Verkada Hosted Dinner and Drinks For Public School Superintendent

By Donald Maye and Carl Stoffers, Published Aug 29, 2022, 09:35am EDT (Info+)

Verkada invited senior officials from five NJ school districts to a 'fine dining' Italian restaurant earlier this year, after which the superintendent of one (Michael Fox) district thanked Verkada and endorsed the company to colleagues.

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This is the latest in a series of unethical activities IPVM has uncovered with Verkada (e.g., see Verkada Offers Public School Employees $100 for 15 Minute Calls and Verkada Illegal Gifts To Stop After IPVM Inquiry) in our ongoing investigation.

In this report, IPVM examines the May 31 gathering; the sales/endorsement activities of Demarest Superintendent of Schools Michael Fox following the dinner; and the potential legal and ethical implications when public officials accept gifts from companies.

Background *******

**** ******** ****** *** ** **** request ***** ******** ******* ******* ********* from **** ******** *** ****** ****** districts ** ****** ********, ** ******* ********** ** *********, **, ** *** **, ****.

****** ********** ****** ******* $**-******* **** **** ******** ******* **** $46 ** $***.

******

** *** **,*******'* ***** ********** ********* **** **** ******** ***** Jersey ****** *********, ********* ********, ****** Ferry, *********, ***** ****, *** **********, an ****** ** ****** **** ***** at ******:

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***** *****, *** ********* ******* ******** Administrator, *** ****** *****, *** ********** Schools ******** *************, ****** ********* *** dinner **** ********* ** ****.

Morning *****: ***** ***** ** **********

*** ******* ********* *** ******,******** ************** ** ******* ******* ********* ******* *** *** ******** *****, starting *** ******* ****:

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*** **** ** *** ******* (****** in **** *****) ******** *** ********* Verkada ** ***** *******:

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Superintendent, ******** ************* ******* *******

***** **** ****** ******** ******** *************/***** Secretary ****** **********, *** **** ******** the ******, ********* ** ***'* **** 1 *****.

***** ******** ******* *** "* **** evening," ********** **** *** *** "**********" in *******, *** ***** ******* "**********" (Antoinette *****, ******** *************/***** ********* ** Demarest, *** ******* ******* ** *** dinner) "*** * ****":

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Fox: ******* *** *******

*** **** *****, ********* * ******* *** *******:

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*** *** *** ******* ** **** questions ***** *** ************ **** *******, specifically ******* ** *** **** *********** by ******* ** ******** ** *** recent ******.

NJ ****** ****** ***

***** ****** ****** ***,(****), "** ******** ** ****** **** the ******* ** ****** ********* ***** the ******* *** ********** ** *** people. ... ****** ********* **** ***** conduct ***** ** ** ********* ** their ****** ***** ** ***** ******* a *********** ********** **** *** ****** trust ** ***** ********."

*** *** ******* * ****** ******** as "* ***** ******, ** *************, or * ********** ******** ** ******* of *** *** ****** ****** ****** Association, ** **** ** *** ******* of *** ***** ** ******** ** a ******* ******":

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***. ***:**-** (*) ** *** ********* ********** ************ *** ****** "*******, *****, ****, ********* ************,*******, ******* ** ****** **********or ***** ***** ** ***** based upon the understanding that the gift, favor, loan, contribution, service, promise, or other thing of value [that] was ***** ** ******* *** *** ******* ** *********** ***, ******** ** **********, in the discharge of his official duties"[emphasis *****]

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*** ****-****** ** ****** ****** **********, which "*** *** ***** ** ***** advisory ********, ******* **********, ******* *** retain ********** **********, ******* **************, [***] hold ********," ** ********* ** *** governor *** ******* **** ********* ****** in ** *******. *** ********** *** subpoena ****** "** ** *** **** necessary ** ******* *** ****** ****** Act."

*** ******* **** ** ***** *** a ****** ****** ******** *** **** to "***-*******-**** *******" ** * ******, whereby*** ********** ****************** ** ****, *********:

** *** ********** **** *** ********* the ******** **** ** ******* *********, namely *******, ******* ***** ******* *** administrators ***** ** ******** **** ********* a ****, ** ******** *****, **** a ******* ******, *********** ******, ** hypothetical ******. *******, ***** ******* *** administrators ***** ****** **** ** ***** the **** ********** **** * *********, censure, ** **** * **********, **** the ******* ** ********* * ****. In ***** *****, ** ****** ********* are ********* ** ****** **** * nominal **** ******* *** ****** ** removal, ***** ** ******* ***** ***** prohibit *** ********* ********** ** *****. Consequently, *** ********** ********** * ******* of *******.

***** ***** **** ********** *** ******** ******** * *-*****-********** for "*** ***-******* **** **** ** Arizona ** ****"

*********

**** ********* *** ** *** ********* who **** ******* ** *** ****** multiple *****. **** ***** *****, *** Ridgewood ******* ******** *************, *** ****** Kelly, *** ********** ******* ******** *************, who **** ****** *********, *********.

************** *** **** *** *** ******* to ******** **** ******** *** ******* about *** ************ **** ******* *** the ******* *********** *** *** ** dinner.

******* *** *** ******* ** ******** IPVM ******** *** *******.

Comments (20)

Undisclosed Integrator #1

08/29/22 02:48pm

** ***** * ************ ** ******* actually **** *** ***** ******? ***** on ** ** ****** * ******* to *** *** ******* **** * school ********* ******/****** *** **** ******. Also ******** ** **** ** **** did *** ** *** **** ***** violate ***** ******* ********** ** *** school. ****** **** *** **** ****** was ***** ** ** ** * VA ********.

Agree: 2
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Informative: 2
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Donald Maye

In reply to Undisclosed Integrator #1 | 08/29/22 02:59pm

** ***** * ************ ** ******* actually **** *** ***** ******?

** ***** **** ******* ********** ***** that, **** ******* ** *******.

**** ** ** **** ** **** Verkada ****** *** ****** *** ***** the *****, **. *** ******* ******* for **** *** ******.

** ** ** ****** *** **** these ****** ********* **** *** ***** own **** *** ******, ** ******* Mr. *** ** ******* *** ** will ****** *** *********.

Agree
Disagree
Informative: 5
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Undisclosed Integrator #1

In reply to Donald Maye | 08/29/22 03:10pm

****, ** ******* ******* *** ******** them ** *** ********. ******* **** I'm ******* ** ******/****** **** ******* I ***** **** *** *** **********, even ****** * **** *** ** own ****. * **** ** ***'* true **** **** ******** **** *******, doesn't **** **** *** *** ********* system **** ** ******* ***** ********.

Agree
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Undisclosed Manufacturer #2

08/29/22 04:26pm

******* *** ** *** ****. **'* New ******. **** **** **** * attended * ******* **** * ****** prominent **** ********, *** ** *** clear **** "*********" ****** ***** ** several ****'*. *** ******* *** * "slam ****" *** *** ***** ******* would **** **** ******. * ****** out ** ********** *** ********* ****** meetings.

********** ********** *** ******* ** *** field. **** ** *******

Agree: 1
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Informative: 3
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Undisclosed Manufacturer #3

08/29/22 08:22pm

*** ** ******** ** *** ******* school ** ** ***** ** * highly ****** ***** **********; ** ******** like *,*** *******, ***+ ***** *** a ********** ***.

**** *** ***** * *** *** post ** ********, **'* **** ** the **** ****** **** *** ****** rep ** * ******* **** **** a $*,*** ****** ********** ****.

****'** ******** **** ******* ******, *****?

Agree: 1
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Informative: 3
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Funny: 5
Avatar

Donald Maye

In reply to Undisclosed Manufacturer #3 | 08/29/22 08:48pm

**** *** ***** * *** *** post ** ********, **'* **** ** the **** ****** **** *** ****** rep ** * ******* **** **** a $*,*** ****** ********** ****. ****'** probably **** ******* ******, *****?

*** *** ******* ***** ** ***** LinkedIn *****? *** *** **** ***** them ** **,******@****.***.

******

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Undisclosed Integrator #1

In reply to Undisclosed Manufacturer #3 | 08/30/22 01:58am

*****, *** *** ** **** ******? Sounds **** * ******* **** **** count

Agree
Disagree: 1
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Undisclosed Integrator #4

08/29/22 11:59pm

* ** * *** ************ *** fine ****** ******* ********** ****'* *** up ***** ***** ******.

Agree
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Informative
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Funny: 4

Undisclosed End User #5

08/30/22 03:32pm

**** ****** **** ***** **-****** *********** with *** ***** ****** ****. ******* the ***** **** **'* ******** **** the ******** **** ***** ** **** shady, *** *****'* ****** ** ****. The **** ** ****** ******** *** "If *** ***'* *** **, ***** it, ** ***** **, *** ***'* have **" ** *** *** ** bought *** * **** **** *** don't **** ** ** ** ****** of ****** ********.

Agree: 3
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Carl Stoffers

IPVMU Certified | In reply to Undisclosed End User #5 | 08/30/22 03:43pm

"** *** ***'* *** **, ***** it, ** ***** **, *** ***'* have **"

*** ***** ** ** *** ********* rules **** **** *** ****** *********.

Agree: 1
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Informative: 1
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Undisclosed Integrator #1

In reply to Carl Stoffers | 09/02/22 04:25am

****'* *** ********* ***** ** **** here?

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John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed Integrator #1 | 09/02/22 12:11pm

"** *** ***'* *** **, ***** it, ** ***** **, *** ***'* have **"

****'* *** * ****, ****'* **** evidently #*'* *******. ******** ********* **** accepting ****** *** ****** **** ********* is ***** *********** *** *** ******* reasons **** *********** *** ************* ** not **** ***** ********* ** ** biased ** ***** ****** **** ******** gifts. *** ***** ** ** ** one **** ******* ** **** ********.

Agree: 1
Disagree
Informative: 2
Unhelpful
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Undisclosed Manufacturer #6

In reply to John Honovich | 09/02/22 02:22pm

*** * **** ******** ** **** Keeps ******** ***** - *************

******** ** ****** ********* *** ************.

Agree
Disagree
Informative
Unhelpful
Funny: 2

John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed Manufacturer #6 | 09/02/22 02:34pm

**** ******* -*****://***.***.***/********/********************

** *** **** ** ****** *** dining ** *********, *** ***** *** Senate **** ******* *** ***** **** bar ********* *** ************* ***** **** accepting ****** *** ***** **** *********. Hors *'******* *** ** *********. ** is "**** **** *** **** ** eat ******** ** ***** * *********," explains ********** ****** ***** ******, *** advises ********* *** ********* ***** ****** rules. ****** *****, *** ******* ********* decided, ***** ** ********* ** *** with **********.

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Undisclosed Integrator #1

In reply to John Honovich | 09/02/22 10:40pm

******* * **** *** ***** **** the ****. ***, ****** ***** ***** for * ******* ********* *** *********

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Undisclosed Integrator #7

In reply to Undisclosed Integrator #1 | 09/02/22 10:49pm

**** **** ** ***** ***** ** the *** ** *** ****. *** this ***:

** **** *****: *** ****** ***** Vex ******* **** - ***

Agree
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Informative: 1
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Undisclosed Integrator #1

In reply to Undisclosed Integrator #7 | 09/02/22 10:54pm

*** ** ***, **!

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Undisclosed Integrator #1

In reply to John Honovich | 09/02/22 11:05pm

**** **** ** *** **** ***, People *** *** ******* ********* ** Animals, ** ******-******* *****, ***** * separate ********* *** ********* *** ***** outside *** **** ***** ****** ********. It ***** *** *,*** ********** *** dogs. ****** *** **** *****'* ****, the **** ***** ** **** ** the ******. ******* ** **** ******** stars, *** ******-******* ***** ******** ******* models ** **** *** *** ****** dogs. *** ***** ***** ** ****** bikinis ********* ****** **** *******.

**** *** ****? *** * *** from **** ******* ** **** ** is * ***** **** ****.

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Undisclosed Integrator #8

In reply to Undisclosed Integrator #1 | 09/03/22 04:58am

***** ***!

* *** ******* **** **** *******.

"******* ****** ****** *** ****** *** Public ****** **************"

*** ** ** **** ***** ****?

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John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed Integrator #8 | 09/03/22 11:42am

*** ****** **** ***** **** ******* (1) *** *** *** (*) **** competition. ******** ********* ** **** *** buying ******* ** ****** *** ****** buyers (********** ********** ****) ***** **** the ****** *** ***** *********** **** do *** ****** ** **** ********* practices.

*** **** ******* *** ** *** merits *****.

Agree
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