There will be some fresh faces at the Mississippi Real Estate Commission after the Senate rejected the nominations of long-time Executive Director Robert Praytor and Board Nominee Joe Stedman.
Dear MAR Board Members and Legislative & Regulatory Committee Members:
We want to bring you up speed on recent developments involving the Mississippi Legislature and the Mississippi Real Estate Commission.
As you know, it is the policy of the Mississippi REALTORSâ to make recommendations to the Governor for appointments to the MREC, as well as the Mississippi Real Estate Appraiser Licensing and Certification Board. Per our Policies & Procedures, this process is handled by the Executive Committee. You were previously informed that the Mississippi REALTORSâ made several recommendations of Mississippi REALTORâ members for open MREC commissioner seats, including Brian Gomillion. As you also know, Mississippi law requires Senate confirmation of all persons nominated by the Governor, a legislative process overseen by our Legislative Advocacy Team (“LAT”) as needed during the legislative session.
Governor Tate Reeves nominated Joe Stedman of Natchez for reappointment to MREC for another four-year term and also re-nominated Brian Gomillion for a four-year term on MREC. Both nominations were pending before the Mississippi Senate and the hearing on both nominations took place before the Senate Business and Financial Institutions Committee on Thursday, March 27. The Mississippi REALTORSâ took no position on Mr. Stedman’s pending nomination, either for or against. The Senate committee voted to forward both nominations to the full Senate.
The day after the March 27 committee vote, Mr. Stedman sent text messages to a Mississippi REALTORâ which included the following: “Well much to your dismay, I was confirmed yesterday for another four year term on MREC! … I will go to every Board in the state and advocate why they should not be a Realtor… You’ll [SIC] have messed with the Commission for five years and now its coming back! In more ways than you know!”
Both nominations were placed on the Senate calendar beginning Monday, March 31. That same date, both the Governor’s office and Senate leadership were informed by one of Mississippi REALTORSâ’ lobbyists of the threatening texts Mr. Stedman had written. On Tuesday, April 1, Senator John Polk, Chairman of the Senate Business and Financial Institutions Committee informed Mississippi REALTORSâ’ lobbyist that he intended to proceed with presenting Mr. Stedman’s nomination to the Senate for confirmation. Following receipt of that information, and having been informed that it was generally believed that the Senate might adjourn sine die that same date, President Gena Nolan made a determination that, because of the prospect of the Senate moving quickly toward sine die and sufficient time did not exist to submit the issue to the Legislative and Regulatory Affairs Committee or the Board of Directors, an exigency existed and, pursuant to our Policies & Procedures, the LAT would be called on to discuss Senate Nomination No. 94 (Stedman) in light of these developments.
The LAT met jointly with the Executive Committee via Zoom on Tuesday, April 1 to take the matter up. A member of the LAT made a motion to share the portions of the text thread from Mississippi Real Estate Commissioner nominee Joe Stedman at our lobbyist’s discretion and that MAR take a position to oppose the Senate confirmation of Joe Stedman as a legislative priority on the basis of Mr. Stedman’s overt threats against our Association and other threats he made against our Association’s interests, all of which clearly revealed his inability to act impartially as a real estate commissioner. This motion was seconded, discussed at length and was approved unanimously by all persons present.
The Mississippi REALTORSâ’ position was relayed by means of text messages to multiple members of the Mississippi Senate without copies of the text string, but with verbatim quotation of Mr. Stedman’s statement “You’ll have messed with the Commission for five years and now its coming back! In more ways than you know!,” accompanied by a request to oppose Mr. Stedman’s nomination if it were brought forward for a vote.
Yesterday, April 2, Senator Polk called Mr. Stedman’s nomination up for consideration by the Senate and Senator Daniel Sparks, also a member of the Senate Business and Financial Institutions Committee who had originally voted to recommend approval of Mr. Stedman’s nomination, offered a motion to recommit the Stedman nomination back to the Business and Financial Institutions Committee for further review. The Senate overwhelmingly approved this motion by voice vote. Upon the Senate’s adjournment sine die, Mr. Stedman’s nomination is dead for lack of Legislative confirmation. Failing Senate confirmation, Mr. Stedman is immediately ineligible to serve on MREC, leaving his seat on the commission open. Brian Gomillion’s nomination was confirmed by overwhelming vote of the Senate, meaning that Mr. Gomillion will join current commissioners Jim Stroo, Tony Jones and Vicki Blackwell on MREC going forward.
You may not be aware that current MREC administrator Robert Praytor failed to receive Senate confirmation of his reappointment as executive director of MREC, as required by law. The MREC submitted the appointment, but the Senate Business and Financial Institutions Committee did not bring it up for consideration, effectively killing it. Mississippi REALTORSâ took no position for or against Mr. Praytor’s reappointment during the session. The MREC has not taken action concerning a new administrator as of this date.
Mississippi REALTORSâ looks forward to continuing to cooperate with the Mississippi Real Estate Commission and the Mississippi Real Estate Appraiser Licensing and Certification Board as they perform their important duties and to develop and maintain a mutually respectful relationship marked by strong and viable lines of communication between our Association and those regulatory boards.
Mr. Praytor is no longer listed on the Commission's website. Senate sources confirmed the contents of the email. The texts were indeed revealed and cast the nominee in a rather unflattering light. One source said Mr. Praytor's nomination was tabled because there were not enough votes for approval.
65 comments:
Oh no! Anyway
What in the wide, wide world of sports is a-goin' on here?
that threat just got hit with a shrink ray. poor fella
Praytor out is a good thing. Our commission still operates like it's 1992.
The Mississippi Real Estate Commission has long suffered from ambiguous regulations, inconsistent enforcement, and troubling conflicts of interest. Administrator Robert Praytor, along with commissioners loyal to him, have allowed a public agency to be manipulated for personal gain, notably through preferential treatment of certain brokerages, such as Crye-Leike, where Praytor’s wife, Lynette Praytor, serves as a principal broker.
Recently, Commissioner Joe Stedman, himself affiliated with Crye-Leike, publicly threatened fellow realtors over political disagreements, exemplifying a disturbing misuse of authority. Notably absent in addressing this misconduct was MREC Chair and fellow Crye-Leike broker, Vicki Blackwell. Instead, accountability came through a grassroots effort by local brokers and members of the Mississippi Association of REALTORS® (MAR), who courageously mobilized to block Praytor’s and Stedman’s reappointments. These individuals acted despite knowing full well that failure could result in retaliation and sanctions from Praytor and his loyalists within the Commission.
Governor Reeves must now urgently reevaluate his approach to appointments, prioritizing personal integrity and impartiality over political allegiance or donations. The Commissioners’ duty is to uphold clearly defined, written rules equally and fairly, devoid of bias or favoritism, to restore credibility and fairness to Mississippi’s real estate industry.
Joe Stedman is a dues-paying member of MAR and a broker of one of Mississippi's largest brokerages, yet even his own organization declined to endorse him. Perhaps the Senate should pay attention to the silence from those who know appointees best—sometimes what's left unsaid speaks loudest, if one is genuinely listening. Without Stedman’s reckless text messages, Mississippi might have faced another four years of his abuse and weaponization of the MREC's authority.
Robert Praytor has over the years served a clique of Realtors & was not responsive to a great majority of licensed real estate agents.
Governor Reeves must now urgently reevaluate his approach to appointments, prioritizing personal integrity and impartiality over political allegiance or donations.
I laughed so hard
Another official taken down by texts. Stupid people send stupid texts.
Praytor has intentionally kept his "rules" vague enough to punish people he dislikes and protect those he favors. This system clearly needs an overhaul. Hopefully, Gomillion and others can bring a fresh perspective to the commission, establish clear, written rules, and get rid of the "improper dealing" excuse that's selectively used against anyone unwilling to kiss the ring.
The real estate world is cut throat!
“ Governor Reeves must now urgently reevaluate his approach to appointments”
I hope parole board nominations are included in his reevaluation…
Wow, that text. What an idiot to send something like that.
Further proof that real estate agents are not near as smart as they tell you they are. Well, at least not that guy. What an idiot.
"Governor Reeves must now urgently reevaluate his approach to appointments, prioritizing personal integrity and impartiality over political allegiance or donations."
Wait a minute, you're telling me it isn't already being done this way? /s
I feel like someone needs to spill the entire Stedman text at this point.
"Unconstitutional secret rule"?
"erratic implementation of a made-up rule"?
Institute for Justice?
That's a big Ooops!
March 28 2024:
"ARLINGTON, Va.—Today, the Institute for Justice (IJ) sent a letter to the Mississippi Real Estate Commission (MREC) urging MREC to reconsider an unwritten mandate that requires real estate salespeople to live within an hour of their supervising broker. This requirement violates the Mississippi Constitution and is causing widespread confusion among Mississippi’s real estate professionals.
MREC is a state commission charged with regulating Mississippi’s real estate industry, including licensing all real estate brokers and salespeople. As part of the application process to become a salesperson, MREC staff have long required applicants to live within an hour’s drive, or about 50 miles, of their supervising real estate brokers. This licensure requirement isn’t a formal, published rule. Rather it’s a staff interpretation of another commission rule; one that simply requires a “responsible broker … to exercise supervision.”
“We live in a digital age where geographical boundaries are becoming increasingly irrelevant, especially in professional settings,” said Aritt Davis, Principal Broker of REAL Broker LLC in Pascagoula. “This rule not only limits the freedom of real estate professionals but also hinders the growth and dynamism of our firm and the overall industry. In an era where flexibility and connectivity are key, such a geographical restriction is not just outdated, it’s a significant financial and arbitrary impediment.”
MREC claims its proximity requirement is needed to make sure licensees are properly supervised, but according to public records, the commission applies its rule unevenly. MREC has rejected applicants who are willing to travel to be supervised or have a supervisor who’s willing to use Zoom to oversee their licensee but has sometimes approved others who clearly don’t meet the requirement. This erratic implementation of a made-up rule is causing industry-wide confusion, so much so that the Mississippi Association of Realtors has expressed some of the same concerns to MREC as IJ. Nor are IJ’s concerns just practical. MREC’s rule also violates Mississippians’ civil liberties. "
Well then!
links:
(March 28, 2024)
https://ij.org/press-release/public-interest-law-firm-calls-on-mississippi-real-estate-commission-to-reconsider-unconstitutional-secret-rule/
(April 12 2024)
https://ij.org/press-release/victory-mississippi-officials-abandon-unconstitutional-secret-rule-after-letter-from-public-interest-law-firm/
“ Governor Reeves must now urgently reevaluate his approach to appointments”
And the MDWFP Commission. They were allowed to get the state to close down Great River Road State Park in Rosedale(and burned the pavilion and look out tower) to use as a public Wildlife Management Area(WMA) but the Commission and their friends, family, and other state officials and friends were able to hunt this prime piece of real estate on the MS River for YEARS before the public was allowed to. It closed in 2011 and the WMA was opened to the public in 2022, but even then it was super sketchy & secretive. Scott Coopwood, who is on the MDWFP Commission, was instrumental in this and conveniently hunts close by. It was and is a fleecing by the Commission of the taxpayers of Mississippi.
This is not the only unconstitutional secret rule—it’s simply the one some brokers chose to challenge first because it involves an issue that a public nonprofit would typically advocate for. There are numerous other hidden "rules" selectively enforced against brokers whom Praytor targeted to make their lives more difficult. His actions were not motivated by a desire to protect the public, as the MREC's mission requires, but rather to protect his own financial interests and those of his associates.
I agree that the Governor's Office could do more due diligence, especially with re-appointments. The Senate could also do a more thorough job of vetting the appointments instead of waiting until the last few days of the session to hold rubber stamp confirmation "hearings" that consist of nominees introducing themselves and the Chairman stating whether anything derogatory was found in their PEER report.
My favorite part of this rule is the irony: MREC employees under Robert Praytor had no geographical restrictions on where they live in relation to the office. In fact, they worked remotely for months during COVID—yet somehow failed to recognize how absurd this rule truly was. Or perhaps the rule was never about broker supervision at all, but rather a convenient way to keep out competition. Why aren’t companies like LPT, Redfin, and other large national brokerages—many of which don’t rely on traditional brick-and-mortar offices—operating in Mississippi? Maybe it’s not really about supervision. Maybe it’s because these brokerages threaten the outdated, legacy models that must charge agents more to sustain physical office spaces.
11:51, the going price for a seat on the MDWFP Commission was $60,000 last I heard, probably more now, so I doubt that will be in the reevaluation.
in every real estate deal somebody gets screwed. just ask napoleon after jefferson got through with him.
Good news all around. This commission needs re-working from the top to the bottom. It has to be the most inefficient government agency in the state. They have reserves of several million dollars, yet you can’t get anyone on the phone. At last reported count, they manage the licenses of over 13,000 individuals and companies. They are essentially in control of the livelihood of all of those they oversee. Their timeframe for a response can be weeks at a time. All the while, those licensees are at their mercy. And don’t get on their radar. It’s like something right out of Yellowstone or the Sopranos. They deliver a mafia-style hit when they investigate and deliver their brand of justice in a disciplinary matter. I, for one, welcome new leadership. My hat is off to those “Davids” who have put themselves in the line of “Goliath’s” fire to bring this to light and see that changes were made.
The real estate world is crazy. These brokers try to treat their realtors like a happy team when they are out there in direct competition back-stabbing one another every day. Change is good -- out with the old and in with the new.
Praytor was not an effective administrator, and was downright checked out during Covid (incapable of the simple task of depositing check to renew licenses.) Lot of people in real estate in Mississippi high-fiving and cackling like Foghorn Leghorn today, as well they should.
MREC is holding a special meeting tomorrow, and it will definitely be one to watch. If there's already a nominee lined up to replace Praytor on such short notice, it raises a valid question—was this an inside job? Stedman certainly seemed to think he had the position secured. Let’s hope the process is fair and includes unbiased, transparent vetting. https://www.mrec.ms.gov/special-called-meeting-of-the-mississippi-real-estate-commission/
Praytor effectively stopped trying to lead in April 2023, when MAR successfully lobbied to strip MREC of its authority over the Property Condition Disclosure Statement (PCDS). Prior to that, Praytor would routinely find a single blank left unanswered by a seller and sanction the agent involved for "improper dealing" or some other vaguely defined violation in the law. His final attempt to hold onto power came when he asked Lynn Fitch to intervene—but when she declined, that marked the beginning of the end.
Just look at the MREC website: the last newsletter was published the same month the PCDS changes were announced. In it, he wrote:
"In light of the new PCDS Legislation, MREC advises and recommends that brokerage firms and real estate licensees formalize procedures/protocols concerning their interactions with Sellers’ and Buyers’ usage of the PCDS during the home buying process. Brokerage Firms and Principal Brokers should seek legal advice while crafting a written policy which will outline any PCDS-related services that are no longer required but which licensees will be providing to clients. It is not business as usual as it relates to the PCDS."
In other words: “I’m done. Brokers, you’re on your own—go hire an attorney to figure this out instead of asking me to explain how this changes our industry.”
What’s the difference between a realtor and a used car salesman?
Is this MREC Special meeting tomorrow going to be available to the public via live stream? The Commission has lacked transparency for decades. I’m hoping with new leadership and Commissioners, there will be a needed change.
The notice of the Special Meeting of the Commission clearly states the sole purpose of the meeting: to approve the Minutes of the April meeting. the question to ask is why a special meeting as opposed to approving them at the May meeting. Will there be a May meeting?
Additionally, I don't think Stedman's current term is over yet.
AG Fitch clips MREC's wings with an opinion MR Praytor asked for.
https://attorneygenerallynnfitch.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/R.Praytor-J
I can confirm Stedman is out. He is no longer a commissioner. Praytor’s last day was Monday. The staff attorney Brian Lieb is now in charge in the interim. I hear he is a good person. He may be too green to know the corruption he is walking into but many mutual friends say he is a good honest man.
Stedman's been removed from the MREC website.
Crye-Leike a Baby
A group of realtors who were upset because they did not follow the rules went on a political witch hunt with the Mississippi Association of Realtors to force Praytor out. Those agents who followed the rules and fulfilled their fiduciary responsibilities to their clients didn’t have a problem with Praytor.
Praytor was fair! He was an equal-opportunity disciplinarian. You couldn’t kiss his ass to seek favor. You would be held accountable if you violated MREC’s License Law and/or Rules and Regulations. Praytor didn’t care who knew who or who was friends with a Senator.
This same group of realtors, along with the Mississippi Association of Realtors, will lobby for someone who will bow down to them and do what they want him or her to do, which is to bend the rules when it is convenient for them or when they want to strip someone of their license unfairly. All hell is about to break loose.
Well, The PCDS is supposed to be filled out/ completed by the seller/owner of the property.
9:55 pm
One of Praytor’s puppets finally joins the conversation, lobbing baseless accusations of a vague breach of fiduciary duty with no supporting evidence—and then caps it off by threatening that “all hell is about to break loose.” He clearly trained you in his ways. Maybe you should apply for his job.
While we have all of the realtors on this post, why do y'all think you're worth $25,000 or more for selling a $500,000 house? A couple of dot loop or docusign emails that have maybe 15-30 mins in them, showing the house a few times, lining up a couple of inspectors and attending a closing is not worth near that much. One of the most over paid sales careers to ever exist.
Regarding Robert Praytor - 10:05, 10:08, 10:24, 10:57, 2:04 are so true. In particular 10:05. He probably does not know how to turn on a computer. "What goes around, comes around”. The fact that he made it this long shows how broken our system is. 9:55 Is a joke.
I learned a long time ago that those with the most money win. In this case, the Mississippi Association of Realtors has a lot of PAC money and bought politicians. They have methodically had the rules changed by their politicians to give them more control and reduce regulations. The rule requiring re-confirmation was snuck in by those politicians at the very last minute. At that point, the writing was on the wall that MAR was trying to take control and get their own people appointed. This is not about protecting the public’s best interest which is what the real estate commission is there for.
This is consistent with the rest of Mississippi's crooked commissions.
9:14 What do you do to feed your family? You apparently don’t know this, but you can market and sell your house, without hiring a broker. A real estate broker doesn’t have to be a member of the Realtor’s Association. Therefore, not every broker or licensed salesperson is a Realtor. Do the research and it will reveal to you that most people are more than satisfied after paying a commission. Of course, when you have no idea how much time and expense really goes into marketing real estate to achieve satisfaction from all parties, you would think it isn’t logical. Try your hand at it for a couple of years and come back to this post. If I don’t die before then, I’ll come back to see your new humble opinion. Your comments prove you wouldn’t be successful investing in real estate.
So is this skirmish a battle between two different governing bodies over the real estate profession in the state and one is trying to take control? The MS Assoc of Realtors and MS Real Estate Commission battling to control the profession(for lack of a better term) in the state? Like two separate governing bodies? I don't get it.
@10:16 AM, I already learned your secrets when we bought our home. Fresh baked cookies and opening a bottle of wine. Every single realtor does it when selling a $500,000 home.
As for what I do for a living? I spent 12 years in medical school and residency and my education cost a fortune.
As an active member of MAR, I can assure you that MAR has no desire to control the MREC. The goal was simply to break the stranglehold Robert Praytor had over the industry. The law was designed to provide for a panel of five impartial commissioners who represent all regions of the state—ensuring that licensing decisions and disciplinary actions aren’t left in the hands of one individual or manipulated to benefit a single brokerage.
After 30 years, Praytor had positioned himself as a de facto emperor, wielding power in a way that served his personal interests—particularly targeting larger brokerages in the Jackson area that competed with his wife's firm. The so-called "fifty-mile rule" was a prime example of this corruption—an unwritten and selectively enforced policy with no legal basis.
Under his leadership, numerous agents faced disciplinary action without a single consumer complaint filed against them. He often claimed violations like improper signage or blamed agents for a seller’s omissions on a property disclosure form. MAR is standing up for its members and working to dismantle the unconstitutional abuse of power Praytor cultivated for his own financial gain.
6:55 AM "Well, The PCDS is supposed to be filled out/ completed by the seller/owner of the property." - If you consider why most closed real estate transactions end up resulting in complaints, it’s almost always for the same reason: the buyer believes they were misled by the Property Condition Disclosure Statement (PCDS) and can't afford to hire an attorney to sue the seller—so they turn to the MREC for help.
The reality is that MREC has no authority to discipline a seller, but Robert Praytor frequently used these situations as a pretext to sanction agents. He personally wrote the original version of the PCDS, and until the most recent revisions, it was filled with vague and poorly worded questions that left sellers—and agents—guessing how to respond.
One example: the form asked, “How long have you known about the problems with the roof?” A seller who wasn’t aware of any issues would naturally leave that blank. But in Praytor’s view, any blank answer was grounds to accuse the agent of breaching their fiduciary duty.
I’m aware of one case where a buyer filed a complaint against their own agent and broker. The complaint actually appeared to have some merit—but because the buyer’s broker was a friend of Praytor’s, it was quietly dismissed. Meanwhile, the listing broker—who had fully complied by turning over documentation—was sanctioned because the PCDS had a single unanswered question in a section that confused many sellers.
11:47 & 12:15 if that is true, and as widespread as it seems, yall should band together and make all of that public because that is insane. As a buyer and seller multiple times, I never realized it was the MREC that made the PCDS. I thought it was an industry wide form. I have often thought there was a lot of ambiguity left when filling it out. You can check "unknown" and basically lie without lying on some parts.
"History
The Seller’s Disclosure Statement was implemented by the state legislature in July 1993 with the primary purpose of protecting the public when buying residential real estate. There have been several legislative amendments to the original statute, most recently in 2005.
In 1997, the state legislature authorized MREC to determine the structure and composition of the forms. While MREC can amend the forms, the commission does not change state statutes. In recent years, the commission has reviewed the current PCDS and examined it for clarity and completeness. Revisions were last made to the form in 2008. The revisions that take effect this year are intended to give a better explanation of residential property condition.
For sellers who completed the 2008 version of the PCDS, they are not required to immediately complete a new 2017 version of the PCDS on April 1. The 2008 version is still good for one year from its execution date.
When any PCDS expires after one year, the new 2017 version must be executed. For sellers listing on or after April 1, the new 2017 version must be used." https://msrealtors.org/new-pcds/
Let’s kick off a scavenger hunt! Who can be the first to find a disciplinary action from the so-called fair and impartial MREC against an agent under Lynette Praytor's supervision? Ready, set, go! The first person to post it wins a unicorn! 🦄
So we are looking for the double secret sealed letters of admonishment issued by the MREC? If there were any?
1:09 wins the comment section! 🏆 😂😂😂
A lot of anonymous keyboard warriors on this thread! You should kick off a scavenger hunt of who has complained on this thread and been disciplined! I’m gonna guess 90%!
Tate warned these folks back in 2021. They didn't pay attention.
Anonymous said at 1:57PM – “A lot of anonymous keyboard warriors on this thread!” – First, let me point out the irony of your own comment being posted anonymously.
I generally agree that anonymous posting can be cowardly and is often the reason so many people feel emboldened to say racist or hateful things online. But this is a different situation. While Praytor and Stedman are gone, three of the four current commissioners allowed Praytor to operate without checks or balance—enabling the unchecked use of power and the weaponization of the MREC, which affects the livelihoods of the Realtors.
I can assure you, if the courageous Realtors who fought to remove Praytor felt confident they wouldn’t face retaliation from the remaining commissioners, many of them would speak out publicly. Brian Gomillion is a newly appointed commissioner, and hopefully, he represents a step in the right direction. Governor Reeves will soon appoint another, but the three remaining commissioners—who still hold a majority vote—were all in place during Praytor and Stedman’s tenure. One of them even works at the same brokerage as Stedman and Praytor’s wife, which raises legitimate concerns about lingering alliances and the risk of retaliation.
If you can’t earn the recommendation and endorsement of a group of your own peers—especially an organization you’re a paying member of—perhaps Governor Reeves should take notice. If every doctor you know says one of their colleagues is incompetent, would you still let that person perform your brain surgery?
The Mississippi Association of Realtors (MAR) is not a political organization. They don’t vote red or blue. But what they do know—better than the public—is who acts like a jackass in negotiations and who has faced internal disciplinary issues. There are legitimate reasons why a professional trade organization may choose not to endorse one of their own.
According to Stedman’s own text messages, Reeves was “bought and paid for.” Had he not been foolish enough to put it in writing, the agreement might have remained hidden. If the next appointee can’t gain the confidence of their peers, no amount of campaign donations should make them qualified to hold the livelihoods of thousands of Realtors in their hands.
MAR is one of the most diverse and experienced professional groups in the state. When they do choose to endorse someone, it comes after plenty of opportunity for dissent and honest discussion. They typically don’t take a public stand against a candidate unless that person has made repeated and egregious mistakes—as Stedman did. But even their silence should be enough to make the Governor reconsider whether this is truly the best choice among the thousands of licensed professionals in Mississippi.
Daniel Sparks should run for Governor. There aren’t many leaders at the Capitol with the courage to take on former GOP chairs, members of the Warren Hood family (like Stedman), and entrenched agency heads like Robert Praytor who’ve held power for over 30 years. Northeast Mississippi—you better keep him in the Senate until he’s ready for something statewide.
Kevin is just like Delbert - a democrat cosplaying as a RINO. They didn't pass a budget but Kevin had time to insert a prohibition bill this session. Look where he lands on school choice. If he votes for it with his buddies in Jackson he'll betray everyone in his hometown and destroy one of the last remaining high performing school districts in Mississippi.
1:48: "Kevin is just like Delbert " - are you talking about Senator Kevin Blackwell?
1:48 – I’d like more insight into Senator Kevin Blackwell, who happens to be the husband of Commissioner Vicki Blackwell. Curiously, he introduced SB 2497 just weeks after articles surfaced detailing how Robert Praytor issued a real estate license to a felon who, under Mississippi law, should have been disqualified.
The bill seeks to “grant the Real Estate Commission discretion to issue a license after a felony conviction for crimes of moral turpitude.”
For context, current license law states:
“The commission shall not issue a real estate license if: The applicant has been convicted of, or pled guilty or nolo contendere to, a felony in a domestic or foreign court: At any time preceding the date of the application, if such felony involved an act of fraud, dishonesty, or a breach of trust, or money laundering.”
If someone with multiple felony grand theft convictions can already obtain a license and the commissioners simply ignore the law—what exactly is the purpose of this bill? It appears to be a push for even more discretion in favor of politically connected applicants.
Read the full bill here:
https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2025/pdf/SB/2400-2499/SB2497IN.pdf
If Senator Blackwell’s intention is to clean up the mess left behind by Praytor and revoke licenses that were wrongfully issued to felons, then perhaps this bill deserves consideration. But if the goal is to expand the Commission’s discretion to favor connections over qualifications, then Blackwell should follow the same path out as Praytor and Stedman.
@April 11--11.01. Congratulations on being a Medical Doctor. That explains a lot to those of us in the real estate business. It has been a saying for a long time that Doctors make the worst real estate decisions of any profession.
10:59, I want to clarify that the felon you mentioned is still a broker but he is no longer a Realtor.
It’s disappointing to see the head of MREC re-nominated when so many licensed professionals are frustrated with arbitrary enforcement of rules that don’t even exist. One example: the supposed requirement that agents must live within a certain distance or drive time from their broker’s office—completely made up, yet agents are being held to it. In today’s tech-driven world, it’s absurd.
Even worse, convicted felons from other states are somehow able to hold a Mississippi license—one in particular, Zakk Varughese, has changed his name, but a quick Google search reveals serious criminal offenses. Is this really who we want representing our industry, or walking through our clients’ homes? There’s no consistency. No transparency. And zero accountability.
11:52 - Before you Google the broker/felon you're referring to, it's important to know that he has changed his name twice in an apparent attempt to distance himself from his past. Jacob Lee Moore changed his name to Zachariah Jacob Varughese, and now goes by Zakk Varughese. I don’t have time to go into all the details behind the name changes right now, but there’s a lot of information available. I’ll try to share the links later.
Go to hour 6, minute 20 to see the Senate vote. It seems like Delbert was excited to see Stedman go - https://www.youtube.com/live/M8lubHp1crw?si=T-sIJ5aaw3oOXgye
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