Louisiana Republicans eliminate elected office won by Democratic exoneree

Future of Calvin Duncan’s position as the clerk of New Orleans’ criminal district courthouse remains unclear Louisiana Republicans eliminated an elected position days before a Democratic exoneree who overwhelmingly won the New Orleans-based post was set to take office on Monday. A temporary restraining order did allow Calvin Duncan, the exonerated man, to take office as scheduled on Monday morning as the clerk of New Orleans’ criminal district courthouse. But things soon turned administratively messy for Duncan when that order was frozen by the US fifth circuit court of appeals. The conservative governor, Jeff Landry, quietly signed legislation abolishing the longstanding New Orleans clerk of criminal court position into law on Thursday, according to Trey Williams, the Louisiana secretary of state spokesperson. Republicans say wiping away the office is a consolidation effort meant to make the local judicial system more efficient and cut costs. But Democrats describe the change as government overreach – arguing that it infringes on a predominantly Black city’s decision at the polls. Duncan, who spent nearly 30 years behind bars for a crime he did not commit, easily won election to t