DONALDSONVILLE, LA – In a sweeping new transparency initiative, the Donaldsonville City Council walked back an ordinance that prohibited video recording of council meetings and voted Tuesday to technically allow the recordings, as long as all footage is immediately handed over to the mayor’s cousin, Jeb, who owns a refurbished Dell laptop and a copy of Windows Movie Maker he downloaded in 2009. Officials insist the policy is “not censorship” but rather a “creative quality control process,” ensuring all recorded material depicts the council “at its most flattering angles.”
Residents say the new rule is a clear attempt to restrict public oversight, noting that the mayor’s cousin is best known for filming videos of himself fishing on the bayou and editing every clip with star-wipe transitions. City leaders deny the accusation, arguing that “raw footage is dangerously misleading” and that constituents should only consume “professionally curated government content” featuring soft lighting, tasteful background music, and zero audible criticism.
The council also announced plans to explore additional transparency upgrades, including a delayed-broadcast system where meetings will air 18 months after they occur and only in VHS format.
Opponents say this is a blatant violation of the First Amendment. Supporters counter that “no rights are being violated” because “citizens can still take notes with a pencil if they’re that obsessed with accountability.”
