CONSIDERING ACTION - Louisiana’s top GOP lawmaker is weighing legislative action against Democratic Governor John Bel Edwards for what he has called “gross misconduct and the highest level of deceit” in his response to the deadly 2019 arrest of Black Motorist Ronald Greene. Republican House Speaker Rep. Clay Schexnayder’s comments were in a statement released Monday that followed an Associated Press report Friday that said the Democratic governor was informed within hours that troopers arresting Greene engaged in a “violent, lengthy struggle” yet Edwards stayed silent for two years as state police officially reported that Greene died from a crash after a high-speed chase. Bodycam video was obtained and released by the Associated Press showing the violent encounter. Schexnayder, said he met over the weekend with the state’s Republican Senate president and attorney general but did not elaborate on the options he was considering. Meanwhile, Democratic State Senator Cleo Fields who is a committee member for State Police Oversight told WAFB 9-News in Baton Rouge that he’s monitoring the recent developments in the Ronald Greene Case.
"Obviously the governor has a responsibility and we as lawmakers have a responsibility but more importantly we all hold a deep responsibility to this family," Fields said.
A spokesperson for Edwards issued a statement that said the governor initially learned of the arrest and death of an "unnamed individual" in May 2019 and was not made aware of video of the arrest until October 2020. The FBI and Department of Justice are looking into the Ronald Greene case.