Category: Uncategorized

Former member of Gov. Edwards’ Auction Board, Jacob Brown, who was arrested on Tuesday, July 17, 2018 for allegedly issuing $175,000 in worthless checks, many of which are purported to be to the State of Louisiana entailing his auctioning of State surplus equipment.

Sound Off Louisiana subscribers may recall founder Robert Burns’ extensive efforts to ensure auctioneers are included in Sen. John Milkovich’s SB-260 (they were, and the measure becomes law on August 1, 2018), and we placed in the headline the fact that the Louisiana Auctioneer’s Licensing Board (LALB) is now formally recognized as among the three most corrupt boards in Louisiana.

We were not being melodramatic, and we welcome our subscribers to view the previous feature entailing testimony by Burns regarding the LALB’s resolute determination to permit its executive director, Sandy Edmonds, to commit “blatant payroll fraud.”

Also, we’ve recently outlined the extensive corruption of one of Gov. Edwards’ hand-picked board members, Jacob Brown, who has allegedly issued an approximate $175,000+ in worthless checks, and subscribers are welcome to view just how Brown royally screwed both consignors and buyers via the complaints placed on full display at the preceding link.

As long-time Louisiana residents may know, Jacob Brown is the son of Cecil Brown, who served time in Federal prison along with former four-term Louisiana Gov. Edwin Washington Edwards pertaining to bribes in the gaming industry during Edwards’ last term in office from 1992 – 1996.  On July 16, 2012, Cecil Brown also was summoned in for an LALB administrative hearing pertaining to illegalities entailing a consignor from the state of Washington (Lance Chipmen).

As long-time Sound Off Louisiana subscribers are aware, Gov. Edwards also appointed Rev. Freddie Lee Phillips, Louisiana’s first and only African American auctioneer, to the LALB on April 20, 2016.  After being bombarded with Facebook and other social media pleas to Gov. Edwards by members of the Louisiana Auctioneer’s Association (LAA) for him to rescind that appointment, Gov. Edwards caved and did rescind Phillips’ appointment on May 5, 2016 before Phillips could even attend his first LALB meeting!  Four days later, May 9, 2016, Rev. Phillips confronted and challenged Gov. Edwards on his decision on camera.  As evidenced by the preceding video clip, Edwards claimed he yanked Phillips because of a “prior commitment.”  He also said, “I had to rescind an appointment (to fulfill that commitment), and I rescinded yours.”

Perhaps Gov. Edwards may have been better served to have chosen Brown, who, like Phillips, was one of Edwards’ newly-selected LALB members.  Brown was also one of those members of the LAA clamoring for Phillips’ removal as evidenced by the Facebook link above.  We point out that Brown’s LAA membership is no longer displayed on the LAA’s website.    At any rate, Governor Edwards, in rescinding the appointment of Louisiana’s only African American auctioneer in its history, certainly appeared more than willing to cave to Louisiana auctioneers’ “good ‘ole boy” network, Edwards’ 97% support among African American voters in 2015 notwithstanding!  Guess those “prior commitments” must be darn near blood oath covenants, huh, Governor?

At any rate, Jacob Brown, whom Gov. Edwards chose to allow to remain an LALB member rather than Phillips, has now been arrested and charged with multiple felonies as a result of his confusion over his bank balances.  After first having been profiled on WAFB’s Crime Stoppers last week, Brown surrendered to authorities yesterday (July 17, 2018).  Videos of WAFB’s profiling of Brown on Crime Stoppers and coverage of his arrest have been consolidated into the following video clip which is less than a minute in length, and the WAFB links from which they were derived are beneath the video:

WAFB’s Crime Stoppers profile of Brown as well as his arrest.

So, that was an interesting “prior commitment,” Gov. Edwards..errrrrrrrrrr “Honor Code.”  While we commend WAFB for its assist with the apprehension of Brown, it’s nevertheless interesting that they saw fit to omit the fact he was an appointee of Gov. Edwards to his Auction Board and was engaging in these acts at the very time of him serving on the LALB.  Just an oversight on WAFB’s part we’re sure!    Click here to see our post on the very hush-hush manner in which Gov. Honor Code and the crew at the LALB relieved Brown of his duties.  Guess this “prior commitment” was a flat-out bust, huh Gov. Edwards..errrrrrrrr “Honor Code?”

If you would like to be added to our Sound Off Louisiana email list to be notified of future posts, simply go to our home page and scroll to the bottom (mobile devices) or to the top of the right-hand column (desktops).  Supply your email address within the subscribe box.  You’ll then receive an automated email from Word Press, and all you have to do is click on the blue “confirm follow” bar contained within that email, and you’ll begin receiving great posts such as the preceding one above.

Louisiana State Police Col. Kevin Reeves, who was accused of violating a sequestration order by attorney Floyd Falcon, testifies at an appeal hearing for three troopers transpiring before the Louisiana State Police Commission on Friday, July 13, 2018.

Friday, July 13, 2018 was the third day of a four-day appeal hearing wherein three LSP troopers are appealing the discipline meted upon them by LSP Col. Kevin Reeves for a “Las Vegas side trip” pertaining to an LSP convention held in October of 2016.

 As we made clear in our post of the previous day, the mainstream media was TOTALLY fixated on the testimony of former LSP Col. Mike Edmonson.  We stated in that feature that we believed that to be a misguided focus, but our subscribers are welcome to view that testimony.  Be forewarned, however, that we found it to fully meet our expectations of being:  #1) irrelevant (it has been substantiated beyond any shadow of a doubt that Edmonson approved the side trip without the need for a word to be uttered from his mouth), #2) boring, and #3) useless.  Thus, we aren’t going to waste even another keystroke commenting on it.

A far more intriguing development transpired at the hearing, however.  That development was the troopers’ attorney, Floyd Falcon, making the assertion that LSP Col. Kevin Reeves had violated an order of sequestration prohibiting witnesses discussing their testimony or watching or reading media coverage of the hearing.  He therefore moved for Reeves’ “testimony to be stricken in its totality.”  Let’s see how that played out:

Falcon moves for Reeves’ testimony to be stricken from the record in its entirety, and referee Lenore Feeney is forced to rule on his motion.

Perhaps Falcon felt the need to make the motion because most observers felt Reeves had a fairly authoritative presentation and, just as Falcon did not mince his words in placing the blame for any LSP embarrassment on former LSP Col. Mike Edmonson, Reeves presented his arguments that individual troopers are expected to adhere to a much higher standard than that which was exhibited by the three troopers entailing the side trip, including Reeves’ repeated statements that “common sense” should have dictated that the “Las Vegas vacation side trip” not be taken.  Here is a video clip of highlights of Reeves’ testimony:

Highlights of LSP Col. Kevin Reeves’ testimony before the LSPC on Friday, July 13, 2018.  CLICK HERE for Reeves’ testimony in its entirety (less the Falcon motion above).

The hearing is expected to conclude on Monday, and we’ll provide our subscribers with the same detailed daily coverage as we’ve done for the hearing’s prior three days.

If you would like to be added to our Sound Off Louisiana email list to be notified of future posts, simply go to our home page and scroll to the bottom (mobile devices) or to the top of the right-hand column (desktops).  Supply your email address within the subscribe box.  You’ll then receive an automated email from Word Press, and all you have to do is click on the blue “confirm follow” bar contained within that email, and you’ll begin receiving great posts such as the preceding one above.

Louisiana State Police Major David McClendon, who was tasked with investigating the troopers having taken a side trip to Las Vegas while traveling to a convention in San Diego in October of 2016.

In a stunning revelation, and likely one to have a profound impact on the final outcome of the ongoing appeal hearings of LSP troopers Derrell Williams, Thruman Miller, and Rodney Hyatt, LSP Major David McClendon, who was tasked with investigating the troopers’ Las Vegas side trip for a San Diego convention in October of 2016, bluntly stated that, if former LSP Col. Mike Edmonson approved the side trip, his disciplinary decision to dock each trooper’s compensated time “would have to be revisited.” Let’s take a look at what he said:

McClendon admits that, if Edmonson approved the side trip, his decision to dock compensated hours “would have to be revisited.”

Being blunt, though the mainstream media, which had zero presence at today’s hearing, is all geared up for the “big show” of Edmonson testifying tomorrow, we firmly believe the matter was settled with the preceding video.  Why?  Because Edmonson can do one of two things.  He can admit he approved the trip, thus making McClendon’s candid admission above a slam-dunk victory for the three troopers.  Alternatively, Edmonson can decline to testify and plead the Fifth Amendment to the U. S. Constitution.  If he does that, the troopers’ attorney, Floyd Falcon, has already demonstrated beyond any shadow of a doubt that Edmonson did in fact authorize the side trip and, according to testimony, openly encouraged it (see video below).

So, while everyone is all geared up for the “big show” tomorrow, we believe the “big show” transpired in the two minute video clip above.  Nevertheless, here are video highlights of McClendon’s direct examination today by LSP attorney Michele Giroir and cross examination by the troopers’ defense attorney, Floyd Falcon:

McClendon’s direct examination by Giroir.

McClendon’s cross examination by Falcon.

We’ll certainly join the “big guys” (i.e. mainstream media) tomorrow, but we firmly believe the matter is now anti-climatic for the reason stated above.

If you would like to be added to our Sound Off Louisiana email list to be notified of future posts, simply go to our home page and scroll to the bottom (mobile devices) or to the top of the right-hand column (desktops).  Supply your email address within the subscribe box.  You’ll then receive an automated email from Word Press, and all you have to do is click on the blue “confirm follow” bar contained within that email, and you’ll begin receiving great posts such as the preceding one above.