Jay Batt attacks rival Susan Guidry in City Council race

By John Pope, The Times-Picayune
February 04, 2010, 9:14PM

Jay Batt, who is campaigning to regain his District A seat on the City Council, has launched an attack on rival Susan Guidry based on the actions of one of her key supporters, City Councilwoman Shelley Midura.

Using what might be considered twisted logic, Batt concludes that Guidry is soft on crime because of her association with Midura, who ousted Batt from the seat four years ago and is not running for re-election.

Midura last month voted against a compromise city budget that sent about $6.4 million to the district attorney's office, an increase of nearly $700,000 from last year, because she said she didn't trust the Nagin administration's revenue projections. In an earlier version of the budget that assumed lower revenues, Midura had approved a $200,000 reduction for the DA, from $5.8 million to $5.6 million.

Guidry "has publicly stated her unwavering support for action of the sitting council member from District A," Batt said in a prepared statement. "By linking her platform to the incumbent's record, she has endorsed every action of her mentor."

Firing back, Guidry in a prepared statement called Batt's criticism of her false: "He's clearly trying to mislead the voters. How can voters trust anything he says?"

Guidry also has accused Batt of having "a criminal record of his own he needs to answer for," claiming Batt was an "aider and abettor" to a bookie with whom he had placed bets. Batt testified at the man's trial, Guidry said, and the bookie was convicted and sentenced to 20 months in prison.

A lawyer working with the Batt campaign challenged the assertion that Batt has a criminal record. Batt's involvement in the case was limited to his role as a witness for federal prosecutors, adding that Batt was never a target of the inquiry. Batt has a letter from the U.S. attorney's office attesting to that fact, said the lawyer, who declined to be named to protect the identity of his client in the case.

"This is not a criminal record," the lawyer said. "He was never arrested, never charged, never pleaded guilty."

Also raising eyebrows in the District A race is a mailer in which Batt takes credit for co-authoring the ordinance that created the inspector general's office.

Actually, the ordinance that established the office was drafted in late 2006 by Midura. Batt and Councilwoman Jackie Clarkson had written one earlier that year that died on the vine.

In light of the recent banter, both candidates have tried to capitalize on their crime-fighting credentials.

Batt, a member of Crimestoppers' Board of Trustees, higlighted endorsements from District Attorney Leon Cannizzaro, Orleans Parish Criminal Sheriff Marlin Gusman, Jefferson Parish Sheriff Newell Normand and Plaquemines Parish Sheriff Jiff Hingle. Meanwhile, Guidry touted her role as chairwoman of the Mid-City Security District, a board member of the Bayou St. John Neighborhood Security Patrol, an organizing member of the Mid-city Neighborhood Watch, block captain of the Mid-City Private Patrol and an organizer of Night Out Against Crime events.

Also in the race ror the District A seat are Virginia Blanque, a Republican, and Fred Robertson, an independent.