Who dat say...

...they gonna rob these folks?: The city's downtown was as crime-free as you could expect 100,000 or so liquored-up folks to be after the Saints beat the Vikings (and I do mean "beat"--ask Brett Favre about that) Sunday (1.24.10) night. But shortly after the stroke of midnight, the bad guys resumed their bad ways:

• Monday (1.25.10) 1:46 a.m.: An Asian woman walking in the 400 block of Bourbon Street (between Conti and St. Louis streets) had her purse snatched by a black punk who fled on foot.

He is described as 5'6" tall, with a medium build and dark complexion, wearing a red pullover shirt and jeans.

• Monday (1.25.10) 3:29 a.m.: A white guy using the ATM at 440 Bourbon St. was robbed of his withdrawal by a black thug.

Officers caught up with Harold Green, 29, and charged him with simple robbery and extortion. He is being held in OPP on $25,000 bond.

• Tuesday (1.26.10) 11:17 a.m.: A white woman walking along Ursulines Avenue (between Dauphine and Burgundy streets) had her purse stolen by a black dude who pushed her and then grabbed her purse away from her.

He was described as 24 to 26 years old, weighing 180 to 190 pounds.

• Tuesday (1.26.10) 6:24 p.m.: A white man walking in the 500 block of St. Louis Street (between Decatur and Chartres streets) was robbed at gunpoint by a black guy.

The perp was described as 30 years old, 5'8" to 5'10" tall, weighing 160 to 170 pounds, wearing a dark-colored hoodie and jeans.

Some violence after all: There were a couple incidents of reported violence on Sunday (1.24.10), before and after the game, both in the CBD:

• 1:46 a.m.: A white guy driving on the far reach of Convention Center Boulevard where it joins Henderson Street as it cuts over to Tchoupitoulas Street, was almost sideswiped by a car full of black dudes. As he looked over at the black 4-door Toyota Camry, he saw one of them pointing a pistol at him.

The culprits' car fled onto the Crescent City Connection toward the West Bank.

• 10:15 p.m.: A white guy standing at O'Keefe Avenue and Poydras Street, not far from the Superdome about the time the Saints' championship game concluded, was accosted by another white guy who allegedly pulled a knife and threatened him.

The victim and a bystander grabbed the suspect, who was identified as Kenneth C. Bennett, 26. Police charged him with aggravated assault and booked him into Central Lockup. He bonded out Thursday (1.28.10) after posting bond of $2,500.

What's with the DA?: It's funny, you can't get District Attorney Leon Cannizzaro to tell you anything about what's happening with the prosecution of the punks blamed in the murder of Wendy Byrne, but he's got all the time in the world to make TV ads for some dubious candidates.

First, it was an ad for Jay Batt, a politician so disliked by his constituents that they voted him out of office 4 years ago in favor of Shelley Midura for a seat on the city council. Now he wants it back for whatever reason, and his old buddy Cannizzaro is right at his side.

Then, Leon comes out for John Georges for mayor because he says Georges is against crime. Who isn't? Cannizzaro says he's known Georges for 30 years; he doesn't say how much moola Georges pumped into his campaign coffers when he ran for DA.

If you're really against crime, does it make sense to be in cahoots with a candidate who's so tightly enmeshed in organized gambling?

Apparently Georges saw the error of his ways when he ran for governor in 2007 and he told the media he sold his gambling businesses and gave up his state gambling licenses. But a few months after being beaten for governor, he said the deal to sell the businesses was off and he wanted his licenses back. Georges remains heavily involved in organized gambling.

And Cannizzaro better hope he never gets Georges up on the witness stand expecting straight answers. It's pretty hard to get the truth from a carpetbagging opportunist.

Georges says he was a lifelong Republican, except when he thought it would serve him better to run as an independent for governor in 2007. Then when he ran for mayor he decided it would be better to run as a Democrat, noting the heavy Democratic voter registration in the city.

When he ran for governor he listed his business address in Jefferson Parish, where the bulk of his businesses are. When he signed to run for mayor, he listed a P.O. box in N.O. So where does he really live? Maybe if he loses this election, he can run for Aaron Broussard's vacated job in JP.

Add to the mix Leon's buddy-buddy relationship with federal felon Billie Schultz, who was heavily involved in his campaign and is now helping on Georges'. Schultz was an intimate advisor to former mayor Marc Morial, though his conviction on tax charges wasn't linked to his tenure there.

If you want to see what Schultz looks like, that's him as Igor in the video ad for fellow federal felon Dwight McKenna who's wants to be coroner.

And, Leon, stick to solving the crime problem in the city--we didn't elect you to be a kingmaker.

Does this make sense?: Since the only crime lately seems to have to do with politicians, you have to ask this question:

Why loan your campaign sums of money from your own pocket that far exceeds what you'll ever make in the job if you get elected?

For a guy who claims to be an astute businessman, Georges spent $11 million-plus of his own money to try to be governor. So far he's north of $3 million to try to be mayor. Is the graft really that good? Georges is not someone likely to need dirty money, but it's still a lot of money to assuage your ego and get everybody to like you.

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As always, your comments and suggestions are welcome at NOcrimeline@gmail.com

Thom Kahler