In what appears to be an 11th-hour political hit on Austin Badon, clerk of First City Court who is currently running for clerk of Criminal District Court, a text blast was sent out to registered voters in New Orleans claiming to be from Mayor LaToya Cantrell. Maggie Terrell, the mayor’s chief political advisor, stated that the mayor was not behind the text and has not endorsed in the clerk’s race. 

The sender of the text message claims to be “ya girl Teedy” — a popular, albeit informal, alias for Mayor Cantrell — and attacks Badon for receiving donations from a New Orleans slumlord. The text includes a link to a YouTube video entitled “BADON BAD For Us All,” which includes information allegedly connecting Badon to “slumlord” Joshua Bruno.  

Cantrell posted across her social media accounts that she did not authorize the message. In part, the message reads: “I’ve not weighed in on that race, & am not affiliated with either candidate or affiliated PACs. I’ve also not authorized that text message.”

In an exclusive statement obtained by The Tulane Hullabaloo, Cheron Brylski, the Badon campaign’s spokesperson, offered a response from Badon, which reads: “My opponent lied to get in this race and he’s spreading all kinds of lies about me, my history and my accomplishments … He’s hiding behind political action committees to try to discredit me but I believe the voters know me and my record. Still, I need voters to know the Mayor has NOT endorsed in this race.”