Sound Off Louisiana

Luke Mixon, D-Bunkie, candidate for United States Senate, who seeks to upset incumbent U. S. Sen. John Kennedy, R-Madisonville, in Louisiana’s November 2022 election.

On September 17, 2021, we published this feature of Gov. Edwards downplaying Louisiana State Police (LSP)’s role in the death of Ronald Greene.  We believe Edwards’ words, which were first reported upon by the Louisiana Illuminator after that publication heard them on Radio talk show host Jim Engster’s 9/15/21 “Ask the Governor” feature, speak for themselves; therefore, we are going to repeat his statements via the video below:

Engster and Edwards discuss any LSP cover-up entailing Ronald Greene’s death on Wednesday’s (September 15, 2021) “Ask the Governor” Jim Engster show.

On Monday, January 10, 2022, Luke Mixon (D-Bunkie), appeared as the guest speaker of the Baton Rouge Press Club (BRPC).  Mixon has declared his candidacy for the United State Senate to unseat incumbent U. S. Sen. John Kennedy.

During his presentation, Mixon heaped considerable praise upon Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards and stated that Edwards is, “the person with whom I am most aligned with on political ideology.”  Once those words were out of his mouth, Sound Off Louisiana founder Robert Burns immediately raised his hand to pose a question of whether Mixon would desire to place distance between himself and the words uttered by Edwards on the video above.  Let’s take a look at Mixon’s response:

Mixon responds to Burns’ question of whether he wishes to place distance between himself and Gov. John Bel Edwards’ downplaying of LSP’s role in the death of Ronald Greene.

Again, the words speak for themselves, and the only commentary we’ll make is that, given the widespread coverage Edwards’ remarks got and the fact that they transpired on the very show of the gentleman who invited and introduced Mixon to the BRPC (Jim Engster), we find it absolutely incredible (and downright shocking) that someone who wants to seriously contend to become a United State Senator would have to admit that he has been so aloof that he “has not heard” Edwards’ commentary.

Mixon said in his presentation that he looks forward to debating Kennedy.  If so, somebody better prep him extensively.  Why?  Because admitting to not even having heard Edwards’ words on Greene is inexcusable!   That is especially the case given that he’s the individual Mixon wants to be most aligned with in terms of political ideology.

It’s an early indication that Mixon, while he may have incredible integrity and be an all-around great person of high ethics (and we certainly got that impression and admire his obvious commitment to the United States as evidenced by his Military service), going up against Kennedy that ill-prepared will be like the Green Bay Packers going up against Glen Oaks High School (Burns’ Alma Mater) in football.  Kennedy is a very, very seasoned veteran debater and politician.  He will literally rip Mixon to shreds in any such debate if Mixon shows up with this degree of deer-in-headlights performance as his response to that question.

Now, as evidenced in the video above, Burns also stressed how critical obtaining both massive black voter turnout and his need to carry 97%+ of that black vote are to even have any realistic shot at winning.  After all, Edwards, whom he wants to model after, got 97% black support in 2019, yet he still managed only an approximate 40,000 vote win.  Furthermore, Edwards got that win (our opinion here) against two utterly incompetent Republican challengers who should take the all-time prize for most inept and disastrous campaigns ever ran for that office in Louisiana’s history!  As most folk know, we have a permanent monument to that incompetency!

We have no way to know, but we believe another question by Engster of, “Who was the last Republican you voted for?” may not have aided Mixon in terms of endearing himself with black voters either.  Let’s take a look at his response to Engster’s question:

Mixon responds to Engster’s question of, “Who was the last Republican you voted for?

Being blunt, quickly qualifying his response with, “both great candidates,” and other flattering commentary on the late Sen. John McCain, is not very likely going to be enough to overcome in some black voters’ minds admitting to not supporting Barack Obama in 2008.  His mentor, Edwards, never had to admit such a vote.

We guess we may find out as the election grows closer.

 CLICK HERE to see Mixon’s presentation in its entirety.

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Gov. Edwards’ appointee to the Louisiana Auctioneer Licensing Board (LALB), Jacob Brown, is arrested in mid 2018 for issuing hot checks to the State of Louisiana after Gov. Edwards’ administration awarded him contracts for the auctioning of surplus state vehicles and equipment.

On April 20, 2016, not long after being sworn into office, Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards appointed Rev. Freddie Lee Phillips who, at the time, was Louisiana’s first and only African American auctioneer, to the Louisiana Auctioneer’s Licensing Board (LALB).

After being bombarded with Facebook and other social media posts by the Louisiana Auctioneer’s Association (LAA) for Phillips’ appointment to be rescinded or for the Louisiana Senate not to confirm Edwards’ choice, Edwards caved to the pressure and rescinded Phillips’ appointment on May 5, 2016, which was only 16 days after appointing Phillips.  Four days later, on May 9, 2016, Rev. Phillips directly confronted Edwards on camera at the conclusion of a meeting of the Baton Rouge Press Club (BRPC).  Let’s take a look:

May 9, 2016:  Rev. Freddie Phillips confronts Gov. Edwards on his action of removing him from the LALB only 15 days after appointing him.

Edwards replaced Phillips with Jacob Brown, son of convicted felon Cecil Brown, who went to Federal prison in the aftermath of the Federal trial of the late four-term Louisiana Gov. Edwin Edwards.  Gov. John Bel Edwards (no relation to Edwin Edwards) and his administration wasted no time awarding Brown contracts for the auctioning of state surplus vehicles and other surplus property.

Brown, in an apparent attempt to feed a strong drug addiction, opted to issue worthless checks to the State of Louisiana.  A warrant was issued for his arrest and, though WAFB (Channel 9 in Baton Rouge) opted not to mention the first word about Brown being an Auction Board appointee of Gov. Edwards nor the fact that his hot checks were written to the State of Louisiana, profiled Brown in mid-July of 2018 on its Crime Stoppers feature.  Let’s take a look:

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

We always commit to keep our subscribers current on developments after an arrest (just as we recently did entailing an arrest of former Louisiana State Troopers Association Executive Director David Young on multiple felonies).  After being rescheduled numerous times, Brown’s trial was scheduled for November 18, 2021, and he opted to plead guilty on that date.  The minute entry indicates that Brown owed $175,342 in restitution (i.e. money to us as taxpayers) on the date of his guilty plea.  Sentencing is scheduled for February 2, 2022, and we’ll follow up on this feature at that time entailing what sentence is handed down to Brown.

As for Phillips, he has stated that God guided him in a different direction regarding the auction industry.  He approached Sound Off Louisiana founder Robert Burns and said, “We’ve spent years attending LALB meetings and trying to convince old-guard auctioneers to conduct auctions in an honest and transparent manner.  It’s obvious we’re never going to be able to have success in those efforts.  I think we can have a much better shot at making improvements to the auction industry in Louisiana by forming an auction school and instilling in brand new auctioneers that sense of honesty and transparency as they conduct their auctions.”

With that, the Freddie Phillips School of Auctioneering was born.  Over the years, quite a few alumni have expressed their sincere thanks for the privilege of attending the first-in-the-nation school with its content largely delivered online!  Among those graduates are two more African American Louisiana graduates and licensed auctioneers:  Marjoe Holmes and Louisiana’s first and only female African American auctioneer Ashley Banks.

Further, the $550 tuition is about a third of what other schools across the United States charge students.  Phillips’ school was at the forefront of the online delivery of auction education and was doing so long before COVID, but the arrival of COVID certainly did cause virtually every auction school to have to revert to online delivery just to keep their doors open!

What makes the Freddie Phillips School of Auctioneering unique is that the material taught is not just hypothetical textbook material.  Because both Rev. Phillips and Sound Off Louisiana founder Robert Burns have encountered numerous instances of auctioneers having to learn lessons “the hard way,” Burns and Phillips made concerted efforts to gear the school in such a way that the school’s auction students benefit from those auctioneers’ experiences.  The hope is that graduates of the school will be spared the episodes in their own careers and thus avoid the adverse impacts felt by those auctioneers who had to learn lessons “the hard way.”

Even the cream-of-the-crop and most honest-of-honest auctioneers, such as Dave Gilmore of SVN/Gilmore Auction in Kenner, Louisiana, can make mistakes that prove costly.  So, as we wrap of this feature, we’re going to provide our subscribers with a free opportunity to sample a lesson from the Freddie Phillips School of Auctioneering.  The two videos which follow constitute Lesson 18 of the school, and that lesson focuses on the Buyer’s Premium at auctions.  Here are the videos associated with that lesson:

Freddie Phillips Auction School:  Buyer’s premium (Lesson 18).  CLICK HERE for highlighted text within the auction terms and conditions to assist
with ensuring bidders know that the auctioneer serves as an agent of the SELLER and NOT of the buyer.  CLICK HERE for the litigation filed against Gilmore Auction and Francis Braud, Jr., alleging, in essence, that, by giving advice to the buyer, Braud implicitly established an agency relationship notwithstanding the signed terms and conditions of the auction clearly stating that Gilmore Auction served  exclusively as agent for the seller.  CLICK HERE for the court’s DENIAL of Gilmore Auction and Braud’s Motion for Summary Judgment.

Freddie Phillips Auction School:  Buyer’s premium – addendum (Lesson 18).  Presentation of the outcome of the Gilmore Auction litigation referenced above wherein the judge overseeing the trial ultimately awarded
a $72,573.09 judgment against Gilmore Auction and Francis Braud, Jr.

Essentially, the Freddie Phillips School of Auctioneering is the epitome of the old adage that, when life deals you a lemon (Gov. Edwards’ removal of Phillips from the LALB), do everything you can to turn that lemon into lemonade.  Phillips made the most of a frustrating experience, and we know that he is very proud to own and operate the only auction school located in Louisiana and of the high caliber of graduates of that school who enter the auction profession in Louisiana.

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Ms. Belinda Parker-Brown, speaking at the Louisiana State Police Commission (LSPC) meeting of Thursday, December 16, 2021 openly asks the Commission, “What purpose do you serve?”  Brown shares the sentiments of former LSPC Commissioner Lloyd Grafton that the LSPC should be abolished.

On December 1, 2021 Lloyd Grafton, a retired U. S. Special Agent and Associate Professor of Criminal Justice, drafted this letter of very specific recommendations to the LSP Oversight Committee.  His second recommendation from that letter follows:

Abolish the Louisiana State Police Commission and place the State Police under the Louisiana Civil Service Board. (Required Constitutional Amendment)

Quite a few folk were anxious to hear the Oversight Committee’s open deliberations about whether the LSPC should be continued or, as Grafton recommends, be abolished.  Thus far, however, all that has transpired is a 12-second segment wherein LSP Oversight Committee Chairman Franklin Foil said, “Also, last week, Sen. Fields gave me a document from a Mr. Grafton which I’m going to share with the Committee and make it part of the record with recommendations which Mr. Grafton had for State Police.”

Just as a cartoon used to conclude, “That’s all folks!”  Now, certainly Sen. Foil may opt to permit deliberations of Mr. Grafton’s proposals at a future Oversight Committee meeting, but it appears to us that Grafton’s proposals may be way, way too hot for Sen. Foil to process due to known blowback from the Louisiana State Trooper’s Association (LSTA) that would most assuredly transpire upon any such open deliberations.

In that regard, we want to present a video of just over two (2) minutes.  In the brief video, Foil introduces Grafton’s letter of recommendations “into the record.”  Three days later, and perhaps in a pre-emptive strike, LSTA outgoing Executive Director Mark Oxley told the LSPC how “proud” the LSTA is of the LSPC’s formation in 1990 and how “proud” the LSTA is of the LSPC’s current work.

After that point in the video, Ms. Belinda Parker-Brown openly questions what the purpose of the LSPC is and further cracks the door open to the possibility that one or more Commissioners serving on the LSPC’s current membership may be under investigation.  Let’s take a look:

Sen. Foil takes a GRAND TOTAL of 12 seconds to cover Grafton’s recommendations, after which LSTA Executive Director Mark Oxley defends the LSPC, followed by Belinda Parker-Brown openly questioning why the LSPC exists and cracking the door open to the possibility that one or more of its current members may be under investigation.

We frequently receive texts from individuals monitoring the LSPC’s meetings.  We received real-time texts on Thursday’s (December 16, 2021) LSPC meeting because it was held in a Louisiana Senate Committee room and was live streamed.  We believe the content of one of those texts is not only spot-on but also worthy of publication, so here is the contents of the text (regarding the totality of Oxley’s presentation):

I noticed he (Oxley) didn’t reference anyone who represented the Louisiana Taxpayers on that Commission.  Rather, just the Trooper and the Organization (LSTA).

We don’t believe we can sum it up any better than that!  Furthermore, whether Foil is too fearful to permit open deliberations of serious LSP reforms such as those presented by Grafton or not, we can assure every member of the Louisiana Legislature that the citizens of Louisiana are completely and utterly fed up with the corruption within law enforcement in Louisiana!

Furthermore, Louisiana citizens just may be likely to take their frustrations out on lawmakers in their re-election efforts if they fail to initiate serious, meaningful reforms prior to their names appearing on ballots in 2023.  Being blunt, the law enforcement operations are simply too rogue, and Louisiana State Police certainly isn’t exempt from law enforcement agencies engaging in rogue activity.

Now, perhaps Foil is going to demonstrate more serious deliberations about meaningful reforms at future meetings, but we know we speak for many in stating that we’re not encouraged by what we’ve seen so far.  That fact is no better illustrated than Foil’s thus-far devotion of a grand total of 12 seconds to Grafton’s recommendations!  We certainly hope (as we believe many other Louisiana citizens do as well based on the feedback we receive)  to see that 12 seconds expanded significantly in a future meeting or future meetings!

CLICK HERE for the 12/16/21 LSPC meeting in its entirety.

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.