Lighting The Road To Freedom Data Zone Page 9 American Gangster Review “The People’s Paper” September October 27, 1, 20072007 41st41st YearYear VolumeVolume 37 37 www.ladatanews.com www.ladatanews.com Data News Exclusive: The Rise and Fall of Eddie Jordan Newsmaker Trailblazer Low turnout decides L’Oreal Evans-Birden election for some Page 6 Page 4 Photos.by.Victor.Holt Page October 7, 007 Cover Story www.ladatanews.com Data News Exclusive: The Rise and Fall of Eddie Jordan ordered ”. Continuing. he. says,. “And. when. you. think.about.the.civil.rights.statutes.and.what.they. were.designed.to.do.and.it.is.interesting.that.they. rarely.result.in.a.substantial.judgment.but.in.some. cases. there. have. been. where. private. companies. have.been.sued.successfully.but.it.is.rare.that.a. city.agency.that.has.been.sued.successfully.even. though.we.know.discrimination.has.taken.place.in. the.past.in.respect.to.some.of.our.city.agencies ”. Jordan.feels.that.what.happened.in.his.case.was. unfair.and.that.the.lawsuit.itself.was.frivolous.giv- en.the.nature.of.politics.where.to.the.winner.goes. the.spoils.is.the.rule.of.the.day ..Noting.that.he.is. not.the.first.person.to.reorganize.a.staff.upon.en- tering.office,.“I.am.by.far.not.the.first.person.to. do.this,.and.I.did.it.at.the.time.not.with.anything. racial.in.mind.but.to.ensure.that.I.would.have.loyal. people.who.would.be.enthusiastic.about.the.mis- By Edwin Buggage won.the.race.in.a.heated.run-off.against.Dale.At- sion,.message,.agenda.and.plan.of.my.administra- Photos by Glenn Summers kins ..Before.his.election.to.the.D A’s. .office.Jordan. tion;.that’s.generally.why.people.do.this.in.politics. garnered.support.in.the.African-American.and.the. as.well.as.business ”. .Reiterating.his.point.he.said,. white.community,.now.several.years.later.Jordan. “Again.I.was.not.acting.on.the.basis.of.race;.I.was. Politics.New.Orleans.Style has.become.persona.non.grata.in.some.segments. acting.on.the.basis.of.the.principals.of.what.new. Since.Hurricane.Katrina.New.Orleans.has.been. of.the.community ..Since.Hurricane.Katrina.Jordan. office.holders.abide.by ”. in.the.spotlight.as.being.a.place.where.inequality,. has.been.facing.a.barrage.of.criticism.and.recently. As.the.city.faces.a.recovery.from.Hurricane.Ka- incompetent.leadership,.political.corruption,.crime. was.engaged.in.a.fight.for.his.political.life.which. trina,.and.as.people.vie.for.positions.of.leadership. and. racial. strife. is. as. common. as. Red. Beans. on. was.finally.lost.when.he.caved.into.pressure.and. and. a. possible. attempt. to. reconfigure. the. racial. Monday.or.King.Cakes.and.Zulu.Coconuts.during. announced.his.resignation .. make-up.seems.on.the.horizon.a.fact.not.lost.on. Mardi.Gras,.but.this.is.not.a.flavor.to.savor ..It.is.not. Jordan ..“I.feel.there.has.been.an.effort.to.change. the.best.of.times.in.a.city.that.is.in.its.darkest.hour. Race.to.Justice:.Jordan’s.Last.Stand the.leadership.of.the.city.and.my.office.is.no.ex- seemingly.sinking.into.the.abyss ..For.many.New. Recently,. losing. a. case. appealing. the. decision. ception.so.I.think.that.is.what’s.going.on.so.its.part. Orleans.is.at.its.nadir.and.is.struggling.to.become. that. his. office. lost. in. connection. with. a. 3 7. mil- of.a.much.broader.scheme.to.simply.remove.most. a.viable.city.once.again,.and.what.it.is.to.become.is. lion. dollar. lawsuit. brought. against. his. office. by. if.not.all.the.leadership.that.has.been.in.place.for. still.a.question.that.only.time.will.answer .. thirty-six. white. former. employees. for. racial. dis- many.years ”. In.politics.it.is.a.short.journey.from.fame.and. crimination ..He.says.of.the.decision,.“We.fought. acclaim. to. infamy;. it. is. a. shell. game. where. one. the.lawsuit.throughout.the.court.system.and.even. Crime.at.the.Doorstep can.go.from.the.penthouse.of.popularity.into.the. through. the. appellate. process. and. unfortunately. In.a.recent.turn.of.events.District.Attorney.Jor- outhouse.of.public.outcry.asking.for.their.ouster .. we. haven’t. been. successful,. so. now. we. are. obli- dan’s.longtime.girlfriend.Cherylynn.Robinson.was. Eddie. Jordan. was. once. a. political. star. rising. to. gated.by.law.to.satisfy.the.judgment ”. .Continuing. driven.back.to.the.home.she.shares.with.him.by. being.appointed.to.the.U S. ..Attorneys.Office.Un- he.says,.“I.did.not.think.it.was.a.fair.result.in.trial. two.men.on.of.whom.Elton.Phillips.who.is.a.rela- der. then. President. Bill. Clinton .. The. first. for. an. court.and.unfortunately.we.lost.despite.our.best. tive.of.an.acquaintance.of.Robinson,.later.on.that. African.American.in.Louisiana.in.this.the.best.of. efforts.so.we.will.abide.by.the.law.and.satisfy.the. evening. Phillips. came. back. after. allegedly. com- times.for.Jordan.his.name.swirled.around.the.city. judgment ”. mitting.an.armed.robbery.Phillips,.is.also.a.sus- as.a.force.to.be.reckoned.with.and.when.he.made. But.he.opines.that.the.judgment.in.this.case.is. pect.in.a.connection.with.the.shooting.of.a.police. a. run. for. District. Attorney. after. longtime. D A. .. rare,. “In. general. these. cases. are. rarely. decided. officer.and.his.wife ..This.shocking.development. Harry.Connick.decided.he.would.not.run.Jordan. in. the. favor. of. the. plaintiff. where. a. payment. is. hit.the.mainstream.media.and.a.community.that.is. Continued next page. DATA NEWS WEEKLY INSIDE DATA 616 Barrone Street, Suite 584, New Orleans, LA 70113 Phone: (504) 284-3840 | Fax: (504) 304-0203 editorial: [email protected] | advertising: [email protected] Terry B. Jones Contributors Contributing Banjamin Bates CEO/Publisher Photographers Newsmaker.. 4 Opinions.. 10 Dwight Brown Glenn Jones Edwin Buggage Bob Bird VP Advertising Tre Connerly Edwin Buggage George Curry State.&.Local.News. .. 5 Commentary. .. .. .. .. 11 & Marketing Glenn Jones Lloyd Dennis Jeff Gentner Edwin Buggage Hazel Trice Edney Editor-in-Chief Dr. Aaron E. Harold Editorial Submissions Trailblazer . .. .. .. .. .. 6 Health.News. .. .. .. .. 13 Kingfish datanewseditor@ Cheryl Mainor Stephanie Lambert bellsouth.net Managing Editor Larry Lucas Glenn Summers Advertising Inquiries National.News. .. .. .. ... 7 Sports. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 14 Distribution Art Direction datanewsad@ Glenn Jones & Production bellsouth.net Data.Zone .. 8 MainorMedia.com Please call (504) 284-3840 for subscription information. Dated material two weeks in advance. Not responsible for publishing or return of unsolicited manuscripts or photos. already. concerned. about. crime. fice.forged.ahead.in.spite.of.the. doing.a.great.job,.and.many.times. by. the. mainstream. media. out- resignation. will. make. the. city. said.that.enough.was.enough.and. forces.working.against.it ..Refer- I’m. approached. by. people. both. lets,.“And.I.am.often.approached. safer.anytime.soon.may.be.wish- that.a.criminal.after.committing.a. ring.to.his.successes.he.says.his. black. and. white. who. echo. the. by. people. who. said. they. know. ful. thinking .. Whether. Jordan’s. crime.stopping.at.the.District.At- office.sent.out.press.releases.but. same. sentiment. saying. I. under- and.understand.and.are.opposed. assessment.that.what.happened. torney’s.was.not.just.bizarre,.but. the.information.did.not.appear.in. stand.you.have.a.tough.job.and. to.a.lot.of.the.stories.that.are.writ- during. his. tenure. in. office. as. the. last. straw. in. an. administra- print.nor.did.any.of.the.television. you. are. doing. the. best. you. can. ten.about.the.office.in.the.main- part. of. a. larger. power. struggle. tion. that. some. segments. of. the. outlets. reported. it .. “I. am. disap- with. the. limited. resources. that. stream. newspapers. and. they. to. change. the. leadership. of. the. community.see.as.a.failure . pointed.at.how.the.news.gather- you. have. and. there. have. been. support.me.and.they.know.that. city.only.time.will.reveal,.but.due. This.occurrence.according.to. ing. organizations. tend. to. filter. problems.in.the.criminal.justice. what.they.are.doing.is.part.of.a. to. this. shake-up. and. many. oth- Jordan.has.been.sensationalized. the.news.and.not.tell.the.whole. system. over. the. years. and. you. much. broader. effort. to. change. ers.it.indicates.that.New.Orleans. and. taken. out. of. the. context. of. story. I. think. what. they. have. are.addressing.those.problems ”. the. leadership. of. the. city. as. a. resembles.a.patient.that.has.suf- how. it. truly. happened,. “I. think. done.is.unfair.and.gives.the.pub- He.says.that.people.also.talk.to. whole. and. say. they’re. opposed. fered. multiple. gunshot. wounds. the. media. blew. this. out. of. pro- lic.a.cynical.view.of.what.is.going. him. about. how. he. is. portrayed. to. that. and. they’re. not. going. to. and.is.in.critical.condition . portion,.and.I.made.it.clear.that.I. stand.for.it ”. Jordan. stood. alone. in. front. did.not.know.anything.about.this. of. the. microphone. in. what. may. guy’s. alleged. activity. and. there. have.been.the.saddest.day.of.his. was.no.reason.for.me.to.know.or. life. as. his. political. career. may. suspect.him.of.any.wrongdoing ”. Epilogue have.come.to.an.abrupt.end ..In. “There. were. not. any. red. flags. In.light.of.Jor- his. resignation. speech. talked. that.were.raised.that.alerted.me. dan’s.resignation. about.not.being.a.quitter.and.not. that.he.would.have.been.involved. this. may. seem. wanting. to. disrupt. the. city. and. in.any.criminal.activity,.and.soon.