The city of New Orleans flooded on Saturday, August 5th, and Mayor Mitch Landrieu – the Mitchtator – was missing in action. No details as to what coup he is in, or what national political obligation pulled him away, but Landrieu was nowhere to be seen. Landrieu is well known for fiddling as New Orleans bleeds from violent crime, now the absentee mayor vanished during the worst flood since Katrina.

The flooding was widespread–the French Quarter, Bywater, Treme, Gentilly, Mid City, Lakeview, I10, 7th Ward, St. Roch, CBD, and every little neighborhood in between these.

Rumored to be in Aspen, the Mitchtator will probably spin the flooding as a new anti-crime initiative. Problem is, the local media would run with it!

“We’re asking the public to be patient,” Deputy Mayor Ryan Berni said Sunday morning. So while your car, home, shed, and/or business floods, lower the expectations you have for your city government. The Landrieu administration is doing all it can, this is it, and you’re going to have to live with it.

The night of the flooding, with a substantial portion of the city underwater, the Mitchtator threw his Sewerage & Water Board Executive Director Cedric Grant and NOPD Superintendent Michael Harrison in front of the press. On Saturday night, Grant claimed all pump stations were operating, contrary to claims from citizens.

Sunday morning, Mitch tossed his six figure Deputy Mayor Berni out front. Berni explained that the outfall pumps were not operating, a technicality that they are for storm surges. Too bad the S&WB Executive Director, who runs the Sewerage & Water Board, who controls all of the pump stations, was unaware of this fact Saturday night when specifically questioned about the 17th Pump Station not operating–and he said it was.

But they do have some insight as to what caused half the city flood. Grant blamed “the era of climate change.” Berni made comments about greening up yada yada yada.

As mayor, Landrieu is the President of the Sewerage & Water Board. Yet he was M.I.A. And the New Orleans media didn’t ask or comment as to where his absence. No one pointed out Grant’s incompetence. Earlier this summer, Mitch was too scared to meet reporters at a crime scene so he relocated his press conference to University Hospital. No one reported on it except The Hayride.

“Because of the additional money we got from the FEMA road settlement, uhhhhh, we were able to get hazard mitigation dollars. We’re using those hazard mitigation dollars to improve drainage basins,” said Berni on Sunday. No one challenged this.  Just last week Council Member at Large Stacy Head questioned Public Works Director Mark Jernigan about the city not using $3 million budgeted for drainage basin repair. Jernigan had no explanation. Head brought pictures of wrecked drainage basins from different parts of the city, each marked with locations. So when Berni talked about simple infrastructure repairs specifically basins, not one reporter questioned him on it.

The city officials keep referring to the flood as a “no notice event.” Perhaps the rain clouds should have tweeted the mayor. Or, maybe city employees could have observed weather reports. Reality is, the Landrieu administration should be quite familiar with “no notice events” as they carried out four recently, keeping the media and residents in the dark about controversially removing four historic landmarks.

A “yes notice event” Mitch hid from was the May 7th protester clash at Lee Circle. Hundreds of law enforcement watched as the Take Em Down group joined Antifa anarchists to march to Lee Circle. Waiting at Lee Circle were hundreds of monument supporters, as well as anti-Antifa groups from around the country. It had potential for catastrophic violence. Mitch led us to that point, Mitch disappeared and was nowhere known that day.

The New Orleans media is softer than marsh mud. They are not on the people’s side, they are on Landrieu’s side. He was missing, and they still covered for him. Mitch tweeted a few times though, and issued a press release, so everyone just “be patient,” we’re on his time.

Berni did not reply to a request for Landrieu’s location. Even when specifically asking if Mitch is in Aspen.

Maybe the mayor should be docked his pay for time away during significant events. Mayor Mitch Landrieu’s whereabouts were unknown. The people wanted to know where was Mitch, and he was summering in the Rockies while New Orleans drowned.