Louisiana lawmakers are advancing legislation that could effectively strip Calvin Duncan of the office he was elected to hold in Orleans Parish, prompting backlash from local advocates and public figures who say the move undermines voters in a majority-Black community.

According to Verite News, the proposed legislation would dissolve the clerk’s office and redistribute its duties, which critics say is not random, but a direct response to Duncan’s election. Supporters of the bill have framed it as a simple administrative restructuring, but opponents say the timing raises concerns about political interference.

Despite the push, Duncan is still expected to be sworn in on April 21, according to Fox 8 Live, leaving the future of the role uncertain.

A historic win shaped by a wrongful conviction

Duncan, who was wrongfully convicted as a teenager and spent almost three decades incarcerated before being exonerated, won the election for Orleans Parish Clerk of Criminal Court earlier this year. While imprisoned, he taught himself the law and worked as a “jailhouse lawyer,” helping other incarcerated people challenge their convictions and navigate the legal system, according to UC Berkeley School of Law.

His election marked a significant milestone for a formerly incarcerated person turned legal advocate, making the legislative effort to eliminate the position all the more controversial.

Backlash intensifies as critics call move ‘racist’ and ‘anti-democratic’

The controversy has drawn national attention, including from New Orleans native and actor Wendell Pierce, who criticized the effort in a post on X.

“As a resident of New Orleans my entire life, I have witnessed targeted racist political and social attacks,” Pierce wrote. “But this attack on Calvin Duncan or Orleans Parish Clerk dispels any notion the GOP has respect for the law, elections, or the Constitution.”

Local activists have also spoken out. Gary Chambers testified in support of Duncan and described the legislation as an attempt to override the will of voters.

“This bill to remove the Clerk of Criminal Court isn’t about reform. It’s about control,” Chambers said in a statement shared to X. He argued that lawmakers are prioritizing political power over addressing longstanding issues in the state, adding that the move disproportionately impacts a majority-Black electorate in New Orleans.

The situation underscores broader tensions in Louisiana over governance, criminal justice and local control, as critics like Chambers insist that eliminating an elected office in response to an election outcome sets a troubling precedent.

For now, Duncan is set to assume the role, but with legislation looming, the stability of that victory and the fate of a hard-won political milestone remains uncertain.