Groundhog Day

Looks like this contractor poked a head out of the ground and saw its shadow.

An area crane operator previously reported to have been hired to move three Confederate monuments in New Orleans now says it has no involvement in the project and "is not providing equipment or manpower" for their removal.

Lawyers for Mayor Mitch Landrieu had previously touted the involvement of ALL Crane, a national firm with a Louisiana branch, and a federal judge had cited the company's expertise as one of the reasons he felt comfortable allowing the removals to continue, denying a bid from preservationists to have him order the statues left in place for their own protection.

With ALL Crane out, it's not clear who would be available to take the company's place, as several other companies with the expertise and equipment have already declined to be involved in the controversial project, according to a consultant supervising the removal.

So, I guess, six more months of monuments.