LAPLACE — St. John the Baptist Parish President Natalie Robottom’s campaign released a recording today that it says demonstrates Daniel Becnel is unfit for office.

Becnel said Robottom’s campaign is not telling the truth.

“What I did was I sent out a letter that talked about all of the New Orleans people who are from New Orleans giving her money and dumped $75,000 into this campaign,” Becnel said. “I said we are going to take our Parish back, we don’t need New Orleans politicians to say anything about our Parish. She distorted it and made it out that I’m racist.”

According to Robottom’s campaign, Becnel’s “racist rant, including his analysis of white and black voter turnout and a blatant threat of ‘taking our parish back,’ … clearly shows his true feelings about having a black or white person in the parish’s top office.”

The recording was sent out in a release by Robottom and could not be independently verified by L’OBSERVATEUR staff.

However, Robottom said the recording includes Becnel boasting of the strong attendance at an event he hosted and then stating, “white people are outvoting black people, unbelievably and we (sic) taking our parish back.”

“Mr. Becnel has clearly stated how he truly feels about having an African American as parish president or in any office in our parish,” Robottom said. “It is disgraceful that he believes the color of a person’s skin makes a difference in their ability to lead our parish.”

Becnel said any comments he made referred to New Orleans politicians.

“That’s what I was talking about,” he said. “What the hell do these people have to do with St. John Parish? Just look at her finance report, and you will see what I’m talking about. I didn’t pay one person to vote for me, she paid 200 to go vote for her.”

Robottom said Becnel’s entire campaign is “based on nasty, personal attacks on me, members of my administration and parish employees. This latest attack is not only directed towards me as an African American, but to every person living in St. John the Baptist Parish as he seeks to divide our citizens along racial lines.”

Becnel said he is the person to lead St. John Parish.

“Well obviously I am, I didn’t do anything wrong,” Becnel said.

Becnel and Robottom are locked in a heated race for St. John Parish President.

Becnel topped Robottom by 140 votes in last month’s primary election, setting the stage for a contested buildup to Saturday’s general election.