Louisiana Board Holds New Orleans Flood Aid Amid Abortion Battle

Comment The battle over abortion rights between conservative states and their liberal cities has claimed yet another victim, after Louisiana state officials delayed storm aid in New Orleans even as the city faced flood warnings and hurricane season forecasts. above average. At the urging of Republican Attorney General Jeff Landry, the state’s bond committee voted 7-6 Thursday to temporarily block a $39 million line of credit to the city for a flood-fighting power plant in an area devastated by Hurricane Katrina in 2005 until the Democratic mayor and council reneged on vows to defy the state’s new abortion ban. All those who voted to delay the funding were Republicans or their proxies, although some Republicans on the committee voted not to delay. “Officials in New Orleans are sworn to uphold and enforce the laws of our State, yet have decided that some laws are not worth enforcing,” Landry said in a statement posted on Facebook, condemning “the city’s open defiance. of the will of the people of Louisiana,” and calling the vote, “another step toward ensuring that our State’s parishes and municipalities comply with our State’s laws.” Landry’s office declined further comment Friday, instead emphasizing his earlier comments. New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell remained defiant. “I am disappointed, but not surprised, by the attorney general’s industrial judgment, which has once again delayed critical infrastructure funding in the middle of hurricane season,” Cantrell said in a statement. “I will continue to prioritize needed improvements to our city’s aging infrastructure while fighting for the reproductive rights of all women.” After the overthrow of the Supreme Court Roe v. Wade, Louisiana enacted one of the strictest abortion bans in the nation: banning abortion after the first 15 weeks of pregnancy with no exceptions for rape and incest. allowing the procedure only when a pregnant woman’s life is in danger. Opponents have legally challenged the measure, which was passed in 2006 pending a Supreme Court ruling. It was initially blocked in court, but was finally allowed to take effect last month. As legal challenges failed and the state’s three abortion clinics announced plans to close and relocate out of state, New Orleans’ mayor, city council, sheriff and district attorney vowed to oppose the ban. The city council passed a resolution asking officials — including police and prosecutors — not to use city resources to enforce it. New Orleans police have instructed officers not to issue summonses or make arrests under the law. Similar actions have been taken by other Democratic cities in Republican-dominated states. “Equal access to abortion care is essential to social and economic equality and reproductive autonomy,” the council’s resolution said, emphasizing its “commitment to protect the rights of residents to make reproductive health decisions, including of abortion care’. Landry — who is considered a possible gubernatorial candidate next year — said he sees the council’s action as a direct challenge to state power. He serves on the committee, and when it first considered the city’s flood funding last month, his proxy objected, delaying the vote. At Thursday’s meeting, Landry gave the New Orleans council an ultimatum: enforce the ban or lose flood aid. “If they want this project to go forward, rescind the resolution,” Landry said. Gov. John Bel Edwards, a Democrat who opposes abortion, had supported the city’s flood funding, and his representatives on the board voted for it. “The idea that you’re looking to punish all the people who live in a certain area because you’re at odds with some of their elected officials is not a reasonable approach,” Edwards said when the vote was delayed last month. On Thursday, Edwards’ executive counsel, Matthew Block, appeared on his behalf as a committee member and argued before the vote that the city’s position was questionable, as it does not have the power to prosecute violators of the ban and state abortion clinics were closed. “There are no abortions in Louisiana, much less in Orleans Parish, right now,” Block said. “So this idea that because statements were made and a resolution was passed that, somehow in the future, there might not be enforcement — that’s not happening right now.” Block said the Legislature should decide whether city projects will receive state funding, as it had approved New Orleans officials’ request for flood aid, not the bond committee. State Sen. Bret Allain, a Republican who serves on the committee, told members it was “problematic” for the state board to target New Orleans for its stance on abortion. But Landry disagreed, saying, “We shouldn’t put off being able to use the tools at our disposal to bring them to heel.” Jimmy Harris, a Democratic senator from New Orleans who serves as a proxy on the committee, he told his members the The funding will help protect around 384,000 people. Harris said he had just received a message about a storm in progress that had prompted a flood warning for the city. “That’s what we’re dealing with. That’s what this particular project is trying to help us with, where we don’t have to drown,” Harris said. The historic peak of hurricane season is mid-September, with the busiest area from late August to mid-October. A given season averages 14 named storms, half of them potential hurricanes, but this year forecasters have predicted 14 to 20 named storms, including six to ten hurricanes. Paul Rainwater, a lobbyist for the city of New Orleans who is a Republican, advised Landry and other members of his party at Thursday’s meeting not to connect the abortion fight to the flooding in New Orleans. Rainwater was part of Republican Gov. Bobby Jindal’s response and recovery after Hurricane Katrina, which killed nearly 2,000 people. He reminded the committee that New Orleans accounts for 25 percent of the state’s economy, home to iconic sites like the Superdome, the National World War II Museum and Audubon Park. Rainwater said the city’s latest flood management project will update the power of the pumps that provide drinking water and sewage during storms. If funded, the project would be completed by 2024. “The situation the city has been through every hurricane season is a little stressful because you’re constantly testing the turbines” of the power system, Rainwater said after the vote. “These are not things that are not necessary.” Rainwater said he plans to bring the issue back to the commission at its next meeting on Sept. 15. “It is not that they ignored the law – there is no law that has been broken. The city council expressed an opinion,” he said. “The city has a very strong view on this.” It was not immediately clear whether New Orleans officials would be asked to appear at the commission’s meeting next month. City Council President Helena Moreno condemned the committee’s vote and asked committee members to meet with her. He cited reports of a Baton Rouge woman who was denied an abortion last month after doctors determined her fetus was missing part of its skull and was unlikely to survive. “It is disappointing to see the lack of compassion for women facing these horrific and painful conditions,” Moreno said in a statement. “That the City of New Orleans is being penalized for carefully considering the new state laws is troubling and inappropriate. The delayed project is a vital flood protection initiative to save lives, property and businesses in our city.” Cantrell, the city’s first female mayor, gained a political following by helping her hard-hit neighborhood recover from Hurricane Katrina. She said she and other city officials plan to continue to push the commission to approve state funding for the project. But she said retracting her anti-abortion stance was not an option. “I hope they do the right thing,” he said Friday. “Our utility is in desperate need of an upgrade. It is over a hundred years old. It has not been able to keep up with the changing climate.” Similar clashes may occur in other states where Democratic city leaders have resisted new abortion bans championed by Republican leaders. In neighboring Texas, Attorney General Ken Paxton sued last month to prevent the Biden administration from forcing doctors and hospitals to perform abortions or lose federal funding, but has yet to challenge cities that have passed measures opposing the state’s ban . Additionally, Austin city officials voted last month to “decriminalize” abortion, redirecting the city’s budget to prosecute other crimes. The San Antonio City Council passed a similar resolution this month. Dozens of prosecutors nationwide — including at least five in Texas representing some of the state’s most populous counties — have vowed not to bring charges against those who seek or provide abortions. In response, Texas lawmakers are drafting a new law they plan to propose when the legislature meets in January that would “authorize district attorneys from across the state to prosecute abortion-related crimes … when the local district attorney fails or refuse to do so.” wrote Rep. Mayes Middleton, chairman of the conservative Texas Freedom Caucus. In Missouri, St. Louis Mayor Tisaura Jones signed into law a bill channeling $1 million in federal funds to support abortion access after Roe overturned. Hours later, state Attorney General Eric Schmidt filed a lawsuit to block the new law, issuing a statement calling it “blatantly illegal.”

title: “Louisiana Board Holds New Orleans Flood Aid Amid Abortion Battle Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-11-24” author: “Crystal Stanley”

Comment The battle over abortion rights between conservative states and their liberal cities has claimed yet another victim, after Louisiana state officials delayed storm aid in New Orleans even as the city faced flood warnings and hurricane season forecasts. above average. At the urging of Republican Attorney General Jeff Landry, the state’s bond committee voted 7-6 Thursday to temporarily block a $39 million line of credit to the city for a flood-fighting power plant in an area devastated by Hurricane Katrina in 2005 until the Democratic mayor and council reneged on vows to defy the state’s new abortion ban. All those who voted to delay the funding were Republicans or their proxies, although some Republicans on the committee voted not to delay. “Officials in New Orleans are sworn to uphold and enforce the laws of our State, yet have decided that some laws are not worth enforcing,” Landry said in a statement posted on Facebook, condemning “the city’s open defiance. of the will of the people of Louisiana,” and calling the vote, “another step toward ensuring that our State’s parishes and municipalities comply with our State’s laws.” Landry’s office declined further comment Friday, instead emphasizing his earlier comments. New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell remained defiant. “I am disappointed, but not surprised, by the attorney general’s industrial judgment, which has once again delayed critical infrastructure funding in the middle of hurricane season,” Cantrell said in a statement. “I will continue to prioritize needed improvements to our city’s aging infrastructure while fighting for the reproductive rights of all women.” After the overthrow of the Supreme Court Roe v. Wade, Louisiana enacted one of the strictest abortion bans in the nation: banning abortion after the first 15 weeks of pregnancy with no exceptions for rape and incest. allowing the procedure only when a pregnant woman’s life is in danger. Opponents have legally challenged the measure, which was passed in 2006 pending a Supreme Court ruling. It was initially blocked in court, but was finally allowed to take effect last month. As legal challenges failed and the state’s three abortion clinics announced plans to close and relocate out of state, New Orleans’ mayor, city council, sheriff and district attorney vowed to oppose the ban. The city council passed a resolution asking officials — including police and prosecutors — not to use city resources to enforce it. New Orleans police have instructed officers not to issue summonses or make arrests under the law. Similar actions have been taken by other Democratic cities in Republican-dominated states. “Equal access to abortion care is essential to social and economic equality and reproductive autonomy,” the council’s resolution said, emphasizing its “commitment to protect the rights of residents to make reproductive health decisions, including of abortion care’. Landry — who is considered a possible gubernatorial candidate next year — said he sees the council’s action as a direct challenge to state power. He serves on the committee, and when it first considered the city’s flood funding last month, his proxy objected, delaying the vote. At Thursday’s meeting, Landry gave the New Orleans council an ultimatum: enforce the ban or lose flood aid. “If they want this project to go forward, rescind the resolution,” Landry said. Gov. John Bel Edwards, a Democrat who opposes abortion, had supported the city’s flood funding, and his representatives on the board voted for it. “The idea that you’re looking to punish all the people who live in a certain area because you’re at odds with some of their elected officials is not a reasonable approach,” Edwards said when the vote was delayed last month. On Thursday, Edwards’ executive counsel, Matthew Block, appeared on his behalf as a committee member and argued before the vote that the city’s position was questionable, as it does not have the power to prosecute violators of the ban and state abortion clinics were closed. “There are no abortions in Louisiana, much less in Orleans Parish, right now,” Block said. “So this idea that because statements were made and a resolution was passed that, somehow in the future, there might not be enforcement — that’s not happening right now.” Block said the Legislature should decide whether city projects will receive state funding, as it had approved New Orleans officials’ request for flood aid, not the bond committee. State Sen. Bret Allain, a Republican who serves on the committee, told members it was “problematic” for the state board to target New Orleans for its stance on abortion. But Landry disagreed, saying, “We shouldn’t put off being able to use the tools at our disposal to bring them to heel.” Jimmy Harris, a Democratic senator from New Orleans who serves as a proxy on the committee, he told his members the The funding will help protect around 384,000 people. Harris said he had just received a message about a storm in progress that had prompted a flood warning for the city. “That’s what we’re dealing with. That’s what this particular project is trying to help us with, where we don’t have to drown,” Harris said. The historic peak of hurricane season is mid-September, with the busiest area from late August to mid-October. A given season averages 14 named storms, half of them potential hurricanes, but this year forecasters have predicted 14 to 20 named storms, including six to ten hurricanes. Paul Rainwater, a lobbyist for the city of New Orleans who is a Republican, advised Landry and other members of his party at Thursday’s meeting not to connect the abortion fight to the flooding in New Orleans. Rainwater was part of Republican Gov. Bobby Jindal’s response and recovery after Hurricane Katrina, which killed nearly 2,000 people. He reminded the committee that New Orleans accounts for 25 percent of the state’s economy, home to iconic sites like the Superdome, the National World War II Museum and Audubon Park. Rainwater said the city’s latest flood management project will update the power of the pumps that provide drinking water and sewage during storms. If funded, the project would be completed by 2024. “The situation the city has been through every hurricane season is a little stressful because you’re constantly testing the turbines” of the power system, Rainwater said after the vote. “These are not things that are not necessary.” Rainwater said he plans to bring the issue back to the commission at its next meeting on Sept. 15. “It is not that they ignored the law – there is no law that has been broken. The city council expressed an opinion,” he said. “The city has a very strong view on this.” It was not immediately clear whether New Orleans officials would be asked to appear at the commission’s meeting next month. City Council President Helena Moreno condemned the committee’s vote and asked committee members to meet with her. He cited reports of a Baton Rouge woman who was denied an abortion last month after doctors determined her fetus was missing part of its skull and was unlikely to survive. “It is disappointing to see the lack of compassion for women facing these horrific and painful conditions,” Moreno said in a statement. “That the City of New Orleans is being penalized for carefully considering the new state laws is troubling and inappropriate. The delayed project is a vital flood protection initiative to save lives, property and businesses in our city.” Cantrell, the city’s first female mayor, gained a political following by helping her hard-hit neighborhood recover from Hurricane Katrina. She said she and other city officials plan to continue to push the commission to approve state funding for the project. But she said retracting her anti-abortion stance was not an option. “I hope they do the right thing,” he said Friday. “Our utility is in desperate need of an upgrade. It is over a hundred years old. It has not been able to keep up with the changing climate.” Similar clashes may occur in other states where Democratic city leaders have resisted new abortion bans championed by Republican leaders. In neighboring Texas, Attorney General Ken Paxton sued last month to prevent the Biden administration from forcing doctors and hospitals to perform abortions or lose federal funding, but has yet to challenge cities that have passed measures opposing the state’s ban . Additionally, Austin city officials voted last month to “decriminalize” abortion, redirecting the city’s budget to prosecute other crimes. The San Antonio City Council passed a similar resolution this month. Dozens of prosecutors nationwide — including at least five in Texas representing some of the state’s most populous counties — have vowed not to bring charges against those who seek or provide abortions. In response, Texas lawmakers are drafting a new law they plan to propose when the legislature meets in January that would “authorize district attorneys from across the state to prosecute abortion-related crimes … when the local district attorney fails or refuse to do so.” wrote Rep. Mayes Middleton, chairman of the conservative Texas Freedom Caucus. In Missouri, St. Louis Mayor Tisaura Jones signed into law a bill channeling $1 million in federal funds to support abortion access after Roe overturned. Hours later, state Attorney General Eric Schmidt filed a lawsuit to block the new law, issuing a statement calling it “blatantly illegal.”

title: “Louisiana Board Holds New Orleans Flood Aid Amid Abortion Battle Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-10-21” author: “John Fisher”

Comment The battle over abortion rights between conservative states and their liberal cities has claimed yet another victim, after Louisiana state officials delayed storm aid in New Orleans even as the city faced flood warnings and hurricane season forecasts. above average. At the urging of Republican Attorney General Jeff Landry, the state’s bond committee voted 7-6 Thursday to temporarily block a $39 million line of credit to the city for a flood-fighting power plant in an area devastated by Hurricane Katrina in 2005 until the Democratic mayor and council reneged on vows to defy the state’s new abortion ban. All those who voted to delay the funding were Republicans or their proxies, although some Republicans on the committee voted not to delay. “Officials in New Orleans are sworn to uphold and enforce the laws of our State, yet have decided that some laws are not worth enforcing,” Landry said in a statement posted on Facebook, condemning “the city’s open defiance. of the will of the people of Louisiana,” and calling the vote, “another step toward ensuring that our State’s parishes and municipalities comply with our State’s laws.” Landry’s office declined further comment Friday, instead emphasizing his earlier comments. New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell remained defiant. “I am disappointed, but not surprised, by the attorney general’s industrial judgment, which has once again delayed critical infrastructure funding in the middle of hurricane season,” Cantrell said in a statement. “I will continue to prioritize needed improvements to our city’s aging infrastructure while fighting for the reproductive rights of all women.” After the overthrow of the Supreme Court Roe v. Wade, Louisiana enacted one of the strictest abortion bans in the nation: banning abortion after the first 15 weeks of pregnancy with no exceptions for rape and incest. allowing the procedure only when a pregnant woman’s life is in danger. Opponents have legally challenged the measure, which was passed in 2006 pending a Supreme Court ruling. It was initially blocked in court, but was finally allowed to take effect last month. As legal challenges failed and the state’s three abortion clinics announced plans to close and relocate out of state, New Orleans’ mayor, city council, sheriff and district attorney vowed to oppose the ban. The city council passed a resolution asking officials — including police and prosecutors — not to use city resources to enforce it. New Orleans police have instructed officers not to issue summonses or make arrests under the law. Similar actions have been taken by other Democratic cities in Republican-dominated states. “Equal access to abortion care is essential to social and economic equality and reproductive autonomy,” the council’s resolution said, emphasizing its “commitment to protect the rights of residents to make reproductive health decisions, including of abortion care’. Landry — who is considered a possible gubernatorial candidate next year — said he sees the council’s action as a direct challenge to state power. He serves on the committee, and when it first considered the city’s flood funding last month, his proxy objected, delaying the vote. At Thursday’s meeting, Landry gave the New Orleans council an ultimatum: enforce the ban or lose flood aid. “If they want this project to go forward, rescind the resolution,” Landry said. Gov. John Bel Edwards, a Democrat who opposes abortion, had supported the city’s flood funding, and his representatives on the board voted for it. “The idea that you’re looking to punish all the people who live in a certain area because you’re at odds with some of their elected officials is not a reasonable approach,” Edwards said when the vote was delayed last month. On Thursday, Edwards’ executive counsel, Matthew Block, appeared on his behalf as a committee member and argued before the vote that the city’s position was questionable, as it does not have the power to prosecute violators of the ban and state abortion clinics were closed. “There are no abortions in Louisiana, much less in Orleans Parish, right now,” Block said. “So this idea that because statements were made and a resolution was passed that, somehow in the future, there might not be enforcement — that’s not happening right now.” Block said the Legislature should decide whether city projects will receive state funding, as it had approved New Orleans officials’ request for flood aid, not the bond committee. State Sen. Bret Allain, a Republican who serves on the committee, told members it was “problematic” for the state board to target New Orleans for its stance on abortion. But Landry disagreed, saying, “We shouldn’t put off being able to use the tools at our disposal to bring them to heel.” Jimmy Harris, a Democratic senator from New Orleans who serves as a proxy on the committee, he told his members the The funding will help protect around 384,000 people. Harris said he had just received a message about a storm in progress that had prompted a flood warning for the city. “That’s what we’re dealing with. That’s what this particular project is trying to help us with, where we don’t have to drown,” Harris said. The historic peak of hurricane season is mid-September, with the busiest area from late August to mid-October. A given season averages 14 named storms, half of them potential hurricanes, but this year forecasters have predicted 14 to 20 named storms, including six to ten hurricanes. Paul Rainwater, a lobbyist for the city of New Orleans who is a Republican, advised Landry and other members of his party at Thursday’s meeting not to connect the abortion fight to the flooding in New Orleans. Rainwater was part of Republican Gov. Bobby Jindal’s response and recovery after Hurricane Katrina, which killed nearly 2,000 people. He reminded the committee that New Orleans accounts for 25 percent of the state’s economy, home to iconic sites like the Superdome, the National World War II Museum and Audubon Park. Rainwater said the city’s latest flood management project will update the power of the pumps that provide drinking water and sewage during storms. If funded, the project would be completed by 2024. “The situation the city has been through every hurricane season is a little stressful because you’re constantly testing the turbines” of the power system, Rainwater said after the vote. “These are not things that are not necessary.” Rainwater said he plans to bring the issue back to the commission at its next meeting on Sept. 15. “It is not that they ignored the law – there is no law that has been broken. The city council expressed an opinion,” he said. “The city has a very strong view on this.” It was not immediately clear whether New Orleans officials would be asked to appear at the commission’s meeting next month. City Council President Helena Moreno condemned the committee’s vote and asked committee members to meet with her. He cited reports of a Baton Rouge woman who was denied an abortion last month after doctors determined her fetus was missing part of its skull and was unlikely to survive. “It is disappointing to see the lack of compassion for women facing these horrific and painful conditions,” Moreno said in a statement. “That the City of New Orleans is being penalized for carefully considering the new state laws is troubling and inappropriate. The delayed project is a vital flood protection initiative to save lives, property and businesses in our city.” Cantrell, the city’s first female mayor, gained a political following by helping her hard-hit neighborhood recover from Hurricane Katrina. She said she and other city officials plan to continue to push the commission to approve state funding for the project. But she said retracting her anti-abortion stance was not an option. “I hope they do the right thing,” he said Friday. “Our utility is in desperate need of an upgrade. It is over a hundred years old. It has not been able to keep up with the changing climate.” Similar clashes may occur in other states where Democratic city leaders have resisted new abortion bans championed by Republican leaders. In neighboring Texas, Attorney General Ken Paxton sued last month to prevent the Biden administration from forcing doctors and hospitals to perform abortions or lose federal funding, but has yet to challenge cities that have passed measures opposing the state’s ban . Additionally, Austin city officials voted last month to “decriminalize” abortion, redirecting the city’s budget to prosecute other crimes. The San Antonio City Council passed a similar resolution this month. Dozens of prosecutors nationwide — including at least five in Texas representing some of the state’s most populous counties — have vowed not to bring charges against those who seek or provide abortions. In response, Texas lawmakers are drafting a new law they plan to propose when the legislature meets in January that would “authorize district attorneys from across the state to prosecute abortion-related crimes … when the local district attorney fails or refuse to do so.” wrote Rep. Mayes Middleton, chairman of the conservative Texas Freedom Caucus. In Missouri, St. Louis Mayor Tisaura Jones signed into law a bill channeling $1 million in federal funds to support abortion access after Roe overturned. Hours later, state Attorney General Eric Schmidt filed a lawsuit to block the new law, issuing a statement calling it “blatantly illegal.”

title: “Louisiana Board Holds New Orleans Flood Aid Amid Abortion Battle Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-10-31” author: “Michael Whisler”

Comment The battle over abortion rights between conservative states and their liberal cities has claimed yet another victim, after Louisiana state officials delayed storm aid in New Orleans even as the city faced flood warnings and hurricane season forecasts. above average. At the urging of Republican Attorney General Jeff Landry, the state’s bond committee voted 7-6 Thursday to temporarily block a $39 million line of credit to the city for a flood-fighting power plant in an area devastated by Hurricane Katrina in 2005 until the Democratic mayor and council reneged on vows to defy the state’s new abortion ban. All those who voted to delay the funding were Republicans or their proxies, although some Republicans on the committee voted not to delay. “Officials in New Orleans are sworn to uphold and enforce the laws of our State, yet have decided that some laws are not worth enforcing,” Landry said in a statement posted on Facebook, condemning “the city’s open defiance. of the will of the people of Louisiana,” and calling the vote, “another step toward ensuring that our State’s parishes and municipalities comply with our State’s laws.” Landry’s office declined further comment Friday, instead emphasizing his earlier comments. New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell remained defiant. “I am disappointed, but not surprised, by the attorney general’s industrial judgment, which has once again delayed critical infrastructure funding in the middle of hurricane season,” Cantrell said in a statement. “I will continue to prioritize needed improvements to our city’s aging infrastructure while fighting for the reproductive rights of all women.” After the overthrow of the Supreme Court Roe v. Wade, Louisiana enacted one of the strictest abortion bans in the nation: banning abortion after the first 15 weeks of pregnancy with no exceptions for rape and incest. allowing the procedure only when a pregnant woman’s life is in danger. Opponents have legally challenged the measure, which was passed in 2006 pending a Supreme Court ruling. It was initially blocked in court, but was finally allowed to take effect last month. As legal challenges failed and the state’s three abortion clinics announced plans to close and relocate out of state, New Orleans’ mayor, city council, sheriff and district attorney vowed to oppose the ban. The city council passed a resolution asking officials — including police and prosecutors — not to use city resources to enforce it. New Orleans police have instructed officers not to issue summonses or make arrests under the law. Similar actions have been taken by other Democratic cities in Republican-dominated states. “Equal access to abortion care is essential to social and economic equality and reproductive autonomy,” the council’s resolution said, emphasizing its “commitment to protect the rights of residents to make reproductive health decisions, including of abortion care’. Landry — who is considered a possible gubernatorial candidate next year — said he sees the council’s action as a direct challenge to state power. He serves on the committee, and when it first considered the city’s flood funding last month, his proxy objected, delaying the vote. At Thursday’s meeting, Landry gave the New Orleans council an ultimatum: enforce the ban or lose flood aid. “If they want this project to go forward, rescind the resolution,” Landry said. Gov. John Bel Edwards, a Democrat who opposes abortion, had supported the city’s flood funding, and his representatives on the board voted for it. “The idea that you’re looking to punish all the people who live in a certain area because you’re at odds with some of their elected officials is not a reasonable approach,” Edwards said when the vote was delayed last month. On Thursday, Edwards’ executive counsel, Matthew Block, appeared on his behalf as a committee member and argued before the vote that the city’s position was questionable, as it does not have the power to prosecute violators of the ban and state abortion clinics were closed. “There are no abortions in Louisiana, much less in Orleans Parish, right now,” Block said. “So this idea that because statements were made and a resolution was passed that, somehow in the future, there might not be enforcement — that’s not happening right now.” Block said the Legislature should decide whether city projects will receive state funding, as it had approved New Orleans officials’ request for flood aid, not the bond committee. State Sen. Bret Allain, a Republican who serves on the committee, told members it was “problematic” for the state board to target New Orleans for its stance on abortion. But Landry disagreed, saying, “We shouldn’t put off being able to use the tools at our disposal to bring them to heel.” Jimmy Harris, a Democratic senator from New Orleans who serves as a proxy on the committee, he told his members the The funding will help protect around 384,000 people. Harris said he had just received a message about a storm in progress that had prompted a flood warning for the city. “That’s what we’re dealing with. That’s what this particular project is trying to help us with, where we don’t have to drown,” Harris said. The historic peak of hurricane season is mid-September, with the busiest area from late August to mid-October. A given season averages 14 named storms, half of them potential hurricanes, but this year forecasters have predicted 14 to 20 named storms, including six to ten hurricanes. Paul Rainwater, a lobbyist for the city of New Orleans who is a Republican, advised Landry and other members of his party at Thursday’s meeting not to connect the abortion fight to the flooding in New Orleans. Rainwater was part of Republican Gov. Bobby Jindal’s response and recovery after Hurricane Katrina, which killed nearly 2,000 people. He reminded the committee that New Orleans accounts for 25 percent of the state’s economy, home to iconic sites like the Superdome, the National World War II Museum and Audubon Park. Rainwater said the city’s latest flood management project will update the power of the pumps that provide drinking water and sewage during storms. If funded, the project would be completed by 2024. “The situation the city has been through every hurricane season is a little stressful because you’re constantly testing the turbines” of the power system, Rainwater said after the vote. “These are not things that are not necessary.” Rainwater said he plans to bring the issue back to the commission at its next meeting on Sept. 15. “It is not that they ignored the law – there is no law that has been broken. The city council expressed an opinion,” he said. “The city has a very strong view on this.” It was not immediately clear whether New Orleans officials would be asked to appear at the commission’s meeting next month. City Council President Helena Moreno condemned the committee’s vote and asked committee members to meet with her. He cited reports of a Baton Rouge woman who was denied an abortion last month after doctors determined her fetus was missing part of its skull and was unlikely to survive. “It is disappointing to see the lack of compassion for women facing these horrific and painful conditions,” Moreno said in a statement. “That the City of New Orleans is being penalized for carefully considering the new state laws is troubling and inappropriate. The delayed project is a vital flood protection initiative to save lives, property and businesses in our city.” Cantrell, the city’s first female mayor, gained a political following by helping her hard-hit neighborhood recover from Hurricane Katrina. She said she and other city officials plan to continue to push the commission to approve state funding for the project. But she said retracting her anti-abortion stance was not an option. “I hope they do the right thing,” he said Friday. “Our utility is in desperate need of an upgrade. It is over a hundred years old. It has not been able to keep up with the changing climate.” Similar clashes may occur in other states where Democratic city leaders have resisted new abortion bans championed by Republican leaders. In neighboring Texas, Attorney General Ken Paxton sued last month to prevent the Biden administration from forcing doctors and hospitals to perform abortions or lose federal funding, but has yet to challenge cities that have passed measures opposing the state’s ban . Additionally, Austin city officials voted last month to “decriminalize” abortion, redirecting the city’s budget to prosecute other crimes. The San Antonio City Council passed a similar resolution this month. Dozens of prosecutors nationwide — including at least five in Texas representing some of the state’s most populous counties — have vowed not to bring charges against those who seek or provide abortions. In response, Texas lawmakers are drafting a new law they plan to propose when the legislature meets in January that would “authorize district attorneys from across the state to prosecute abortion-related crimes … when the local district attorney fails or refuse to do so.” wrote Rep. Mayes Middleton, chairman of the conservative Texas Freedom Caucus. In Missouri, St. Louis Mayor Tisaura Jones signed into law a bill channeling $1 million in federal funds to support abortion access after Roe overturned. Hours later, state Attorney General Eric Schmidt filed a lawsuit to block the new law, issuing a statement calling it “blatantly illegal.”