Holden campaign hits back at Walker ad focusing on Farrakhan visit

Baton Rouge Police Chief Dewayne White is taking responsibility for overseeing an incident that has spawned one of the most sensational ads of the political season: “Limoing Louie.” The spot, paid for by Mike Walker’s campaign, takes Mayor Kip Holden to task for a police escort that Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan received when he spoke earlier this month at Southern University. “The Mayor-President had no prior knowledge of Minister Farrakhan’s scheduled visit … nor did I consult with the Mayor when security arrangements were coordinated,” White writes in an email, adding that no overtime dollars were used. Walker’s ad shows Farrakhan speaking at Southern and thanking the mayor, the police chief and the city police for meeting his flight in New Orleans and “shepherding” him to Baton Rouge. It concludes with the tag line: “Mayor, our police and taxes are for fighting crime, not limoing Louie.” In response, Holden’s campaign says the ad is misleading: that it takes a legitimate police action and tries to make it a political activity. The campaign notes that Farrakhan did not ride in a limousine or a police vehicle. “The security measures taken, coordinated by State Police and the Baton Rouge Police, were no different from what has been provided for any other high-profile public figure who has visited Baton Rouge,” the statement reads. Check out the full story here, which includes a link to the ad. —Stephanie Riegel