LOSER
The Ripp Report is a Non-Profit Consumer Organization. The Ripp Report handles consumer issues, offers consultation on specific issues, family court issues and exposes political corruption. We cannot give legal advice, as we are not attorneys, we can however assist in finding competent attorneys. The intent of our non-profit is to inform the public on numerous issues, political and non political.
Our U.S. legal system and Constitution affords us the ability to challenge what we see as illegal, unconstitutional, unethical or corrupt. The Ripp Report utilizes this right to challenge those who consider themselves above the law.
Lawsuits filed by the Ripp Report are consumer lawsuits, we have prevailed in 5 lawsuits. The primary objective of any lawsuit is to right the wrong, not money. In the event any money is awarded, that money is deposited in the Ripp Report and used for further causes.
On August 28th 2017 I attended a Fairhope City Council meeting with the intent of addressing the City Council during public participation. I have done this many times over the last 10 years, however this time the Council President, Jack Burrell refused to allow me to speak. GO TO 1:00 MARK
The entire City Council and the City Attorney sat in stone silence. The City Attorney, who was aware of the same thing happening years earlier, remained moot. Only the Mayor made a comment “who would want to speak after the previous speaker was refused the right and escorted by the police from the podium?”
As I was leaving the building a police officer commented to me that “Jack Sucks”. Outside I was approached by a gentleman with a Marine corps Korean War hat, he told me he “did not particularly like me nor some of the things I have said”, however Burrell had no right to deny someone the right to speak and that he should apologize. He said he was pissed off that any combat veteran of a war who had sat in a meeting for an hour, after the Pledge of Allegiance and the Prayer, was denied their Constitutional right to speak at Public Participation. A woman in the parking lot yelled out her window that Jack was an asshole. I agreed with all of them.
I really expected that an apology would be forthcoming and that would be that. After a couple of weeks and many friends and emails saying Burrell should apologize and hearing nothing from the council, I consulted an attorney.
For over a year the case moved forward through mediation and beyond to depositions. From a no money apology the case expanded monetary with attorney fees stacking up, yet no apology. The apology requested was from Mr. Burrell to the City Of Fairhope citizens, not to Francis Paul Ripp nor the Ripp Report. Instead of an apology Mr. Burrell ran his mouth all over town about how the lawsuit would go nowhere and the “Insurance company would pay any damages.” Think about that.
I decided to settle the case with the Insurance Company for many reasons. One being, I knew the Council and Burrell would never apologize and that going to court was going to be very expensive for the city.
I have now settled the lawsuit and deposited the settlement check in the bank. On the same day someone called me and said Mr. Burrell was bragging that I should have never settled for so little, that I should have held out for more money. Burrell said that the city had won because I settled for so little.????
Today The Ripp Report is going to pay all of their attorney fees, the company American Express Card, the accountant, advertising bills, the computer services and bank charges. This is the first time The Ripp Report has been in the black in years. The balance of money will be used to further the efforts of The Ripp Report, thanks to Council President Burrell.
Burrell says he won, what he won was not having to apologize or being accountable. He won by proving an “at Large” Council is responsible to no one. He won by not having to apologize to Veterans for his disrespect. He won for CATALYST and the good ole boys. He won for those wishing to go back in time not forward with good government. That is what Jack calls a win!
You are a LOSER, Burrell, and more and more people are coming to that conclusion everyday.