SUCCETTE LITIGATION
On February 5, Judge Brandon Long dismissed with prejudice the final remaining claim brought by Woodward Harbor, LLC/LSU Health Foundation against the City of Mandeville over Succette. For me, that ruling represented more than the end of another battle over massive development on Mandeville’s Lakefront. It was a victory for every citizen who volunteers to serve their community in elected office and should be able to do so without fear of personal retaliation or intimidation.
Woodward Harbor/LSU Health Foundation is currently appealing the dismissal against the City, and that appeal continues through the federal courts, adding to the hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars already spent defending this litigation. However, they did not appeal the dismissal of the claims against me personally. That chapter is over.
Mandeville taxpayers have every reason to be frustrated by the enormous expense this litigation has imposed on our City. Judge Long rejected the arguments advanced against the City and me and, in his final ruling, sharply criticized the plaintiffs’ use of AI-generated legal research, including citations to “hallucinated cases” that “do not exist,” as well as inaccurate descriptions of cases and their facts.
The City continues to actively pursue reimbursement of the hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars spent defending the City and me.
I took the positions I did because I believed they were right for Mandeville and because the citizens I represent spoke loudly and clearly. I had an obligation to represent the people who placed their trust in me. In my opinion, the decision to target me personally was retaliation intended not only to intimidate me, but to send a message to future Council Members who might stand in the way of similar development.
As a Catholic, I forgive those involved. My faith calls me to do so. I wish them well, and I sincerely hope lessons were learned from an ordeal that caused tremendous expense to Mandeville taxpayers and unnecessary pain to me and my family.
There is, however, a lasting positive outcome. Judge Long’s rulings—including the dismissal of the claims against me individually—provide important precedent protecting elected officials who act in good faith on behalf of their constituents. Hopefully, that precedent will make others think twice before attempting to use litigation to intimidate public officials in Mandeville, elsewhere in Louisiana, or anywhere in the country.