Kesia Lemoine: Louisiana mayor charged after altercation during council meeting turns nasty
BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA: Chaos ensued during a Louisiana town council meeting as the mayor engaged in a heated argument with other attendees on Monday, November 27.
The incident, captured on video, shows Elton Mayor Kesia Lemoine in a shouting match, allegedly smacking a phone from a woman's hand, as reported by KPLC.
Who is Kesia Lemoine?
Elton, a small town in Louisiana, saw a tumultuous council meeting where Mayor Kesia Lemoine engaged in a heated dispute.
Reports indicate that she was charged with battery following the incident.
The incident was prompted by escalating tensions within the meeting, which ended in a chaotic scene with Lemoine confronting residents.
In footage captured during the meeting, Mayor Lemoine was seen getting visibly agitated and engaging in a shouting match.
The situation escalated when she allegedly attempted to swipe a phone from a woman recording the events, leading to an outburst from the woman and intervention from others present.
#WATCH: Moment Louisiana Mayor Kesia Lemoine clashes with another woman during council meeting - but blames her behavior on being a mom
— Unlimited L's (@unlimited_ls) December 2, 2023
Video shows Elton Mayor Kesia Lemoine locking heads with an unidentified woman who she later argued with her inside a meeting room.
Footage… pic.twitter.com/7EzY2zES5C
Mayor Lemoine's apology
Addressing her actions, Lemoine stated, "As a mother, I’m a protector and that really made me come out of character. I do apologize for my actions because I am the mayor and they hold me to a different standard. But also I am human and I do have feelings."
Tensions initially arose during discussions about grants, veering off-topic and causing Mayor Lemoine's frustration to mount.
“We’re talking about the budget, you way off on something else,” Lemoine snapped, proceeding to get visibly more annoyed. “We are on the budget. You out of order. You say something else, we’re gonna escort you out.”
The situation intensified further as conversations shifted to the mayor's salary and allegations of a clandestine meeting.
This isn't the first controversy involving Mayor Lemoine; earlier this year, allegations of voter fraud led to a petition for her removal from office.
After Monday's incident, a second recall petition was submitted to Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards' office, highlighting the continued dissatisfaction within the community.