It’s not what you know, it’s who you know. And for longer than I’ve been alive, that phrase has described New Orleans and Louisiana perfectly.

I can’t count the times I’ve heard about someone’s traffic or parking ticket getting “taken care of” because they know somebody. I am starting to suspect that “knowing somebody” is a real clause somewhere in Louisiana’s legislature.

Joking aside, there have always been problems with our state’s casual abuse of power and position. Look no further than Ray Nagin and his 21-count bribery indictment back in January, or the notorious money in the freezer belonging to the Louisiana Congressman William Jefferson from 2005.

Louisiana’s history of abuse of power goes way back. But based on two recent events, I believe that could be changing.

On Thursday, Sen. Mary Landrieu’s son was arrested in Orleans Parish for hit-and-run and DUI after reportedly hitting a pedestrian on Bourbon Street with his car and then blowing a .211 BAC into a breathalyzer, according to The Times-Picayune.

Does this story sound familiar? That’s because almost one year ago New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu – Mary Landrieu’s brother – also had a son arrested for DUI in Orleans Parish, also according to The Times-Picayune.

Both stories were published in national newspapers, including The Washington Post and The Huffington Post, as well as The Times-Picayune.

The fact that they were published at all gives me hope.

I have no doubts that either Mitch Landrieu or Mary Landrieu could have pulled a few favors to keep things quiet. Certainly, there may have been the temptation to.

Mitch Landrieu, for example, appoints the New Orleans police superintendent and the city attorney. It would probably be easy for him to call up a few of his buddies in the police or justice departments and get things taken care of.

But he didn’t — quite the opposite in fact. Mitch Landrieu stated that his son will be treated with due process, with laws being followed “just as any other citizen.” The city attorney’s office chose to recuse itself from prosecuting Mitch’s son because of the potential for conflict of interest.

Mary Landrieu acted similarly, assuring that the law would be followed properly and stating that her son’s actions will “have serious consequences both at home and in our legal system.”

In choosing not to hush things up and to accept the consequences that any other citizen would face in this situation, the Landrieu family shows that there is at least some good getting into the Louisiana political system.

So while these two arrests are very sad news to the families involved, I say that the rest of Louisiana should take pride that we are moving forward.

It’s not much, but it’s a start.

Robert Klare is a 22-year-old engineering senior from New Orleans.