Louisiana Republicans have eliminated an elected position days before an exoneree who overwhelmingly won the New Orleans-based clerk seat was to take office. Republican Gov. Jeff Landry quietly signed legislation abolishing the longstanding Orleans Parish clerk of criminal court position into law on Thursday, the AP reports. Calvin Duncan, a Democrat who spent nearly 30 years behind bars for a crime he did not commit, easily won election to the office in November, beating the incumbent by earning more than two-thirds of the vote. He had been set to take office on Monday. Duncan has asked a federal judge to allow him to assume office as scheduled.
Republicans contend wiping away the office is a consolidation effort meant to make the local judicial system more efficient and cut costs. Democrats describe the change as government overreach—arguing that it infringes on a predominately Black parish’s decision at the polls. “It’s a sad thing to see the state government repeating what happened to Black public officials during Reconstruction,” Duncan said. “They will do what they do, and I will do whatever I have to do to vindicate the voters of New Orleans and make sure that what happened to me never happens to anybody else.” Landry did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
