New Orleans Mayor-elect LaToya Cantrell has been under fire for her use of New Orleans city credit cards. She has been caught making non-city related purchases with her cards. Critics claim that Cantrell has violated state law with her purchases.

Now Attorney General Jeff Landry is looking into the credit card purchases. He got a judge to issue subpoenas into Cantrell’s credit card accounts.

From The Advocate:

An Orleans Parish Criminal District Court judge signed subpoenas Monday for credit card accounts that Mayor-elect LaToya Cantrell has controlled as a City Council member, the court’s judicial administrator confirmed.

The subpoenas, requested by state Attorney General Jeff Landry’s office, are the first sign that Cantrell’s use of a credit card tied to her City Council office might rise beyond an issue in her successful mayoral bid and become a criminal matter.

It also indicates that Landry, who as attorney general has frequently criticized New Orleans for what critics say is political gain elsewhere in the state, intends to move forward with a formal investigation before Cantrell even takes office.

And while City Council records have shown Cantrell’s credit card spending differed in degree — but not in its basic outlines — from that of her colleagues, Landry’s office apparently has focused its inquiry only on the woman who in May is scheduled to become the city’s first female mayor.

Criminal District Court Judicial Administrator Rob Kazik confirmed that a judge signed the subpoenas Monday morning but declined to discuss other details of the orders, which would require Cantrell to produce documents related to the inquiry.

Asked whether any subpoenas targeting other council members or their offices were signed Monday, Kazik said, “No.”

The credit card abuse was not enough to stop Cantrell from becoming the Mayor of New Orleans. She will take office sometime next year.

If charges are filed against Cantrell, it will not stop her from becoming mayor. According to the New Orleans City Charter, Cantrell can only be removed as mayor if she pleads or is found guilty of a felony.