John Brown Is Lying Again?

Previously I reported to you how Greensboro Mayoral Candidate John Brown attempted to silence me by threatening me with a law suit but quickly turned tail and ran when I called his bluff. Now this so-called God fearing Christian Conservative is making an $8.9 Million Dollar claim he cannot back up.

In a move that is typically seen on fake news websites, John Brown links to The Carolinian on his campaign website with a reference "confirming" his $8.9 Million Dollar claim (#17 on his list) but the few readers who actually click on the link will find the article, April 4th City Council Meeting makes no reference to the $8.9 Million Dollar purchase of the News & Record building in downtown Greensboro.

 The News & Record building wasn't made available for sale until September 2017 but John Brown links to an April 2017 article thinking all of HIS SUPPORTERS ARE TOO STUPID to actually click on the links. Typical fake news website.

 That said, I believe the City intends to purchase the building but as Roch Smith jr points out in his article Does mayoral candidate John Brown know something we don’t?

"I wrote to Brown, remarked that that was quite a scoop and asked if I could cite him as a source for that information. He did not reply, but the claim remains on his website."

This is typical of John Brown. My quarrel with Mr Brown began when I expressed concerns that his company, Jessup Services is a City of Greensboro contractor and if elected, might use his position as Mayor to build his business. When pressed, Mr Brown denied owning the company. Later it was learned he had put the company in his wife's name as a means of securing Women and Minority Bidding Status.

Something I wasn't aware of at the time was that the Brown's also own and operate a company called Air Force One, Inc.Wonder if he'll lie about that too?

Standing On A Land Mine

Ever felt like you were standing on a land mine, afraid to move, knowing that moving will set off the mine causing it to explode but also knowing that if you stand still you will eventually fall off and get blown up anyway? Such is the case as what I'm about to tell you about Greensboro Mayoral Candidate Dianne Moffett.

Take a look at the information above as found on the Guilford County Property Summary on the screen shot above. It shows Diane Moffett as the owner of a home located at 103 Castleton Place in Jamestown, not Greensboro.

Of course it was bound to get out as Jean Blazingame of Conservatives 4 Guilford County lives next door at 101 Castleton Place in Jamestown. Jean recently wrote Who Is John Brown? an endorsement for Mr Brown than leaves out his many lies uncovered in my 5 part series, A Conversation With John Brown.

I truly did try talking to Reverend Moffett and her Campaign Manager Joy Cook about this in multiple e-mails beginning on July 25, 2017.

Neither Reverend Moffett or Ms Cook would talk about her living arrangements.

I thought of several reasons why Pastor Moffett might own a big expensive home in Jamestown while living in a rented condo on North Elm Street valued at only $60.000 by neither Reverend Moffett nor Ms Cook ever contacted me despite my multiple attempts to contact them, to explain it away.

Funny, when our conversation started Ms Cook seemed almost overjoyed to talk with me.

Of course, this isn't entirely new news. While I was waiting to hear back from Reverend Moffett, John Hammer of the Rhino Times published:

So that's how it is? Those with a little money to throw around can find someone who is popular, bring her to Greensboro the day before registration for office ends, sign her up, and pay the bills in the hopes that she becomes our next bought and paid for mayor?

Not that John Brown is any better, he only moved to Greensboro from Randolph County 2 years ago even though his campaign materials claim he has been here for 30 years.

I get it. I understand. You're desperate. You'll do anything to get rid of Nancy Barakat Vaughan even if it means stooping to never before seen lows. I hate her too. But are we gaining anything by replacing one group of cronies with another group of cronies?

You see, desperate voters are the easiest victims for corrupt politicians to take advantage of. And you, Dear Greensboro Voters, are being taken advantage of from every direction.

A Conversation With John Brown: Calling The Bastard Out

Now before we continue our Conversation With John Brown let's discuss the claims Mr Brown has been making about himself.

We'll begin with the first one"

"Greensboro resident for 30 years"

Except that as a resident of Liberty, North Carolina, John Brown filed personal bankruptcy in Randolph County in 2011while listing his home address as 5415 Cook Collier Road, Liberty, NC. 27298.
"Local entrepreneur, business owner, employer and inventor"

Except that his attorney sent me a letter stating that Mr Brown doesn't own the business and therefore it would stand to reason that since he doesn't own the business he is most likely not an employer. I donno, maybe he employs illegal aliens as house keepers? I hear that's pretty common among well to do conservative politicians.

"Supporter of local arts, charities, businesses and community development programs"

Really? Which ones?

"Capable, experienced, and successful at planning and executing large projects efficiently"

Seriously? After reading all of A Conversation With John Brown I think we'll all understand why his wife has assumed control of the business. I mean, the dude can't even answer simple questions like who owns your business without hiring an attorney to threaten me.

"Holder of multiple professional licenses"

Now Folks, this one is near and dear to my heart. First off, according Yes-Weekly and several other publications:

"...Brown holds 9 state professional licenses..."

But what professional licenses would those happen to be? What were the requirements for getting them? And considering all the little white lies Mr Brown has told us to date, is this but another little white lie? Did any of the journalists who reported this actually see Mr Brown's  9 state professional licenses or did they all just assume him to be telling him the truth?

Then there's the time and effort it takes to get professional licenses. Some are quite easy and others are quite hard. Back when I got my first Commercial Drivers License I only had to take a written test and pay a small fee. These days it involves going to school.

When I got my professional certification as a North Carolina Weighmaster I filled out an application, paid a small fee, and mailed the whole thing to the State Department of Weights and Measures who sent people out to do unannounced visits on my operations from time to time.

When I became a Notary Public I spent a few nights taking classes on the High Point campus of Guilford Tech. But when my mother became a Notary years before she simply filled out a form and paid a fee.

When I got my certification as a 3rd party, North Carolina Class A Drivers License Examiner, then Lieutenant Commander Russell Wrenn of the North Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles came from Raleigh to Greensboro and certified me personally. You know, not many people who aren't actually employed by the State have ever been allowed to give road tests for Commercial Drivers Licenses.

I was also professionally certified as a driver training instructor. I don't even remember what I did to get that.

Getting my professional certification as a North Carolina Transfer Station Operator required that I drive my then boss' new Cadillac to Asheville, spend a weekend in a 5 star hotel, dine in 5 star restaurants, and take about 10 hours of classes over the course of a 2 day period. All at company expense. I met 5 or 6 City of Greensboro employees there who took the class with me. Did I mention I got paid for the trip?

And folks, I'm the guy with the fake high school diploma.

Fact is: I've held several other professional certifications and licenses over the years but never 9 at one time as most require recertification every few years. So again, which professional licenses does John Brown hold and what did he have to do to get them?

"Excellent at managing details while keeping a clear focus on the goal...."

Who makes this shit up? We're talking about John Brown, the man who can't even answer simple questions without freaking out and hiring his attorney in an attempt to stop me from asking questions. John Brown, a guy who cannot even manage his own personal finances and is forced to file personal bankruptcy.

Oh yeah, and then there's the subject of this series: The cease and desist letter I got from Mr Brown's attorney Paula A Wells stated:

  "They did own a property on Fairview Street to warehouse equipment when they were sited on Battleground Ave., but they sold that in 2012 in order to consolidate the operations at 205 Atwell, which Ms. Brown purchased to house her business."

Well it just so happens that if you dig in deeply at the Guilford County Register of Deeds you will discover the story Ms Wells is communicating might not be exactly as she claimed it to be.

Sue me, John Brown. Have your wife sue me. Sue me on behalf of Jessup Company, Scrubby Doo, Inc, Air Force One, Inc, PortaCan, or any other so called, business you might own now or have ever owned before. I DARE YOU! Let's see how well your two bit lawyer does in a court room. Maybe I'll countersue and get enough money for a lung transplant.

I'd continue but frankly I'm bored with John Brown, he's simply another pseudo-conservative nut case preaching faux conservative values like personal responsibilities while running out on his personal debts by filing bankruptcy while hoping to use a position in Greensboro city government as a means to increase his own personal wealth.


Update: 9:21 PM From Roch Smith jr who wrote the Yes Weekly article I cited above pointing to Mr Brown's supposed 9 professional licenses:

"Did any of the journalists who reported this actually see Mr Brown's  9 state professional licenses or did they all just assume him to be telling him the truth?"

No. I did not confirm. Probably should have, but I don't mind making clear that I was only going by what Brown told me."

Guess that about wraps it up.

A Conversation With John Brown: Part 4

This is a continuation of my ongoing series, A Conversation With John Brown.

Think of how let down committee chairman for the Guilford County Republican Party, Clark Porter must now feel after being such an adamant supporter of John Brown.

Of course, it's not like Mr Porter hasn't been sued for several counts of defamation and liable himself.

That's right Clark, the court records are online now.

As the News & Observer reported about the incident:

"But it's a sorry state of affairs when someone can accuse you of a crime without properly vetting or researching the facts."

Why am I bringing this up? Because when Clark Porter endorsed John Brown I tried to warn Clark that he was making a mistake but rather than heed my warning, Mr Porter ridiculed me and accused me of lying, creating fake news.

You see, these guys will say and do anything to win. Well anything except vet the people they support for public office. Apparently both parties have no grasp of what vetting a candidate is really all about.

Speaking of vetting the candidate. John Brown's attorney Paula A Wells wrote:"At one point in time, Jessup Company, when owned by both of the Browns, was sited at 3116 Battleground.  They leased the building.  They have never owned it.  They moved in 2005. To insinuate that they had anything to do with any fire at that address is not only untrue but defamatory. Furthermore, it doesn’t even make any sense, given that they did not and have never owned it and moved from it 12 years ago. They did own a property on Fairview Street to warehouse equipment when they were sited on Battleground Ave., but they sold that in 2012 in order to consolidate the operations at 205 Atwell, which Ms. Brown purchased to house her business."Now I'm not saying an esteemed organization like The Law Firm of Paula A. Wells, PLLC, 631 S Elm St, B, Greensboro, NC 27406 would lie to protect a client but I have turned up some documents that suggest... Well, I'll just let you decide what the documents suggest.

As for the property on Atwell Street, the property Jessup Company is currently sited on. Well according to the Guilford County Register of Deeds, Mr Brown and his wife own the property jointly.

But Mr Brown doesn't stand to gain anything should Jessup Company do business with the City of Greensboro? Okay, if Mr Brown says so.

As for where the Brown's live. Their current Greensboro home was purchased in 2016 as referenced by the warranty deed.

But as to Mr Brown's claim that he has been a resident of Greensboro for the last 30 years. Well it just so happens Mr and Mrs Brown filed joint personal bankruptcy on July 8, 2011, were discharged on October 18, 2011, and the case terminated on January 11, 2012.  All in Randolph County.

Notice the address, 5415 Cook Collier Road, Liberty, NC.   But if you click here Mr Brown claims "Greensboro resident for 30 years"

Now had Mr Brown been willing to speak with me we could have possibly sorted this mess out before I even learned of his bankruptcy, but rather than answer my questions he chose to hire an attorney in an attempt to silence me. Is that the kind of people we want running Greensboro government? Then Councilman Zack Matheny attempted to silence me by talking Rocky Scarfone into suing me. When that didn't work Zack directed Greensboro City Attorney Thomas Carruthers to sue me. Carruthers refused. Is John Brown another Zack Matheny?

You see, I learned a very long time ago, never, ever antagonize a man who has nothing to lose unless you are truly willing to lose all.

Interestingly enough, back in 2013, when then Greensboro Mayor Robbie Perkins files personal bankruptcy, 72% of the respondents to a News & Record survey said he should resign as Mayor of Greensboro.

And yes, I do have all 66 pages of the Brown's bankruptcy proceeding and more cool stuff. But we'll save that for another day.


Please continue reading A Conversation With John Brown: Calling The Bastard Out

A Conversation With John Brown: Part 3

This is a continuation of A Conversation With John Brown, an attempt to learn more about the man who claims he wants to become the next Mayor of Greensboro.

Sadly, when I attempted to discuss issues with Mr Brown he responded by having his attorney, Paula A Wells of Connors Morgan, PLLC, 1175 Revolution Mill Dr. #8, Greensboro, NC 27405 send me a Cease and Desist letter.

I just don't get it. The Greensboro News & Record writes that John Brown is a co-owner of Jessup Services. Yes Weekly writes that John Brown is a co-owner of Jessup Services. But when I send Mr Brown an e-mail asking about his ownership of Jessup Services, he denies owning it and has his attorney, Paula A Wells send me a threatening cease and desist letter claiming John Brown has nothing to do with the business.

Has John Brown threatened the News & Record or Yes Weekly for saying he co-owns Jessup Company? JWBlasingame of Conservatives For Guilford County writes that John Brown is a local business owner. What business would that be? Is John Brown's business a secret? Does he run a strip club? A brothel? Is he a drug dealer? What does John Brown not want us to know? Who campaigns as a business owner but denies owning a business?

 Now seriously Ms Blasingame, you are among the people who received the e-mails I sent to John Brown. I was asking the man questions, was I not? Now who in their right mind hits someone with a cease and desist letter for asking questions?

Did John Brown actually show the e-mail to his attorney?

I ask that because those of us who saw it all know the dumbest thing he could have ever done was exactly what he did.

And why would John Brown and his attorney deny his owning Jessup Company in an e-mail to me after it was reported not by one but by two print newspapers? And Jean, you know I never wrote anything bad about John Brown's wife or her company in those e-mails that I'm not currently allowed to show you because of this stupid cease and desist order.


I also don't get why Mr Brown's attorney, Paula A Wells wrote:

"Although Mr. Brown is well aware he will be the object of scrutiny because he is running for public office, and although Mr. Brown is willing to refute any and all false accusations by any means available to him during this campaign, you should be aware that any false statements that you make about Jessup Company may leave you vulnerable to a lawsuit for trade libel by Jessup Company."

You see, while Ms Wells' cease and desist order stops me from sharing the actual e-mails I sent to Mr Brown, the truth is: I never said anything about Jessup Company except to ask Mr Brown to clarify his ownership of the company and potential future conflicts of interest as Jessup Company is listed as a City of Greensboro contractor:

I mean, haven't we had our share of conflicts of interest already? Am I wrong to question the possibility?

Another thing I don't understand why Ms Wells wrote was:

"Moreover, neither Suzanne Brown nor Jessup Company are running for office.  Mr. Jones, you are free to challenge the truthfulness of Mr. Brown’s statements, as he is running for public office.  But you do NOT have the right to do so by making false statements about Jessup Company or, in fact, about Mr. Brown."

You see, all I wrote to Mr Brown was questions, trying to clarify ownership of his company and the relationship of his company to the City of Greensboro. It was only after he told me he doesn't own the company that both the News & Record, Yes Weekly, and the NC Secretary of State all report him as owning that I brought up his wife, her relationship to the company, and a possible relationship to the previous owners of Jessup Company.

Sadly, I can't share those e-mails with you under legal threat.

But there are things I can and will tell you. But before I move on to the next part I want you to read and study this campaign handout used by Mr Brown and commit it to memory as I will be referring back to it in A Conversation With John Brown: Part 4.

You know, I've never needed an attorney. I successfully fought a trumped up embezzlement charge in my mid twenties and did so without an attorney. Even when I successfully sued the City of Greensboro I didn't hire an attorney. But I have always heard you should never lie to your attorney. Do you think Paula A Wells would have sent me that letter has she known everything I'm going to tell you before I end this series?

Because if she did know these things.... Well, you know.


Please continue reading A Conversation With John Brown: Part 4

A Conversation With John Brown: Part 2

Prior to yesterday no bad words about Mr Brown had ever been published here at EzGreensboro.com but when I started asking questions of Mr Brown he replied by having me contacted by his attorney, Paula A Wells as seen in her letter which I published in Part 1 of A Conversation With John Brown.

As Mr Brown's attorney,Paula A Wells  has hit me with a cease and desist order I cannot share with my readers the actual content of my e-mails to Mr Brown. But what I can do is reply to the statements made by Ms Wells in her e-mail to me.

In it Ms Wells writes:


"Jessup Company is fully and independently owned and operated by Suzanne Brown.  Jessup Company was purchased by the Browns in 2001 – Ms. Brown is not related to any prior owner of Jessup.   Mr. Brown surrendered his ownership in the company in 2009 as he does not have any major role in the company.  In fact, the business is WBE certified, which certification involves a strict process to prove that the business is indeed owned and controlled by a woman.  Mr. Brown never said that he was never “an” owner of Jessup.  He said that he is not the owner now." 

Well Ms Wells statement may well be true but when she writes  "Mr. Brown surrendered his ownership in the company in 2009 as he does not have any major role in the company." Well that seems to conflict with documents from the NC Secretary of State which show Mr Brown's current Roll as President of Jessup Company.

Now who is lying, John Brown or the NC Secretary of State? How can the President of any company not have a major roll in the company?


And the fact that Mr Brown converted HIS company to a WBE Certified business sure as hell isn't going to play well with women and minority voters, is it?


Attorney, Paula A Wells also writes in her letter:

"There has never been a lawsuit for sexual harassment or hostile environment filed against Jessup Company."   

But Jennifer L Spargo did file an EEOC claim against John Brown and Jessup Company on Feb 20^th 2009 for sexual harassment, So technically Ms Wells is correct, John Brown has not been sued but the complaint for sexual harassment is very real.

Are Mr Brown and Ms Wells willing to take me to court and endure a discovery process to prove me wrong?


And folks, that's not all the things Mr Brown doesn't want you to know but you'll have to wait for A Conversation With John Brown: Part 3 to read the rest.


All because I dared to ask him some questions.


Please continue reading A Conversation With John Brown: Part 3

A Conversation With John Brown

A few weeks ago I attempted to have an e-mail conversation with candidate for Greensboro Mayor, John Brown about a number of concerns I had that I hoped he would clear up. But rather than clear up my concerns. Mr Brown decided it better that he send attorney Paula A Wells to threaten me with a cease and desist letter instead. You may click on the images to enlarge them.

Funny this is: John Brown could have explained any of those things to me but chose not to do so. I waited weeks on his reply. E-mailed him multiple times hoping to get a reply. And now I get threats.


My reply to Ms Wells,

"Tell Mr Brown he fucked up!"

Oh, and I added a link to this post.

Seriously, I'm a dying man, you think lawyers scare me. Google Pulmonary Fibrosis.

Please continue reading A Conversation With John Brown: Part 2

So What's Up With John Brown?

Everyone knows I am no fan of Nancy Vaughan. Can't stand her. That's why it troubles me to say that my communications with John Brown, candidate for Mayor of Greensboro, have gone very poorly. But rather than my usual I'm going to give John Brown the chance to come clean. Which, by the way, is probably more than I've offered anyone else after having caught them.

The following is from a Facebook post by Clark Porter. Let's watch and see what happens or if Mr Brown explains anywhere else. If not I damned sure will, documents, e-mails and all.

Good Bye Nancy Vaughan; Jessup Services' John Brown running for Mayor of Greensboro in 2017

"John Brown is ready to shake things up in his run for mayor. The 55 year-old entrepreneur is co-owner of Jessup Services Company in Greensboro, a plumbing, electrical, heating and air company. Brown holds 9 state professional licenses and is the inventor of a device that autonomously mows grass along highway guard rails 24 hours a day. He is high energy, full of ideas and eager to take a hands-on approach to the job of mayor. He says he wants to be “the voice of the taxpayer.”

Brown says economic development efforts are focused too much on the region and not enough on Greensboro itself. He wants to give preference to Greensboro companies on city contracts. He also wants to sit down with established local companies, find out who their suppliers are and then recruit those companies to Greensboro. He sees such an active approach as the job of the mayor.

Brown says he’d take an active role in other issues too. He says disparities in minority hiring for city contracts are less about race and more about a good ol’ boy network which he says he has experienced first hand. He says contractors try to help their buddies get work on projects even if they have promised to hire minority subcontractors. Brown says he would address this as mayor by personally making unannounced visits to city-funded projects to see if promised minority participation is actually happening.

...Brown too is big on transparency. For him, it’s a pragmatic necessity for citizens to understand what their government is doing and expose unwarranted secrecy. He cites an example where he had to fight bureaucratic red tape to learn that the city engages in a practice whereby taxpayers are lead to believe funds are being allocated to fire and police, but which really is a scheme to cycle money back into into the general fund for other purposes.

...Deception and Malfeasance

Brown explains what he says he discovered like this: He says the city buys vehicles it then “leases” to the police and fire departments at a rate above their cost. He says the police pay $92,000 into the general fund to lease a patrol car for five years. In this way, according to Brown, the public is deceived: Taxpayers are told money is being spent on public safety, but it is being passed through public safety budgets in the form of excessive vehicle charges collected from the police and fire departments only to be shunted to other expenditures, says Brown.

The upward spiraling cost of the downtown Performing Arts Center is another area where Brown thinks the public was misled. In addition to the escalating cost of the center itself, Brown finds it dishonest that concerns about parking were waived off as unimportant when the center was being debated and, now that we are committed, the city says it needs $30 million for a new parking deck next to the center. It was a “bait and switch,” Brown says of the project that was initially described as costing $55 million and is now over $108 million counting the new parking deck..."

http://yesweekly.com/rs0217/