Former State Rep Says Its a Brand New Day

By: Howard J. Castay, Jr.

Looking back, former State Representative Carla Dartez said she’s now over six months sober from successful efforts at a rehab program in Arkansas, and is a better person for learning from her mistakes.

However, she feels her misfortune has been micromanaged in the press, unlike that of a
certain federal lawmaker, whose activities she said the media “have overlooked and forgot.”

In court last week to answer charges against her for a second DWI arrest in January of this year, Dartez said she got a break when learning the records of her first DWI were expunged under a state law, because the incident happened over 10 years ago. This occurred in East Baton Rouge.

Instead, Dartez said plead guilty to first-degree charges, from a traffic stop in January, near Bayou Black Road. This was for failing to stay in a lane.

“First, I’d like to commend you for calling me. No other media outlet called. I have respect for you for this,” Dartez said.

“Second, I’m glad it’s over. I’ve learned much from my mistakes. But the more important thing is that I am now a better person for what has happened. I can’t blame anybody but me. But today, I can happily say I’ve been sober for over six months, and frankly, this is the best I’ve felt in quite a long time,” she said.

However, the former state lawmaker believes she is now the victim of a double standard in the press.

“I’m totally amazed at how the media has micromanaged me in the press, yet they seem to ignore the senator who used money for sex!” she said.

“It’s truly sickening, and it’s a double standard, all because I’m a woman,” she said. “But you know what – I’m praying for the media, and frankly, the government as well.”

Dartez, 42, is a Democrat from Morgan City who represented State House Seat District 51, which is comprised of parts of Terrebonne, Assumption and St. Mary parishes, from 2000 to 2008.

She lost her re-election bid to the state House of Representatives last year to challenger Joe Harrison, an Assumption Republican, some say, after she called the mother of Terrebonne Parish NAACP President Jerome Boykin, “buckwheat,” at the close of a telephone conversation.

She apologized for that then, saying she believed it was a term of endearment, as seen in the 80’s during Saturday Night Live skits featuring comedian Eddie Murphy.

Still Boykin remained steadfast in voicing the incident locally and nationwide, as both he and his mother were working for Dartez’s campaign.“It was a matter of principles, especially making that statement to my 75 year old mother,” Boykin said.

Recently, Dartez attended the 27th Annual Terrebonne NAACP Freedom Fund Banquet earlier this month, and spoke to Boykin.

“I regret what I did. But I was not going to let what happened stop me from attending, particularly since I had been at the past seven or eight as a legislator. I was even a member of the NAACP before I was in office. I just never renewed my membership,” Dartez said.

Boykin said he had an opportunity to speak with Carla before and at the banquet.

“She looks and sounds better than ever. Whatever she’s doing, she’s doing the right thing,” Boykin said.