Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry is suing to overturn two of Gov. John Bel Edwards appointments to the Red River Waterways Commission, arguing they are illegal.
As The News Star reports, Edwards’ opponents have said the governor declined the nomination of Carolyn Prator to the board because her husband Caddo Parish Sheriff Steve Prator is a critic of the governor’s justice reforms.
The lawsuit, filed in Natchitoches Parish, asks the court to prevent Edwards’ appointments of retired Col. Michael Deville of Rapides Parish and Ronald Lattier as the Caddo Parish member of the commission.
Landry, at a press conference last week in Shreveport, declared Edwards must accept the nomination of Prator from the Caddo Parish Commission, the Caddo Levee District and the Red River Valley Association.
The governor’s staff has consistently said Edwards appointed Deville of Rapides Parish rather than Prator to the commission to achieve more balanced representation, allowing Caddo and Rapides to each have two board seats.
A lengthy statement released this afternoon by the governor’s office calls the suit as “typical Jeff Landry. He shoots first and aims later, except this time, he’s wasting taxpayer resources.”
Edwards maintains all appointments to the Red River Waterway Commission were made legally and within his authority.
Landry says if the appointments are deemed illegal any business the board conducts could be illegal. Earlier this month U.S. Sen. John Kennedy accused Edwards of conducting “vendetta” politics when he appointed Deville rather than Prator.
Landry and Kennedy are Republicans who are both considering running against the Democratic governor next fall.
