New Orleans Mayor Says Reporter “Freaks Her Out”
You probably remember the story from last month about the mayor of New Orleans, LaToya 'tha destroya' Cantrell, claiming she had to travel first class because, according to her, traveling coach was 'dangerous for black women.' So her trips to Switzerland and Singapore were all charged to the fine tax payers of the Big Easy.
The mayor also lived in a $3,000 a month city owned apartment in the French Quarter. And according to a WWL report, she was living there rent free, claiming she 'has every right to do so.' If you'd like to read more about her extravagant spending in more detail, click the link in the red box.
Mayor Cantrell recently answered questions about her travel and living habits affecting her effectiveness and leadership. But it wasn't exactly a 'mayoral' type response. FOX 8 investigative reporter Lee Zurik has been running a series of reports that includes over 600 hours of recordings of her entering and leaving the French Quarter apartment.
When Zurik queried the mayor, she was dismissive to him, and said:
“It kind of freaks me out to see you quite frankly because you’ve been very inappropriate in my opinion,”
When asked about the excessive amount of time she spends at the apartment, located in the Upper Pontalba building in Jackson Square, traveling with a New Orleans police officer assigned to her security detail, she refused to acknowledge whether or not she thought it was appropriate.
“You’ve done more than any other reporter in this room that has been in my opinion in violation of me as a human being, so with that sir, thank you very much,” said Cantrell.
An investigation has also been launched by the city's inspector general into whether the mayor has used the apartment for personal use along with the police officer.