Karen Carter Peterson Resigns; Questions Arise as Federal Probe Looms

NEW ORLEANS, La. – Karen Carter Peterson, the former head of the Louisiana Democratic Party and 2021 Congressional candidate, abruptly resigned her state senate seat on Friday, stunning her colleagues and leaving ominous questions about the nature of the end of the 22-year veteran state lawmaker’s career. Shortly thereafter, reports confirmed that Peterson, 52, is the ongoing subject of a federal investigation.
In fact, corroborating reports indicate that the investigation is financial in nature and is connected to Peterson’s well-known gambling addiction.
The abrupt nature of Peterson’s resignation as well as the revelation of a federal investigation into her financial activities raises significant questions about what specific capacities she is being investigated for. While the Louisiana State Senate has not been questioned or subpoenaed in connection to the Peterson probe according to Senate President Page Cortez, there are questions about whether the investigation in focused on Peterson’s role as a Democratic Party leader.
Since 2012, Peterson served as chair of the state Democratic Party and held the role until 2020. When asked whether the state party had been subpoenaed on connection to Peterson or her federal probe, current state Democratic Party chair Katie Bernhardt declined to provide further information.
“I have no comment on that situation,” Bernhardt said.
While citing her struggles with depression and gambling in her official statement announcing her resignation, Peterson made no mention of the federal probe on Friday.
“As I’ve previously shared, I have personally struggled with depression and a gambling addiction for the entirety of my legislative career; in fact, it has been close to 30 years,” said Peterson in an official statement announcing her resignation. “At this time, I must place all of my energy on my own mental health and personal well-being and therefore have tendered my resignation effective immediately.”
This is an ongoing story and will be updated when more information becomes available.