On National Whistleblower Day, I express my gratitude for the recognition on Capitol Hill and reflect on the significance of this event. I thank the National Whistleblower Center, Stephen Kohn, and FBI Whistleblower Jane Turner for their invaluable support. Locally, Special Agent Jeff Adolph and Senator Pat Connick played critical roles in addressing fraud in Jefferson Parish. Lastly, I appreciate all legislators supporting the Whistleblower Protection Act, which motivates my commitment to furthering my Whistleblower Protection Advocate certification.
National Whistleblower Day- An Expression of Gratitude
Today, I’m honored to express my sincere gratitude for being recognized on National Whistleblower Day on Capitol Hill. Thank you for being here. Every July, we celebrate this day and I think deeply about the event’s importance. Without your support, I could not promote laws for whistleblowers in Louisiana.
Nationally
First, thank you to the National Whistleblower Center and to attorney and advocate Stephen Kohn for providing Handbooks for Whistleblowers. Also, I want to express gratitude to Jane Turner, FBI Whistleblower and Board Member of the National Whistleblower Center. Her support and resources help us with the adverse challenges we face.
Locally
Also, Special Agent Jeff Adolph with JPOIG deserves thanks on this National Whistleblower Day, for his confidential investigations. He found misuse of government funds, fraud, and abuse in Jefferson Parish. I also thank Louisiana Senator Pat Connick for his excellent communication and continued guidance. Additionally, the Louisiana Ethics Administration has been so helpful with its Ethics and campaign finance opinions. Specifically, Kathleen Allen who helped with my questions and training.
Legislators
Finally, a special appreciation to the many legislators who offer support and insight to the Whistleblower Protection Act. Your support strengthens my dedication to progressing my Whistleblower Protection Advocate (WPA) Certification, Education and Training. I can’t thank you enough.
I wish you all well.
Hi Tracie,
We’re thrilled to have you join us for this powerful event honoring the brave individuals who speak up for truth and accountability. Your presence is crucial as we celebrate the significant role of whistleblowers in history. Since 1778 — when America passed its first whistleblower protection law — whistleblowers have shaped our democracy and protected our rights. Want to learn more? Get the whole backstory and legal evolution in Rules for Whistleblowers: A Handbook for Doing What’s Right, written by whistleblower attorney and advocate Stephen M. Kohn.
Recognized by the National Whistleblower Center, Tracie Burke is Louisiana author of Motion to Quash. You can reach her at tracie@motiontoquash.org. If you would like to support journalism in the public interest, DONATE here. Motion to Quash LLC supports the Whistleblower Protection Act. Motion to Quash ISSN 2644-1594 is the copyrighted property of Motion to Quash LLC .
This ad is authorized by by Dr. Frederick Graves d/b/a JurisdictionaryThis ad is authorized by the Tracie Burke Campaign Committee
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$500 can get you two banners in front of your target audience for an entire month. An effective advertising campaign will include placing ads across the Motion to Quash website using both branding and call-to-action messages. Click here to buy ads or use the QR code.
The Motion to Quash (M2Q) Corruption Index collects data from multiple sources to produces a corruption perception score.*
Source Data
M2Q captured expert assessments of various public sector corruption practices. At length, this includes bribery and misuse of public funds. Additionally, it involves abuse of public office for personal gain, nepotism in civil service, and state capture.
Then, M2Q scrupulously took into account 3 different assessments from 22 political candidates in Jefferson Parish. Half are unopposed.
Corruption Perception Overview
Generally, the average corruption perception score for Jefferson Parish candidates is C (71%). Overall, fourteen candidates scored A, four candidates scored F, and two scored D. Only one scored B and only one scored C.
The M2Q corruption perception score is a powerful representation of the stand against corruption in Jefferson Parish. It helpfully serves as a reminder of the importance of transparency and honesty in our political system.
Additionally, the scorecards offer precise and reliable judgment of campaign finance abuse. They give sound judgment particularly for those interested in elections and the stand against corruption.
*Includes contributions from gaming interests, pharmaceuticals, conflicts, or any entity that has received federal money in the form of contracts, grants, loans, or other financial assistance. Candidates are not penalized for funding their own campaigns.
Click the name to view the folder for each candidate
The U.S. Government continues to pursue a quiet but active campaign against Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) recipients they believe committed fraud. The government is expected to continue to pursue criminal charges, with a focus on civil False Claims Act cases.
How is corruption perception measured?
Historically, Motion to Quash publishes the corruption scores before elections. It ranks candidates on a scale from 100 (very clean) to 0 (highly corrupt). For consistency, we base the total scores on these three principles:
Campaign contributions issued (5 points)
Campaign contributions received (5 points)
Disclosures/conflicts of interest (5 points)
Only when candidates earn 15 points for the whole package do they score 100 percent.
Campaigns are dynamic. We welcome your feedback. If you see a candidate’s position has changed, send us an email to info@motiontoquash.org with the new information.
Recognized by the NWC,Tracie Burke is author of Motion to Quash. M2Q supports the Whistleblower Protection Act. If you would like to support journalism in the public interest, click here to donate.Motion to Quash ISSN 2644-1594 is the copyrighted property of Motion to Quash LLC .
The scrutiny of Jefferson Parish Council candidates for the 2023 elections reveals potential abuses linked to the False Claims Act. Council members Jennifer Van Vrancken and Ricky Templet received significant contributions after securing taxpayer-backed loans, raising concerns about campaign finance abuses. Motion to Quash advocates for transparency and accountability.
Corruption Scorecards Jefferson Parish Councilman at Large Div. A by Tracie Burke | Motion to Quash LLC | October 6, 2023
Candidates for Jefferson Parish Councilman for the 2023 elections are being scrutinized under the False Claims Act. The False Claims Act is a federal law that imposes liability on those who defraud governmental programs. It is the federal government’s primary litigation tool in combating fraud against the government.
Corruption Scorecards Jefferson Parish Councilman at Large Div. A
Motion to Quash conducted an analysis of federal data. It showed Council members Jennifer Van Vrancken and Ricky Templet received over a half million dollars.
Over 350 entities made political contributions after receiving over $73 million dollars in taxpayer-backed SBA loans.
In both instances, candidates received large donations after companies they controlled, or companies owned by family members, obtained loans.
Frankie Hayers, the only other candidate, financed his own campaign.
Balcony Enterprises Inc, a family owned enterprise, received a total of $365,491 from the SBA. Afterward, The Balcony Ballroom issued a political contribution to Jennifer Van Vrancken of $5,000.
Hearing Health Care of Louisiana Inc, owned by family member Ryan Templet, received $186,812 from the Paycheck Protection Program. After receiving the taxpayer backed funds, Ryan Templet issued $5000 to Ricky Templet’s political campaign.
These funds were meant for struggling businesses. Generous campaign contributions just before or after receiving disaster assistance raises concerns about the legitimacy of their need for assistance. “It suggests the entities misled the SBA to obtain government funds and should be obligated to repay the taxpayers. Fraud schemes like this are the costliest for the taxpayers.” a spokesperson for Motion to Quash said.
Most Egregious Abuses of the PPP
The M2Q analysis identified two major abuses of the Paycheck Protection Program. These were Adams & Reese Law Firm and Harvey Gulf International Marine LLC.
Adams and Reese Law Firm received $9.2 million dollars from the taxpayer backed Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Later, Adams and Reese and ARPAC issued nearly $800,000 in political contributions. This amount includes over $100,000 paid to its own Political Action Committee.
Harvey Gulf International Marine LLC received $8.8 million dollars from the Paycheck Protection Program. They then issued over $600,000 to political campaigns. This included $100,000 to the Republican Party and $100,000 to Louisiana Citizens for Job Creators Inc.
Recouping Stolen Pandemic Loan Funds
Motion to Quash is a powerful representation of the fight against corruption in Jefferson Parish. The Anti Corruption Scorecard serves as a reminder of the importance of transparency and honesty in our political system. The scorecards are adequate to give precise assessments. They offer reliable and sound judgment of campaign finance abuse. This is particularly useful for those interested in the 2023 Elections and the stand against corruption.
Contributions alone are not enough for an investigation. Nevertheless, generous campaign contributions and confidential disclosures submitted to the Inspector General are enough evidence to lead to criminal prosecutions.
“When the pandemic started, the SBA took on an outsized role in restarting our nation’s economy. The PPP and EIDL programs were vital to saving small businesses, but that fact does not excuse $200 billion in fraud,” explained Chairman Roger Williams (R-TX). “It’s a top priority of this Committee to recoup these stolen funds, and yesterday’s hearing looked at new, innovative private sector solutions to do just that. I’m very grateful for our four witnesses, and we’ll continue our work on holding these fraudsters accountable.”
Click the link to read the Statement of Michael E. Horowitz, Chair, Pandemic Response Accountability Committee, Inspector General, U.S. Department of Justice before the U.S. House of Representatives Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis about “Examining Federal Efforts To Prevent, Detect, And Prosecute Pandemic Relief Fraud To Safeguard Funds For All Eligible Americans”
M2Q obtained Campaign finance reports from the Louisiana Ethics Board website. It obtained Disaster Recipient Profiles at usaspending.gov.
Approach
For consistency, we based the total scores on these three principles:
Campaign contributions issued (5 points)
Campaign contributions received (5 points)
Disclosures/conflicts of interest (5 points)
Only when candidates scored 15 for the whole package did they score 100 percent.
Campaigns are dynamic. We welcome your feedback. If you see a candidate’s position has changed, send us an email to info@motiontoquash.org with the new information.
Recognized by the National Whistleblower Center (NWC), Tracie Burke is Louisiana author of motiontoquash.org. You can reach her at tracie@motiontoquash.org. Motion to Quash LLC successfully promoted legislation that supports the Whistleblower Protection Act. Please Support journalism in the public interest by contributing today. Click here to donate Motion to Quash ISSN 2644-1594 is the copyrighted property of Motion to Quash LLC 2019. NWC’s mission is to support whistleblowers. They also help prosecute other wrongdoing around the world.
Advertise with Motion to Quash LLC
Digital media provides measurable results. $500 can get you two banners in front of your target audience for an entire month. An effective advertising campaign will include placing ads across the Motion to Quash website using both branding and call-to-action messages. Click here to buy ads or use the QR code.
Tracie Burke | Motion to Quash LLC | August 27, 2023
The use of political campaign funds has recently sparked great interest in Louisiana. This interest is shared among both voters and members of the Louisiana Board of Ethics. The Motion to Quash scorecards are enough to give precise, reliable and sound judgment of campaign finance abuse. Motion to Quash compiles and analyzes campaign contribution data. It identifies quid pro quo through its understanding of the electoral and public policy-making process.
Anti Corruption Scorecard for Jefferson Parish State Senator Candidates
Of the 9 candidates for State Senator on the Jefferson Parish sample ballot, 2 scored A+ (22.2%), 1 scored B- (11.1%), 5 scored C (55.6%), and 1 scored F (11.1%).
Organizational Conflicts of Interest (OCI)
Candidates received a sum of $225,670 from pharmaceuticals, gaming interests, and government contractors. The most frequent recipients are Kirk Talbot and Timothy Kerner.
Methodology
For consistency, the total scores were based on these three principles:
Campaign contributions issued (5 points)
Campaign contributions received (5 points)
Disclosures/conflicts of interest (5 points)
Only when candidates scored 15 for the whole package did they score 100 percent.
Campaigns are dynamic. We welcome your feedback. If you see a candidate’s position has changed, send us an email to info@motiontoquash.org with the new information.
Recognized by the National Whistleblower Center, Tracie Burke is Louisiana author of Motion to Quash. She can be reached at tracie@motiontoquash.org. Motion to Quash LLC successfully promoted legislation that supports the American Money Laundering Act and the Whistleblower Protection Act. Please Support journalism in the public interest by donating today. Click here to donate. The National Whistleblower Center (NWC) is the leading nonprofit dedicated to protecting and rewarding whistleblowers around the world.
Tracie Burke | Motion to Quash LLC | October 23, 2020
2020 Candidate Integrity SCORECARD-Justice of the Peace-Jefferson Parish
Integrity is a top issue facing Jefferson Parish voters. Discover how Justice of the Peace candidates in Jefferson Parish score on integrity. Review their financial disclosures and campaign finance reports. Then ask the candidates to pledge to Join the Campaign for Judicial Integrity in Louisiana.
We based the integrity scores on these three principles:
1. Campaign Contributions Issued
2. Campaign Contributions Received
3. Financial Disclosure Statements.
Click below to view the SCORECARDS. You can download the complimentary spreadsheet. Candidate review folders are available upon request to: info@motiontoquash.org.
Candidates are graded based on the number of critical issues for anti-corruption. These issues are listed in the candidate scorecard and divided into three overarching principles. We believe all of these issues are crucial to unrigging our broken system.
We assigned a total possible score of 5 for each principle. For the sake of consistency, we treat individual issues equally. Calculating fewer of these critical issues gets candidates a higher score. Only when they score 15 for the whole package do they get 100 percent.
We compiled candidate information from their campaign websites, in interviews, or from public and private resources.
Campaigns are dynamic. We welcome your feedback—if you see a candidate’s position has changed, send us an email at info@motiontoquash.org with the new information.
Recognized by the NWC,Tracie Burke is author of Motion to Quash. M2Q supports the Whistleblower Protection Act. If you would like to support journalism in the public interest, click here to donate.Motion to Quash ISSN 2644-1594 is the copyrighted property of Motion to Quash LLC .
Advertise with Motion to Quash LLC
Digital media provides measurable results. $500 can get you two banners in front of your target audience for an entire month. An effective advertising campaign will include placing ads across the Motion to Quash website using both branding and call-to-action messages. Click here to buy ads or use the QR code.
“Motion to Quash” by Tracie Burke is a gripping narrative of her experience as a domestic violence survivor in Louisiana, highlighting personal trauma and systemic corruption. After being severely injured by her ex-husband, she uncovers deeper injustices involving local authorities. The book’s release is forthcoming, and updates are available for interested readers.
Motion to Quash by Tracie Burke is a riveting story of domestic violence, false allegations and corruption in Louisiana. It is her response of a lifetime. A domestic violence survivor, she found herself entangled in the politics of Jefferson Parish. She also faced the corruption of the Gretna Police Department and Jefferson Parish District Attorney. In a drunken rage, Harold “Andy” LaCour, Tracie Burke’s ex-husband, ran her down with his truck. This act of violence broke her femur in half. She lost half her blood. He nearly killed her and he was never held accountable for her injuries. Little did she know, the biggest injustice was yet to come.
Motion to Quash by Tracie Burke is not yet published. Sign up for updates.
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Recognized by the National Whistleblower Center, Tracie Burke is Louisiana author of Motion to Quash. She can be reached at tracie@motiontoquash.org. Motion to Quash LLC successfully promoted legislation that supports the Whistleblower Protection Act. Please Support journalism in the public interest by contributing today. Click here to donate Motion to Quash ISSN 2644-1594 is the copyrighted property of Motion to Quash LLC .
Digital media provides measurable results. $500 can get you two banners in front of your target audience for an entire month. An effective advertising campaign will include placing ads across the Motion to Quash website using both branding and call-to-action messages. Click here to buy ads or use the QR code.
The Louisiana Statewide Hotline allows victims and survivors of domestic abuse to call one number. They are routed to a domestic violence service provider in their area. The hotline is free, confidential, and available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The hotline number is 1.888.411.1333.
LCADV has a series of 3 web videos advertising the statewide hotline. These videos feature advocates from local programs. They answer the hotline. There are also short vignettes that show different forms of abuse.
LCADV BROCHURES AND RESOURCES
LCADV has many publications and materials that are available to the public.
To order copies of any of these brochures, cards, or posters, please contact them.
LCADV Brochure
This informational brochure describes LCADV and lists our member programs across the state.
