New Orleans, Louisiana—New Orleans City Attorney, Penya Moses-Fields on Tuesday, issued an official statement concerning a very public dispute with the New Orleans Inspector General, Robert Cerasoli.
According to the Times Picayune, on Monday, Cerasoli, “rejected a request by the city attorney that he notify her office whenever he begins an investigation of a city agency.
In a letter to Cerasoli on Friday, Penya Moses-Fields said, "It would be helpful if, in the future, you would provide a direct communication to my office when you initiate an investigation."
In his response Monday, Cerasoli said that sending such notifications "would be inconsistent with (his) office's role and statutory responsibilities and accordingly, we will not do so."
Cerasoli said the law setting up his office provides that it will be "operationally independent from the legislative and executive branches of the city, " which precludes his alerting the city attorney about pending investigations.
The dispute has prompted the New Orleans City Attorney, who is employed by Mayor C. Ray Nagin, to issue this statement:
OFFICIAL STATEMENT FROM CITY ATTORNEY PENYA MOSES-FIELDS
A great deal of misinformation has ensued since I sent a straightforward letter last week to the City's Inspector General, asking how he would like to have me address public records requests for information that may be privileged and thus not eligible for release to other parties as a result of his investigation.
To be clear: The intent of the letter was to offer my cooperation, not to make demands of Inspector General Robert Cerasoli. The letter was in response to an announcement by Mr. Cerasoli to the public that he was initiating an investigation into the New Orleans Affordable Homeownership Corporation (NOAH). The law provides for his records, as well as those matters that are under criminal investigation, to remain confidential. My office has received public records requests from other parties for records related to NOAH, and if those requests are honored, the records will no longer be confidential.
My letter was a courtesy to the Inspector General's Office, inquiring as to whether he would like the records to remain confidential or not.If his preference is for records to remain confidential, I need to be clear that in order for my office to accommodate this position for future investigations, I would need to be advised of such investigations.
I appreciate the need for the Inspector General's Office to remain independent and I am certain that Mr. Cerasoli's independence would not be compromised through cooperation and coordination with the City Attorney's office.
It is my assumption that the Inspector General's Office, like the City Attorney's Office, is committed to ensuring that citizens benefit from good government.
WTF, the reality of the situation is exactly what Mayor Worm and his appointees have been doing over the past few years since Katrina. The issue is clear and that is that the IG's office is independent and should not rest on any decesion of a member of the Mayor's staff. It is time for the grandstanding to stop and for the necessary law officials to step in and settle this mess we now call New Orleans for once and for all. Can Ms. Penya Moses-Fields point to laws that supported her call. To that we believe the answer is no. Written by RhettsWife
on 8/5/2008
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These two statements are a bunch of BS.
I am certain that Mr. Cerasoli's independence would not be compromised through cooperation and coordination with the City Attorney's office.
It is my assumption that the Inspector General's Office, like the City Attorney's Office, is committed to ensuring that citizens benefit from good government.
Cerasoli has taken the right position on this deal. He should only have to report to the city council. Not to anyone in the administration who he will probably be investigating in the future.
Written by WTF
on 8/5/2008
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Wendy: I hope you realize that my note was dripping with sarcasm. I have no faith in City Hall and the latest bunch of crooks, and feel sure they are devoting much energy to covering up and trying to blunt the efforts of the IG. Written by noladude
on 8/5/2008
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Ms Moses-Fields, no matter what her "clarification" letter says, doesn't want the IG to "get ahead" of her, run his office independently (which is precisely the City Council's mandate in setting up this office-to be independent), and do what he and his staff have the authority to do: investigate any and all complaints about city officials and agencies and their relationships with contractors, developers, lobbyists, and anyone else who stands to profit from relationships with the city government, at the expense of New Orleans taxpayers and residents. That includes any improper conduct by the City Attorney's office, the Mayor's office, or anyone else with power. Written by Wendy King
on 8/5/2008
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Sure. She didn't want the information to be able to run interference for the mayor and Ms Jackson. She's just being the good city employeed working to speedily get the IG office up and running, as has always been the case with city hall, and to help the IG track down all the criminal activities in government of our city. Of course she doesn't want the up fron alerts for purposes of sidetracking the investigation. Of course she and the mayor are not worried that something smelly will come out of the investigation. Written by noladude
on 8/5/2008
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Bull Hockey, lady. Those records are public records and should be available to all concerned. Which part of PUBLIC RECORDS STATUTES, LSA-R.S. 44:1 ET SEQ. are applicable. Prove your point Ms. Penya Moses-Fields - inquiring people would like to know. Written by RhettsWife
on 8/5/2008
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