Samedi

Updated 7-25, 11 a.m.

Jon Johnson's replacement on the New Orleans City Council will be chosen Thursday. The Council called a special meeting for Thursday at 9 a.m. to pick an interim council member for District E, which represents eastern New Orleans and the Lower 9th Ward. No word came down on who the replacement will be came down as of midday Tuesday. Johnson, a longtime New Orleans politico, resigned his seat last week after pleading guilty to stealing FEMA money, and using it for his failed 2007 state Senate campaign.

Johnson was one of the Council members who held up the appointment of an interim member to fill the District B seat vacated by Stacy Head after she won a citywide seat. Along with Councilwoman Cynthia Willard-Lewis, he didn't show up at Council meetings designed to name a replacement. The appointment was eventually kicked to Mayor Mitch Landrieu, who named former State Senator Diana Bajoie.

In that case, Head named her desired replacement publicly before a meeting was held. After not showing up to a couple meetings, Hedge-Morrell accused Head of trying to steamroll the appointment through, and control a second vote on the Council.

The District E interim replacement will hold the seat until November, when a special election will be held to fill the seat for the final two years of Johnson's initial four-year term. 

Note: The City Council changed the meeting time from Wed. to Thurs. due to President Barack Obama's visit.