Changes

Mayor Deslatte invited the Louisiana legislative auditor, [[Dan Kyle]], a Republican, to inspect Pineville's municipal books. Kyle's office criticized the Baden administration for violations ranging from the illegal donation of thirty-one vehicles to other governmental entities as well as special leave benefits for Baden's wife, Roxan, when she became an employee in her husband's office.<ref>Bret H. McCormick, "7-term Pineville Mayor Fred Baden remembered for 'big heart,'" ''The Alexandria Town Talk, December 18, 2009.</ref>​

Mayor Deslatte invited the Louisiana legislative auditor, [[Dan Kyle]], a Republican, to inspect Pineville's municipal books. Kyle's office criticized the Baden administration for violations ranging from the illegal donation of thirty-one vehicles to other governmental entities as well as special leave benefits for Baden's wife, Roxan, when she became an employee in her husband's office.<ref>Bret H. McCormick, "7-term Pineville Mayor Fred Baden remembered for 'big heart,'" ''The Alexandria Town Talk, December 18, 2009.</ref>​

Thereafter, the office of then Louisiana Attorney General Richard Ieyoub, a Democrat, cleared Baden of any wrongdoing, but Dan Kyle claimed that Ieyoub had ignored critical evidence that would have found Baden guilty of [[malfeasance]] in office. However, Ieyoub reported that a lengthy investigation concluded "there is insufficient evidence to support a criminal prosecution."<ref name=adtt/> Baden said at the time that he knew he would be cleared of the allegations. "I felt all along that I would be cleared of these allegations . . . I never did anything wrong. We never took anything from the city that we didn't earn."<ref name=adtt/>​

Thereafter, the office of then Louisiana Attorney General [[Richard Ieyoub]], a Democrat, cleared Baden of any wrongdoing, but Dan Kyle claimed that Ieyoub had ignored critical evidence that would have found Baden guilty of [[malfeasance]] in office. However, Ieyoub reported that a lengthy investigation concluded "there is insufficient evidence to support a criminal prosecution."<ref name=adtt/> Baden said at the time that he knew he would be cleared of the allegations. "I felt all along that I would be cleared of these allegations . . . I never did anything wrong. We never took anything from the city that we didn't earn."<ref name=adtt/>​

Deslatte was unable to work with the city council and resigned as mayor after less than two years into his term. He said that the political pressure was too much to make the job worth keeping. The council then appointed an [[African American]] council member, [[Clarence Fields]] as interim mayor to succeed Deslatte.<ref>''Alexandria Daily Town Talk,'' December 10, 1999.</ref> Fields, hence the first black mayor of Pineville, was then elected to a partial term in 2000,<ref>Louisiana Secretary of States, Election Returns, October 2, 2000.</ref> a full term in 2002 and reelected again without opposition in 2006, 2010, 2014, and 2018. Baden announced that he would oppose Fields for the partial term in 2000 but subsequently withdrew from consideration,<ref name=adtt/> and [[George Hearn]] instead ran unsuccessfully for mayor that year against Fields.​

Deslatte was unable to work with the city council and resigned as mayor after less than two years into his term. He said that the political pressure was too much to make the job worth keeping. The council then appointed an [[African American]] council member, [[Clarence Fields]] as interim mayor to succeed Deslatte.<ref>''Alexandria Daily Town Talk,'' December 10, 1999.</ref> Fields, hence the first black mayor of Pineville, was then elected to a partial term in 2000,<ref>Louisiana Secretary of States, Election Returns, October 2, 2000.</ref> a full term in 2002 and reelected again without opposition in 2006, 2010, 2014, and 2018. Baden announced that he would oppose Fields for the partial term in 2000 but subsequently withdrew from consideration,<ref name=adtt/> and [[George Hearn]] instead ran unsuccessfully for mayor that year against Fields.​