Lafayette Mayor Josh Guillory: top deputy gone because 'I don't have time to babysit'

Lafayette Mayor-President Josh Guillory said Thursday he doesn't "have time to babysit" a top deputy as his explanation for ousting the first person he appointed to his new administration.

Guillory announced the departure of former Chief Administrative Officer Beth Guidry Wednesday, just nine days after taking office on Jan. 6. Guidry told the Baton Rouge Advocate's Lafayette edition she was surprised by Guillory's action, which Guidry said was triggered by concerns raised by Guillory and his wife that she was not loyal and associating with politicos who were not supported by Guillory.

Guidry did not immediately return requests for comment Thursday morning.

Previously, Guillory declined to go into the details of Guidry's departure, calling it a "personnel matter."

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But on his weekly KPEL radio show Thursday, Guillory said he was alarmed by the people Guidry was associating with, though he denied that Guidry’s association candidates for Lafayette’s Republican Parish Executive Committee were a factor in his decision.

“I did not make the decision based on her affiliation with people who may be running for the RPEC or not. But it was alarming the people she surrounded herself around,” he said.

“The CAO position should be apolitical, but if you’re going to jump in the political arena, your politics better align with mine, because I can’t trust you if not,” he added.

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In the same breath, Guillory added that he believes “liberal Democrats” were running as Republicans to get into RPEC leadership positions in Lafayette Parish.

“I do believe that there are a lot of liberal Democrats registered as Republicans running for these leadership positions that plan to derail a conservative agenda in this parish,” he said.

Guillory defended the quick turnover in the CAO’s office by saying that he didn’t have time to “babysit a CAO for six to nine months.”

“When we’re talking about leadership that I can’t wait six to nine months if I know something. I said this on the campaign trail, I don’t know everything, but I know what leadership is,” Guillory said. “I know what decisive thought making is, and I don’t have time to babysit a CAO for six to nine months.”

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