After acceding to vocal calls for Louisiana’s only black auctioneer’s head, Gov. Edwards imposes “Vitter litmus test” for his replacement.


Louisiana Gov. John Bel “Honor Code” Edwards

 

On the heels of U. S. District Judge Shelly Dick issuing a stern ruling against Gov. John Bel Edwards’ Auctioneer Board appointee Jeff Henderson and his father, Henderson Auctions founder Marvin Henderson, entailing fraud allegations, AND as we celebrate the birth of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., we feel it’s an opportune time to examine just how the “good ‘ole boy” network of Louisiana auctioneers lobbied hard directly to Governor Edwards to rescind his April 20, 2016 appointment of Rev. Freddie Lee Phillips, Louisiana’s first and only African American auctioneer, to the Auctioneer Licensing Board.

On May 5, 2016 (only 15 days after he appointed him), Gov. Edwards totally caved to those calls for Phillips’ head and rescinded Phillips’ appointment.

In the video directly below, Sound Off Louisiana founder Robert Burns examines an email from “legendary” auctioneer Keith Babb sent mere days after Phillips’ ouster.  The video and support links below demonstrate that Edwards:

1.  Lied directly to Phillips’ face entailing why he removed him from the LALB.

2.  Made it clear that no David Vitter supporter could be named as Phillips’ replacement!!  Thus, it’s largely a case of the proverbial pot calling the kettle black to complain the way he does about Republican partisanship in the Legislature.

Video of Burns:
1.  Analyzing an email from “legendary” auctioneer Keith Babb.
2.  Demonstrating Edwards’ resolve that Phillips’ replacement MUST NOT be a David Vitter supporter.

Supporting Documentation/Links:

1. Keith Babb’s actual email (with punctuation, spelling, and grammatical errors in all their glory).

2. CLICK HERE for public statements made by auctioneers about the illegal practice of shill bidding, including National Auctioneer Association (NAA) Hall of Fame Member Marvin Henderson stating that much stiffer penalties against shill bidding would “put me out of business!

[Note:  Former Gov. Bobby Jindal, shortly after Burns’ testimony depicted at the preceding link to strengthen shill bidding laws, acceded to the demands Babb references in his email, and removed Burns from the LALB on September 10, 2010].

3. CLICK HERE for Keith Babb’s letter to Frank Henson attempting to intimidate him into backing off a complaint Henson filed against Babb which the LALB had scheduled for a hearing on September 19, 2011.

4. CLICK HERE for an email exchange between Ellen Palmintier, Gov. Edwards’ Head of Boards and Commissions, wherein she and Jacob Warren, Gov. Edwards’ choice to be Chairman of the LALB, are actively attempting to encourage Ms. Darlene Jacobs-Levy to apply for LALB membership in order that they can oust Phillips!  Furthermore, they make it clear that Phillips’ replacement CANNOT be anyone who contributed to David Vitter’s campaign for Governor (as Warren expresses initial concern that he fears Ms. Jacobs may have done).  The email exchange was two days prior to Gov. Edwards flushing Phillips from the LALB, and separate emails show Ms. Jacobs submitting her application (via email) literally five (5) minutes before Rev. Phillips got the phone call from Palmintier to inform him he was being ousted on May 5, 2016, and point-blank lying about the reason being an “over commitment”!!!

5.  Video of Keith Babb inducting convicted felon Marvin Henderson into the NAA Hall of Fame and Henderson’s acceptance speech:

Keith Babb, who would  reference this PATHETIC document as an “auction contract,” inducts Marvin Henderson into the NAA Hall of Fame.
[Note:  CLICK HERE for LAPA’s detailed objective assessment of the Babb / Henson matter.]

6.  Tom Aswell’s post entailing the Cathy Derbonne’s forced resignation for having reported illegal campaign contributions, some of which were to Gov. Edwards’ campaign (though at least he did refund the money, which is more than can be said of Jindal), to the Louisiana State Board of Ethics.  [Note:  CLICK HERE for companion article in The Advocate].

7.  JBE fraud website, depicting reverse chronological listing of instances of Edwards’ corruption, cronyism, and hypocrisy.

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5 thoughts on “After acceding to vocal calls for Louisiana’s only black auctioneer’s head, Gov. Edwards imposes “Vitter litmus test” for his replacement.”

  1. WHAT IS REALLY GOING ON?? WE ARE CELEBRATING DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY. WE ARE THANKFUL FOR ALL WHO SUPPORT THE VISION AND CONTINUE TO PRAY AND REMAIN COMMITTED TO THE CAUSE. WE KNOW ONE DAY ALL OUR CHILDREN WILL BE TREATED EQUALLY .

  2. Babb says Henderson is a “mover and shaker.” He’s right. Henderson shook the governor and moved him to remove Phillips.

  3. You would think if Babb is going to refer to Burns as despicable, he could at least learn to spell the word. He wasn’t even remotely close, but then again, that’s the case throughout his venom-filled email.

    Then we have on his so-called “contract” wherein he spells encumbrances with an “I.” So, Babb and Henderson are the gold standards of the Louisiana auction industry, huh? Note to self: stay away from Louisiana auctions.

    As for Edwards, FRAUD is the right word for that website, and it looks like it’s chock a block full already with only a year under the man’s belt!!

  4. What the hell else do you expect of a governor whose only means of winning was repeating prostitues over patriots over and over?

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