Robin Sylvester, Billy Broussard’s former attorney, asserts 14th JDC’s “crooked judges” as factor in withdrawal from Broussard’s case.

 

Robin Sylvester, former legal counsel (along with Attorney General Jeff Landry) for contractor Billy Broussard.

After contractor Billy Broussard was stiffed for an amount he alleges is nearly $1,150,000 for cleanup of Indian Bayou in the aftermath of Hurricane Rita, he employed the Galloway, Johnson, et. al. law firm to sue the Gravity District 8 of Ward 1 in Calcasieu Parish over its failure to remit payment to him as he alleges it owed him.  The case was assigned to 14th Judicial District Judge David Ritchie.

The case was dismissed after Ritchie granted a Motion for Summary Judgment, which is a motion filed by one side (the Drainage District in this instance) asserting that there are no issues of material fact and therefore the case should be ruled from the bench in favor of the moving party.  Such motions may be filed by either side anytime after an answer is filed by the defendant.

Ritchie is on record as admonishing Broussard to follow a television commercial and “choose your attorney carefully” the next time he appears before him rather than utilizing the services of Jeff Landry, who was an attorney at Galloway, Johnson, et. al.  Broussard was quick on his feet in responding to Ritchie:  “The State should too….he is running for Attorney General!”

Landry served as counsel for Broussard prior to being elected as a U. S. Congressman, but at the time Broussard made his retort to Ritchie, Landry was no longer involved in the case.  Nevertheless, Ritchie contended that Landry filed an “illegal lien” during the time he was active on the case.  Even though Landry was no longer on the case, Ritchie nevertheless availed himself of the opportunity to take a pop shot at Landry’s legal skills.

At the time Broussard was arguing before Ritchie and the pop shot against Landry was uttered, Landry was running for Attorney General (hence Broussard’s quick-witted response back to Ritchie).  Subscribers will likely recall that Landry was nudged out of Congress through redistricting when Louisiana lost a seat after the 2010 Census, and Landry and former Congressman Charles Boustany were forced to run against one another.  Boustany defeated Landry in that battle.

Perhaps as a result of Ritchie’s obvious bias against Landry (though Landry’s co-counsel, Robin Sylvester, would assert a more specific potential reason which we’ll provide shortly), Ritchie granted the Motion for Summary Judgment, and the case was dismissed.  Sylvester, continuing to represent Broussard, appealed to Louisiana’s Third Circuit Court of Appeal.  The Motion for Summary Judgment was upheld by the Third Circuit.  Sylvester then made an appeal to the Louisiana State Supreme Court.  That Court declined to hear the case.  Sylvester is reported to have shouted for glee upon hearing the Supreme Court’s decision not to hear the case in saying, “Finally, it’s over.”

Broussard, dejected and demoralized, began a quest to ascertain how the case could have possibly been lost based upon the facts he unequivocally alleges transpired.  Though his education level is limited to the eighth grade, his sheer grit and determination to demonstrate what transpired has been unlike anything Sound Off Louisiana founder Robert Burns, who is an inactive CPA and former fraud investigator with the Federal Government, has ever seen in his life.

In fact, Burns has openly told Broussard that, even with all of Burns’ extensive training for investigating fraud, he seriously doubts he could have compiled all that Broussard has compiled.  Former colleagues of Burns who continue to work at the same agency Burns was employed and who have followed this case also have expressed stunned disbelief at Broussard’s accomplishments.  In fact, one young lady who presently works at that agency said, “Well, he may have only an eight grade education, but I’ll tell you one thing I’ve experienced.  Those are the very people who, though they may not be able to throw around big words in a conversation with others more educated in the room, they know the fundamental difference between right and wrong, and they know the difference between honesty and dishonesty.”

Broussard’s quest led him to make numerous public records requests of the Drainage District and the Calcasieu Parish Police Jury (CPPJ).  What he uncovered from many of those requests left him in stunned disbelief.  He uncovered what he alleges was an organized conspiracy between CPPJ officials (most notably Kelly Fontenot, who is the Business Analyst and Fraud Analyst with the CPPJ) and FEMA monitor Daniel Kennedy and others to defraud FEMA by falsely representing debris which was ineligible for reimbursement as being eligible.  Only debris caused by Hurricane Rita should have been eligible, and logs and trees which had been submerged for years or decades, commonly referred to as “sinker logs,” are ineligible.  That debris, in contrast to debris uprooted and knocked into the Bayou, should have been the responsibility of the District to remove as part of routine maintenance of the Bayou.

Broussard’s public records requests and investigative activities uncovered items such as an email from Fontenot to Kennedy point-blank saying, “We need those GPS locations to go away.”  Kennedy, whom Broussard has stated lives in a neighborhood off of Indian Bayou, may have had a vested interest in having the Bayou cleared.  Broussard further indicates that Kennedy’s home and/or neighborhood has experienced past flooding as a result of the Drainage District’s historical failure to maintain the Bayou.

Broussard also uncovered another email (again with Kennedy a recipient) wherein Fontenot bragged that she was “setting up my future argument” regarding debris which FEMA may subsequently deem ineligible to be made eligible.  In that email, she also stated that “FEMA/State Monitor would approve whether it is eligible or not,” which is precisely the representation that Broussard contends a GOHSEP representative, Kirk Harmon, made to him!

Broussard believes strongly that the emails demonstrate that Fontenot “committed perjury” on the witness stand in court because, the preceding email notwithstanding, she stated under oath that she had “no knowledge the District was picking up ineligible debris” notwithstanding the clear evidence that Broussard uncovered demonstrating evidence to the contrary in the email linked in the previous paragraph (i.e. that ineligible debris was virtually certain to be picked up).

Broussard contends that collusion transpired by the submission of documentation that falsely represented that debris was removed from approved GPS sites when, in reality, he contends (actually emphatically swears) that the debris was NOT from approved GPS sites but instead was removed from sites that were located outside of the entire map of FEMA-approved GPS sites and even beyond the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers’ wetland permit!

Broussard contends that it was Drainage District employees who removed that debris and that false representations were made to FEMA that the debris was removed from approved GPS sites.  Broussard also contends that FEMA payments meant to go to him from debris he removed between GPS-approved sites (but still on the map of approved sites) which were received by the Drainage District after FEMA formally approved payments for that debris were instead redirected and used to pay its own workers for the work he references that he states was outside of the entire map of FEMA-approved GPS sites.  Obviously, if his allegations are true, that’s clear-cut fraud perpetrated against FEMA!

Basically, Broussard indicates the Drainage District appears to have been willing to exploit Hurricane Rita to transfer its own past obligation to maintain the Bayou on to taxpayers across the nation by having FEMA pay for the Bayou’s cleanup as part of Hurricane Rita recovery.

Apparently, Sam Gabb, attorney for the CPPJ, and Rusty Stutes, attorney for the Drainage District, agreed with Fontenot that Broussard, through his public records requests, may have gotten a little too close to home, so to speak.  Accordingly, when Fontenot complained to Stutes about Broussard’s public records requests, Stutes fired off a letter dated February 15, 2015 threatening Broussard with “contacting the FBI” and “supplying them with fraudulent documents” which Stutes asserts Broussard supplied during the trial.

Undeterred by Stutes’ FBI threat, Broussard continued with his public records requests.  Accordingly, Stutes’ paralegal, Kim Bienvenu, on February 18, 2015, sent Broussard an email placing him on notice to expect a filing for injunctive relief prohibiting him from seeking any further public records or even speaking with members of the Drainage District or the CPPJ.  True to Bienvenu’s word, Stutes, on March 23, 2015, filed the Motion for the Injunctive Relief that Bienvenu referenced.

In one of the most unbelievable acts Burns has ever seen a judge make, Ritchie signed the judgment, and the restraining order became effective March 23, 2015 and remains in effect to this day!

It’s worth noting that, despite this filing being a brand new action, Stutes and Gabb chose to file the Motion under the old case file, which is one which had been fully adjudicated.  Perhaps they wanted to ensure they drew the same fine, upstanding Judge (Ritchie) who was so complimentary of Attorney General Jeff Landry’s legal skills.

Once Burns became involved in delving into these matters, he sent off an email to Gabb and Stutes dated February 21, 2017, asking how such a measure could be filed on a closed case.  Burns also indicated in the email that he’d spoken with one CPPJ Member, Hal McMillan, an auctioneer whom Burns knows from his auctioneering days, and that McMillan had no clue any such restraining order had ever been filed, nor was he aware he was prohibited from speaking with Broussard.

Having reviewed the official minutes of the CPPJ for the timeframe of the restraining order, Burns could locate no vote of the body to issue the restraining order.  Accordingly, on April 25, 2018, Burns made a public records request to examine the legal invoices of Gabb and Stutes.  Gabb responded indicating that he “did not bill” the CPPJ for his services entailing the restraining order.  Stutes became openly defiant with Burns in much the same manner he’d been with Broussard.  He sent Burns a letter indicating that the invoices would not be provided.  He stated as his rationale that the invoices “contain writings which reflect the mental impressions and legal theories formulated by my office.”  He concluded his correspondence to Burns by citing LA R. S. 44.1(c) as his justification for the denial.

Broussard contends that all of the damning documents he has obtained were withheld from his attorneys during  his original case’s discovery phase.  Upon him obtaining them, he visited with Sylvester (his attorney who worked with Landry and about whom Ritchie’s pop-shot commentary was apparently equally applicable).  Broussard indicated that she was impressed enough to enter into a contingency contract to file a brand new cause of action against the Drainage District and the CPPJ with Broussard which was executed on April 4, 2017.

Broussard regularly communicated with Burns about Sylvester’s progress, and he indicated that she repeatedly emphasized the importance of the date October 5, 2017 as being the deadline for Broussard to file the litigation to avoid prescription problems (statute of limitations in other states).  Burns was highly anticipatory to obtain the new lawsuit and publish a Sound Off Louisiana feature on it.  Nevertheless, on October 4, 2017, Broussard met with Sylvester, and Broussard indicated that she stated that they had “more time without fear of prescription being an issue.”

Toward the summer of 2018, Sylvester filed a Motion under the same previous suit seeking to have the restraining order against Broussard lifted.  By that time, according to Broussard, Sylvester, who had broken off from Galloway, Johnson, et. al. and formed her own law firm, was far more pre-occupied with a contract she’d been awarded entailing representation for a joint venture surrounding Southern University’s medical marijuana operations.  That venture experienced difficulties, and a new operator was named on November 12, 2018.

As a result of him sensing that Sylvester was backing away from the aggression she initially displayed upon them signing the April 4, 2017 contract, Broussard scheduled a meeting on August 8, 2018 with New Orleans attorney William Most.  Broussard sought for Most to work with Sylvester in providing backup support since his specialty is defending citizens’ Constitutional rights.  Broussard researched past cases entailing Most and viewed Most to be a bulldog with little fear of local politics in initiating his litigation filings.  Also, Broussard’s ultimate goal was to file any new action in Federal Court, and Most’s experience appeared to be almost exclusively confined to Federal Court.

Sylvester was not exactly pleased with the introduction of Most into the equation.  Broussard pushed the envelope to the max with Sylvester as an October 25, 2018 date approached for a court hearing for her to get the restraining order lifted.  He fired off this email on October 4, 2018 to her indicating his desire for Fontenot to be subpoenaed for the upcoming hearing and also basically dressing Sylvester down for what he perceived as her new-found timidity regarding pursuing his claim for damages.

Sylvester’s reaction was not pretty.  Broussard indicated that, after ignoring numerous emails from him and declining to return his phone calls, she called him after the above email was sent within mere minutes.  He reports that he had to fumble a bit to get his recorder, but he got it running about 12 seconds into the phone conversation.  What follows is six minutes of highlights of that phone conversation wherein, after repeatedly being irate with Broussard, Sylvester thereafter states in a rather relaxed voice that she, “is not going to fight with Rusty Stutes, Kelly Fontenot, and crooked judges.“:

 
6-minue highlight of phone call between Broussard and this then-attorney Robin Sylvester (CLICK HERE for the full 16-minute phone call).

True to her word, Sylvester filed a motion to withdraw as counsel, resulting in yet another body slam for Broussard in his decade-long quest, but at least he got Sylvester to open up about her feelings about 14th JDC judges!

 

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Former GOHSEP Deputy Director Mark DeBosier (on relationship with Legislative Auditor): “They’ll just close their eyes, stick their fingers in their ears, and we make sure that there’s no fingerprints on it.”

Louisiana Legislative Auditor Daryl Purpera

In installment one of this series on contractor Billy Broussard, we focused on on a FEMA contractor, Jeffrey Jones, misrepresenting himself as “FEMA” when he is actually a contractor with Fluor which, in turn, is a contractor with FEMA.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Gustav, Brian Fairburn, the then-head of Livingston Parish’s Office of Emergency Preparedness, flatly blamed over $40 million in FEMA denial of claims on Jones’ misrepresentation and, during the 17 minutes Jones spoke on the first video of the preceding link for a meeting at the Louisiana Legislative Auditor’s (LLA) Office on Wednesday, February 6, 2019, there can be no question he gave every indication that he is a FEMA employee, and those who did not know him beforehand certainly walked away with that mistaken perception.

In this installment of the series, we present Broussard placing the LLA’s office on the defensive by playing a stunning recorded tape at that same meeting at the LLA’s Office.  On that recording, the former Deputy Director of the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP), Mark DeBosier, bragged on his ability to get the LLA to “just hold their noses and stick their fingers in their ears” regarding approving FEMA project worksheets.  Let’s take a look at Broussard dropping this bombshell on LLA’s John Morehead and Morehead’s reaction soon thereafter:

 

Broussard confronts Morehead on DeBosier’s bragging about his muscle with LLA and his ability to get them to “close their eyes and put their fingers in their ears.”

 

  Note:  Broussard supplied us with a copy of the tape he played, and we STRONGLY urge our subscribers to play it for two reasons:

 

  #1) Since people are talking near the tape’s beginning, it’s advantageous to get a crystal-clear hearing of the tape, which can easily be done by  CLICKING HERE.

 

# 2) Broussard failed to play the entire tape.  He left out the first 0:20 of the 1:33 tape at the audio link above.  Importantly, at the 0:12 mark (which Billy didn’t play at the meeting),  DeBosier states, “There will be an end to it.  I don’t know how long it’s going to take, but there’s too much money at stake.” 

We’ll first note that, prior to the audio being played, Morehead is literally proud to “be the scales” that determine FEMA worksheet approval.  He reinforces his total agreement with Broussard:  “…By your own admission, LLA is the scale.”  That’s a very emphatic statement of agreement with Broussard that “LAA is the scale.”

Nevertheless, upon Broussard saying, “I’m going to tell you how I feel about the scales,” and playing the audio file linked above, suddenly Morehead did a total 180 and emphatically denied that he’d indicated that the LAA is the scale.  He attributed that statement to Broussard and Broussard alone.

Morehead then felt compelled to explain the damning statements uttered by DeBosier which are recorded on the tape, and he even went so far as to say Broussard had “impugned my office” by playing the tape.  Morehead then says DeBosier’s comments should be taken in the “proper context” and that DeBosier is actually indicating that he intends to “override something LLA has written.”

Here’s our take on Morehead’s knee-jerk attempt to explain away DeBosier’s bold and damning statements:  Morehead conveniently ignores the final words of DeBosier’s quote “We make sure that there’s no fingerprints on it.”  Well, we find that statement to be:  #1) extremely damning (as is “there’s too much money at stake,” but Morehead didn’t get to hear that, but Morehead’s simply ignoring the commentary about “fingerprints” is not a mere oversight — he KNOWS that’s damning!!), and #2) totally inconsistent with “placing the LLA’s Office on notice of an impending override.”  Why?  Because, if THAT was DeBosier’s intent, we should all expect to see GOHSEP’s and/or LLA’s fingerprints all over it, yet DeBosier goes out of his way to ensure any such fingerprints would essentially be wiped clean!

As an inactive CPA, Sound Off Louisiana‘s Robert Burns can vividly recall in auditing classes the coverage of the inherent conflicts of performing an audit engagement, and the biggest element of those conflicts is that it’s the client who is paying for the audit.  Thus, the potential always exists  for that client to exert influence over the auditor to produce the client’s desired result.  When that transpires, the appropriate action is to draft a letter to the client terminating the audit contract and withdrawing from the engagement.

 

Morehead readily admits that “GOHSEP pays us to provide sunshine,” but there’s no denying the inherent conflict of GOHSEP paying for that “sunshine” and the potential for pressure to be exerted upon the LLA as a result of, as DeBosier readily admits, “pressure being placed on me.”  To us, that seems to be the far more likely appropriate “context” in which DeBosier’s comments should be viewed (particularly with the “fingerprints” commentary on the end which Morehead fails to even acknowledge).

Since Mr. Purpera was not present for this meeting, we intend to provide him with the opportunity to appear on camera and provide his own explanation for DeBosier’s bold and damning statements entailing LLA.  If he declines, we can only assume he is content with Morehead’s knee-jerk explanation of those comments which, being blunt, we don’t buy for one second!

Broussard has plenty more audio recording clips, and TRUST US FOLKS, the material that will be provided in Installment 3 of this series will blow your minds.  You WILL NOT want to miss Installment 3 of this fascinating series!

 

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Meeting on Hurricane Rita cleanup exposes many controversies, including whether FEMA contractor Jeffrey Jones may have overrepresented his authority to speak on FEMA’s behalf.

FEMA Contractor Jeffrey Jones

Two years ago, we presented a feature entailing contractor Billy Broussard, who was threatened with FBI prosecution and placed under a restraining order prohibiting him from making public records requests of the Calcasieu Parish Police Jury and Calcasieu Parish Gravity Drainage District 8.  We followed that feature up with 16th JDC Judge Ritchie lambasting Attorney General Jeff Landry’s legal skills by stating, as backed up by a copy of the court transcript, that Broussard should follow a television commercial and “choose your attorney carefully” next time rather than utilizing Jeff Landry’s services.

 

At the time, we indicated we’d have an update on Broussard’s battles.  He’s had plenty, but the biggest one to date transpired soon after Broussard fired off the following email alleging fraud perpetrated by Calcasieu Parish officials, complete with links to documents to support his contention:

 

—————————————–

 

From: Billy Broussard <[email protected]>
Sent: Thursday, January 31, 2019 11:48 AM
To: John Morehead <[email protected]>
Cc: [email protected]; Daryl Purpera <[email protected]>; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]</[email protected]>
Subject: Re: Documents for FEMA PW Meeting on February 6, 2019

 

To whom it may concern,

 

Attached are documents that speak for themselves but it makes it clear that when the State (auditors) were kicking back the documents that were not adding up to the FEMA PWs, the individuals involved were orchestrating a plan of their own to satisfy FEMA reimbursements.

 

  1. In Mr. Stutes’ letter of 2/16/15, http://www.laboards-commissions.com/Stutes_FBI_Letter.pdf, he references having received “numerous complaints by Calcasieu Parish officials” entailing my requests for public documents.  Those complaints are known to have originated from Ms. Kelly Fontenot, whom I believe I can firmly substantiate committed perjury under oath during questioning by me on March 23, 2015 when I was serving pro se and questioning her on the witness stand.
  2. Fontenot described her position with the Calcasieu Parish Police Jury as, “Layman’s terms, internal auditor.”:  http://www.laboards-commissions.com/Fontenot_Internal_Auditor.jpg.
  3. Fontenot also stated under oath during my questioning of her, regarding the picking up of ineligible debris, “I have no knowledge of that even from my communication with them (GOHSEP).”:   http://www.laboards-commissions.com/Fontenot_No_Ineligible.jpg
  4. The reality is Fontenot knew darn well there was ineligible debris!
  5. How do we know this?  Simple!  She sent an email on 5/20/09 to FEMA monitor Dan Kennedy stating, “We need those GPS sites to go away.”:  http://www.laboards-commissions.com/GPS_go_away.jpg.
  6. Prior to the email referenced in # 5 above, on 5/17/08 (a Saturday!), Fontenot again sent an email to FEMA monitor Dan Kennedy stating, “FEMA/State Monitor will approve whether it is eligible or not.”  She further goes on to indicate to Kennedy that she is, “setting up my future argument” in the event debris is subsequently deemed ineligible:  http://www.laboards-commissions.com/Ineligible_OK.jpg.  In fact, she even goes so far as to state, entailing Kennedy, “with your help, of course.”
  7. In an email of 8/20/08 again to Kennedy which has Fontenot’s own handwritten notation of the following day, 8/21/08, Fontenot states that Kennedy has indicated that, if I was directed to pick up debris that was ineligible (nobody even disputes that I was so directed), it would be at “our cost.”:  http://www.laboards-commissions.com/GDD8_will_pay.jpg.
  8. It was Ms. Fontenot and her fear that I would openly expose her secretive plots as outlined above that prompted HER to seek a restraining order against me to hinder my efforts to further demonstrate what she knew I’d already authoritatively documented!  Further, I have spoken to an Assistant DA in another parish who has stated in no uncertain terms, my attorney’s indications to me to the contrary notwithstanding, that:  “Kelly Fontenot had no such authority!  There could be no filing for injunctive relief against you without a vote of the bodies to commence with such an initiative.”
  9. Just how damning is it that a person who describes her job title as “layman’s terms, internal auditor,” would author emails actively seeking to conceal the fact ineligible debris exists (i. e. “we need those GPS sites to go away”) and further indicating she is “setting up my future argument” for ineligible debris “with your (FEMA monitor Dan Kennedy) help, of course?”
  10. One really cannot conclude any other scenario but that Fontenot is utilizing her own audit knowledge and skills to, at best and being kind, be deceitful to FEMA!!

 

I trust you will find the preceding linked documents to be quite compelling in buttressing what I have stated now for years.

 

Sent from my iPhone

 

——————————————————-

Rep. Blake Miguez (R-Erath) sought a meeting with Louisiana Legislative Auditor Daryl Purpera to discuss Broussard’s concerns.  Yesterday, Wednesday, February 6, 2019, that meeting was held.

 

Unfortunately, Mr. Purpera was suffering from an illness and could not attend.  Nevertheless, here’s a roster signed by all who attended, including Sound Off Louisiana‘s founder Robert Burns, who was very grateful for the opportunity to film the meeting because it offers a rare opportunity for subscribers to see what all may take place in just such a meeting.  We cannot thank the Legislative Auditor’s Office enough for their hospitality and cooperation in permitting us the opportunity to videotape the meeting.  Here’s the roster:

 

 

A controversy arose soon after the meeting entailing one gentleman on the roster, specifically Jeffrey Jones.   As clearly depicted on the preceding link, Mr. Jones owns a consulting company, JLJ Consulting Services.  It, in turn, has a contract with Fluor, and Fluor has a contract with FEMA.  In other words, contrary to the perception which was prevalent in the room, Jones is NOT a FEMA employee notwithstanding him clearly representing himself throughout the meeting as “FEMA,” with the common perception he was a staff member of FEMA.

 

Robert Burns contacted several experts on the subject matter of Jones’ ability to participate in the meeting.  One expert with another Federal agency at which Burns used to work emphasized that Jones should have been clearly identified as NOT being a FEMA employee and rather that he is a contractor with FEMA.

 

It was further indicated by that individual that the full-time FEMA employee, Alice Joffrion, should avoid any instance of imputing Federal Government employee status upon Jones by having him be the lead person in responding to questions (i.e. she should only lean upon him for support rather than defer to him).  Instead, as will be evidenced in the 17-minute excerpt from the meeting in the video to be presented below (which focused only on Jones’ commentary throughout the meeting), Joffrion repeatedly deferred to Jones.

 

In reality, it was Jones and not Joiffrion who responded to virtually all of the questions posed by Congressman Clay Higgings’ Lafayette Field Office Representative Jerod Prunty.  He also responded to a question by Sen. Fred Mills, who was joining the meeting via conference call.

 

Finally, Burns was told it’s inexcusable for the FEMA employee and the FEMA contractor to provide conflicting guidance, yet that’s precisely what happened in the video below entailing whether or not FEMA will reimburse for debris removed outside of the Army Corp of Engineer’s Wetland Permit.

 

The meeting lasted for nearly two hours.  Today, we are going to present the first installment of a series of posts on the meeting, which is the 17-minute clip referenced above.  Here it is:

17-minute video clip of “FEMA” representative Jeffrey Jones at a meeting of the Legislative Auditor’s Office of 2/6/19.
Note:  Rep. Miguez is seated at the FAR END of the table on the RIGHT-hand side furthest from the camera.  He is the one with the beard, and the two “FEMA” representatives are between him and contractor Billy Broussard.

 

The Legislative Auditor’s Office meeting of February 6, 2019 is certainly not the only time that Jones’ status has been the subject of a ton of FEMA money and confusion thereof entailing eligibility for reimbursement.

 

That fact is evidenced by this feature article wherein Brian Fairburn, who supervised Livingston Parish’s debris removal after Hurricane Gustav, was asked on the witness stand at an arbitration hearing by FEMA attorney Linda Litke, “Did you allow all of this work, up to $40 million in wet debris, based on the statements of Mr. Jeffrey Jones?”  Fairburn, who was Livingston Parish’s Director of Emergency Preparedness, responded, “Absolutely.  He was FEMA.”  Jones subsequently testified at the same hearing that he, “did not believe my role was misunderstood.”

 

Given that every member we’ve asked who attended yesterday’s meeting felt that Jones clearly represented himself as a FEMA employee, we can only conclude that Jones’ representations regarding his FEMA status do in fact appear to be creating considerable confusion.  Further, there is now an open question as to whether Jones was even proper in attending the meeting, much less the degree to which he responds to the questions in the preceding video in speaking for FEMA.

 

Given that Mr. Broussard has contended since day one that someone misrepresented himself as a GOHSEP employee and authorized him to do approximately 10 times the original work he was instructed to perform (along with an assurance that he would be paid for such work), especially when combined with emails wherein Calcasieu drainage officials are indicating, “We need these GPS sites to disappear,” we can only characterize the totality of all these circumstances as very disturbing from our vantage point.  After all, if an entire room can be confused on Jones’ status and Fairburn, who held a prominent position with Livingston Parish Government was confused (resulting in substantial FEMA claims denials), then is a single contractor, Billy Broussard, supposed to be held to a higher standard than all of them?

 

Finally, given all the controversy surrounding Jones’ role at the meeting, we were asked how he came to end up at the meeting.  That’s why we love video cameras.  Here’s the answer to that question:

 

Louisiana Legislative Auditor Director of Recovery Assistance Services’ John Morehead makes it clear “FEMA” representatives are there as his guests.

We again extend our sincere appreciaton to Mr. Purpera’s office in permitting us to videotape this very intriguing meeting!

We look forward to delivering installment two of this intriguing meeting very soon!

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