A lawyer waging a legal battle with Mayor LaToya Cantrell criticized a popular black-owned radio station on talk radio last week, infuriating the station’s owners and sparking a political battle on the airwaves.

On Newell Normand’s WWL radio show on Friday, attorney Justin Schmidt sharply criticized WBOK for broadcasting an interview with Cantrell’s former bodyguard and alleged partner, Jeffrey Vappie, the previous day.

Schmidt represents Anne Breaud, who in April circulated photos of Vappie and Cantrell eating together across the street from Breaud’s apartment, exposing Cantrell’s relationship with the former New Orleans police officer. Three months later, and just weeks after he left the police force, federal prosecutors charged Vappie with allegedly trying to conceal their relationship so he could continue to receive his taxpayer-funded salary.

Schmidt, whose client is suing Cantrell after the mayor filed a restraining order against her, also accused the station of tolerating unspecified “criminal” activities in the past.

“I’ve listened to WBOK long enough to know over the years that they have no problem with certain things that are damn criminal,” he said, according to a transcript of the interview. “And I mean criminal activity. It’s part of the whole ‘we’re entitled to that.’ I mean, it’s an entitlement. That’s our entitlement, and that’s why nothing that was done was wrong.”

WBOK’s owners – management consultant Troy Henry, actor Wendell Pierce, publisher Jeff Thomas and consultant Cleveland Spears – hit back with a barrage of public statements and live reactions.

Schmidt’s comments were completely unfounded and used racist stereotypes against black residents of New Orleans, it was said.

“His comments were strange, hurtful and disturbing,” Henry said in an interview. “He perpetuated stereotypes about African Americans and criminality, and we will not accept that.”

Schmidt declined to comment on the dispute on Wednesday, referring to a statement he made to a local television station the day before.

His comments sparked a storm of outrage, in part because they were directed at an established black media outlet. Since its founding more than 60 years ago, WBOK has established itself as a channel for black power and community leaders to address issues that matter to them.

“They have a history and a legacy in this community that is deeply respected (among listeners),” said Silas Lee, a veteran political analyst and pollster.

The owners demanded that Schmidt apologize by Wednesday afternoon. The apology he gave Tuesday to WWL-TV – which is not affiliated with the radio station – was inadequate. “If Messrs. Pierce, Henry and Jeff Thomas took my comments to mean that they were criminals, I sincerely apologize for that misunderstanding,” Schmidt said in the statement, in which he also accused WBOK of taking a soft approach to reporting on local politicians accused of misconduct.

A representative for Normand’s show, where Schmidt first voiced his criticism of WBOK, did not respond to an email seeking comment on the dispute. On Wednesday, the episode in which Schmidt spoke was apparently deleted from WWL Radio’s website.

Henry said WBOK filed a complaint with the Louisiana Bar Association about Schmidt’s conduct.

The dispute between Schmidt and WBOK’s owners began after Vappie’s hour-long appearance on Gerod Stevens’ WBOK afternoon show last Thursday. In that interview, Vappie indicated he remained calm about the seven charges of wire fraud and a single charge of making a false statement handed down by a federal grand jury in July.

“I’m not afraid – why should I be afraid now?” said Vappie, who pleaded not guilty earlier this month. “I’m retired and enjoying my life.”

Although Vappie declined to discuss his criminal case, the interview was his first public statement since his alleged relationship with the mayor – which both he and Cantrell deny – sparked a tangled legal and political saga two years ago.

“Nobody ever heard his voice, nobody ever heard him say anything,” said Jeff Thomas, one of WBOK’s owners, noting that it helped bring “more clarity” to that relationship. “It was an opportunity for the people of New Orleans to hear about Jeffrey Vappie for the first time.”