The Republican legislative supermajority’s targeting of New Orleans threatens to undermine years of hard-fought public safety progress.
For months, district attorneys and legislators from across Louisiana worked collaboratively on nonpartisan legislation designed to increase the number of prosecutors statewide in order to improve public safety in every jurisdiction.
There was broad agreement around one basic reality: Louisiana needs more prosecutors, not fewer. The demands placed on modern prosecutors’ offices, particularly in violent crime jurisdictions, continue to grow while resources remain stretched thin.
Yet at the eleventh hour, Republican legislative leadership advanced amendments stripping approximately half a million dollars from the Orleans Parish District Attorney’s Office, reportedly with the support and blessing of Gov. Jeff Landry’s administration. The move occurred without meaningful discussion, supporting data or consultation with local stakeholders.
This was not simply a budgetary adjustment. It was a decision with direct public safety consequences for New Orleans.
Jason Williams
It is important for the public to understand exactly what was cut. This is not unrestricted operational funding. Under Louisiana law, this “warrant” funding can only be used for prosecutor salaries. In practical terms, the reduction means fewer prosecutors in courtrooms, fewer attorneys reviewing cases, fewer lawyers handling violent crime prosecutions and ultimately fewer resources devoted to fighting for victims and protecting public safety.
The decision comes at a particularly troubling time because New Orleans has experienced one of the most dramatic reductions in violent crime in modern city history. By virtually every account, homicides and violent crime are now at their lowest levels since the 1970s. Even President Donald Trump has publicly acknowledged the city’s public safety progress.
That progress did not happen by accident. It was built through five years of difficult work by police officers, prosecutors, judges, jurors, witnesses and community members who continued to believe in the rule of law and the importance of rebuilding trust in the justice system.
It is also no coincidence that the Orleans Parish District Attorney’s Office has tried significantly more violent crime cases since the end of the pandemic than prior administrations. Trial dockets were rebuilt, courtroom operations were restored and confidence in the system was gradually strengthened. That trust matters. It means more people increasingly believe justice can and should be pursued in a courtroom rather than through retaliation in the streets.
And yet, despite that measurable progress, Republican-controlled state leadership continues to pursue policies that weaken the very institutions responsible for maintaining public safety in New Orleans. During this year’s legislative session, there were repeated efforts to undermine local officials and local institutions rather than support the work being done.
The recent decision to eliminate multiple judgeships from Orleans Parish Criminal District Court is another example. Removing judges from one of the busiest criminal court systems in Louisiana will not make New Orleans or the surrounding parishes safer. It risks slowing prosecutions, increasing delays for victims, prolonging case resolution and placing even greater strain on an already overburdened justice system.
Particularly troubling was the targeting of Judge Rhonda Goode-Douglas, who was blindsided by legislation eliminating the seat to which the citizens of Orleans Parish elected her in 2020. Regardless of political affiliation, voters in New Orleans chose their judges through democratic elections. Overriding those choices from Baton Rouge sends a dangerous message about local self-governance and judicial independence. It also removes one of the most efficient and effective judges from the criminal courthouse.
At a time when New Orleans is finally making measurable progress in reducing violent crime, the state should be strengthening the institutions responsible for delivering justice, not dismantling them piece by piece.
This is not simply a New Orleans issue. Hurting New Orleans hurts Louisiana. Crime does not stop at parish lines, and when one parish is weakened, surrounding communities inevitably feel the ripple effects. Republicans and Democrats alike, across all 64 parishes, should understand that public safety in Louisiana is interconnected.
That is why these funding reductions are so troubling. At the very moment prosecutors handling homicide, armed robbery, domestic violence and child abuse cases are losing resources, state leaders were prepared to commit millions of taxpayer dollars toward subsidizing an international golf event connected to one of the wealthiest foreign-backed organizations in the world. The contrast raises legitimate questions about priorities.
The goal of public policy should be to strengthen the criminal justice system where measurable progress is occurring, not weaken it for political or partisan reasons. New Orleans has worked too hard and sacrificed too much to reverse course now.
But New Orleans has endured far worse than political hostility from Baton Rouge. This city has survived hurricanes, economic collapse, national neglect and generations of challenges to its independence and resilience. Each time, its people rebuilt stronger than before. We will do so again.
The people of New Orleans will not allow political agendas crafted in Baton Rouge to undo years of progress earned through sacrifice, persistence and an unwavering commitment to public safety.
