TL/DR –
Jon Johnson, a former New Orleans city councilman and state legislator, has announced his candidacy for the District E council seat he was previously forced to resign due to corruption charges. Johnson, who was convicted of public corruption in 2012 for misusing FEMA aid, is looking to follow in the footsteps of outgoing councilman Oliver Thomas, another convicted felon who managed to reclaim his council seat after his conviction. Despite his past, Johnson touts his long history in public service and the projects he has brought to the district, while stating that the decision to elect someone with his history is ultimately up to the voters.
Jon Johnson, a Former Politician and Convicted Felon, Aims to Reclaim a Seat on the New Orleans City Council
Jon Johnson, with a long record in elected politics and a past conviction for public corruption in 2012, is making a bid to return to the District E council seat he resigned from 13 years ago. In a recent interview with WWL Louisiana, Johnson conveyed his hopes of following in the footsteps of outgoing councilman, Oliver Thomas, who regained his position 14 years after a corruption-related resignation.
Johnson is among nine candidates vying to replace Thomas, including former District E council member Cyndi Nguyen and State Rep. Jeff Hughes. The 76-year-old former state legislator and city councilman has a unique track record, serving in various political roles from 1979 to 2012.
Johnson takes credit for his contributions to the district’s major projects, such as the now-defunct Six Flags amusement park, and a number of important initiatives during his council tenure, like bringing back a driver’s license office, hospital, and Walmart to New Orleans East.
In 2012, Johnson pleaded guilty to misusing federal Katrina recovery funds, admitting to redirecting FEMA aid meant for restoring TJ Semmes Elementary to his 2007 State Senate campaign. However, he now describes his conviction as a “technical violation of the law” and regrets not fighting the charges in court.
Despite his conviction, Johnson insists the misappropriated amount was merely $13,000, not $16,000, and describes it as a small misappropriation dating back over 12 years. Although he no longer has ties to the Ninth Ward Housing Development Corp., Johnson still faces questions regarding it, as it remains registered at the address of a rental property he owns, and owns 14 properties purchased during his tenure, most of which are vacant.
In a reversal, Johnson denies pleading guilty to submitting false contracts for personal residence repairs in his 2012 case, despite previously signing the factual basis for the plea. When confronted about this during an interview, he responded, “Documents are not always right.”
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