Louisiana Abolishes Calvin Duncan’s Elected Clerk Post After 3 Hours in Office
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Jul 22
Louisiana Abolishes Calvin Duncan’s Elected Clerk Post After 3 Hours in Office
2 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Jul 22
Summary
Three hours after Calvin Duncan was sworn in as New Orleans criminal court clerk in May, a court order cleared the way for Louisiana to eliminate the elected post he had just won.
The Republican-led legislature merged Duncan’s office into another court position after his 68% election victory, a move he says targeted his criminal justice and racial justice advocacy.
Duncan, 64, was wrongfully convicted of murder in 1985, freed in 2011 and fully exonerated in 2021 after decades as a jailhouse lawyer who helped secure releases for hundreds of prisoners.
The fight widened into a broader political clash: Duncan accused Governor Jeff Landry and Attorney General Liz Murrill of a coordinated effort against him, while Murrill was later indicted over threats tied to the dispute.
With the office now subsumed and few legal options left, Duncan says he plans to run for the reworked clerk position when it next opens in four years.
Louisiana cited 'efficiency' for abolishing an elected office. What are the true costs of merging courts without planning or certain funding?
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Overriding the Ballot: How Louisiana Lawmakers Abolished an Elected Office After Calvin Duncan’s Victory
Overview
The Orleans Parish Clerk's office is at the center of a major legal and political controversy after the Louisiana Legislature abolished the elected position following Calvin Duncan's victory. City officials, including Mayor Helena Moreno, insist that the dispute must be settled in court, free from political influence. The move has sparked strong criticism from civil rights advocates, who see it as a targeted effort to dismantle Black political power. The ongoing legal battle highlights deep divisions over democracy and voter rights in Louisiana, with the fate of the office and respect for electoral outcomes now in the hands of the courts.