IntoTheVortex.Net - The Metro Des Moines Political Blog

Jon Narcisse Breaks Another Promise

We at The Vortex have been pretty critical of Jon Narcisse lately, so it is time to say something nice.  He is consistent.  He breaks promises to pay his debts.  He breaks promises to his supporters.  And now he has broken a promise to the community.

He promised to quit the school board if his interpretation of the graduation data was proven incorrect.  Guess what?  Des Moines' school superintendent, the tough as nails Nancy Sebring, called his bluff.  She demolished his claims on camera at a recent school board meeting.  Undaunted he huffed and puffed and pontificated and spewed nonsense, throwing out meaningless, faceless names, and skewed, misinterpreted calculations from four years ago, but in the end it didn't change a thing.  He was wrong and she was right.

Then he thought he had found support from a study by an organization loosely associated with John Hopkins University that used the same flawed methodolgy he did.  But as the Scarecrow from The Wizard of Oz knows, simply having a diploma doesn't make you smart.  (By the way, where did Narcisse go to school?  Does he have a high school diploma?  Does he have a college diploma?  We know he makes a big deal about playing chess.  Being a chess player doesn't make you smart, it merely makes you weird.  See Bobby Fischer.)

Sebring skewered the John Hopkins study too.  Read her piece from the Sunday, November 18, 2007 Des Moines Register: http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071118/OPINION01/711180308/1004/

But let us reprint the key paragraphs here with one small change, we will insert Narcisse's name for John Hopkins:

"For example, according to Jon Narcisse, students who move to a different school district or transfer to a different high school within a district are dropouts. Students who move into alternative programs during high school (in Des Moines, that accounts for more than 500 students) or to a private school or are home-schooled are dropouts. Students who die are dropouts.

"Jon Narcisse also ignored the artificially high "freshmen" enrollment found at many schools. If a school requires 24 credits to graduate, students who successfully complete six credits per year are on track to graduate in four years. A student who earns less than six credits in ninth grade may be reclassified as a freshman for an additional year, or until they complete enough credits to return to their original class. This results in an artificial enrollment "bubble" in ninth grade at many high schools.

"In fact, Jon Narcisse didn't even consider students who graduate early. A commencement speaker last year at Hoover High School in Des Moines graduated at the end of his junior year. Yet, according to Jon Narcisse, this straight-A student was a dropout."

Enough said.  Quit, Narcisse, Quit!

-The Vortex

Narcisse Ethics Update

The Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board declined to investigate the ethics complaints filed against Jon Narcisse and disclosed here for the first time two days ago. 

The Board noted "Since we have dealt with this issue and know that he pays for these personally, (we) decline to investigate but encourage him to use one e-mail only for campaign purposes to avoid dealing with this on an ongoing basis."*

How the Board could "know" without an investigation is puzzling.  The fact is that Narcisse uses one e-mail for both business and political purposes and that is wrong.  Of course, perhaps the Board knows what must people know, the Iowa Bystander is a joke, it can't possibly support him financially, and does not legally exist, so maybe the Board decided not to bother.

But his use of the Iowa Bystander to promote his campaign is not a joke.  Imagine the publisher of a legitimate newspaper endorsing himself for political office and writing self-promoting articles about his alleged accomplishments.  It is just one more example of how Jon Narcisse does not believe the rules apply to him.  He doesn't have to pay his debts.  He doesn't have to file his corporate reports.  He doesn't have to take responsibility for his own conduct.  He doesn't have to follow basic rules of journalistic ethics.  Yet he is supposed to be a role model for our children.  I cry for Des Moines.

-BJ

*His campaign paid a $100 fine to the Ethics Board in January of this year.

Jon Narcisse Faces Second Ethics Complaint

This is a Vortex Exclusive!

Jon Narcisse and his campaign treasurer, Jon Neiderbach, have been accused of violating Iowa Code Section 68A.503 which prohibits corporate contributions to political campaign committees.

The complaint filed with the Iowa Ethics & and Campaign Disclosure Board alleges that Narcisse used his business e-mail address on three separate occasions to solicit support for his election to the school board.  The e-mails were sent on August 27, September 6 and September 11.

On September 9 Narcisse also sent an e-mail from his business e-mail address that included (a) a copy of the September 10 issue of the Iowa Bystander; (b) a subscription form to the Iowa Bystander and (c) a brochure promoting another one of his other business venture, Cyclone Fanatic Online.

The September 10 Iowa Bystander, which identifies Narcisse as President and CEO, included an editorial endorsing himself, two articles listing his accomplishments and two ads featuring his supporters, Jon  Neiderbach and Mary Brubaker.  Neither ad, according to the complaint,included a disclaimer.

In addition to using his business e-mail account and his corporate mailing list to promote his campaign, the complaint alleges that he used his newspaper (and we use the term loosely) as "little more than a campagin brochure."

Has this man no scruples?

The best part is that this isn't the first time he has done this.  On March 30, 2006, the Ethics Board issued a Reprimand to Narcisse for using his corporate e-mail address to advocate his 2005 school board campaign.

What really is appalling is his flagrant disregard for the law.  And he can't argue ignorance this time.  This man is in charge of educating our children?!  What sort of example is this lout setting?

Of course, he could weasel out of the complaint on a technicality.  As reported earlier in another Vortex exclusive, his corporation doesn't really exist because he failed to file the report required by the state to keep it in existence.  If it doesn't exist, we can hear him say, it wasn't a corporate contribution!  Maybe he could teach a course to our kids called Legal Loopholes 101.  At least then he would have real job.

-The Vortex

 

Frank Cownie - Our Green(back) Mayor

"Money Doesn't Talk, it Screams"

Mayor Frank loves to pretend to be a mayor of the people, a friend of the neighborhoods, an environmentally sensitive mayor.  But his list of contributors reveals something else.  This guy, like many of our local politicians, is bought and paid for, sealed and delivered, by the money interests in Des Moines.

Ball, Burnett, Cownie, Danos, Elwell, Griswell, Gross, Kirke, Krause, Lillis, Pomerantz, Proctor, Reichardt, Reynolds, Townsend, Van Orsdel, Wahlert, Zumbach, and McAninch are shrewd business dudes and all gave $500 and even $1,000 to Cownie's campaign. 

Many of them are rock solid Republicans, but that didn't  stop them from giving to a Democratic mayor. They knew what they were doing.  They figured out that Cownie was likely to win so they were going to buy him and they did.  Lillis, we are told, is a lawyer who does work for many real estate developers including the Boesens.  Ever wonder why the Rice sale went through so smoothly?

And what about the small contributor, the little guy that he tries so hard to pretend he represents?  Unlike a lot of candidates who put a cap on individual contributions, Mayor Frank apparently placed a minimum.  The smallest contribution is $100.  In fact it took just 50 contributors to contribute $22,000; let's call them Frank's 50.  That is an average contribution of $440.  When it comes to the Mayor Frank campaign, the little guy need not bother. And Des Moines residents? 24 out of Frank's 50 campaign contributors live outside the city limits

So who will Mayor Frank answer to over the next 4 years, his constituents or Frank's 50?  We know the answer to that.

-The Vortex

Once Again Narcisse Version Contrary to the Facts

Jon Narcisse was sued by Capitol Records and other recording companies last spring.  It is interesting to compare what he says now about the lawsuit with what the court papers reveal.

Here is what Narcisse said on the Register's website on November 3, 2007 at 6:48 PM:

"I explained this on [sic] the interview with the reporter.  It was the computer of my wife and her son and brother often used it.  When our marriage ended I kept the computer.

I first found out about the suit when the Register called.  Once I talked to the record company I had a choice - pay or turn them all in.  Since I didn't know which of them had downloaded but I also knew none of them could afford it I paid.

Dawn is the mother of my children and if she had to pay they suffer.  Her son is married with three children and could ill afford it and her brother had just had a new baby.

So I settled.  They've been paid and life goes on."

This is what the federal court records reveal (Capitol Records and several others vs. Jonathan Narcisse, United States District Court, CIvil No. 4:07-CV-00076):

- Jon Narcisse was the only defendant in the lawsuit;

- Paragraph 13 of the law suit says: "Plaintiffs are informed and believe that Defendant, without the permission or consent of Plaintiffs, has used, and continues to use, an online media distribution system to download the Copyrighted Recordings, to distribute the Copyrighted Recordings to the public, and/or to make available the Copyrighted Materials available for distribution to others.  In doing so, Defendant has violated Plaintiffs' exclusive rights of reproduction and distribution.  Defendant's actions constitute infringement of Plaintiffs' copyrights and exclusive rights under copyright."

(This doesn't sound like the actions of random music downloaders but someone trying to make a buck off of someone else's work.)

-Paragraph 15 says "Plaintiffs are informed and believe that the foregoing acts of infringement have been willful and intentional, in disregard of and with indifference to the rights of Plaintiffs."

-Narcisse was served personally with the court papers by Douglas S. Brower at 9:30 AM on March 3, 2007 (there is an affidavit from Brower on file).

(According to Narcisse he first learned about the lawsuit from a Register reporter.)

- Narcisse answered the lawsuit through his lawyer on March 20, 2007.

-In paragraph 6 of his answer he says "Defendant (that's Narcisse remember) admits that without the permission of Plaintiffs he has used an online media distribution system to download some of the Copyrighted Recordings, but denies that the large majority of such downloaded Copyrighted Recordings attributed to Defendant were downloaded by Defendant."

(In other words, he did it and he turned in his family. Hell of a stand up guy!)

So contrary to his statements on the Register's website, he admitted to copyright infringement and, by inference, letting his family also violate federal copyright laws.  How many pillars of Character Counts, the principles taught in DM schools, has this guy broken?

-On April 19 Narcisse signed a stipulation that said he would pay the Plaintiffs $9,500 for his violations of Federal copyright laws.  In paragraph 8 he acknowledged that he read the stipulation and promised "not to deny the truth or accuracy of any term or provision therein."  Looks like he is in denial now.

-Judgment was entered against Narcisse on May 7, 2007.

-The Vortex

How Does Jon Narcisse Make Ends Meet?

It doesn't add up.  He routinely stiffs creditors.  His wages, if he has any, are being garnished by a local Bank.*  His business keeps getting its licensed revoked by the state.  He can't afford to own a house.  But he drives a sweet Saab convertible!  Pity the car company with that lease.

So where does he get his money? Several people have asked that question lately.  It's too bad local politicians don't have to reveal their tax returns like the federal ones do.  We wonder if Mr. Integrity, Mr. Transparency, Mr. Forensic Audit, would open up his books and tax returns.  Doubt it.

And Jon, those excuses in the paper for your bad debts were so lame.  Take responsibility for your own actions.  Nobody believes your ridiculous excuses.  There are no guilty men in prison either.

The bottom line is this Jon, you have no credibility.  Your personal and business lives are a mess.  You can't figure out how to function at a basic level in your own life or your own financial affairs, but you pretend to think you are the only one who has the answers for our kids and how to spend our tax dollars.  What a bunch of bull.  You are a joke, a nattering nabob of nonsense.  If you really did have any integrity you would resign.

-The Vortex

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*The garnishment was issued in Polk County District Court on September 17, 2007 and sent to the Polk County Sheriff on September 28, 2007 (Polk County District Court Case Number CL54172).  He owes the bank over $12,000.

Jon Narcisse Doesn't Pay Property Taxes!

A check of the Polk County Assessor's office website reveals that Jon Narcisse doesn't own a house.  So there you have it, a school board member who will vote on our property tax rate some time next year doesn't share our pain when it comes to paying them.  Wanna bet he raises them?

The house he says he lives in is owned by Trawn Companies, LLC.  The only house owned by a Narcisse in Polk County is owned by Gaynelle Narcisse.

He doesn't pay his debts.  His business doesn't legally exist. He doesn't pay property taxes. Instills confidence, don't it?

-The Vortex

Jon Narcisse's Business Doesn't Exist

Jon Narcisse loves to talk about the Iowa Bystander and how proud he is to carry on the proud tradition of that paper.  Well, guess what? The Vortex has learned that The New Iowa Bystander, Inc. had its corporate certificate revoked on August 7, 2006 by the Iowa Secretary of State.  This isn't the first time Narcisse has let his business disappear.  It happened on August 2, 2004 and once before that on August 5, 2002.  Reports are due every other year.

Competent business people running a real money-making business would not let this happen.  After all, the Secretary of State, we learned, sends two letters notifying the corporation a report is due before it revokes its certificate to do business.

Lucky for Narcisse the Secretary of State lets corporations be reinstated if they file a request.

Unlucky for Narcisse the law has changed since the last time he let his company disappear.  Now he has to get a letter from the Iowa Department of Revenue that the corporation doesn't owe any taxes before it can be reinstated.

This blowhard has the gall to complain about the way the school district conducts its business when he can't even do something as basic as keep his corporation in existence. Not just once, not twice, but three times...in a row?   This is something thousands of Iowa businesses do routinely, without missing a deadline, and this guy can't do it three consecutive times! 

Does anybody else see a credibility gap with this guy?

-V

Jon Narcisse - A Destabilizing Influence on DM School Board?

Wow, the stories in today's Register have unleashed a lot of stuff on new DM school board member Jon Narcisse.  He has a penchant for self-promotion and doesn't seem to let facts get in the way of a good sound bite.  We at The Vortex will have more on this guy throughout the weekend, the information is just flooding in, but check this out for now:

From the Plaintiff's Trial Brief in Alvarez versus Narcisse, Polk County District Court, September 17, 2007, paragraph 10 of the statement of facts:

"In an email dated November 18, 2005, Jonathan Narcisse advised Alfredo V. Alvarez, "I have been struggling with some serious health issues, and I think part of the consequence was a bought of depression.  This included me taking the wrong medication which created, I believe a chemical imbalance. I thought all that remained was to drop the suit against Green, work out terms with the attorneys for Ford Credit, it would cost $500 more and I pay you.  I don't have all the money I will owe you based on your bill but I just don't have the energy to contest anything else."

Amazing.

Jon Narcisse - Put Up or Shut Up

This relates to the last post and the obligation to be responsible critics if the desire is good government.

Jon Narcisse, newly elected DM School Board member, has alleged on more than one occasion both on websites and radio that DM school administrators are being paid CIETEC-like bonuses.  He has offered no proof and probably doesn't have any.  This is irresponsible.  It  is reckless.  It is wrong.

On the other hand if he does know of such bonuses and is keeping it to himself, he is as guilty as those he alleges to have received these bonuses.

Jon, it's time for you to put up or shut up.  Do it here and do it soon.

-BJ