Shep is... in?

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What could be a critically important relationship between the city's newly elected mayor and state lawmakers is off to a rocky start after Mayor-elect LaToya Cantrell showed up at a meeting this week with one of the legislators' former colleagues: ex-con Derrick Shepherd.

Shepherd, a former state senator who served more than a year in federal prison after pleading guilty to money laundering, accompanied Cantrell to a meeting with New Orleans legislators designed to begin building relationships during the five-month transition before she is sworn in.

Now now let's not be to quick to judge. After all, despite his history as a money launderer and domestic abuser, Shep is an "ex" con. Which is why a lot of us were sympathetic to his attempts to get on the ballot for the state House in 2015. Ex offenders ought to have their basic civil rights restored once they've served their sentences. This is not to say, however, that they ought to be elected or appointed to political office. Only that they have a right to be denied those opportunities through the same process as anyone else.

In this case, then, it's up to LaToya to filter such a person out of her sphere of influence. Strange that she would not do that. Wasn't she supposed to be the candidate of draining the swamp and being all "Not For Sale" and whatnot? Wonder what happened.