New Orleans Council Candidate’s Campaign Advertisements May Violate Law

State Rep. Delisha Boyd’s Campaign Finance Under Scrutiny

Democratic Delisha Boyd, running for the New Orleans City Council, allegedly used campaign funds to advertise her private real estate business, potentially violating Louisiana campaign finance laws.

New Orleans Regional Transit Authority buses and bus stops feature advertisements promoting Boyd’s campaign committee, Delisha Delivers Results, and her real estate business, Delisha Boyd, LLC.

Boyd admits her campaign has been paying her real estate firm, DKR Real Estate Investments, for marketing materials. She defends her actions, insisting she has not violated any laws, and has even hired an ethics attorney to review her campaign’s finances.

The advertisements do not disclose who funded them and contain a link to Boyd’s real estate business, according to Stephen M. Gelé, a campaign finance attorney. He suggests this could violate state laws barring political candidates from utilizing campaign funds for personal gain.

David Bordelon, Louisiana’s ethics administrator, voiced a similar sentiment but declined to comment on Boyd’s specific situation. Bordelon said if such advertisements are paid for with campaign contributions and don’t support the candidate’s election, they could be deemed personal in nature.

Boyd’s campaign and her daughter’s Elite PAC have reportedly paid nearly $40,000 to DKR Real Estate Investments. Despite this, the campaign and PAC claim the payments were made to a firm named DKR Marketing, which doesn’t exist.

It remains unclear whether Boyd’s campaign, the Elite PAC, or DKR Real Estate Investment funded the advertisements on buses and bus stops. An RTA spokesperson stated that the agency is reviewing these advertisements.

Meanwhile, Boyd continues her campaign for the Division 1 at-large New Orleans City Council seat, competing against state Rep. Matthew Willard. The primary election is scheduled for Saturday.