Criticism of Mayor Cantrell’s Travel is Not about Accountability, It’s About Control and Undermining Her Authority

In the ongoing saga of New Orleans politics, few topics have been as persistently weaponized as Mayor LaToya Cantrell’s travel schedule. Often with a tone of barely-concealed disdain, critics latch onto every trip she takes outside city limits, as if her mere presence in New Orleans is the only thing standing between the city and chaos. 

But let’s be clear: this fixation on the mayor’s travel is not about fiscal responsibility or civic engagement. It is a thinly-veiled attempt to marginalize her leadership—and, by extension, the very idea of Black leadership in a city whose history is deeply entwined with issues of race and representation.

Mayor Cantrell is not a one-woman city government, nor is she the only official responsible for the day-to-day operations of New Orleans. The city has a robust council, a network of department heads, and a host of public servants whose jobs are to keep the city running. The notion that the mayor must be physically present at all times to “do her job” is not only absurd, it’s a fundamental misunderstanding of how modern governance works. In fact, the expectation that she should never leave the city borders on the ridiculous, especially in an era when mayors are expected to advocate for their cities on state, national, and even international stages.

And could we please abandon this idea that Mayor Cantrell should remain in the city because of the now weeks-old jail break. She is the mayor – not the sheriff. Hell, not even the sheriff could have prevented the jailbreak that is the result of chronic under-funding and systemic challenges inherent within a criminal justice system in need of major reform, rather than any one person’s failures. Using the jailbreak as a reason Cantrell should stay put is just a convenient excuse to help push a bogus narrative. We are smarter than, people!

Let’s not pretend that this scrutiny is about New Orleans and its people. Previous mayors of this city – all men – have flown all over the world in their role as Mayor, with barely a murmur from the mainstream media and critics. Mayors of other major cities—many of whom are white men—routinely travel for conferences, economic development missions, and meetings with federal officials. Rarely do we see the same level of outrage or obsessive coverage. 

The fact is that when Mayor Cantrell travels, she does so as a representative of New Orleans, seeking opportunities, partnerships, and resources that can benefit the city. Whether she’s attending a climate summit, meeting with potential investors, or advocating for disaster relief, her presence in these spaces is not a dereliction of duty; it’s an extension of it.

The critics, however, would have you believe otherwise. They seize on every itinerary, every hotel receipt, every photo snapped at a conference or convention, and spin it into a narrative of neglect or self-indulgence. It’s a classic tactic: by harping on her travel, they attempt to paint her as out of touch or irresponsible. It’s a way to undermine her authority without ever having to engage with the substance of her policies or the realities of her job. And let’s be honest—this is not just about Mayor Cantrell as an individual. It’s about sending a message to any Black leader who dares to step into the spotlight: you will be watched, you will be questioned, and your every move will be used against you.

This is not about destinations, its about domination. This relentless focus on travel is also a distraction from the real issues facing New Orleans. The city grapples with crime, infrastructure challenges, economic inequality, and the lingering effects of natural disasters. These are complex problems that require collaboration, innovation, and, yes, leadership that extends beyond the city’s borders. The idea that Mayor Cantrell’s physical presence in City Hall is the magic solution to these problems is not only naive, it’s insulting to the intelligence of New Orleanians. It ignores the reality that effective leadership often means building relationships, learning from other cities, and advocating for resources that can only be secured by showing up in person.

The constant drumbeat of criticism serves another, more insidious purpose: it seeks to isolate and ostracize Mayor Cantrell, to make her an outsider in her own city. Somebody has to say it, so we will: The New Orleans City Council has no business, nor does it have a mandate, to attempt to limit the Mayor’s travel. If its members, especially those who have been among the Mayor’s biggest critics, would spend more time on what they were actually elected to do and less time on criticizing the Mayor, New Orleans just might be better off.

We have spoken out before about the unfair criticism we believe Mayor Cantrell has endured over her travel schedule among other things. Our position on this issue has not waivered. And we are happy to see others, such as New Orleans Advocate columnist Will Sutton, sharing a similar point of view. This isn’t about the Mayor catching too many flights. It’s an attempt to make her leadership seem illegitimate, to sow doubt and division, and to discourage others from following in her footsteps. By fixating on her travel, critics hope to chip away at her credibility and, by extension, the credibility of Black leadership in New Orleans.

Let’s call this what it is: hypocrisy. The same voices that demand bold, visionary leadership are the ones who try to clip the mayor’s wings every time she steps onto a plane. The same people who complain about the city’s lack of national influence are the ones who criticize her for building relationships outside of Louisiana. It’s a no-win situation, and it’s designed to be that way.

Mayor LaToya Cantrell could chain herself to her desk and never leave City Hall again. The naysayers who are hellbent on undermining her will just find something else to complain about because this obsession with her travel is not about accountability or transparency. It’s about control. It’s about who gets to lead, who gets to represent New Orleans, and whose voices are allowed to shape the city’s future.