File this one under those that live in glass houses should not throw stones….

I had a chance to surf the blogs here in Mississippi I monitor and noticed this post about the upcoming election in Mississippi House District 122 on Cottonmouth, which is the Mississippi Democrat alternative to hard-line GOP asset Yall Politics. In the post the folks at Cottonmouth call GOP candidate Dorothy Wilcox “slime”, which I found to be a curious way to describe the lady whose husband and family date back as Waveland/Hancock County residents for more than the 42 years I’ve been associated with the place.  In fact I’ll add the Wilcox family are quality people.

There are only 2 people in this world that can get me off a topic, Nowdy and Mrs Sop. The stakes are high in District 122 as control of the Mississippi House of Representatives could well hang in the balance.  I mention this because IMHO Mr Baria has serious ethical issues and as a voter I am not very comfortable with the fact that I think he represents mainly himself in the legislature.  OTOH Dorothy Wilcox has drunk heavily from the GOP koolaid dispenser and that is very troubling too though I think she is honest and running for the seat for all the right reasons.

So what we are left with is a real stinker of a choice to make here in District 122, at least from my perspective.  Mud slinging will make the choice easier for me folks.  The mailer is inane I’ll grant but the photoshop of the original photo is pretty good IMHO.  Maybe our own Patricia will save the pic for later use.  😉

sop

29 thoughts on “File this one under those that live in glass houses should not throw stones….”

  1. Ethical issues? Really? Please tell us what they are and, if you are up to it give me the opportunity to respond. While you're at it, why don't you enlighten everyone as to the basis for your opinion that I mainly represent myself in the legislature.

    1. Good morning Senator. Two things make uncomfortable: Rhino Construction and White Spunner. Regarding Rhino.

      The company was formed after the Hurricane and as I recall you even included it in your 2007 campaign ads. Everyone was under the impression you owned it and your linkedin page and campaign page bio both say you were it's "CEO". Further your Bio page on your campaign website goes further:

      As the CEO of his company— Rhino Construction, David engaged in helping his neighbors clear out the debris that Hurricane Katrina had left behind. While working with Katrina victims, David heard many stories about how insurance claims of residents and businesses were being denied for no good reason.

      Emphasis mine.

      I mention this because the public record filing on the formation of your LLC does not show you as a member, but as registered agent. On its own that doesn't mean much in the scheme of things especially since that particular oversight was corrected in September of last year. And the other public record, your 2009 Ethics disclosure clearly indicates you owned Rhino, that is until earlier this year, March 2011 specifically. That was around the general time Propublica started their series on all the Louisiana politicians that cashed in on the oil spill via contract with BP and its major venders.

      March 2011 is important since in early February 2011 there was a story by Geoff Pender in the Sun Herald quoting you as State Senator concerning several area firms that were "owwed millions" by a major BP subcontractor I even did a post on it in fact. The Sun Herald 404s their online stories after a month or so but a wire version of the same report did go out and it can be found on NOLA.com:

      Ricky Myers, who owns Rhino Construction in Bay St. Louis, Miss., said Tuesday that BP contractor O'Brien's Response Management owes him $650,000 for his company's work cleaning up beaches and barrier islands after the spill.

      and this

      Myers said much of the money owed is "retainage," or money that is withheld until the quality of a subcontractor's work can be verified. Myers said the retainage money was supposed to be paid within two weeks of the work's completion, but some companies have been waiting for months to get any of that money.

      Myers said the delay threatens to drive smaller firms out of business.

      "I'm really concerned about the littler guys in this deal," he said.

      The original Sun Herald story mentioned the retainage hold back was 20% and some basic math indicates that equates to around $3.2 million your company made working for BP in 2010. What does your 2010 ethics disclosure say? It doesn't list it at all.

      The shifting sands in the public documents against your public statements don't look good Senator. And back in February 2011 who were you representing at that meeting attended by Pender that made the Sun Herald? Looks to me like you were representing youself.

      Regarding White Spunner. They are down here chasing reconstruction jobs and have employed certain local politicians as "consultants." I noticed your law practice started listing them as a client around that same time I heard they were employing local supervisors but they have since been scrubbed from your website. When I see construction companies employing politicians I think Beef Plant and The Facility Group and yes that too makes me uncomforable, especially since your practice was consumer law, not construction law prior to that.

      You are welcome to reply here and address those concerns or in a dedicated guest post if that is your preference. Thank you for stopping in with us.

      sop

  4. I will reply here and anywhere else you allow it. First, I formed a company called South Beach Restoration after Katrina destroyed my law office and I couldn't practice. My son Darden died about a month later and Rick Myers, one of my college roomates and Darden's Godfather, stood in for me at SBR while I tried to recover mentaly and emotionally. When I was able to think straight, Rick Myers and I formed Rhino Construction with two other partners. In 2009, we bought out the other two partners. After working as Rhino's CEO for several years, I was elected to the legislature in 2007 and did not have much to do with day-to-day operations, though I was clearly still the CEO. In 2010 I sold my interest in Rhino. I was not an owner of Rhino when the article you referenced was published, but I am familiar with its content and Rick's quotes. Rhino only made a small portion of the total it billed as it paid a labor contractor the largest share of its invoices. I can assure you that Rhino did not gross and certainly did not net $3.2 million off of any project ever while I was involved. In fact, from November 2005 thru end of 2010 I estimate that I made a total of $100,000- $150,000 out of the company. That's less than $30,000 per year. I am now only the agent for service of process for Rhino Construction.

    I am not clear on what meeting with Geoff Pender you refer to. I did discuss the issue of BP not paying contractors with Geoff and regularly with TL Wallace, Eutaw and Specialty Contractors, and others who were not being paid in a timely manner. My understanding is that those companies met with Phil Bryant who agreed to call BP and they got paid shortly thereafter.

    I assume that the portion of my ethics report dated 4/25/2011 you reference is the following:

    "List of all the names and addresses of all businesses for which any of the following statements are true for the filer, filer's spouse and any person over the age of twenty-one (21) who resided in the household during the entire preceding calender year, including the name of any position in or relationship to the business."

    I did not list Rhino as I no longer had any ownership interest in it as of 4/25/2011 when I signed the report. To have said otherwise would have been false. You will note that I did list Rhino in every other report I have filed since becoming a member of the legislature. I have nothing to hide.

    Finally, I started practicing law again in early 2010 in preparation for leaving Rhino. Another old friend of mine who grew up in Bay St. Louis and who happens to be the President of White-Spunner Construction hired me to help his company with some litigation on two Mississippi projects. The company needed a lawyer and I was happy to have the work. I guess that you will need to tell me what is wrong with that business relationship. I have never served as a "consultant" for anyone.

    I don't know that I know or have ever met you, but I have appreciated your work since Katrina. However, I have got to tell you that I think the piece above is irresponsible and sloppy. Nevertheless, I do appreciate the opportunity to respond.

  6. One final comment SOP, my law firm website is under renovation by people a lot smarter than me and I have no idea why W-S isn't on there. I appreciate the heads up because you will see them listed as a client when the website is finished.

    1. Patricia the trick is to find folks that are in the game for reasons beyond their own self enrichment. Like I said I didn't think Mr Baria was representing the people in Senate District 46. Expecting a different result in the state House of Reps would be crazy.

      Team Sop will be voting for Dorothy Wilcox.

      sop

  7. How wonderful that you can afford to buy a child.

    I don't imagine he would have to worry about his doctor serving an Insurance Companies Interests vs. his own health care.

    You and EVERY CURRENT politician who has participated in the disgusting reality that forces the elderly into substandard institutions because of OUTRAGEOUS health care costs should get the HELL out of POLITICS!

    AND…Your indignation is AUDACIOUS!
    http://www.eroticazelda.com/_PIGGIES/_BARIA_BABY_…

  9. It is very telling that this politician feels entitled to special treatment.
    I wonder if his feelings would be hurt if he would VISIT some of the state financed nursing homes and SEE what "normal" folks deal with EVERY DAY?
    Take a walk through a jail & talk to the prisoners.
    See the homeless & talk to them.
    Address the reality of social injustice & then be appropriately outraged.
    What is special about politicians?
    They are legally sanctioned criminals who feel they deserve the title of honorable & all that entails, when they do nothing to deserve respect & everything to deserve scrutiny. It didn't take much research to see that Mr. Baria is a typical politician.

    1. Speaking of campaign finance I thought this 2011 report was interesting.

      Now Mr Baria claims insurance companies are funding Mrs Wilcox. I could not find much of that in her campaign finance reports.

      I did find business groups such as the Homebuilders Assn and some other Mississippi GOP legislators donating to Mrs Wilcox but that is to be expected on the GOP side. More interesting is the business interests that are contributing to Mr Baria's campaign including his own law firm and construction company. In a way BP contributed to his election campaign.

      The direct mail mudslinging is a sign the candidates think this will be a close election. If Frank Corder at Yallpolitics is right about the ballot initiatives bringing out the maximum conservative vote District 122 could well be one of those down ticket races that benefit the GOP candidate. We'll see come November 8th.

      sop

  10. Hey Patricia, is that your work on eroticazelda? I hope one day to introduce Max to the low life who did that.

  11. I hope one day to introduce Max to the low life who did that.

    Great parenting skills there, Dad.
    I'm sure you use those demeaning terms in your automatic & distorted thought processes which is WHY…you do NOT belong in politics.

    Since his DNA is not from your gene pool, I expect that cute kid may have nature's blessing on his side and grow up to discern the TRUTH from what he is taught.

    Why don't you ADDRESS what is IMPORTANT?
    When is the last time you have stepped foot into a state funded nursing home?
    What are you doing about homelessness & poverty in your state?

  12. QUOTE of the DAY ~

    To put this more generally, the lack of moral courage is probably the principal cause of unethical conduct.

    Robert Wechsler, Director of Research for City Ethics, Inc.

  13. Hey Davo my name is Robert Marie I'd love to give you a chance to fix your problem with me. Go over to my blogsite you will find a post all about you and your head fucked buddies. It's titled WHAT A FUCKING HYPOCRITE bullshit 251-98-1061 and your fraudulent 251-96-493. which sought to take from awards already had on our behalf for hundreds of millions leaving us to die. You and alot of two bit clot's of shit took to that backroad horse shit. I offten wonder just what jury would convict me if beheaded a lot of you. What do you think.Call Me we'll do lunch. If you intend to response just be nice bitch! I'm not from these parts and folks where I come from don't take kindly to thieves, murderers and fucking kidnappers. Your unethical horse shit is the least of what goes through my mind about you, come get some.
    http://www.mftms13.wordpress.com take your pick you do get around http://www.classvictim.wordpress.comm

  14. sop, It was all that criminal crap by Baria and his buddies in crime in Hinds county which drove B.P. to their type of legal services. I have little faith in the D.O.J. complaint in that at it's mailings the only action was to order that audit of pay offs to victims. By the way Florida who is number 1. has had the biggest payday and 2. are also the area which the Hinds attorneys are working. It's the Gaylord type/ B.P. action.

  15. David Baria : Just like a political, pit bull lawyer, i.e. attacking Patricia the messenger instead of addressing the issues she raises.

    How does the old drunken barrister put it : If you don't have the truthful facts attack the law, but if you have neither the facts or law than attack the person.

  16. I don't know much about this guy, but he's here responding. And Robert, I'd be real careful about how you word things. One might reasonably interpret your words as a threat.

    1. A cricket he is not Sock. If his chirping agreed with the written record he wouldn't have folks like me asking questions and wondering what other kind of financial arrangements failed to make his ethics report.

      sop

  17. Sock, interpretation is a hell of a thing. Check out the many views on religion. Tell you what sock we had an this entire lawsuit into the billion's or is it just hundreds of millions. My child kidnapped and cousin murdered. As of this very day the court continues to deniy us any of our own money in that matter. Why? What are they waiting on. These ass holes want us dead plain and simple. That is as the entire matter of court documented actions as I interpret it.

    These boys cluster fucked their way into their own trouble. ie, FUCK-EM!! And lastly the last place for any thruth on these low-lives is wanting to stand with this matter before a real court of law. The back side of the moon is made of cheese as I interpret it and Baria is a low life chickenshit ass hole as I interpret it.

  18. Keep asking those questions, my man. When you see ghosts, they're usually not shadows. My point was that it's nice to occasionally have the subject of a post appear to defend him/herself. The merits of the defense might be an altogether different story.

    Knowing very little about Mr. Baria, I will admit that I am highly suspicious of anyone (especially a lawyer/politician) who can be linked to BP money in any fashion.

  19. Agree absolutely Sock on Mr Baria having the cojones to show up here and attempt to answer my concerns.

    Robert is in a wheelchair which would make a beheading on his part highly unlikely. I believe he and the Senator are acquainted from the Bogalusa Chemical release class action case.

    I also want to clarify something I wrote earlier as the race itself as it his Mr Baria's to lose. The State GOP put some resources here but JP Compretta's endorsement of Baria is big in this district and like John Labruzzo, he is a tireless campaigner.

    sop

  20. sop it was a question. If a person held criminal information of a really bad deal feeling threatened would a jury convict? Does a man have the right to his own home? The courts of law ? freedom from mob like action of these worthless politicians? or anything which has prevented the final settlement with us by the court except for the amounts we were used to gain are there any legal reason to prolong our sufferings. Mind you this matter involves a lot of people. What was or is wanted here is a crime which would put me away. So another question here, has it become or is it OK, to pick who civil rights belong to and who are not allowed to recieve them? One problem when killing roaches there's always another to take its place. I'm so far from threatening as a way to be made silent by cock roaches it's just another day living in the good ole boy system.

    Oh yeah, if I might. about that class action. Toxic cloud is intentionally released travels to a sucluded area and lands on our home. Employees and a few others really injuried which totaled 40 persons were taken to Hinds County. After many loss and injuries being jailed and threatened to removal. Vicksburg made it $84 million offer solely on me. Baria was hired by us as requested by his honor to gain us some relief in the matter. But no! He get's with the judge and other attorneys to create a class action of 20,000 plus person's. So what? Well here we go. In early 1999 their trial failed.

    So all the money from this suit has been placed on us with the unwavering believe that we must die instead of ever gaining relief. The only reason has to do with the amounts gained. Their legal view is that their actions to remove us from the suit was the only action had. But don't believe it. The attacks on us continue and will as long as those escrow accounts have our name on them. At the Vicksburg offer attorneys took payment for a class action which at the time wasn't a legal action as no class action exsisted then. Add to wit the threats not to bankrupt all the corporations might have spun a nice deal for the living over their clients the assumed dead.

  22. Here's a few more things that aren't televised. With court assumptions that you are dead with what the court gains through you try to acheive medical aid. Treating us as if we have no claim medicaid or medicare should be simple, but actual injuries want no recorded history connected to Gaylord court actions. Why would a millionaire have to apply for medical aid? As such an attempt to gain a school grant only to find you have no history of being a U.S. citizen. Educational, medical and employment history gone. Deal with having your child repeatedly arrested for the same crime which is dismissed upon a demand for trial. This attempt ended with a threat to our child about having her children taken away from her. Incidently, this ploy was used on us. Thinking that we're good as gone affords the reason that our child must be incarcerated. Additionally, this must be the reason after paying in full last October 2010 the adoption process is not completed with our grand-children and waiting on some action from the state. Like in the word inheritance.

  24. Jane I'm not certain what to make of your second to last comment but I'm sorry to hear your child is incarcerated.

    I've not kept up with politics in Marion County but I agree Sheriff Hall is a quality person.

    sop

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