Three Metro Council members have been called to testify before a grand jury as Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill’s office continues its investigation into alleged corruption inside Baton Rouge government.
Brandon Noel, the council leader, Denise Amoroso and Jen Racca have to give testimony Wednesday, said multiple sources with direct knowledge of the investigation.
Noel and Amoroso were previously summoned on April 29 but, after the jury adjourned, Noel told media they did not end up testifying.
Reached Tuesday, Racca confirmed she had been subpoenaed to appear, though she said she would have done so voluntarily.
“I was called by the AG’s office last week and told them I did not need a subpoena and that I would be there Wednesday morning,” Racca said.
All three say they are not implicated in the probe.
Since late 2025, a special grand jury has been reviewing evidence in a widening investigation by the state Attorney General’s Office that has already netted indictments of seven people, including three current or former public officials.
In January, sitting was indicted on charges of theft, conspiracy, bribery and money laundering connected to contracts with CATS, the East Baton Rouge Parish public transit system.
In February, for ex-mayor Sharon Weston Broome, was indicted on similar charges in a separate alleged contract scheme. She faces counts including conspiracy, contract fraud and bribery.
Former transit chief administrator Pearlina Thomas was also indicted.
Prosecutors have now called on half the council to testify. Noel, Amoroso and Racca are all Republicans. Council members Rowdy Gaudet, a Republican, and Darryl Hurst and Anthony Kenney, who are Democrats, testified before the grand jury on April 29.
in April to testify, though she has yet to appear.
A spokesperson for Murrill’s office declined to comment last month when asked if Broome is implicated in the corruption case. The former mayor has denied any wrongdoing.
On May 20, the grand jury heard testimony from two officials who oversaw contracts related to revitalization and addressing blight.
Many of the charges filed by the attorney general’s office stem from an FBI probe that dates back to 2022. Sources with direct knowledge of the matter say evidence produced from the federal investigation was handed over to Murrill’s office in 2025.
In addition to the transit system investigation, several federal subpoenas have been served to the Baton Rouge City Hall since 2023 for documents and records related to the previous mayor’s Safe, Hopeful, Healthy BR initiative and the $6 million federal housing project known as “Housing for Heroes.”