Richard Nixon says goodbye with a victorious salute to his staff members outside the White House as he boards a helicopter after resigning the presidency on Aug. 9, 1974. Nixon was the first president in American history to resign the nation’s highest office. His resignation came after approval of an impeachment article against him by
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Richard Nixon says goodbye with a victorious salute to his staff members outside the White House as he boards a helicopter after resigning the presidency on Aug. 9, 1974. Nixon was the first president in American history to resign the nation's highest office. His resignation came after approval of an impeachment article against him by the House Judiciary Committee for withholding evidence from Congress. He stepped down as the 37th president with a 2,026-day term, urging Americans to rally behind Gerald R. Ford. President Ford fully pardoned Nixon one month later. (AP Photo/Bob Daugherty)
This is a topic I never thought I would be writing about, but sometimes news events take an unexpected bounce. So, here goes: What do New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell and former President Richard Nixon have in common?
Well, there are many answers, such as both were born in California; Cantrell in Los Angles and Nixon in Yorba Linda, about 33 miles southeast of the big city.
A more current answer came to mind this past week. Both Nixon and Cantrell are examples of the phenomenon of the overreaching chief executive. In 1973, Historian Arthur Schlesinger wrote a book entitled “The Imperial President” warning about the ability for executives to ignore and to use more power than intended. The criticism applied to several presidents, even the sainted Abraham Lincoln. The framers of the constitution had wanted a system for checks and balance between the presidency, congress and the courts, but a Chief Executive can often act swiftly without the encumbrance of law-makers or judges.
Among the several examples of power abusers was Nixon, who was criticized for obstructing the Watergate probe and using the military to investigate political enemies.
He did so much that was wrong that even he eventually thought it was best for him to resign.
During his time in office the phrase “Imperial Presidency” became so well known that a future candidate, Jimmy Carter, campaigned as being non-Imperial. He was a former governor of Georgia but more importantly he presented himself as just plain Jimmy, a peanut farmer who even carried his own suit bag on and off of Air Force One.
Cantrell hasn’t flown in the presidential jet but she has flown first class, at the city’s expense, in commercial airliners on international flights including to France. That was in violation of council rules and she has since reimbursed the city for her mis-spending. She has also enjoyed public-financed luxury by, on several occasions, staying for free in the city-owned apartment that is part of the Upper Pontalba Building. In the past the unit has been used mostly for VIP receptions but never as a hangout.
After surveillance cameras revealed a series of extended uses, the council passed a law forbidding overnight stays in the facility, but such rules apparently do not apply to the imperially-inclined. She and a group of at least four guests appear to have stayed there for most of Essence Festival weekend. And, as though to emphasize her importance, she, on several occasions, arrived there in a city-owned SUV escorted by police motorcycles.
We know about those activities, which might have otherwise gone unnoticed during lazy summer days in the Quarter, because of aggressive reporting by Fox 8 reporter Lee Zurik.
According to the surveillance video obtained by Fox 8, police motorcycle escorts brought the mayor’s SUV (with guests) in and out of the French Quarter at least nine times over Essence weekend, including, at least once, past 1:00 a.m. Also, officer Jeffery Vappie, who has travelled with the mayor on trips to provide security, supposedly on the payroll, was spotted outside the apartment four times.
As this is written the council seems angry and determined to tighten the rules about using the Potabla as an urban Camp David.
(One suggestion that makes incredible sense comes from the city’s Inspector General, Edward Michel, who argues that the apartment should be taken over by the French Market Commission, which oversees the rest of the Upper Pontalba and “put into commerce,” which is a way of saying “rented to tourists.” He estimates it could generate $36,000 a year. And, I might add, the police escorts can go back to policing.)
We should acknowledge that the those who seek public office are generally not shy and appreciate some touches of royalty.
Schlesinger’s book dealt with serious stuff such as presidents needing to claim more power during the heat of wars; but even at the mayoral level, where the wars are local, there is a need for respect of the law.
Those who are best at governing know how to use power but should have the restraint not to abuse it.
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Have something to add to this story, or want to send a comment to Errol? Email him at errol@myneworleans.com. Note: All responses are subject to being published, as edited, in this article. Please include your name and location.
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