A contentious legal battle has erupted in Monroe, Louisiana, challenging a state law that plaintiffs argue undermines the political power of Black voters. On October 31, 2025, Bishop Rodney McFarland and other members of the Monroe City Council filed a complaint in the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana against Governor Jeff Landry and other city officials. The plaintiffs allege that Act 452 violates the Voting Rights Act by diluting Black voting strength.
The lawsuit, spearheaded by Chairman Bishop Rodney McFarland, Vice Chairman Verbon R. Muhammad Sr., Juanita G. Woods, and Reverend Roosevelt Wright Jr., accuses Governor Jeff Landry, Mayor Friday Ellis, and Fire Chief Timothy Williams of enacting a law that unlawfully strips the Monroe City Council of its authority to appoint key city officials. The plaintiffs argue that Act 452’s amendment to La R.S. 33:381(F) violates Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 by denying Black voters an equal opportunity to participate in the political process compared to White voters.
According to the complaint, Act 452 was enacted following a delay in appointing a new fire chief after Mayor Ellis allegedly failed to communicate effectively with council members. This led to discussions with State Senator Stewart Cathy Jr., who sponsored the bill allowing the governor to make appointments if vacancies persisted for over a year without council confirmation. The plaintiffs contend this amendment targets Monroe specifically due to its population size and is discriminatory because it transfers appointment power from a majority-Black council to a statewide elected official chosen by a predominantly White electorate.
The plaintiffs seek declaratory and injunctive relief from the court, requesting that Act 452 be declared unconstitutional under both federal and state laws. They argue it violates not only the Voting Rights Act but also the Equal Protection Clause and Fifteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution as well as provisions within Louisiana’s Constitution protecting home rule charters like Monroe’s. The complaint calls for an injunction preventing enforcement of Act 452 and any appointments made under its authority deemed null and void.
Represented by attorneys Carol D. Powell Lexing and Pamela Renae Harper, the plaintiffs are prepared for what could be a landmark case affecting municipal governance across Louisiana. Judge Terry Doughty will preside over Case No: 3:25-cv-01667 as it unfolds in federal court.
Source: 325cv01667_McFarland_v_Louisiana_State_Governor_Jeff_Landry_Complaint_Western_District_Louisiana.pdf
