BATON ROUGE — Attorneys with Attorney General Liz Murrill filed a request this week to have Judge Gail Horne Ray recused from presiding over pending corruption cases against Councilman Cleve Dunn, former CATS administrator Pearlina Thomas and contractor Jay Colar. 

Filed on Monday, the motion describes how Ray’s attorney Steven Irving told a Baton Rouge-area news station last month that three judges, including Ray, were suing the governor, the secretary of state, and Murrill. 

Attorneys write that the comments and Ray’s involvement in renewed attempt at reopening a federal lawsuit against Murrill preclude her from impartially adjudicating the matter. The motion also says Ray cannot fairly and impartially adjudicate this matter because of bias and prejudice.

“The motion to reopen that Judge Ray’s personal attorney stated she was involved in filing against attorney general murrill is concrete proof of actual bias and prejudice that renders him unable to fair and impartial proceedings,” the motion reads. 

Ray’s personal attorney comments on a renewed attempt at federal litigation against the attorney general also creates an appearance of impropriety requiring recusal. 

“Absent recusal, Murrill faces the prospect of being compelled to litigate simultaneously before Judge Ray and against a lawsuit in which Judge Ray’s personal attorney admits she is involved in,” the motion reads.