which is bizarre and nobody believes that; but if somehow, in some world, that turns out to be true, then I accept that,” Murrill said.
The indictment has intensified tensions between New Orleans officials and state leaders in Baton Rouge. Mayor Helena Moreno has requested a meeting with Governor Jeff Landry, but the governor says that won’t happen until questions surrounding the indictment are answered.
“I don’t want to go visit with the mayor if she was involved in it. She may say she’s not, but suppose I find out that she is?” Landry said.
Landry and Murrill are also questioning whether the secrecy of the grand jury process was violated. Murrill says information that should have remained confidential was improperly disclosed.
“Called me and gave me information that could only be confidential information from inside the room. That’s what makes it a crime,” Murrill noted.
The lawsuits name special prosecutor Laurie White and New Orleans District Attorney Jason Williams. Murrill wants a judge to order the release of text messages, phone records and other documents related to the case. Williams denies having any role in the indictment.
“I don’t want to fight with the governor. I don’t want to fight with the AG. I’ve made it very, very clear that I played no role; I did not initiate or handle any part of that grand jury investigation,” Williams said.
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