Tag: Motion to Quash LLC

WE MADE HISTORY IN JULY!

By Tracie Burke | Motion to Quash LLC | August 22, 2021

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I attended the National Whistleblower Center’s (NWC) National Whistleblower Day celebration. It was a masterclass celebration honoring the amazing contributions of whistleblowers and I’m so grateful I was recognized. It was a historic event.

Celebrating whistleblowers is not always fun, it takes determination and commitment to stand beside other whistleblowers against waste, fraud, and abuse. But after seeing the monumental support for us at this National Whistleblower Day, I know that we can stand up and speak truthfully. 

Largest and Most Prestigious National Whistleblower Day Ever!

It was my privilege to represent Motion to Quash LLC on National Whistleblower Day and to help promote the event. While more than 1000 people RSVP’d for National Whistleblower Day this year, even more showed up to join the celebration! Our 2021 National Whistleblower Day celebration had nearly 10,000 people in attendance, celebrating whistleblowers. Together, we made history.

With Mistress of Ceremonies, Jan Turner, FBI Whistleblower, and more than 60 speakers making up the more than a dozen panels, this was the largest National Whistleblower Day event in history. Speakers, ranging from a wealth of whistleblowers like Kimberly Young McLear, Thomas Le Bonniec, and Allison Gill; to government leaders like Senator Charles Grassley, Secretary Marty Walsh, SEC Chair Gary Gensler,  Representative Jackie Speier and Senator Tammy Duckworth; to whistleblower experts like Stephen Kohn, Taxpayers Against Fraud’s Jeb White, Project On Government Oversight’s Melissa Wasser, Whistleblower Summit and Film Festival Organizer Marcel Reid, and whistleblower attorney Mark Zaid; made the program the gem of the whistleblower community this year.

Motion to Quash LLC has received an outpouring of positive feedback and invites you to stay tuned for future events. Donate today to support more great events like National Whistleblower Day. We could not have done it without you!

WILL YOU HELP WHISTLEBLOWERS?

Motion to Quash LLC attended and promoted the most successful Whistleblower Day celebration to date. We were so thrilled to be able to celebrate whistleblowers and our contributions with a global audience of whistleblower advocates.

Please consider donating to Motion to Quash LLC to support future National Whistleblower Day celebrations and our work fighting on behalf of whistleblowers. Click the button below to support our efforts!

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Your donations allow us to continue to advocate, educate, and assist whistleblowers, as well as celebrate our achievements. 

Thank you for your support!

Celebrating Whistleblower Victories

In addition to our unprecedented success at National Whistleblower Day, many pieces of whistleblower protection legislation were introduced recently. Motion to Quash LLC supports and is following:

The recently reintroduced Congressional Whistleblower Protection Act of 2021, introduced by Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) in the U.S. Senate, which, if adopted, would provide protections for federal employees, current and former, whose right to petition or furnish information to Congress is interfered with or denied. NWC, joined by POGO, TAF, and WoA, issued a letter of support for this bill on July 28. Motion to Quash LLC firmly supports this bill.

The Whistleblower Protection Improvement Act of 2021 (WPIA), introduced by a bipartisan group of Representatives led by Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY). The critical reform bill would strengthen whistleblower protections for federal employees who expose wrongdoing, providing them greater legal recourses against retaliation including access to a jury trial. Motion to Quash LLC firmly supports this bill.

Finally, the IRS Whistleblower Program Improvement Act of 2021, introduced by Sens. Charles Grassley (R-IA) and Ron Wyden (D-OR), would ensure the integrity of our nation’s tax system by strengthening and improving the IRS Tax Whistleblower Program. NWC, joined by TAF, POGO, and GAP, issued a letter of support on June 16. Motion to Quash LLC firmly supports this bill.

Motion to Quash LLC thanks and recognizes the efforts of NWC, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, Rep. Carolyn Maloney, Sen. Charles Grassley, and Sen. Ron Wyden for introducing these important bills and their continued support for whistleblowers.

Tracie Burke is Louisiana author of Motion to Quash. She can be reached at tracie@motiontoquash.org. Motion to Quash LLC promotes legislation that supports the American Anti-Corruption Act. Please Support journalism in the public interest by contributing today. Motion to Quash ISSN 2644-1594 is the copyrighted property of Motion to Quash LLC 2019 Click here to donate.

JPSO Police Sexual Violence & PREA- graphic content warning

The law says there’s no such thing as consensual sex under the Prison Rape Elimination Act because of the power imbalance.

By: Tracie Burke | Motion to Quash LLC | November 18, 2020

The seal of secrecy of sexual misconduct by fellow police officers is a serious obstacle in controlling police sexual violence and achieving police accountability in Louisiana.

As more efforts to stem sexual abuse by members of law enforcement in Louisiana come to light, there are victims still seeking justice for the police sexual violence they suffered, specifically in Jefferson Parish.

Motion to Quash LLC obtained evidence that Sheriff Lopinto and District Attorney Paul Connick improperly investigated reports of police sexual violence that occurred, and continues to occur by law enforcement and employees of Jefferson Parish. “Some high ranking members in law enforcement across Louisiana are using hidden cameras during intercourse without the subjects knowledge, some while on duty. Then the officers share the videos with others,” according to the disclosure obtained by Motion to Quash LLC.

“Survivors of police sexual violence are the only survivors of sexual assault who have to report the assault to the people that committed it. That’s the main reason they’re not reported,” one victim told Motion to Quash LLC.

The Sheriff and the DA are reluctant to take reports or complaints of police sexual violence—often trying to dissuade victims from making them, and even wrongly categorizing reports of abuse in an attempt to diminish their severity and impact.

If that fails, Sheriff Lopinto, District Attorney Paul Connick and their officers, have been known to actively pursue a victim’s silence through direct threats and intimidation.

One victim in Jefferson Parish told Motion to Quash LLC that she was “given the run around” by internal affairs officers, who intimidated and discouraged her from making the report, and instead issued her a battered women’s broshure and instructed her to call the hotline on the broshure for support.

Motion to Quash LLC takes action against police sexual violence by helping victims in Jefferson Parish file lawsuits, but there are no civil provisions yet for the Prison Rape Elimination Act. Urge congress this session to pass a bill that allows civil provisions under PREA. Now is the time for action and we urge Congress to get an amendment passed that provides a civil remedy for victims of Police Sexual Violence in Louisiana. 

Here is a copy of the victim’s lawsuit for damages. Warning, this content may be distressing for victims of sexual assault.

Plaintiff-V-Jefferson-Parish-Sheriff-Lopinto-DA-Paul-Connick-petition-for-damages

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“On October 26, 2020, defendant [name redacted] an employee of the Jefferson Parish District Attorney’s Office, sexually harassed the plaintiff via text message. Without warning or provocation, the defendant transmitted unsolicited photos of his own genitalia to the plaintiff. This hostile act by the defendant caused the plaintiff extreme emotional distress,” the lawsuit alledges

The law says there’s no such thing as consensual sex under the Prison Rape Elimination Act because of the power imbalance. Clearly, this situation demands pressing and serious attention, including passing bills promoting civil provisions for victims of the Prison Rape Elimination Act.

YOUR VOICE BE HEARD:

Advocate for Civil Provisions for the Prison Rape Elimination Act by sending a message to your Congress members, asking them to take concrete action to provide civil remedies for PREA victims in Louisiana. 

WAYS TO CONTACT YOUR HOUSE REPRESENTATIVE:

Click Directory of House of Representatives to contact and send a message to your House Representatives using the contact information and forms provided through this link.

EMAIL OR SAMPLE LETTER FOR CONTACTING YOUR MEMBERS OF CONGRESS

You may copy and paste the letter below into the message field of any contact form or you may use it in the body of emails to your House Representatives. Be sure to enter the name of your representative at the start of the message, and include or sign your name at the end. Consider adding your own personal anecdote or observation to the messages you send. 

Dear Member of Congress [Name]:

As your constituent, I am writing today to ask for your support of Civil Provisions for Victims of PREA.  I am sure that every day you have a multitude of bills crossing your desk, but I ask you to pay specific attention to those pertaining to and affecting law enforcement that promotes civil provisions for PREA victims in Louisiana. While there have been efforts to provide remedies for victims of police sexual violence in criminal court, there are no provisions for victims of police sexual violence in civil court. Clearly, this situation demands pressing and serious attention, including passing bills promoting civil provisions for the Prison Rape Elimination Act. Now is the time for action and I urge you to get an amendment passed that provides a civil remedy for victims of Police Sexual Violence in Louisiana. 

As a supporter of Motion to Quash LLC, a non-partisan online publication dedicated to advocating for civil remedies under PREA, and raising awareness of the Prison Rape Elimination Act, I urge you to protect the integrity of PREA by supporting legislation on its behalf this session.

I look forward to hearing from you regarding the positive steps you are taking to advance civil remedies for victims of police sexual violence in the immediate and long-term future. 

Sincerely,

[Insert Your Name]

[District or State]

[Contact Information] (if you wish/want a reply)

Recognized by the National Whistleblower Center (NWC), Tracie Burke is Louisiana author of motiontoquash.org. She can be reached at tracie@motiontoquash.org. Motion to Quash LLC successfully promoted legislation that supports the Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2020 and amendments to 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 in their efforts to expose and help prosecute corruption and other wrongdoing around the world. 

2020 Candidate Integrity SCORECARD- Justice of the Peace & Constable- Jefferson Parish

Tracie Burke | Motion to Quash LLC | October 23, 2020

Dear Members and Friends,

Forms « Jefferson Parish Clerk of Court

Integrity is a top issue facing Jefferson Parish voters. See how Justice of the Peace and Constable candidates in Jefferson Parish score on integrity when it comes to financial disclosures and campaign finance reports. Then ask the candidates to pledge to Join the Campaign for Judicial Integrity in Louisiana.          

We based the candidates’ 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.

2020-Candidate-Scoresheet-Jefferson-Parish-Justice-of-the-Peace-Const-1-2Download

METHODOLOGY

Candidates are graded on the number of critical issues for anti-corruption listed in the candidate scorecard, as 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—and 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.

Tracie Burke is Louisiana Author of Motion to Quash. Her work focuses on providing education, information, and justice for women survivors of family violence in Louisiana. She can be reached at tracie@motiontoquash.org

Please Support journalism in the public interest by contributing today. Motion to Quash ISSN 2644-1594 is the copyrighted property of Motion to Quash LLC 2019

Click here to donate.

Join the Campaign for Judicial Integrity in Louisiana

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Have you ever been affected by a Judge’s decision in Louisiana? Did the decision affect you in such a way that you either lost money or have been left at risk of ongoing abuse or unable to see your children? Chances are that you have. Did you feel the system in Louisiana was corrupt? The answer to that is probably yes. If so, Motion to Quash LLC has the solution. Join the Campaign for Judicial Integrity in Louisiana.

We want the public to receive accurate and understandable information and show what you can do to rid Louisiana of Judicial corruption. Join the Campaign for Judicial Integrity in Louisiana to remedy those problems by making the system right and ridding the Louisiana judiciary of bad and corrupt judges.

Harmful Effect of Money in Louisiana Government

Motion to Quash LLC takes action against government corruption and retribution in Louisiana. No one can get a fair trial before judges who receive illegal payments from attorneys and retroactive immunity from criminal prosecution.

A significant number of judges in Louisiana receive illegal payments from attorneys in the form of campaign contributions. Motion to Quash LLC is taking the steps to pass legislation that says any judge who receives contributions from attorneys no longer can sit on the seat in the district where the attorneys practice. What You Can Do to Rid the Louisiana Judiciary of Bad and Corrupt Judges

There is continuing fraud before the courts in Louisiana and the Louisiana judicial system is in a crisis. This is the underlying story of how judges receiving illegal contributions and payments to increase their own interests has corrupted the Louisiana judicial system.

The Louisiana Supreme Court and Court of Appeal Justices and Superior Court Justices at all times knew and know at present, many Louisiana judges sit on cases in which they are disqualified under law because the attorney gave them a criminal payment and: (1) appears before them as a party; (2) appears as a witness; or (3) has an interest.

The mission of the Campaign for Judicial Integrity in Louisiana is to disqualify the judges who are receiving money from attorneys and end corruption and take back our judicial system.

How to Disqualify Your Judge

Responsibility falls on citizens to reclaim our justice system. The method is for the people to file LA Code Crim Pro 987 based on fraud upon the court. Motion to Set Aside Conviction and Dismiss Prosecution; Rule to Show Cause; and Order of Dismissal forms are to be used. Here is a link to the forms provided by LSAC http://www.lasc.org/rules/City_Parish/Uniform_Forms_for_City_Parish_Courts.pdf

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Also, federal laws provide an opportunity to reverse the judge’s ruling and move forward with working the case to its logical conclusion. The Supremacy Clause of the Constitution of the United States (Article VI, Clause 2), establishes that the Constitution, federal laws made pursuant to it, and treaties made under its authority, constitute the “supreme Law of the Land” and thus take priority over any conflicting state laws.

Section 1346 of Title 18, United States Code provides an intangible right to honest services.  The statute has been applied by federal prosecutors in cases of public corruption as well as in cases in which private individuals breached a fiduciary duty to another.

Exercise Your Rights & Contact Your Legislators

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Motion to Quash LLC is drafting legislation and sending it to every legislator to stop any judge from receiving payments from attorneys who may appear before them. The next step for you, the voters, will be to exercise your rights to contact your legislators, who are your representatives and work for you, and urge them to get the amendment passed. Remember, these payments have affected every aspect of the court system, so now is the time for action.

“If you have been hurt by a judicial decision or by a corrupt judge and you want to do something about it, this is the only thing that you can do. Protesting in the street is not going to get you anywhere. Making music or noise is not going to get you anywhere. Exercising your right will get you somewhere.” – Dr. Richard Fine, Founder, Vote for Justice, Campaign for Judicial Integrity.

Recognized by the National Whistleblower Center (NWC), Tracie Burke is Louisiana author of motiontoquash.org. She can be reached at tracie@motiontoquash.org. Motion to Quash LLC successfully promoted legislation that supports the Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2020 and amendments to 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 in their efforts to expose and help prosecute corruption and other wrongdoing around the world. 

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Vote No to HCR 53 Study Concerning Registry of Persons With Autism

By Tracie Burke | Motion to Quash LLC | May 9, 2020

Representative Joe Stagni has requested a study that goes against basic ethical principles and guidelines for research involving human subjects with autism and other developmental disabilities. HCR 53 EXCEPTIONAL PERSONS: Requests a study concerning a voluntary registry of persons with autism and other developmental disabilities for use by law enforcement professionals. Stagni’s request poses some troubling ethical questions concerning privacy, discrimination, and legal harm. It does not answer the question of what the standard should be for judging how much and what sort of information should be provided for the study.

According to The National Commission for the Protection of Human Subjects of Biomedical and Behavioral Research principle guidelines, research involving persons with Autism and other developmental disabilities needs extensive protections.

The National Research Act

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On July 12, 1974, the National Research Act (Pub. L. 93-348) was signed into law, thereby creating the National Commission for the Protection of Human Subjects of Biomedical and Behavioral Research, as well as the Belmont Report and Institutional Review Boards (IRBs). One of the charges to the Commission was to identify the basic ethical principles that should underlie the conduct of biomedical and behavioral research involving human subjects and to develop guidelines which should be followed to assure that such research is conducted in accordance with those principles. In carrying out the above, the Commission was directed to consider: (i) the boundaries between biomedical and behavioral research and the accepted and routine practice of medicine, (ii) the role of assessment of risk-benefit criteria in the determination of the appropriateness of research involving human subjects, (iii) appropriate guidelines for the selection of human subjects for participation in such research and (iv) the nature and definition of informed consent in various research settings.”

Basic Ethical Principles

  1. Respect for Persons. — Persons with diminished autonomy are entitled to protection. The principle of respect for persons thus divides into two separate moral requirements: the requirement to acknowledge autonomy and the requirement to protect those with diminished autonomy.
  2. Assessment of Risks and Benefits. — For a review committee, it is a method for determining whether the risks that will be presented to subjects are justified.

The Louisiana Department of Health has already indicated that studies such as HCR 53 are not feasible. House Concurrent Resolution No. 84 of the 2019 Regular Session requested the Louisiana Department of Health to study the feasibility of issuing a special identification card to individuals with an autism spectrum disorder diagnosis and the study that the Louisiana Department of Health produced in accordance with that Resolution indicated, “it is not feasible for the department to issue such identification cards because it has no processes currently in place within which that function could be included.” This volubly confirms that it is not feasible to conduct a discriminatory study concerning the potential use of the NCIC database for creating a registry of persons with autism and other developmental disabilities.

Furthermore, Louisiana law, R.S. 40:2404.2(C), already provides for training of law enforcement officers on interacting with persons who have developmental disabilities. Autism Risk and Safety Management provides training and resources for law enforcement, emergency first responders, parents, educators, care providers, and the autism community. Autism training offers scenarios that describe not only the highest risk autism and law enforcement encounters but strategies designed to lower risk when police officers and first responders interact with autistic citizens and resolve the dilemma of recognizing autism related behaviors and characteristics.

The Nature and Scope of Risks and Benefits

The Assessment of risks and benefits requires a careful arrayal of relevant data, including alternative ways of obtaining the benefits sought in the research. One example, The National Autism Registry (NARY) was started in 1999. The mission is to provide opportunities for individuals with developmental disabilities and their families to engage in community-based experiences that were not available to them due to the difficulties of the individual with developmental disabilities. It was founded by Valerie Herskowitz, a mother of a son with autism, and her husband, Garth Dolderer.

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The risks that HCR 53 presents to the subjects are not justified. Joe Stagni appears to be a disablist, contributing to the possibility that harm of autistic individuals may occur. Moreover, a conflict of interest is present since Stagni receives thousands of dollars in contributions issued by medical marketing agencies. This requires review by the Louisiana Ethics Administration.

Austistic populations are already burdened in many ways by their disabilities and environments. When research is proposed that involves risks and does not include a therapeutic component, they should be protected against the danger of being involved in research soley for administrative convenience or political purposes. Call or write to your legislators today and urge them to vote no to partisan bill HCR 53.

Tracie Burke is Louisiana author of Motion to Quash. She can be reached at tracie@motiontoquash.org. Motion to Quash LLC promotes legislation that supports the American Anti-Corruption Act.

Please Support journalism in the public interest by contributing today. Motion to Quash ISSN 2644-1594 is the copyrighted property of Motion to Quash LLC 2019. Click here to donate.

New Tools for Legal Developers and Organizations

Free Law Project has been working on some big upgrades to its systems and when they build tools, they share them with the community. They have three big new tools for legal developers and organizations:

Database of Courts

 Ever wish there was a list of hundreds of courts with identifiers and aliases for all of them? Their new “Court DB” has over 17,000 lines of code describing over 700 courts. Learn More: https://free.law/2020/03/10/announcing-a-new-open-database-of-court-information-ids-and-parsers/

Pictures of Judges

They now have more than 1,000 portraits of judges ready for you to put in your projects. Learn More: https://free.law/2020/01/16/weve-added-nearly-1000-images-to-our-open-collection-of-judge-portraits/

PACER APIs

Don’t make another scraper for PACER. They now have a growing collection of APIs for that. Learn More: https://free.law/2019/11/05/announcing-our-new-pacer-fetch-apis/

Until today, if you wanted to add something to the RECAP Archive on CourtListener, you had only one option: Use the RECAP Extensions to purchase the item from PACER, and let the extensions do the upload on your behalf.

Starting today, they have a new free API released in Beta that anybody can use to get dockets and PDFs from PACER and add them to our website, APIs, and replication systems.

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https://free.law/2019/11/05/announcing-our-new-pacer-fetch-apis/

Tracie Burke is Louisiana Author of Motion to Quash. Her work focuses on providing education, information, and justice for women survivors of domestic violence in Louisiana. She can be reached at tracie@motiontoquash.org

Please Support journalism in the public interest by contributing today. Motion to Quash ISSN 2644-1594 is the copyrighted properrty of Motion to Quash LLC 2019. Click here to donate.

Supporting Journalism in the Public Interest

by Tracie Burke | Motion to Quash, LLC | September 20, 2019

Dear Readers,

Here is the lawsuit we are filing to remove a gag order so we can publish information about issues concerning Judicial reviews and corruption in Jefferson Parish. Please share our donation link and, if you can, donate. Our representation is pro bono and your donation helps cover the filing fee. Thank you for your support.

Tracie-Burke-v-Louisiana-Judiciary-CommissionDownload

paypal.me/MotiontoQuashLLC

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Update: We just received a $50 donation from Rusty Autry, who is a candidate for Louisiana State Rep. The balance is $350. Thank you, Rusty!

Without people like you, Motion to Quash LLC would not be able to continue its mission to provide information and justice for women in Louisiana.

MOTION TO QUASH ISSN 2644-1594 is the copyrighted property of MOTION TO QUASH, LLC 2019. Please consider making a contribution to help provide education, information, and justice for Louisiana ciizens. We promote legislation that supports The American Anti-Corruption Act, The False Claims Act, and The Whistleblower Protection Act.

Tracie Burke is Louisiana Author of Motion to Quash. Email: tracie@motiontoquash.org

A JOURNEY THROUGH THE JEFFERSON PARISH LABYRINTH OF INJUSTICE

By Tracie Burke | Motion to Quash LLC | 9/5/2019 

An institutional collapse of the legal profession in Jefferson Parish is unfolding before us and the proof is in the campaign finance abuse. Personality contests of which lawyer or law firm has more influence with judges in the 24th Judicial Court of Jefferson Parish have created fertile ground for dangerous trial court decisions for women survivors of domestic violence. 

The Motion to Quash LLC Blacklist of the 24th Judicial Court of Jefferson Parish journeys through a labyrinth of injustice for women survivors of domestic violence. As a result of long standing financial ties of parties involved, a significant number of women are denied protective orders.  Attorneys are hired to balance the scales of favoritism, not justice. 

Here is the link for the Motion-to-Quash-LLC-Blacklist-24th-Judicial-Court-of-Jefferson-Parish-spreadsheet-1 Download

Motion to Quash explored data from the National Center for State Courts NCSC, the Louisiana Protective Order Registry LRPO for the years 2017, 2018, and 2019, the Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women, the Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement, the Louisiana Secretary of State, the Louisiana Ethics Administration Campaign Finance Reports, CourtListener, PACER, Jeffnet, the Jefferson Bar Association, and the Louisiana State Bar Association.

Jefferson Parish significantly decreased the number of cases with the Louisiana Protective Order Registry each year since 2017, even though there was a significant increase in domestic violence cases of women seeking relief. Despite grants awarded to the Louisiana Commision on Law Enforcement to ensure protection, Jefferson Parish continues to deny a high number of protective orders for women, even though they meet the requirements.

ABOUT OVW GRANT PROGRAMS

The Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) currently administers 19 grant programs authorized by the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) of 1994 and subsequent legislation. Four programs are “formula,” meaning the enacting legislation specifies how the funds are to be distributed. The remaining programs are “discretionary,” meaning OVW is responsible for creating program parameters, qualifications, eligibility, and deliverables in accordance with authorizing legislation. These grant programs are designed to develop the nation’s capacity to reduce domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking by strengthening services to victims and holding offenders accountable.

In 2018, the Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women awarded Louisiana $2,871,778  in grants to explore the unique dynamics and key issues of domestic violence cases. The objective was to achieve effective adjudication of Domestic Violence Cases. The grants were awarded as follows:

Louisiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence$90,931OVW State Coal FY 18
Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement$457,634OVW SAS FY 2018
Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement$2,323,213OVW STOP FY 2018

Recommendations, Objectives, and Conditions

 Longstanding financial ties between  judges, attorneys, and the Jefferson Parish District Attorney have unbalanced the scales of justice for women survivors of domestic violence.  These practices betray the public’s trust by ignoring the recommendations of the Department of Justice OVW to specifically address the unique dynamics of domestic violence cases and by failing to use its formula to protect women. 

Therefore, Motion to Quash LLC is respectfully requesting that the Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women audit the 24th Judicial Court of Jefferson Parish, Jefferson Parish District Attorney’s Office, and named Law Firms to examine their practices to determine that:

 1. The 24th Judicial Court of Jefferson Parish ignored  the recommendations of the Department of Justice Office of Violence Against Women and to reurge its recommendations  

2. The 24th Judicial Court of Jefferson Parish ignored conditions designed to ensure programmatic success.

3. The 24th Judicial Court of Jefferson Parish and Jefferson Parish District Attorney did not meet the objectives of the Department of Justice OVW grant to provide effective adjudication for women survivors of domestic violence and to reurge those objectives.

The conditions of OVW awards are designed to ensure that recipients comply with the program’s statutory scope and programmatic requirements.  Otherwise, women survivors of domestic violence would not be able to escape the Jefferson Parish labyrinth of injustice.

Tracie Burke is Louisiana Author of Motion to Quash. Her work focuses on providing education, information and justice for women survivors of Domestic Violence in Louisiana. She can be reached at tracie@motiontoquash.org
Please support journalism in the public interest by donating today. MOTION TO QUASH ISSN 2644-1594 is the copyrighted property of MOTION TO QUASH, LLC 2019.







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Motion to Quash Blacklist for Jefferson Parish Government Officials


By Tracie Burke | Motion to Quash LLC | August 20, 2019 

Motion to Quash Spreadsheets are created using sound judgement methodology to show trends in violations of Code of Government Ethics in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana. After its comprehensive review and consideration, Motion to Quash LLC initiates requests to the Louisiana Board of Ethics accordingly. The Motion to Quash Blacklist for Jefferson Parish Government Officials is Categorized as Follows:

Assessor’s Office

Clerk of Court

Coroner’s Office

Constables

District Attorney

East Levee District

First Parish Court

Town of Grand Isle

Grand Isle Police Department

Grand Isle Levee District

City of Gretna

City Of Gretna Police Department

Greater New Orleans Expressway Commission

City of Harahan

Harahan Police Department

Town of Jean Lafitte

Jean Lafitte Police Department

JEDCO

Jefferson Parish Officials

Jefferson Parish School Board

Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office

Justices of the Peace

City of Kenner

Kenner Police Department

Second Parish Court

Southeast LA Flood Protection Authority-West

City of Westwego

Westwego Police Department

MQ-Blacklist-JP-Gov.-updated-10-4-2019Download

The 24th Judicial Court, Juvenile Court and Jefferson Parish attorneys are categorized on another spreadsheet. That will be published soon and linked here.

Tracie Burke is Louisiana author of Motion to Quash. Her work focuses on providing information and justice to women survivors of domestic violence. She can be reached at tracie@motiontoquash.org

Please support journalism in the public interest by donating today. MOTION TO QUASH ISSN 2644-1594 is the copyrighted property of MOTION TO QUASH, LLC 2019.

In the Matter of Marion Edwards

By Tracie Burke | Motion to Quash LLC | August 14, 2019 

The purpose of the Motion to Quash LLC Blacklist is to analyze the Jefferson Parish elected officials and candidates. The stress is on reports of problems and issues with unfair business practices, discrimination, corruption, and on key issues that can be identified to inform campaign contribution policy and guide further campaign laws. In particular, this report focuses on problems and issues in the matter of candidate for Jefferson Parish council, Marion Edwards. 

Methodology

Motion to quash LLC conducted methodology utilizing observations of program operations conducted by OJP Court Clearinghouse and technical assistance project assignment number 154, for the 24th Judicial Court and its organization of the treatment module and the provision of critical services provided by the drug court program. Motion to Quash also obtained information by query through the Louisiana Secretary of State Commercial Division, the Louisiana Ethics Board campaign finance portal, PACER, and by telephone interview with Louisiana Ethics Board Executive Secretary.

Section A. Issues and Problems Implementing the Drug Court Program

1. Unrealistic Program Design

  • Lacking too many critical areas needed for the for the delivery of sound services
  • Unrealistic program design needed to be simplified to a more reasonable treatment design
  • No grievance procedure

     2.  Discrimination

  • The ethnic gender diversity program of staff was not reflective of the community population 
  • More minorities and women needed to be recruited as clinicians to work this program
  • Staff needed Cultural Competence training

     3. Confidentiality Laws

  • Staff needed comprehensive training in federal confidentiality regulations, 42 CFR.

The review of the treatment program of the 24th Judicial District  intense program probation drug court Jefferson Parish Louisiana was prepared by the OJP Drug Court Clearinghouse and Technical Assistance Project at American University, Washington, D.C. 

Section B. Conflict of Interest- Director of Responsibility House Inc. 

Responsibility House Incorporated RH is a private non-profit organization for substance abuse treatment.

  1. Marion Edwards was appointed Director of Responsibility House Inc.- a conflict of interest because clients were referred from the court/judicial system.
  2. No annual report for Responsibility House Inc. filed with the Louisiana Secretary of State 
  3. No disclosure forms for Marion Edwards filed with the Louisiana Board of Ethics, required according to the Campaign Finance Disclosure Act. Candidate is required to file disclosure statements pursuant to R.S. 42 1124,1124.2, 1124.3 for the office he is candidate. Any person who fails to file or fails to timely file the statement required is subject to penalties as provided in R.S. 42:1124.4. 

Section C.- Over 20 businesses not in good standing, revoked by the Louisiana Secretary of State

1. – This signifies a willful attempt to evade or defeat any tax imposed by Tax Titles and shall be guilty of a felony, an attempt to reduce tax liability by deceit subterfuge, or concealing information.

Section D- Bribes through Campaign Contributions

       A. A number of consultant groups, engineers, construction companies, and special interest groups that do business with the Parish have issued campaign contributions in the amount of $103,8000.

Section V- Excessive Civil Rights Complaints

Exceeding 20 complaints against Marion Edwards for Injunctive Relief and Damages brought under 42 U.S.C. Sec. 1983 in connection with but not limited to the following violations:

  • 42 U.S.C. Sec. 1981 Equal Rights
  • 42 U.S.C. Sec. 1985 Conspiracy to Interfere With Human Rights
  • 42 U.S.C Sec. 1986 Action for Neglect to Prevent Conspiracy

Conclusion

Marion Edwards’ long standing financial ties to Jefferson Parish has unbalanced the scales of justice. After reviewing Marion Edwards’ practices, a number of problems and issues have been outlined and Motion to Quash LLC’s consideration is to request that the Ethics Adjudicatory Board (a) conduct a hearing on the foregoing charges; (b) determine that Marion Edwards violated La. R.S. 42:111A(1)(a). La. R.S. 42:1111C(1)(a), and La. R.S. 42:111C(2)(b); and assess appropriate penalties in accordance with the recommendation of the Louisiana Board of Ethics to be submitted at a hearing. 

Tracie Burke is Louisiana author of Motion to Quash. Her work focuses on providing information, education, and justice for women survivors of domestic violence. She can be reached at tracie@motiontoquash.org