PRESS RELEASE:FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FOR MORE INFORMATION
December 29, 2017 CONTACT: Francis P. Ripp
Local Political Activist, Consumer Advocate, & Blogger Files Federal Lawsuit Against Jack Burrell
Noted public figure and government watchdog, Francis Paul Ripp, publisher of the Ripp Report and Baldwin County Legal Eagle, a resident of Fairhope, Alabama, has filed a lawsuit in federal court, insisting that City Council President Jack Burrell denied him of his right to free speech during the city council meeting held on August 28, 2017. Ripp, in his Southern District filing, contends that Burrell denied him his constitutional rights protected by the First and Fourteenth Amendments. City Attorneys, council council and city clerk, remained mute during Mr Burrell’s actions. Ripp’s lawsuit seeks damages for what he described as “humiliation” and “emotional pain.”
The meeting in question, along with Ripp’s nasty confrontation with Council President Burrell—who denied Ripp his right to speak in a public forum sanctioned by City of Fairhope ordinance—and threatened his removal and arrest for trying to address the council—was captured on the official video of the council meeting.
This is the first time Ripp has sued the City of Fairhope over refusing to allow him to address the city council. The city had denied him in the past, several times, the ability to speak at public meetings, forcing the council to adopt a new set of rules regarding public participation. These are the rules City Councilman Jack Burrell ignored when he allegedly denied Mr. Ripp, a Marine Corps veteran who served in Viet Nam, his constitutional right to free speech.
Loading...
Reload document 
Open in new tab Comments from Ripp: The official recorded video of the meeting speaks for itself.
For More Information, contact: [email protected]
Or visit the Ripp Report/Baldwin County Legal Eagle on facebook for repeated updates.
CHUCKY wasted no time pumping out his latest Jack Burrell story,
Fairhope council passes resolutions involving signing authority
Fairhope council passes resolutions involving signing authority
In a special called meeting held Dec. 29, the Fairhope City Council unanimously voted on two resolutions involving the ability to sign resolutions for the city, despite protests from Mayor Karin …
Source: gulfcoastnewstoday.com/stories/fairhope-council-passes-resolutions-involving-signing-authority,56579
In a special meeting, arranged by council president Burrell, his loyal councilmen followed his lead to vote for the well established good ole boy way of doing business. They rejected the Mayor’s suggestion of a full time city attorney, which would save the city 90,000 dollars, plus a year. The same council has been witness to Mr Burrel’s continuous obstruction of the Mayor. They have stood by mute while Burrell denied citizens their constitutional rights and demanded the Mayor be silent. What is he afraid of? What is he so scared of that he feels the need to silence critics? Ask yourself why Chuckee’s reporting always favors Burrell and never mentions Burrell’s antics, be it yelling at the Mayor or denying citizens their constitutional rights?
These questions and many more will be answered in 2018.
Let’s see how Chuckee and Jack spin the Constitution of the United States.
HAPPY NEW YEAR
Did you twice mean “mute” rather than “moot”?
Updated, thank you.
Jack told the mayor she should run for council if she wants to speak.
What a smug pr#ck.
Jack better take a loan.
This will cost us – tax payers. His bully tactics have finally caught up with him and we’re going to pay for it. I hope this forced him to step down.
It will cost jack $50k to go to court. This is disgraceful that you did this Mr. Ripp! You are trying to ruin a good Christian man!
Jack Fan 2020. You wouldn’t know Jesus if he was sitting next to you. You yourself certainly have what the devil and God stands for. This Sunday I want you to go to church and beg for forgiveness and ask your own pastor what he or she thinks? Take a few minutes and watch some of the city’s council meetings. If you should think that Jack Burrell and the Council treats people with respect and dignity that people deserve. Then you need to do some soul searching. Even the high school kids who are required to watch some of the meetings for a class project are amazed to see what they watch and are even more amazed when they are told Jack Burrell is supposed to be doing and acting and being a example of what a (supposedly) leader should act. You just be another dumbass person who has not seen or has done any research. True Christians do not act this way, nor do they comment like yourself. Get closer to God. You need it. Pull the Christian Card and you’ll lose everytime. Says a lot about you and your character.
Burrell denying constitutional rights is Christian how?
you want to hear about disgraceful…..
Can not wait for the countersuit, then all the communications with the mayor and Ripp will come to light! Love lawsuits, yep, all the risks that come with them and the dirt that comes pouring out. All the slander, all the disruptions, all the name calling! Yep, see ya in court! LOL
So the mayor forced Jack to not allow Ripp to speak? Ripp and the mayor planned this! Catalyst is so smart. Kevin Boone’s son is a genie ass.
No, the mayor did not tell Jack not to allow Ripp to speak, but that could indeed be alleged, then any and all communication with Ripp, The Ripp Report or other could be discovered. Everyone thinks when you sue someone it is just about that issue but it can balloon into other issues as well. AND anytime you bring your mental health into question, they get all of your medical records – oops!
The attorney Ripp is using is a self-proclaimed alcoholic with 2 DUI’s and lost his job as city attorney for Alabaster and Irondale. After serving 300 years as city council of Fultondale this attorney lost his seat 2/1 in 2016. Paul, you picked a stand-up attorney to represent you. LOKL
Happy New Year to us!! Well-played, Mr. Ripp.
Jack and council that follow his lead are so bad for our City. Theyre not doing their own job much less adding mayor duties to their plate.
No accountability. It is the worse council in Fairhope history.
Now this. Jack shows his Ass and now the whole country will see it. He is a bully and the council sit back and condone it so they’re all guilty too.
Not to mention the City Atty sat there while all this went down – didn’t speak up to protect the City. And his minion (our new city atty Marcus) did nothing either. They both care nothing about Fairhope. Just work for the council who appoints them. Why isn’t this a conflict?
So now what? Taxpayers are going to have to pay for Jackass being a bully! He needs to step down because he’s a total disgrace.
This is a NATIONAL story.
Disgraced. Should resign.
Leave Jester out of this!
If taxes are used to defend Burrell it is criminal.
I just got back from Bone and Barrel…(boone and burrell) and the word is Jack already has some high pricded attorney on a leash. The guy supposedly is best friends with the Southern region judge. Guess what Rippster?
You lose! LOL.
This is federal court.
Jack Fans. Don’t count you chickens before your eggs hatch. This one won’t matter who you think “somebody knows”. That’s y’alls problem, assumptions are like assholes, everyone has one. This time there are a few people who know people as well. Jack’s friends are crap as well. Watch and see.
You know sometimes money doesn’t prevail and again I don’t know the whole story but don’t think being friends with even a federal judge is an out. Check out Walter P Reed Louisiana. Sorry but I’d rather win by being the just one not the lawyered up one. If you can show your own integrity without name dropping and money bags .. fake. Again that’s General I don’t know case. I do know this don’t ever deny especially a veteran who served his damn freedom to speak. See they fought for everyone to have that damn right whether argument or agreement. I know I’ll share this read out
Jack and the council will settle.
This will be a tough one for the city to litigate. I imagine they settle? It’s all on tape. Also, didn’t Burrell introduce the resolution to put cameras in the room?
Karma?
Council prez denies Marine vet free speech: gets ass sued. Wow.
Tut was there. I just watched the tape.
So he’s out of the lawsuit now?
He was asleep at the wheel. As normal.
Still curious what Tut & Marcus did that was a crime
ITS IN THE PIPELINE ………………
It doesn’t matter who you are and who you know
When it’s federal
Dream on!!! Just keep smiling and dreaming on!!! Everything will come out about Tut and anyone else. Don’t you people realize that this lawsuit may be Ripp and Jack Burrell. But there will be a lot of questions answered about several people. That’s the greatest thing about this lawsuit. We will find out so many answers that we have been looking for no matter what side you are on. Most importantly shout Jack Burrell, Ripp, The Mayor and the Councilmen who don’t realize that this lawsuit opens the door for questions that they don’t want the public to know!!!!!
BINGO
I agree with the Council that the City does not need a full time attorney. Large companies do have in-house council, but their primary responsibility is coordinating with outside council to deal with individual issues. House council may have dozens of outside attorneys on retainer to handle dozens of legal issues.
I can’t possibly believe that that Fairhope would save a dime with this and that it would be an irresponsible waste of tax dollars.
That said, I don’t believe that we should sign up again with the same law firm that we had before and that was not very effective for the city. Burrell is an embarrassment; he may be a bigger moron than Roy Moore!
Also, if Burrell were booted, the rest of the Council would step up and become leaders……does he have incriminating photos of the rest of them? This is the big puzzle to me; why would they follow such a donkey to the death?
Jay and Jack have a deal.
Georgia. I think during some of the depositions we will find out some things about the councilmen that we have been wanting to know. Also, there will be plenty that comes out that the councilmen will not want us to know. By doing nothing about the way Jack Burrell has been running Faihope in the ground and the way he has mistreated everyone. Things will come out no matter what and some things are going to sting Fairhope citizens like never before.
BINGO AGAIN
Burrell stepped in it for sure. The federal judge has no choice but to enforce the Constitution. Since there is video of the sequence it is irrefutable as it stands.
Jack has two choices: Lose or lose in an extremely costly manner. Federal court suits are not cheap. Ripp likely has a contingency with his attorney. This means his attorney took the case knowing it was ripe. This means Ripp paid little money to file the case and his attorney stands to make the money from it (most of it).
Meanwhile Jack has to pay big bucks to defend himself from having to pay. The problem is his argument is what?
The council four needs to have a talk with their esteemed prez.
Jack Burrell should be denied any monetary legal funds since he was so much negative bull crap against the Mayor getting legal monies. Let him and his cronies pay for this. News flash. Don’t you dare think that we don’t have proven laws broken by some of the local city councilmen. Just chopping one tree at a time. Focus is the number one thing right now. During the lawsuit it will be proven beyond any doubt. Just how corrupted Jack Burrell and some of the Councilmen are. All of them are guilty by association and allowing Jack Burrell to do and act as he has without any constraints forced on him by the city councilmen themselves. No balls guys. It will hurt you in the long run. The questions that are going to be allowed during this lawsuit is a whole new ballgame. When Jack Burrell lies about one of you Coincien. We will be there to inform through Ripp’s attorney to the Judge and Jury what is right and what is wrong.
Agreed!
Jack should not be president. He appears so bitter and mean.
I hope whatever the outcome, if there is a settlement and/or verdict they are public. I’m tired of backroom settlements where the public is unaware of how much these lawsuits and settlements cost and often the settlements are sealed so that the public can never become aware of the costs. When the government is found to be wrong, Politicians need to be held accountable.
I agree. It appears that Jack Burrell and his lackeys have encouraged former employees (who were fired for cause) to sue and have guaranteed them payouts. Burrell clearly plans to use these settlements to discredit Mayor Wilson in the future; however, I don’t believe that these employees were entitled to settlements. Burrell and his boy band are raping the Fairhope taxpayers to make Jack look magnanimous to city employees. They don’t care what the city is paying out as long as they can claim the high road.
Message to taxpayers for 2018……”Don’t ever turn your back on Jack” b/c he surely will stab us in it!
I AGREE
Burrell has to steal to be successful. What a redneck!
We just need someone to run against Burrell next election. Start talking now.
Jack should argue that Ripp had threatened people with the truth. Oh wait…
Taxpayers dollars or not…..Fairhope needs the cancer removed!!!
A picture is worth a thousand words…this VIDEO will be worth a million dollars!!
Thanks Jack
Jack should argue that Ripp was happy to see him…that he thought there was a gun in his pocket.
Any quotes from Burrell? No chucky write up?
Mr. Ripp: Explain to us who are unfamiliar with the workings of a lawsuit exactly what will happen next, and through the process, so that we can anticipate and enjoy it. After all, the journey is as fun as the destination and I, for one, want to make the most of the journey if only vicariously.
Did Ripp move? I was under the impression his residence was outside of city limits?
His mailing address is Fairhope 36532.
Lots of folks have a Fairhope mailing address that live OUTSIDE of city limits. Which means he does not pay taxes to the city, and can’t vote in the elections.
High Ridge Road is outside of the City of Fairhope.
You all have way to much time on your hands. Who gives a rat’s ass where he lives. There are too many men that have NO BALLS at all and won’t speak up (including the women, less the balls) or allow anyone for that matter speak to or treat people like Jack Burrell does. Most Fairhope men are pussies!
What’s your point? Do you think that only people who live within the city limits of Fairhope have any rights or should be allowed to express opinions that affect them?
From City of Fairhope Ordinances: Sec. 2-36. – Permission for nonmember to address council.
That no individual who is not a member of the council shall be allowed to address the same while in session without permission of the presiding officer and for not more than three (3) minutes, unless approved by the presiding officer.
No person, other than a councilmember or the mayor, shall be allowed to address the council on any matter which shall be the subject of a public hearing scheduled by the council until the meeting under which the public hearing on that matter is scheduled to be heard.
(Ord. No. 1479, § 11, 11-5-12; Ord. No. 1587, § 11, 11-7-16)
Presiding officer has the right to approve (or NOT) non-council members addressing the meeting. Drop this frivolous suit already. Does Mayor REALLY want to get into depositions???
Public participation was opened. See related by laws.
Let the video speak for itself