Louisiana abortion politics spill over to block New Orleans sewer project funding

Louisiana's Bond Commission continued to hold a $39 million New Orleans sewer project hostage because the city's top elected officials have said they won't enforce the state's abortion ban.

It's the second straight month the Bond Commission blocked advancement of the project to build a power station to improve the city's sewer pump infrastructure with 7-6 opposition led by Republican Attorney General Jeff Landry.

Last month the Bond Commission, led by a motion from Landry's designee, deferred the project after the New Orleans mayor, City Council, sheriff and district attorney all vowed to defy Louisiana's abortion ban.

This time Landry appeared at the meeting himself.

"It seems (the city) wants to defy the will of the Legislature and the laws of this state," Landry said Thursday. "And it's not the first time the city has thumbed its nose at the laws of our state and the laws of our nation."

Landry referred to New Orleans being tagged in 2016 as a "sanctuary city," identified as a city where police don't automatically ask about witnesses' or suspects' immigration status and are reluctant to hold illegal immigrants for federal officials.

"How do you believe you have the right to overtly defy the laws of the state?" Landry said during Thursday's Bond Commission meeting.

Paul Rainwater, a lobbyist representing the city and Mayor LaToya Cantrell, said the Bond Commission shouldn't be the venue for politics to derail an important infrastructure project unrelated to abortion.

"Rather than holding up money for projects there are other means for enforcement," Rainwater said. "You're putting a lot of people at risk by holding up the project."

Rainwater implored the commission to "find something non-essential to go after, not the sewerage and water board."

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Landry, who said city officials may be committing malfeasance, asked Rainwater if the City Council would rescind its resolution preventing enforcement of the abortion ban.

"I haven't had that conversation about rescinding the resolution," Rainwater said.

Republican House Appropriations Chair Jerome "Zee" Zeringue of House made the motion to defer the project until members of the City Council appear before the commission in person.

Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards' two designees, as well as all of the state senators on the panel, voted to advance the project.

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"This is all about political theater," said Edwards' Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne.

Republican Treasurer John Schroder, who chairs the Bond Commission, has said he objects to the politicizing of the committee, but Schroder didn't vote Thursday.

“We’re playing politics with this and I don’t like it,” Schroder said during the last meeting. “I am trying not to be cute about this. This is a bond commission. We deal with the finances of the state, and as long as you check the boxes, then those things get approved.”

Greg Hilburn covers state politics for the USA TODAY Network of Louisiana. Follow him on Twitter @GregHilburn1.

This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: New Orleans sewer project held hostage by Louisiana abortion politics