Gov. Landry moves to reshape inspector general role

Gov. Jeff Landry is moving to remake one of Louisiana’s main government watchdogs while installing a former official from Gov. Bobby Jindal’s administration at its helm, Louisiana Illuminator writes. 

Landry this week replaced long-serving Inspector General Stephen Street with Angele Davis and signaled the office’s mission could shift from corruption investigations toward efficiency, cost savings and “optimization” inside the executive branch. The governor contends the inspector general now duplicates work already done by the Legislative Auditor’s office and suggests the office could even lose its law enforcement status. 

Davis, a veteran budget and operations manager, says she will review whether the agency needs police powers and pledges to avoid overlapping with the auditor or attorney general. 

Major changes would require legislation during the upcoming legislative session that begins March 9. 

The move fits a broader pattern of Landry reshaping independent oversight bodies, including recent changes to the Board of Ethics, and reopens a debate over watchdog independence from the governor.

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