Good Job
It's about time someone started questioning New Oleans law enforcement. I am sure it would be cheaper to Bulldoze the hole place. Really Think about it.?.

I'm ashamed of our society, our nation....aways placing blame! Always wanting for nothing never giving, take take take. Whats wrong, with this world? My heart hurts, I have two young children, they have a future in a cruel selfish world...why has this world turned out this way, it is so sad!
Hurting in PA

"At that point, Jordan's aide stepped in front of the cameras and announced she was ending the interview.

At that point, Jordon protested that Ross' questions were 'stupid.' "

Do they have a special journalism school where TV people are taught to repeat "at that point" as many times as possible? Sort of like starting every other sentence with "now" when covering a fire or crime scene?

And how does this guy spell his name anyway? Jordan or Jordon?

My experience with District Attorneys and City Prosecutors in Louisiana could be organized into a Novel with an Oxymoronic title like ‘The Commission of Omission.’ When the Prosecutor uses language like “people who don't know how our system works” is using his well rehearsed Oxymoronic ‘commission of omission’ deception, learned so well with years of practice and two centuries of tradition. The System to which he refers is the Napoleonic Code which still shows its ugly countenance everywhere in Louisiana Courts and Legal System. These Prosecutors are insulated in their Ivory Towers of Municipal Court Buildings and City Halls completely out of touch with the Public, enforced by an abusive system of 19th Century-like political corruption. Their inaccessibility by public oversight borders on the Criminal. I have tried for years to gain citizen oversight of my local courts but they are too powerful. Their propensity to err is only exceeded by their insolent belief that they are not answerable to the Public.

Mr. Jordan has cost the New Orleans DA's office over $4 million dollars because of his conviction as a racist. Ray Nagin has never criticized or become outraged by the action, nor the conviction that followed. How sad for all of us!

I'm not upset about placing blame. I think many of us have eagerly and happily slung blame for this massive tragedy. I am upset that ABC has chosen to sling blame at a BLACK Democrat. I am upset that ABC has jumped on the same bandwagon as the KKK, Rush Limbaugh and this current administration.

"I'm ashamed of our society, our nation....aways placing blame! Always wanting for nothing never giving, take take take. Whats wrong, with this world? My heart hurts, I have two young children, they have a future in a cruel selfish world...why has this world turned out this way, it is so sad!
Hurting in PA"

What does the above have to do with article?
Why all the sappy mellodrama?
Why don't you just move somewhere that will not "hurt, shame" you?
Good Grief some of you people need to get a grip and change your damn diapers.

While I turn the station off when seeing someone being browbeaten, I appreciate newscasters asking probing questions concerning the real problems in America. As a public official, Eddie Jordan must answer to those who pay his salary, and the rampant crime currently in New Orleans is a disgrace. There is a lot of work that needs to be done there, but the criminal element is hindering those efforts. Where is the outrage over that?

Well done, Brian!

How dare we criticize and make officials accountable for their actions. It's not politically correct. Money is disappearing in the billions of dollars and no one can find the money trail. So it boils down to a "Grin and bare it" situation. As the news media exploits and compounds the problem, our response: "There they go again", but we do or say nothing. It's beyond repair.

"Since last year's hurricane, there has been growing criticism of Jordan's office by senior people in law enforcement who say, even with the acknowledged problems caused by Katrina, the District Attorney has not efficiently dealt with a huge backlog of cases, estimated at more than 3,000."

I think walking out of the interview was silly, but I have to ask - Who sets those "efficiently dealt with" guidelines, where are they posted, and how well do other cities adhere to them?

Luckily, there's no news in Iraq or Afghanistan, nothing worth commenting on re: the kidnapping and gunpoint conversions of two of your journalistic brethren, no CA post office that anti-American protesters flew the Mexican flag over, no "bombed" ambulance controversy or scandals involving Reuters, nothing to comment on about the coming North American Union, or the secret hold on S2590 by some weasel Senator...
Yes, it's a good thing nothing else is happening so we have plenty of time for vague criticism like inefficiency.

Excellent job. I'm fed up with hearing about how everyone except local government botched their jobs during the Katrina aftermath -- local governments are responsible for their communities in an emergency, and the federal government is responsible for providing assistance to them in doing so, not the other way around.

The entire New Orleans community bears a big chunk of the responsibility for how things have gone in the months since, and it's about time someone in the mainstream media called them on it. Jordan's refusal to be held accountable is unfortunately all too typical of the New Orleans leadership in general, which does not bode well for the city in the long term.

Keep up the good work, Brian.

This is just more of the same "NOT MY FAULT" game being played by the local government officials in New Orleans. They think everything is the Feds fault and take no blame for themselves, and when put on the spot they RUN. The Governor, Mayor and local officials are the most to blame for this debacle.

This interview explains just exactly what is wrong with the powers that be in New Orleans. The corruption is evident..'how dare you ask an honest question that I do not have an answer for?"
The people in Mississippi are struggling in the same manner...difference is that they have a Republican Governor and a few other things that New Orleans will never have as long as they keep electing these incompetent boobs.

From my perspecitve what I see is a media who is very critical of a city that has an African American Mayor and as well as a African American chief procecutor and what I think is being relayed to American is that African Americans don't have the intelligence to run a major US City. Again these are just my personal opinions and I am sure others willl disagree. What we all should realize is that Katrina was so huge there is no way the Mayor and even the State Government could have handled this alone.

I think Eddie Jordan is very unprofessional that he can't take comments or questions from an interviewer regarding others' criticism of him without getting tacky and angry and ending the interview.

To call the interviewer's questions "stupid"or to tell the interviewer is not honest is tacky.

If Jordan can't take criticism or can't be interviewed without getting angry he shouldn't be in the position he is in. He is very
unprofessional.

How he ever get his job is beyond me. He doesn't deserve it.

I spent nearly 10 months in New Orleans after the hurricane working for a Federal government contractor. I can honestly say, I have never seen a more corrupt and unprofessional organization as the NOPD. Not a week went by where I didn't witness actions by the NOPD and the city that didn't shock me.

Just as I suspected, todays District Attorneys care nothing about law but everything about self image.

New Orleans, next to Chigaco has the most corrupt legal system and law enforcement department in the United States. katrina exposed the peoples tired frustration and disust with them.

It speaks a lot about his emotional maturity and his inability to face criticism.

apparently he has no legitamate answer to the question if he just starts yelling "this is stupid! your questions are stupid!" thats what happens when idiots elect idiots to govern them.

I think Brian Ross' interview may have been a little lop sided. Why would you want to start an interview with questions to impune someones integrity as a means to sensationalize and hype the interview? The almighty ratings.....what else. Bring to the table some facts and not just your opinions or your beliefs. I think I would have raised my voice as well.

Well, dreek, he brought up that the criticism of the DA's office came from senior law enforcement officials and from the AG of the United States. It's a serious question to which the DA should respond.

I still haven't seen anyone ask Nagin why he couldn't use the schoolbuses or why he went on vacation during the storm or why he didn't prepare the Superdome as a shelter of last resort. Now that would be an intimidating question.

Brian Ross is an idiot, and has not lived in New Orleans this whole long year. Look around @ what is left of a great city, to me it's sensationalism, let Brian Ross pick up a shovel & get to work instead of criticizing those that remained in New Orleans, And I live in NJ and that's what I thing about this interview

I am an attorney in the court system and believe that the interviewer was obviously attempting to rattle the DA. However, Mr. Jordan should have been prepared for that type of questioning. It has become standard journalistic practice to "go after" people, especially those in government, and a professional attorney should be able to handle a few unfriendly questions from a news guy without losing his cool. And since when does an "aide" have to step in and speak for the DA ? Bad form.

When does Personal Responsibility ever kick in for the Democratics in New Orleans? Instead of pushing blame on everyone else, like Ray Nagin does for everything that went wrong after New Orleans was hit by Hurricane Katrina; but wasn't the place messed up prior to Hurrican Katrina? William Jefferson? The Hurricane did wash away the smoke screen in New Orleans to where the world now sees the incompetence of the city and state officials in New Orelans and Louisiana.

Yes, Jordon did cost the taxpayers of N.O. 4 million dollars, why didn't someone ask about the case. He replaced 43 "white" individuals in the D.A's office with "black" people without any reason other than bigotry. Yes, they sued and won $4M. No apologies were stated, and yet he is charge of a powerful office in N.O. Right, Willie Nagin never says anything bad about D.A. We are truly embarassed by this administration, whether we still live there or elsewhere. God bless New Orleans.

I have been reading at several sites today where folks just seem to want to bash NO, its people, the way of life there, their politicized form of government, the fact that a very well-bred Louisiana family has folks in office, etc. One thing I think a lot of folks who have not spent any time there do not understand is the very deep societal roots of the city's inhabitants of all colors, in their own races and in their way of life with each other. Most of the charm of NO comes from its societies and its distinctiveness in terms of those societal relationships. You can criticize NO all day long, and/or try to make it into some white Republican haven for oil executives, or whatever else the current Republican administration would quietly like to turn NO into, but my prediction is that, with no money in their pockets, just a song in their hearts, the folks of NO will find ways to rebuild their city and thrive without change. Here is a city necessary to the oil industry, which is run by Republicans, yet the one time they had a dire emergency and asked for federal help, that help came a day late and a dollar short. I believe this was done on purpose to hopefully "wash away" a bunch of thought-to-be undesirables. Katrina ought to be a lesson to all of us about the foolhardy results of ever voting a Republican into any office, any time. And I am a white, Southern lady saying this!

"I'm not upset about placing blame. I think many of us have eagerly and happily slung blame for this massive tragedy. I am upset that ABC has chosen to sling blame at a BLACK Democrat. I am upset that ABC has jumped on the same bandwagon as the KKK, Rush Limbaugh and this current administration."

Posted by: Cloris Gardineli | Aug 29, 2006 1:15:25 AM

Are you kidding me? News Flash!!! He's the District Attorney for the city of New Orleans. He has direct oversight of the criminal justice system in that city. If anyone is to be questioned about this topic, it's this guy. It has nothing to do with him being black or a democrat. If you order a steak at a restaurant and it comes out burnt, you don't ask a cab driver why it happened. You ask the chef.

Next time try and get your facts straight before you lump Rush Limbaugh in with the KKK. It must be so nice to walk this planet calling everyone else a racist without first looking in the mirror.

Another graduate of the Donald Rumsfield School of Management.

1. You don't understand how we do business. Trust me.
2. You don't need to understand how we do business. Trust me.
3. You shouldn't question how we do business. If you do, you're a facist.

And my favorite:

4. Give me your tax dollars and go away. Trust me.

Everyone needs to stop blaming and start doing. Doing everything they can to make sure nothing like this happens again. Also the PEOPLE of New Orleans need to take a look at some of the other communities that were devastated by Katrina and take note...If they can get their cities and towns on the road to recovery, why can't you? Stop complaining and start doing for yourself.

The questions asked are fair and should have been answered.

Comments stating the media is attacking black officials, inferring some kind of racist intent, is ridiculous. What we have here is intelligent officials who have risen to a point way beyond their abilities. They proved that by their actions in a crises, where hundreds of thousands suffered needlessly as a result. It is sad that the electors voted the mayor back in again. The national taxpayers will be paying and paying for that vote.

Jordan (or Jordon) last excuse mumble was that he has acted on 30 cases and won 27 hardly addresses the more than 3,000 open cases.

Hey Pat, I am from the city of New Orleans and I am very critical of the city and it's inhabitants (even the displaced). This is not a Republican city, nor has it been in a long time. I garantee you that if Mike Foster were still Governor of this state, things would've panned out very differently. New Orleans is mostly made up of democrats because that's the party that keeps the people pacified with welfare checks for five generations.

That "bunch of thought-to-be undesirables" that were "washed" away from the city made little significant contribution to society. They've been moved to states like Texas where they have opportunity to grow in ways that New Orleans, or LA for that matter, hasn't allowed them to in the past. However, the unemployment rate of the evacuees is almost a mirror image of what it was in N.O. pre-Katrina. They have no desire to help themselves because they've been dependent on the government for so long.

It's time to start anew in The Big Easy. It's time to shake the pillars and make a change. Don't get me wrong here people. I love this city and it pains me to see people like Ray "Candyman" Nagin get re-elected (rewarded) for incompetence.

For those of you who think that I'm trying to polarize this into a black vs white debate, I'm not. I feel the city would've been no better if Mitch Landrieu were elected into office. He's just as corrupt, if not more, than Candyman. He just talks faster. His sister, Mary Landrieu, and Gov Blanco are no better. They're all a bunch of snakes in the grass. If the state of LA re-elects these people the way they did with Nagin, then they deserve what they get. It's just a shame that the people that actually want a positive change at the state and local level have to suffer because of the ignorant.

Alas, New Orleans will probably rest on its laurels, namely Mardi Gras and Bourbon St. The blighted and condemned houses that are breeding grounds for gang, drug and criminal activity will remain in place on the outskirts of the city. Where is imminent domain when you really need it?

So, if the goal was to "wash away so-called undesireables" why did the National Guard rescue 50,000 people even while those "people" were firing on them? It is to Bush's credit that he didn't order the National Guard out as soon as the first of them were fired upon.

To the person who is upset that ABC chose to sling blame at a BLACK DEMOCRAT; Why? Are you so used to the media NEVER blaming Blacks or Democrats for their actions? Because of course we know that even in states and cities completely, wholly, totally run by Black Democrats, anything that goes wrong is certainly the fault of White Republicans like George Bush. Just ask Kwame Kilpatrick or Marion Barry..or Ray Nagin.

"I still haven't seen anyone ask Nagin why he couldn't use the schoolbuses or why he went on vacation during the storm or why he didn't prepare the Superdome as a shelter of last resort. Now that would be an intimidating question."

I can answer the one about the Superdome. Seven years prior to Katrina, a catagory 3 hurricane nemed Georges was headed towards New Orleans. The Superdome was used as a shelter and it was fiasco. Criminals had guns, the national guard posted there had no ammo. The people were fed the food on hand and complained that it was not good enough. They ransacked the luxury suites for alcohol. They made a disgusting mess of the restrooms as well as the entire complex. There was news footage of people taking barstools with them when they left. Sofas, TV's and appliances turned up missing. The Superdome Commission decided after that to remove the dome from consideration as a hurricane shelter and all of this was well known.
Why school buses were not used is a testament to the incompetence of the school board.
Why Nagin left town after the storm is because he is not a leader.

It is incredible to me that Jordan is still in office after being found liable in 43 cases of violation of civil rights laws. In the Federal Court transcripts, Jordan admits to lying several times to the EEOC as well as submitting fraudulent documents. But yet, he is still the D.A.

I am a N.O. native and live in the 20% that did not flood; I have watched the elected officals of the past 30 years turn this city into one of the worst places to live in this country. Just look at the school system, law enforcement, and the judicial system. All systems are corrupt from the top down.

It is a documented fact that then U.S. assistant attorney Eddie Jordan refused to indicte representive Cleo Flieds of bribary after being video taped receiving money which he then put into his pocket. Both men are colored and Democrats. Now, when eighty percent of the citizens of the city are "their brothers" and vote this man into office; these same citzens deserve what they get.

I am wondering why it is never ok to seriously question the actions of a "BLACK Democrat" without being called a racist. Since when is one's skin color a shield from criticism? Are people of any shade other than white to be held at a lower standard? I think not.

Eddie Jordan is a proven racist and incompetent as well. If he were a Republican who fired all blacks and hired his white friends, the liberal media and their Democrat sycophants would still be whining and crying. It would be on the MSM networks for years. Dennist Hastert had it right when he said bulldoze New Orleans. It is a waste of money to keep rebuilding an unnecessary cesspool of parasites and criminals.

"the System to which he refers is the Napoleonic Code which still shows its ugly countenance everywhere in Louisiana Courts and Legal System."

You don't know what you're talking about. The Napoleonic Code, which is not in place today, has nothing to do with criminal law.

SEVEN POLICING AGENCIES IN NEW ORLEANS. The National Guard, State Police, New Orleans Police, Criminal Sheriff, Civil Sheriff, Levee Board Police, Harbor Police can't control a smaller population than before Katrina. I don't know if they all have arrest powers but the are all law enforcement agencies. WHAT'S THE PROBLEM? THIS IS C R A Z Y!!!

I would like you know to we don't discriminate; our repuplicans are also incompetant boobs.
In New Orleans, 7% of felony arrests serve a prison sentence. That is why no one has shoot outs with the police.

There is so much misninformation in some of the above posts about the failure of local government before and after Katrina. Everyone should read the Senate report to understand how each level of government failed. As for Jordan, he should have been able to answer the questions. There are answers to the questions. As far as Nagin, say what you will about what you believe is his incompetence. However, I have never heard anything that suggests he is corrupt. In that category, he is a breath of fresh air compared to the previous two mayors.

Joe writes "in a long time. I garantee you that if Mike Foster were still Governor of this state, things would've panned out very differently. "

What a crock. Foster couldn't stay up past 6:30 pm every night. He couldn't be bothered to do more than make a phone call or two to lure business interests to the state. He was a laissez-faire, do-nothing social conservative with no record of achievement and no interest in New Orleans. His evacuation plan is the one we followed for Ivan, which had us on the roads more than twice the time Blanco's updated plan took during Katrina. Thank God Foster is off taking a nap somewhere he can't do any more harm.

i wonder if mr ross will ever challenge white politicians like mr donald rumesfield, i mean the sec. of defence. the media are very eager to ravenge helpless people like that guy in la

blah, blah, blah. I'm from, and live, in New Orleans. There's nothing new here. This racist (Eddie Jordan) has been CONVICTED of discrimination....yet, not a peep from "the masses." The silence is deafening. Well, you live by the gov't...you die by the gov't (as some did). The entitlement mentality has made it's way into the DA's office, and the result is an aide giving the snake head and circle finger movement stating "you're not gonna ask no stupid questions." Hmmm. Remember, Ray Nagin was not re-elected by people who live here...he was elected by people who will never return... in an illegal election...but...you can't say that 'cause then you're a racist. Next vote though, there won't be voters from Atlanta, Houston, Lafayette, Baton Rouge and all sorts of other places outside of Orleans Parish to vote in a local election...and then...it will be a different story....and maybe this city will finally have some real leadership without all the "whoop whoop" in tow.

It is actually worse than you think in the Orleans Parish DA's office

The DA is a public servant. Anyone should have the right to ask him questions about the performance of his job. Sadly, only journalists are allowed to get this close to doing so. I thought Brian was as polite as he could be and Jordan was rude.

It's not about "blame," it's about accountability. We should hold all gov't officials accountable, beginning with President Bush.

People outside of N.O. and LA just shake their heads, knowing the political culture there is so incredibly corrupt and incompetent. How Nagin got re-elected for doing nothing is a mystery. The man just disappears whenever bad stuff starts to happen.

1. You don't understand how we do business. Trust me.
2. You don't need to understand how we do business. Trust me.
3. You shouldn't question how we do business. If you do, you're a facist.
And my favorite:
4. Give me your tax dollars and go away. Trust me.

Wow, this is describing the corrupt Nagin regime!!

Another typical "Not my Fault" answer. Your guilty and or got something to hide if you have to walk out on ABC Niteline interview. ABC has intelligent reporters that are not going to ask "stupid" questions.
Obvisouly , the system is not working if they are "backlogged 3000 cases" !
It sounds to me like the whole government down there is out of control and believe the mayor Nagin is guilty for a lot of whats happened in New Orleans.
On another note, Bush's recent visit is phoney balony . He is doing to try to raise his ratings and did you ever notice that there never once was a background shot of still damaged work still down there but of course they are trying the best to deceive the American public!

Mr Jordan's "trust me" philosophy sounds a lot like George W Bush's approach...and he's a Democrat. Both sides are right. Eddie Jordan is very unprofessional and way over his head. Corruption is so entreched in local and state government in LA no wonder little has been accomplished in the past year. All journalists have had a feeding frenzy on placing blame and asking "why" over and over hoping to catch the interviewee in a trap and uncover a "story". It's lazy journalism and Brian Ross is practicing it just like other fellow journalists do these days. Who loses? The middle-income taxpayer who is footing all the bills!!!

spelling error in story pointed out twelve hours ago, still uncorrected. Someone better lose their job, or this blotter becomes even more of a joke than it already is.

The questions were designed to blame and criticize for political reasons. What is the point of repeating the same allegation of incompetence without looking into specific problems that the office faces other than to point the finger in blame?

Real journalists investigate, look into specific examples and expose incompetence of government officials - they do not look for the top official and frame questions based on what somebody else may have alleged.

But this is America. When did we last have journalists in this country? We have news men, reporters and pundits who work for network owned by corporations who own other corporations that profit from GOP supported ventures.

Can you name one thing that this "journalist" actually investigated before confronting the top official? This is corporate media whose job is to "inform" the population about one particular point of view. A reporter asking an honest question does not mean that he was honestly doing his job.

Bush has to be very first US President who has declared that, while he does not know where the buck stops, it never stops at his desk. The team leader is responsible for every success but every failure can be blamed directly at some particular team member. Pathetic.

If there is genuine problem with a back log, there is a system in place that should kick in. The proper higher government officials would descend on the problem area and try to help resolve it. If the official was found to be incompetent, the appropriate feedback would be sent to the higher officials and a solution worked out. That is how modern civilized governments work. In uncivilized societies a reporter shows up with a video camera and confronts the target official and asks, “Have you stopped beating your wife yet? Please answer yes or no and don’t try to avoiding the question by giving long answers.”

Since when does an "aide" interrupt an interview? An AIDE? Wonder who her mouthpiece is? Should they have stepped in and blocked her? And the US taxpayers and sent how MANY BILLIONS of dollars to these idiots?

OMG!

Come on,, what do you expect? If the Mayor of New Orleans can call his city, Chocolate City,and swear on TV after Katrina and bad mouth the Governor of Louisiana, and the President of the United States, then what do you expect from the rest of the his adminstration. They are in the wrong line of work. They make Regular Politicians look good!

I'm not upset about placing blame. I think many of us have eagerly and happily slung blame for this massive tragedy. I am upset that ABC has chosen to sling blame at a BLACK Democrat. I am upset that ABC has jumped on the same bandwagon as the KKK, Rush Limbaugh and this current administration.

What does the fact that he is black have to do with anything? Does that mean he can't be asked questions and explain what is going on. There is nothing racist about it.

"I'm ashamed of our society, our nation....aways placing blame! Always wanting for nothing never giving, take take take. Whats wrong, with this world? My heart hurts, I have two young children, they have a future in a cruel selfish world...why has this world turned out this way, it is so sad!
Hurting in PA"

"Why don't you just move somewhere that will not "hurt, shame" you?
Good Grief some of you people need to get a grip and change your damn diapers."
sml

why don't YOU just move somewhere so the people who shame us and hurt our children won't be allowed to ruin this once great country once and for all? i'm sick to death of you dirty conservatives thinking this is your country and if anyone dissents you somehow have the right to say "if you don't like it leave". you are the one who should leave so we can change this place back into something God actually WOULD bless. as for "damn diapers", that proves you have the mentality of child while people like the poster you attacked (myself included) show maturity by expressing our sorrow for what our children will endure because of unAmericans like yourself and the murderers you call leaders. it's WAY past time to march EVERY conservative off into the Atlantic.

ABC news is NEVER stupid. They have NEVER spread misinformation or EVER uncritically pushed a dishonest administration talking point. EVER!

I mean, the lawlessnes had NOTHING to do with a non-existent federal response.

Why would Alberto "The Torturer" Gonzalez, be allowed to question anyone ability to do their jobs properly. He's a little puppet for an administration that doesn't respect the Constitution.
Secondly, where were the guts of the media in the lead up to the Iraqi War, that's costing so many lives and limbs?

Eddie Jordan made his mark politically by setting up and prosecuting Edwin Edwards. The controversy of his election came within the first days to weeks after he took office. He fired most of the white staff in his office and hired African American Staff to replace them. He was successfully sued, a court ruling that he had in fact violated the rights of individuals he fired. Thus began the career of Eddie Jordan as District Attorney of New Orleans. I challenge any of you to find one sentence from the fellow bigot, Mayor Ray Nagin, criticizing or challenging the ethics of Jordan. This is because Ray Nagin uses racism as political leverage in his own, though different way. Ray Nagin's "chocolate city" was a staged gaff, one so simply crafted, it fooled an entire city, state, and nation. By playing the idiot buffoon, Nagin mobilized the dispersed African American community of New Orleans from the passivity of shock, into a state of anger giving rise to action. That action? To make the drive to New Orleans and close the gap between he and the white democrat candidate, Mitch Landrieu, who pulled African Americans out of the water, half drowned, hungry, and terrified. What was Nagin doing while Landrieu saved lives in the city he loves? Nagin was hiding out on the 42nd floor of the Hyatt. The five minutes Nagin spent in a suit instead of his pajamas, was to deliver the infamous speech deftly pointing the blame to Bush, who did deserve a thrashing, while taking cover behind Bush's inadequacies to hide his own. The truth is Ray Nagin won the mayoral election because he sidled up to white Uptown New Orleans supporter Rob Couhig, getting the white Uptown conservative vote, while getting all that free publicity that resulted in the mobilization of a force of African Americans who needed a purpose, a focus, and got one. The sad truth is Nagin is one of the most bigoted, most duplicitous individuals ever to have served office in the state of Louisiana. He does not love New Orleans, he loves, Ray Nagin. Like, Eddie Jordan loves and cares about, Eddie Jordan. Ray identifies with the white population though he is closeted about this, and trades on his color to gain the support of the black community. He has robbed the whole of the community of New Orleans. Eddie Jordan hates the white population of New Orleans, and there is a reason he called Ross "stupid." Unlike Ray Nagin, Eddie Jordan is not particularly bright, he is just obnoxious, and loves the power of sticking it to white New Orleans, while Nagin, ultimately, sticks it to the very people who believe he is championing on their behalf. For every resident of the Ninth Ward, understand this, the Ray Nagin you voted for, is going to turn your neighborhood into a high rise condominium landscape with a view of the Mississippi. Ray Nagin and Eddie Jordan are two of the most malignant figures in the New Orleans political spotlight. As long as either, and especially both, of them are there, raising a New Orleans with that resembles what was best about this American jewel will not happen. The sooner the both of them are gone, the better. The difference, Eddie Jordan is not a closeted bigot. I guess that makes him slightly less malignant, because he is a less insidious malignancy. And, he isn't a white Uptown woman in drag. That would be Nagin.

I'm shocked--shocked as many of you apparently--to discover corruption going on in New Orleans. And apparently for some time too (that Monsieur Lafitte seemed like such a nice gentleman.)
Seriously, though: let me first disavow that my comments following are offered as any kind of personal defense of Mr. Jordan. I'm not a resident of N.O., nor do I even reside on the Gulf Coast any longer. I do, however, perceive a political dynamic in this.
Mr. Jordan, as a prosecutor, has but three means with which to dispose of a case: take a plea; dismiss, or go to trial. The only means by which the huge backlog of cases may be "efficiently dealt with" are by plea or dismissal. And since it is the job of the prosecutor to gain convictions, the only option then remaining is by plea.
Prosecutors dispose of the overwhelming majority of their cases by plea under normal circumstances. They can do this because defendants know the price of mounting an unsuccessful defense will be a longer term of incarceration. Going to trial will produce arresting officers to witness with confident memories (and good notes)that the cases are good and solid.

But the sheer volume of cases pending changes the thinking of defendant and defense attorney alike. It's a given that all those cases can't be tried, so the bargaining power of the prosecutor is lessened.

Now consider the circumstances under which most of those arrests were made: arresting officers probably won't be coming to court with clear memories and copious notes. and those trials will be a long time coming, because who's going to want to pay for the extra judges, prosecutors, and defense attorneys necessary to clear such a backlog.

Without the usual power to impel a plea, dismissal becomes the only real option. This is the plank the Bush/Gonzalez Justice Department are anxious for Jordan to hurry up and walk, because it is of course political suicide.

So, no, Ross' question was not fair. It was a "When did you stop beating your wife?" question. Worse yet, he let himself be put up to ask it.

Why is Brian Ross taking his talking points questions from a crook like Abu Gonzales? Who put the GOP in the ABC? Why hasn't the Federal Government put more effort into fixing what they failed to protect, again due to corruption in GOP trades and agencies? Could it be that ABC makes big money from not spotlighting the GOP's neo-Soviet one party rule?

The hurricane did something that should have been done long before. New Orleans sits below sea level, is stuffed with incompetant and corrupt leaders, has a lazy population made up of many decidely unemployed people desiring an entitlement, and to top it off was filthy before Katrina.

This place should just be razed and turned into a wetland for the wildlife. The population can go elsewhere and be burdens to other cities.

I am sure there are a few good, hardworking people there. What did they expect? They did not have insurance and expect the government to bail them out when the inevitable eventually happened. It was not a surprise. Someday a Cat 4 or greater will re-visit New Orleans and we will have to see if this is all worth it.

I agree the response to the disaster was inadequate. Where was the local coordination and common sense? It is not all on Bush and Brownie.

Stop whining about how you cannot get your handout on time and pick yourself up by the bootstraps.

in ref to " change damn diaper"
comment to "whats wrong with this world". with an open mind on the subject i listen to those who have lived under the nagin, jordon admin. i cant make an informed decision like those who have lived there. but i can say that many cities have the same problem because of lack of accountability from an apathetic public,dealing with arrogant administrations. but the arrogant,selfish,condemning and stupid people are in vogue, thanx to this national administration.Mr. sml is a prime example of thos who are so self righteous but lack the humility to stand before any God, except the one thats running things now.any one who dont see the mess were in is a fool.Whether its new orleans, thewar, this foul economy, or our bullying president who plys with matches and set fires around the world.

NO!!!!! Please don't bulldoze New Orleans. Houston needs a place to send the refugees home to. Our murder rate is up 25%-- to say nothing about aggravated crimes. We're in a crisis here.

I am an attorney, practicing primarily criminal defense in Jeff parish, which is adjacent to Neew Orleans.

I read a story about Eddie Jordan's disgraceful conduct during your interview. The lies he is telling are unbelievable. He is NOT taking cases to trial. He is not doing anything! I understand that as of a couple of weeks ago, there had only been ONE jury trial in N.O. since Katrina (almost a year) in the murder capital of the globe. When the DA doesn't try cases, he can't move cases by guilty pleas either, because defendants have nothing to fear. They only plead guilty if the charge and/or sentence is reduced (e.g., sentence to time alreay served), or given probation. His office was already a paradise for defense attorneys before the storm because it has been in chaos since he took office and fired whites and clueless blacks (not racist -- just fact).

Jordan's whining about lack of courtrooms is a crock. The 16 judges in adjacent Jefferson have been working out of 7 temporary courtrooms for about two years. Renovation of their courthouse began in 2004, but was set back by extensive Katrina damage. They lost one or two courtrooms in the storm. Working judges resumed jury trials even back in January, when the first post-Katrina jurors were summoned, and in "courtrooms" that look like hell. Jordan was given use of the federal courtrooms and can't find a way to try cases. Getting our clients/prisoners trnsported from state prison to court in Jefferson Parish is no easier than it is in N.O., yet they are doiing it. Jordan is just a liar, and he is incredibly ignorant.

YOU WON'T BELIEVE THIS:

The suburban Jefferson DA sent some of his prosecutors to the N.O. DA's office to help clear out the unbelievable backlog of unscreened cases in N.O. When the Jefferson guys got there, there were no N.O. ADA's in the N.O. DA's office. Guess why . . .
The N.O. ADA's were all in Destin, Fla. at the La. District Attorneys Assoc. Annual Conference laying on the beach, on the public's dime. This while Eddie complains of lack of money and prosecutors.

ADA's in Jefferson were not allowed to attend the LDAA conference because all agencies in Jefferson had been asked to cut back due to storm-related reduced revenue.

So the Jefferson ADA's stay home, respond to Jordan's plea for help and complaints that he needs more this and that, and his ADA's are in Florida resting.

And why not? They've been working so hard on that case.

New Orleans D.A. Eddie Jordan is as incompetent as District Attorney as he was a bumbling, illiterate lawyer. He got where he is by being a law partner with now infamous Congressman "Dollar Bill" Jefferson (the fellow with the freezer that the FBI found to contain several hundred thousand dollars in loot). Congressman Jefferson had friend Bill Clinton appoint Jordan U.S. Attorney. When that gig was over Jordan, he ran for D.A., and chocolate city jumped at the chance to annoint him D.A.

No wonder working people (me) are desperate to escape from a place which once deserved to be called the "Queen City of the South," but is now but a hole.

What was stupid was for Jordan to have walked out on the interview. Instead of answering the question, he blamed the interviewer for asking it. Tells a lot about the character of the DA and his office. Someone also likened the question to racism. Bull. Blacks are no more immune from corruption and other crimes and incompetence than whites etc. What Jordan fails to understand is that when questioned by the press, it's always better to say something than nothing. You never walk out of an interview because then the public thinks you're hiding something. Whoever the aide was who stepped in to stop the interview shouod be fired and fast.

I allege that Eddie Jordan, Jr. walked away from those questions because he knows personally that he is nothing more then a criminal himself aided and abetted by those then in the federal judicial system and the innocent who voted him in.

It was only a matter of time before someone would expose Eddie for what he truly is, a criminal allegedly on the take from the tax payers.

As a United States Attorney he was so weak and allowed criminal activity to happen in the gaming industry and made deals with Mike Foster while he prosecuted Edwin Edwards. Criminal information was given daily to Eddie and Jim Letten, his assistant at that time while that case went on. They were out to "GET EDWARDS" at any cost. For further information read LOVOI vs. POLAZOLA, federal court Baton Rouge, LA.

Every wondered why Jim Letten, who replaced Eddie Jordan, Jr. at the federal level never has been appointed the official United States Attorney or taken an oath? The Judiciary Hearing Committee knows that he is an alledge criminal as well who aided and abetted Eddie Jordan while on the USA vs. EDWARDS case. Read the USA vs. EDWARDS case and Amicus Briefs filed in the federal court house in Baton Rouge, LA and the Amicus Briefs filed in the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals of USA vs. EDWARDS.

Eddie knows crime alright. For further criminal information on Eddie read Lovoi vs. Harry Lee, Paul Connick, Louis Freeh, and Eddie Jordan, Jr. in the federal court house in New Orleans, LA in the closed section. Eddie's crimes were recorded and protected by those above him.

When Eddie walked off of an interview set I allege that he gave himself away.

Eddie feels that he is above everything and is not accountable for any crimnal activity that he took part of with the aid of others above him protect him.

Thank God I live in America where we have a Constitution that is upheld!!!! or is that only for the chose few....I get confused.

I'm one of those white anglo's that Eddie doesn't much care for especially while exposing his crimes.

Why are the federal authorities stepping back from all of this crime and allowing Eddie to get away with it? Where is our Federal Justice System.....protecting the on going crime of what they can't get rid of?!?

Dear Stop Complaining People:

Pure ignorance, with a large dose of hate. What makes you the expert you would present yourself to be on the City of New Orleans, which provides much of this country's homegrown oil and natural gas. Of course there has to be a port of New Orleans. Much of what is exported from the inner areas of the country flows down the Mississippi. We are a vital part of the economy. As to crime and filth you speak of, as is true of any large city, we are in good company. But no one is talking about razing cities because of crime, or because San Francisco lives on a fault line, or because of the many landscape vulnerabilities existing throughout this country. Please be logical. For economic reasons alone, there must be a port city at the mouth of the Mississippi. And there are many other reasons as well. What you know about New Orleans is the tip of the ice berg. Beneath the water line, lines the vast truth of this city which is being rebuilt at, I kid you not, the citizen level. When your small town or large city comes under fire and its right to exist is questioned, we won't hold what you have said against you and those who hold your point of view. The same people who lie beneath the sea level of the tip of the ice berg your awareness is limited to, will still come to your rescue. We will raze your destroyed houses, and we will build new ones. We will hold those accountable just as we are holding the Corps of Engineers who, in the greatest country in the world, could not achieve in 40 years what Amsterdam and Great Britain have in preserving their bit of ground from the sea. You, no doubt, probably do not believe in global warming, though I would remind you Pat Robertson changed his mind and no supports this scientific fact. My best, unsolicited advice to you, understand the hate and malice you put out against people and cities, will come back to you, and perhaps the place you have made home. When the best of a person is not inspired to expression by the catastrophe of his neighbors, he is in trouble. What he fails do to for others, many in fact come back to haunt him, and, you. Please learn about the facts of a situation before committing a piece of historical value, not to mention significant economic value, to be razed. This is just racism, and lacking the grip of reality, and compassion. You post sounded pretty solidly like a complaint, about something you haven't taken time to inform yourself about. Perhaps your blogger name is a reflection of what is truly your identity, and not an appropriate edict to hand to those you do not know, and apparently don't w