(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) Republican Louisiana Lieutenant Gov. Billy Nungesser slammed New Orleans city officials on Saturday for security lapses many individuals believe could have prevented Wednesday’s ISIS-linked massacre.
Speaking on Fox & Friends Saturday with host Guy Benson, Nungesser revealed it was the state government, not the city, that deployed additional troopers in preparation for New Year’s Eve. A man went on to drive his vehicle into a celebration on Wednesday, killing at least 14 people and injuring dozens more.
“Since I’ve been elected lieutenant governor, we’ve been fighting with the administration to make the French Quarter safer,” he told Benson. “Not until [Gov.] Jeff Landry put a state police troop in the French Quarter, we saw great progress to save the French Quarter before this incident.”
Reports confirm that the New Orleans Police Department had removed barricades from the French Quarter to prepare for upgrades ahead of February’s Super Bowl. This left Christmas and New Year’s tourists in danger.
Nungesser called this security breach “unacceptable.” However, New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell’s office dismissed the criticism, releasing a statement earlier this week.
“The City of New Orleans will not be distracted by outside commentary and welcomes everyone to join the positive efforts of the unified command partners,” the New Orleans Mayor’s Office said.
Nungesser, who has been in office since 2016, fired back and accused the city government of longstanding failures.
“I’ve been working with her administration for eight years to put a plan together to manage the Quarter,” he said. “She couldn’t even give a garbage contract to get the Quarter cleaned up before the Super Bowl and the City Council had to give an emergency contract because she gave it to someone that wasn’t in that business.”
The lieutenant governor also warned that other areas of the city remain dangerously vulnerable to attacks.
“For two years we’ve been trying to get the posts around Jackson Square replaced,” he added. “There’s no protection to Jackson Square. I put a video out yesterday, you can drive through that mall around Jackson Square by the St. Louis Cathedral without even stopping and a car can run right through there. It’s absurd her lack of leadership while she travels the world and leaves this city unprotected. Everyone should be outraged.”
