Orleans Parish, LA District Attorney: Former criminal court judge Keva Landrum earned an endorsement last week from New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell in the Nov. 3 all-party primary to succeed retiring incumbent Leon Cannizzaro, who is one of the most punitive district attorneys in the entire country. Landrum, like her three opponents in the campaign for this six-year term and nearly all notable politicians in New Orleans (the city is coterminous with Orleans Parish), is a Democrat, but there are some notable differences between the contenders.
The Appeal’s Katie Jane Fernelius notes that Landrum, who served as interim district attorney in 2007 and 2008, has adopted fewer progressive stances than her two major opponents, former criminal court judges Arthur Hunter and New Orleans City Council President Jason Williams. (Disclaimer: Jeff Singer performed work for a consulting firm employed by Jason Williams in 2014.) A fourth candidate, former criminal court Morris Reed, is also on the ballot, but he’s done little campaigning and hasn’t reported raising money.
Notably, Fernelius writes of a recent forum, “Unlike Hunter and Williams, she [Landrum] did not indicate that she would oppose arresting defendants on grounds relating to their immigration status.” Landrum also did not say if she would support a city ordinance sponsored by Williams and backed by Hunter that would require the local public defender’s office to receive 85% of the amount of funding that is assigned to the DA. Landrum, who has campaigned on her prior experience as district attorney, has responded to critics by arguing, “The best way to change a system is to work within it and learn that system.”
Williams and Hunter, by contrast, have adopted more reform stances. Notably, both men have said they would drop all marijuana possession charges, while Landrum said she would either transfer these cases to a lower court or drop them herself. Unlike each his two main opponents, though, Hunter has not ruled out seeking the death penalty.
Fernelius also writes that Williams has stood out as the only contender who has promised “to never make use of the habitual offender statute to enhance defendants’ sentences,” which Cannizzaro has often employed during his 12 years in office. Hunter has said that he’d make use of the habitual offender statute while still pushing the Louisiana legislature to abolish it, and he’s also called for the legislature to do away with capital punishment. Landrum has also said she’d charge people as habitual offenders, though she said she’d limit the use of this power.
But while Williams, who holds a citywide Council seat, may have started the race out with the most name recognition, he got bad news in June when he was indicted by federal prosecutors for alleged tax fraud. Williams has pleaded not-guilty, and his trial is scheduled for after the election in January.
Williams, who had been challenging Cannizzaro before the incumbent retired 90 minutes before the July filing deadline, had a head start over his opponents in fundraising, but Landrum posted strong opening numbers. Landrum outraised Hunter $212,000 to $102,000 from late July to late September, while Williams took in $76,000 during this time. Landrum held a smaller $124,000 to $116,000 cash-on-hand edge over Williams, though, while Hunter was in third with $95,000.
All the candidates will compete on one ballot on Nov. 3 and if no one takes a majority, a runoff would take place Dec. 5.