In the Bible, Jesus said, "He that is without sin can cast the first stone."
Well, I'm here to tell you that I certainly am NOT without sin.
And, I've made my share of mistakes.
In fact, I've made plenty of mistakes in my life and, when I ran for office, many of those mistakes were thrown back in my face.
It didn't matter that I owned successful companies or that I ran a division of a company that generated $56 Million a year in revenue (which, at the time, was an amount larger than the city budget of Kenner).
No, my opponents repeatedly exaggerated my failures.
Yes, I got divorced (in 1986, by the way). I married too young (yes, 24 was too young for me and, yes, 19 was too young for her). But, so what?
Yes, not every business that I ever started was a success. Again, so what? At least I tried (which is more than can be said for our current Sexual Predator-In-Chief Mike Yenni).
Yes, I had some IRS issues.
And, I've made other mistakes too.
Look, I get it. That's politics.
But, since I was dragged through the mud, I've always tried to hold candidates and elected officials to a higher standard.
I don't care about sexual misconduct (unless it involves children and, yes, a 40-year-old married father stalking a 17-year-old BOY and suggesting that engage in a homosexual threesome with another teenage BOY is crossing the line).
I don't care if someone has had a failed business or two in their past. Again, the only people that succeed at everything are the ones who never try anything.
I DO care if a candidate or elected official has been arrested or if they've filed for personal bankruptcy (unless there were extenuating circumstances).
I can say that, knock on wood, I've never been arrested and, despite incredible medical bills related to my leg, I've never filed for bankruptcy (personal or business). I've never failed a drug test and I could easily pass a government security clearance.
I tell you all of this because I'm going to throw some big stones at David Weathersby, a candidate for Kenner City Council in District 1 in Saturday's runoff election (yes, this is the only election on the ballot in Kenner Saturday).
And, I don't take any pleasure in that but, these stones need to be thrown.
Compared to David Weathersby, even with all of my mistakes, I may be a candidate for Sainthood (and not just in my late mother's eyes).
In the past 10 years, David Weathersby has been arrested on multiple occasions on charges including Domestic Violence, Possession of Schedule 1 Narcotics, DWI, Felony Issuance of Worthless Checks, Simple Battery/Theft, Multiple Driving with a Suspended License, and Negligent Operation of a Vehicle.
During an hour long, rambling conversation, instead of acting contrite and admitting his mistakes, Weathersby feigned ignorance and even played the race card.
Weathersby had no idea about the Worthless Check charge, even though it occurred in 2013.
Weathersby didn't know anything about the Simple Battery/Theft arrest that happened in 2016. According to Weathersby, I "must have my facts wrong".
When I asked Mr. Weathersby about the driving arrests (DWI, Suspended License, etc.), Weathersby tried to turn the tables on me.
"You ever heard of racial profiling?", Weathersby asked.
Now, I will admit that I've never been the victim of "racial profiling" and I will even admit that I believe that "racial profiling" does exist even in 2018.
But, when you've been arrested 21 times in at least 4 different Parishes for Driving with a Suspended License, the odds are that not all of them were by members of Law Enforcement engaged in "racial profiling".
And, if you've been pulled over 21 times, I think that says more about your poor driving than it does "racial profiling".
So, the people of District 1 have a potential City Councilman with multiple arrests, a violent history of Domestic Abuse and Battery, a history of writing bad checks, and who doesn't even have a Driver's License.
And, that's not even the worst thing about David Weathersby's candidacy.
No, the fact is that David Weathersby isn't even a resident of District 1.
On Weathersby's campaign web site he claims to be a Kenner native but the address Weathersby listed on his election qualifying form as his "residence" isn't a "residence" at all.
On forms filed with the State Ethics Board, Weathersby lists 617 Webster Street as his "residence". He also lists 619 Webster Street as his "residence".
If you do a Google search on 617 or 619 Webster Street in Kenner, it is listed as "Bible Way Holiness Church".
But, it's also listed as "Brotherhood Way Contractor".
And "David Enterprises".
If you scroll further on Google you'll see that 617 and 619 Webster Street are really the addresses of a church. According to The Knot, a wedding was held there in February (by the way, no one bought the Bride and Groom the Oster Blender or Bread Maker that they registered for - what's wrong with people today? You take the time to pick out things for your bridal registry and your guests can't even get you a blender and a bread maker. Those are KITCHEN ESSENTIALS people!).
So, whether 617 or 619 Webster Street is a church or a contractor's office (or both), I think it's safe to say that, unless he sleeps on a cot or in a church pew, 617 or 619 Webster Street IS NOT David Weathersby's "residence".
In fact, many people say that David Weathersby isn't even a resident of Kenner and just someone put in the election by people that disagree with Gregory Carroll on some issues. I'd ask to see David Weathersby's Driver's License for proof of his address but, he doesn't have one. .
In court documents, Weathersby lists several addresses in Tangipahoa and St. Charles Parishes as his home address.
Searching "David Weathersby" on Facebook was just as fruitless.
There are multiple profiles for "David Weathersby" listing different cities as his residence.
Now, I'm no expert on facial recognition but several of those profiles seem to be of the same David Weathersby that claims to be a "lifelong Kenner resident" but clearly isn't. But one of the "David Weathersby's" lists Albany, LA as his home city.
And, if that weren't enough, Weathersby has Federal Income Tax issues - as in, he hasn't filed his taxes for years).
Weathersby is too young for Social Security and clearly not disabled, so he has to have some income right?
So, let's summarize: In the election for Kenner District 1 Councilman, voters have 2 choices:
Door #1 - Gregory Carroll. A lifelong resident of District 1, who is raising his family in District 1 and has fought hard during his time on the Council for the people of District 1. When Mike Yenni tried to close Lincoln Manor Playground, Gregory Carroll led the fight to keep it open. When Mike Yenni tried to double property taxes, Gregory Carroll stood up and said, "NO!" When the Levee Board wanted to buy streets in South Kenner and limit access to historic cemeteries, Gregory Carroll led the fight to stop them. Whenever the people of District 1 have needed a leader, Gregory Carroll has been there fighting for the people of District 1 and Kenner.
Door #2 - A man with multiple arrests and a violent past. Someone who doesn't pay their taxes and doesn't even bother to file a tax return. Someone who can't even legally drive, lists a church as his "residence" and has no track record of doing anything to benefit the people of District 1 or the City of Kenner.
Weathersby's "platform" consists of telling anyone that will listen that he will shake things up at Armstrong International Airport and make sure that the bulk of the work done at the new Airport Terminal will be given to minorities in District 1. Of course, he doesn't tell you that the airport contracts have already been given out, Kenner doesn't own the airport and the Councilman from District 1 isn't on the Aviation Authority Board.
Of course, the Kenner District 1 Councilman is welcome to attend Aviation Board meetings (they are open to the public).
Unfortunately for David Weathersby, unless he likes to walk, the only way he will get to the Aviation Board meetings legally is if he calls Uber.
But, since Weathersby can't legally drive, Kenner taxpayers will save by not having to pay the auto allowance we give our Council members.
In 2009, when Councilman Carroll was elected to fill the unexpired term of current Judge Mark Johnson, his runoff opponent was also someone who didn't live in District 1.
Thankfully, the voters in District 1 saw through the political shenanigans and voted for Councilman Carroll.
Hopefully, they will see through David Weathersby's political shenanigans Saturday.
