Stacy Head's e-mails briefly released on website
by Bruce Eggler - Times-Picayune (excerpt)

Despite a state Supreme Court order again blocking the release of tens of thousands of unscreened New Orleans City Council e-mail messages released months ago to a local lawyer, the first few messages were posted late Wednesday afternoon on the Web site of the lawyer's organization.

The messages, all written by Councilwoman Stacy Head on her city e-mail account, appeared to have been chosen to cause her maximum personal and political embarrassment. They contain disparaging references to City Councilwoman Jackie Clarkson and other public figures and an irate description of the allegedly extravagant purchases of a food-stamp recipient in line ahead of Head at a grocery. In the latter message, Head, a Democrat, threatens to vote for "the freak" Republican presidential candidate John McCain and his "trash bag" running mate, Sarah Palin.

In an exchange of messages with Councilwoman Shelley Midura, Head refers to Clarkson as "an ASSS" and "a disaster" and says, "I am so tired of her old time politico bs I can't stand it." Midura replies, "I know -- jackie just literally pays lip service to us, and it ain't workin anymore." Head also rails in the messages against figures she has publicly attacked, such as former city technology chief Anthony Jones and Treme activist Jerome Smith, whom she refers to as "Gerome Wilson." She says the fact that Jones still holds a high-paying city job is "FREAKIN INSANITY" and accuses Smith of "blatantly racist statements . . . filled with hate" at a council meeting.

Head declined to comment Wednesday night on the substance of the messages, referring questions to the City Council's special counsel, Steven Lane. She did not challenge the messages' authenticity but also did not confirm they are genuine, saying, "I can't tell you on the spot that I have received or sent a particular alleged e-mail."