NEW ORLEANS — An official from southeast Louisiana is facing serious allegations of perjury related to a contentious grain terminal located within the Mississippi River Chemical Corridor, following a lawsuit initiated by a well-known local climate activist.
St. John the Baptist Parish President Jaclyn Hotard has claimed under oath during a deposition that she was unaware of any potential financial benefits her mother-in-law might receive from recent zoning changes intended for a 222-acre grain export facility along the Mississippi River.
In legal documents, Hotard also asserted that there had been no communication between her and her mother-in-law regarding the grain terminal. However, subsequent evidence emerged when her mother-in-law presented multiple text messages that indicated extensive discussions about both the grain terminal and adjacent property owned by her marine transport company, according to court documents.
These text messages came to light as part of a lawsuit filed by Joy Banner, who, alongside her sister Jo, played a crucial role in stopping the controversial $800 million grain terminal project earlier this year. The facility was proposed to be constructed within 300 feet of their property and in proximity to significant historical sites within their predominantly Black community.
This legal confrontation represents a larger struggle occurring in courts and community gatherings, where officials advocating for economic development are facing off against local grassroots organizations concerned about industrial expansion and pollution in the heavily industrialized corridor between Baton Rouge and New Orleans, a region often labeled as “Cancer Alley” by environmental activists.
“We are residents that are just trying to protect our homes and just trying to live our lives as we have a right to do,” Banner remarked in an interview.
The Banner sisters have gained wider recognition following the establishment of the Descendants Project, which focuses on preserving history and advocating for racial justice.
The recently uncovered text messages reveal that Hotard expressed feelings of hostility towards Joy Banner, stating she wished to “choke” her and using derogatory language to describe her. Hotard also remarked, “I hate these people” in reference to the Banner sisters.
After the recent developments, neither Hotard nor her attorney responded to media inquiries. The lawyer representing Hotard’s mother-in-law opted not to provide any comments.
Joy Banner originally lodged a lawsuit against the parish in federal court in December 2023, following an incident where Hotard and councilman Michael Wright allegedly threatened her with arrest and silenced her during the public comment section of a council meeting the previous month.
“In sum: a white man threatened a Black woman with prosecution and imprisonment for speaking during the public comment period of a public meeting,” the lawsuit claims, asserting that the parish violated Banner’s rights protected under the First Amendment.
Wright and his legal counsel have not issued responses to requests for comments, and both Hotard and Wright have contested Banner’s account in their legal filings.
At the November meeting, Banner aimed to emphasize Hotard’s perceived conflict of interest concerning her vote on a zoning change that would facilitate the grain export’s construction. She had also recently submitted a complaint to the Louisiana Board of Ethics, pointing out that her mother-in-law was expected to gain financially, as her marine transport company owned property within the targeted rezoned area.
In response to a discovery inquiry, Hotard filed a statement claiming that “no such documents exist” relating to exchanges between her and her mother-in-law concerning the grain terminal, the property, or Joy Banner. Furthermore, in her August deposition, Hotard was quoted as stating she had “no idea” about her mother-in-law’s business holdings, even though text messages revealed discussions on the relevant property just weeks prior to her deposition.
The trial for Banner’s lawsuit is set to commence early next year.
