MarTina Ratliff Boley withdrew from the race not long after 22nd District Court Judge William J. Knight denied her petition that candidate Charles Mizell should be ruled ineligible based on where he files his homestead exemption.
During the hearing that lasted nearly three hours and was riddled with often-redundant testimony, Knight, citing several previous Louisiana cases on point, ruled in favor of Mizell.
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As it turned out, the hearing was a prelude to the confusion that ensued. Less than one hour after Knight’s ruling, Ratliff Boley walked back into the Washington Parish courthouse and stunned observers by announcing she was withdrawing from the race.
“I’m dropping out because the fight for Bogalusa is not white versus black,” she said. “The fight is white and black versus green. Greens means money. The city of Bogalusa has been controlled by money for many, many years, and we have to get past a white candidate versus a black candidate.
“As a sacrifice I would rather give citizens a greater chance of being helped by getting Mizell out. Anybody else is probably okay.”
Ratliff Boley’s exit has dwindled the field of what was five candidates just a week ago to three: Mizell, Charlie Easterling and political newcomer Wade Pittman.
Easterling and Rafliff Boley also drew longtime Washington Parish Clerk of Court Johnny Crain into the dispute. Easterling’s petition, which paralleled that of Ratliff Boley’s, was dropped because he did not appear for a 9 a.m. hearing on the matter. Easterling, his sister Judy Seal, and Ratliff Boley all accused Crain of providing false information to them, specifically that on Friday afternoon he allegedly called the petitioners to inform them the hearing on Easterling’s petition had been canceled and that it would be heard together with Rafliff Boley’s at 1 p.m. Crain vigorously denied those charges.
“I called (Seal) around 4 p.m. Friday as a courtesy to tell her that (Ratliff Boley) had filed her claim,” Crain said. “(Knight) was assigned the case. I told her (Knight) set the case for 1 (p.m.) and that (Easterling’s) case was still set for 9.”
Late Monday afternoon, Crain had three of his employees confirm his account, saying they were present when he spoke with Seal on a speakerphone.
Additionally, Crain denied ever speaking with Ratliff Boley, saying it was Amy Inadnitt, an employee of his office, who made the call.
Inadnitt admitted calling Ratliff Boley for the purpose of informing her the hearing was scheduled for 1 p.m. and “that’s all that was said. (The Easterling hearing) was never mentioned. It was strictly that her hearing was set for 1.”
Easterling, Seal and Ratliff stood by their claims, and Seal even added that she has three people that can corroborate her account.
“He said it was changed to 1,” said Easterling. “He said he didn’t say it (Monday), that it was probably a misunderstanding, and we’ll leave it at that.”
Ratliff Boley, who represented herself at the hearing, passed up an opportunity to question Crain under oath regarding the conflicting stories. When she called Crain to testify, she asked him whether he knew Mizell.
Crain said he did and added that “he is a fine young man.”
Ratliff Boley said she had no further questions and Crain was excused.
When asked why she did not press Crain on the matter, Ratliff gave a vague answer, eventually saying she did not believe he would have told the truth.
The post-hearing developments overshadowed the hearing, which appeared at times to leave Mizell exasperated during Ratliff Boley’s cross-examination.
“I’m just a country boy,” he testified at one point. “My construction mentality does not give me the ability to answer all of your questions.”
The hearing also shed light on Mizell’s personal life. During testimony, he admitted he was not divorced from his wife, Edna, and that a judge in 2008 ordered him to continue to pay all of the expenses on the residence he and his wife shared on Peach Orchard Road, which sits outside the city limits.
In April of 2008, Mizell said he purchased his current home on Charwood Drive in Bogalusa but did not change his homestead exemption because he was still paying the expenses, including taxes, on the Peach Orchard Road house as ordered by the court.
Ratliff Boley on Monday argued that state law mandates that a potential candidate must list as his or her residence the property where that person files their homestead exemption. She contended that since Mizell maintains his homestead exemption on the Peach Orchard road address, and since that address is outside of the city limits, he is ineligible to run for mayor.
Mizell admitted he was not aware of the law, and added someone else had filled out his campaign registration application and he signed it without reading it.
“I’m not sure I’m smart enough to understand (all of the candidacy requirements),” he said. “I drink coffee at a local place and they keep me abreast.”
In his ruling, Knight said case law has allowed exceptions, thus denying the peitition.
Easterling said he plans no further action “at this time.”
Mizell said he believes the past few days have “energized my campaign. The charges leveled there were not something that was relevant.”
“We are back on the streets and it’s time we just go on about our business for an election Oct. 2.”
Comments
Dennis wrote on Jul 28, 2010 11:38 AM:
This applies to more than just the mayoral candidates. It also fits most of the folks commenting negatively about the mayoral race. If you don't like a candidate, whether it be for personal reasons or because you think he's too ignorant, too immoral, too rich, too poor, or any other reasons, that's fine. But why not use your energy to promote one of the other candidates? Folks seem to prefer dirty laundry. Says alot for Bogalusa. "
Ms. T wrote on Jul 28, 2010 9:16 AM:
Ms J wrote on Jul 27, 2010 5:52 AM:
Just Me wrote on Jul 23, 2010 6:41 AM:
Just Me wrote on Jul 23, 2010 6:38 AM:
Just wondering wrote on Jul 22, 2010 4:27 PM:
Dottie Hunt wrote on Jul 22, 2010 12:35 PM:
KenR wrote on Jul 22, 2010 7:59 AM:
Louis wrote on Jul 22, 2010 7:20 AM:
Louis wrote on Jul 22, 2010 7:14 AM:
SoSad wrote on Jul 21, 2010 8:12 PM:
farmhand wrote on Jul 21, 2010 7:10 PM:
Barbara wrote on Jul 21, 2010 6:21 PM:
vic wrote on Jul 21, 2010 4:52 PM:
vic wrote on Jul 21, 2010 4:45 PM:
Ms.T wrote on Jul 21, 2010 3:28 PM:
FED UP wrote on Jul 21, 2010 12:45 PM:
voter wrote on Jul 21, 2010 10:39 AM: