Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill on Wednesday warned Mayor Helena Moreno and other top New Orleans elected officials that she would seek their removal from office if they do not “officially retract” support for electing a new court clerk, a dramatic escalation in a raging dispute over that role.
In a letter to Moreno, District Attorney Jason Williams and five City Council members, Murrill said the officials were at risk of violating several state laws after a council vote this week to trigger an election for the newly merged clerk’s office and appoint an interim clerk.
Murrill’s warning drew a sharp response from Moreno, who said she wouldn’t be “intimidated” from pursuing the legal fight over who should oversee the parish clerk’s office. Murrill accused the officials of “usurping” the authority of Chelsey Napoleon, who Murrill argues is the city’s lawful clerk…