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ivyjivy · 2 years ago

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Ivy Style Values: The Blatant Dishonesty of John Burton

In the 15 months since officially announcing his takeover of the Ivy Style website, John Burton's tenure as the self-proclaimed “preeminent digital Ivy influencer” has had a decidedly mixed response from his audience. While a significant number of readers have complained about the site's quality (including a credible accusation of plagiarism), Burton claims to have "quadrupled the site’s monthly traffic" within the first year and has boasted that the Ivy Style Facebook page has an engagement rate "higher than GQ and Esquire's combined."

It is against this backdrop that the Bedford, New York resident launched the premiere episode of Ivy Style: The Podcast in December 2022 with a preposterous fabrication about his personal success.

At the one-minute mark of the first episode, Burton announced to the live audience gathered at J. Press's retail location in New York that the previous interview with Richard Press on his personal podcast (Home From Here Episode 17) was "heard by over four million people globally." Curious about this figure, particularly since it would rank Burton among the most successful podcasters of our time, I reached out to Radio Free Rhinecliff to verify his claim.

The response from station management on December 14, 2022 revealed that Burton's ratings claim was not only entirely false but grossly exaggerated, with the show having been streamed "approximately .013% of that number."

For the benefit of those not adept at quick calculations, .013% of four million is 520.

Just so there is no confusion about his stunning claim perhaps being some sort of joke, Burton stated several days later that the premiere of his Ivy Style podcast with Richard Press had already been "listened to over tens of thousands of times" in the initial hours after its launch. Given the numerous statements he's made boasting about his own success (as well as false claims that his show is a "top ten globally ranked podcast"), there is no reason to think that his boast was meant to be taken in jest.

Burton has since also falsely claimed that Home From Here was nominated for a Webby Award, even prior to the official announcement on April 4, 2023 when his program was not listed among the honorees. And in spite of his relatively meager audience, Burton has implausibly claimed that Spotify has already made him "an offer" for the podcast.

Digging even deeper, I found evidence that many of John Burton's claims over the years raise glaring concerns about the self-proclaimed influencer's dishonesty.

John Burton has used Radio Free Rhinecliff programming to lie about his criminal record

As previously reported on Reddit, John Burton Schepmoes was twice arrested and charged with counts of Grand and Petit Larceny following extensive investigation into his business dealings between 2015 and 2016. In addition to his convictions for these thefts, Burton was also convicted of Unauthorized Practice of Law, a misdemeanor in New York. After pleading guilty for the second time, the convicted felon was sentenced in 2017 to his second five-year term of probation (to be served concurrently with the first) and required to pay tens of thousands of dollars in restitution to his victims.

In spite of having pleaded guilty, Burton has since made numerous statements on Radio Free Rhinecliff programming over the past year suggesting, without any evidence, that he was unfairly or unjustly prosecuted. Additional claims by Burton also clearly imply, and in some cases unequivocally state, that he has since been vindicated and exonerated for his multiple felony and misdemeanor convictions.

These claims are entirely false.

In episode 30 of the program Talk To Allison, Burton explained to host Allison Chawla how, in spite of his claim that he was facing "52 felony counts" and "350 years" in prison (10:00 mark), neither his lawyer nor the probation officer he was later assigned could even tell him "what [he] did wrong" (46:04). Burton alleges his probation officer told him "I don't even understand what...you're here for" (46:30). To cast further doubt upon the charges, Burton stated point blank that he is "not a criminal" (47:00) in spite of the fact that he had pleaded guilty and was convicted on two separate occasions.

Burton also casts aspersions on his probation officer (47:45) by alleging that she had shown him "pictures of her friends in bikinis" during at least one of their meetings. Burton claims that he "tried for years to get into therapy" (48:07) during this process but wasn't able to do it, though he declines to provide any specifics when asked for details.

This is followed by an improbable story in which Burton is personally tasked with "spying on the homeless people" (48:40) while sleeping over at a church, which he insinuates was done at the behest of the officer(s).

Burton claims that the probation officer, who is implied to have been using an alias, did "all kinds of crazy stuff" and suggested that he keep in touch with her after he finished his probation (49:15). He later suggests that she did not live up to the "moral obligation" of her duties (50:30).

The overall implication of this hearsay regarding his experience is that (1) the officer believed he was innocent, (2) she did not take her professional responsibilities seriously, and (3) she was more interested in a personal relationship with him than any effort supporting rehabilitation.

Later on his own program (Home From Here Episode 2) with his partner Trish, he once again repeated his claim about facing 350 years in prison, with Trish stating that the charges also did not make any sense to her. She unequivocally claims that John “didn’t do anything” (32:50) and implies that the law enforcement officials assigned to his case were dishonest (33:15).

Though he has also implicitly disparaged the law enforcement professionals who investigated and charged him, John Burton does not explain or offer any suggestion as to why he would be the victim of such an extensive conspiracy.

During Home From Here Episode 18 with his teenage daughter (habitually referred to as "The Package"), Burton states that his legal problems "were clarified and rectified" (1:10). In Home From Here Episode 20, he discusses how he hasn't "dropped the outrage at that process happening the way it did" (10:50). Burton mentions his experience "from accusation to exoneration" (11:30) before saying that he is "still furious" about what happened to him.

In addition to his claims on Radio Free Rhinecliff, Burton has also referred to himself as a "vindicated dad" in one of his many Facebook posts promoting Home From Here. Burton once again alludes to this presumed exoneration in January 2023 by referencing "all the legal stuff that I got vindicated for."

Intrigued by his shocking narrative that he was wrongly accused and convicted but later exonerated, I contacted the Putnam County District Attorney's Office who confirmed that John Burton has unequivocally not been exonerated or cleared of any wrongdoing. On the contrary, an official with firsthand knowledge of the prosecutions stated that Burton "took advantage of many [people]" and that the District Attorney's office was committed "to stop him from continuing to victimize the people of Putnam County."

Burton’s purported exoneration is unsurprisingly also nowhere to be found in the database provided by The National Registry of Exonerations.

After being presented with evidence of Burton's deceptions, Radio Free Rhinecliff's Matthew Rosenberg stated on April 3rd that they would be “looking over everything” before responding. But the station ultimately never replied to clarify whether Burton’s numerous claims about his exoneration violated their stated policy regarding truthfulness ("Never knowingly lie, and avoid making emphatic declarations about things beyond your area of expertise").

Regardless of Radio Free Rhinecliff's lack of clarity regarding the enforcement of their own guidelines, Burton’s numerous deceits raise major doubts about his claims of innocence and the implicit disparagement of his accusers.

John Burton has falsely portrayed himself as a well-known mental health advocate

Burton has claimed to be "well known for his work in the advocacy of understanding and appreciation of all aspects of mental health" but there is scant evidence demonstrating that this is actually the case.

Though a LinkedIn profile connected to Burton claims that he studied Clinical Psychology at Columbia University from 1988-1993, upon providing the Office of the University Registrar with Burton's name(s) and birth date, I was informed that they were "unable to locate any information on this individual in [their] records."

Seeking clarity about the details of his purported Ivy League education, I made multiple attempts to reach Burton through the Press Inquiries contact on Ivy Style. Each of these requests was returned as undeliverable. After directly inquiring with Burton through his personal Facebook account, I was blocked without any response and prevented from making any further contact with him on the platform.

Aside from any concerns about a lack of professional training, Burton has also used the Radio Free Rhinecliff platform to share dubious advice regarding the treatment of mental health patients. Perhaps most controversially, Burton suggests to Allison Chawla that applying "the rules of dignity" (Talk With Allison Episode 30, 19:00) is a suitable replacement for the pharmacological treatment of mental health patients. It's not certain if Chawla, a self-described alternative therapist and life coach, endorses this particular method of treatment but she did not challenge or question Burton's suggestion that mentally ill people can "manage [their] own head" during the broadcast.

None of this is to say that patients should not be treated with dignity, or that psychiatric drugs are always indicated for those experiencing a mental health issue, or that patients should not practice some measure of self-care. But recommending self-treatment or the simple application of "dignity" in lieu of professional intervention could very well be dangerous to someone in the throes of a mental health crisis.

As for the claim that he is "well known" while it is certainly true that hosting a program for a "community radio" podcast network could in theory grant Burton some renown, there is not much to suggest that this is actually the case. At time of publication, Mixcloud (the online host for the station's on-demand programming) lists only 120 followers for Radio Free Rhinecliff, while the station's Facebook page indicates a similarly sized audience (244 likes and 301 followers). None of Burton's Home From Here programs are available for download or streaming on Radio Free Rhinecliff's Apple Podcasts platform.

Though it's already been established that Burton's previously referenced interview with Richard Press had been heard by only several hundred listeners, it was not for lack of trying. Over a two-and-a-half-week period, there were no less than six blog posts on Ivy-Style.com hyping Mr. Press's appearance on Home From Here. The relatively insignificant lack of support from the deluge of articles promoting the podcast also undermines Burton's claim that his website is a major source of traffic. Aside from his own specious claims, any suggestion that Burton's programs make him "well known" does not appear to be supported.

To underscore the gulf between Burton's claimed advocacy and the demonstrable impact that public service work often entails, one need only look at a former California State Senator who curiously also goes by the name John Burton. Unlike Ivy Style's John Burton, Sen. Burton is reasonably well known for his advocacy of support for at-risk homeless youth and those in the foster system through his non-profit John Burton Advocates for Youth. This coincidence is striking given that Ivy Style's John Burton has previously identified himself as someone who has spent time in foster care and experienced homelessness as a teenager.

Perhaps also relevant is the fact that in 2014 the personal homepage of Ivy Style’s Burton linked to an organization called the Camellia Network, which Sen. Burton himself had previously praised for its work with those in the foster system.

Though it's not clear if there was ever any official relationship established between the Ivy Style blogger and the Camellia Network, Burton's personal homepage identified and linked to this organization directly underneath his other work affiliations and accomplishments. The contextual placement arguably raises questions about whether Burton was trying to imply an official connection where one may not have existed.

As the non-profit is no longer an active enterprise, they could not be reached for comment.

Lack of popularity aside, let us accept the notion that Burton is an "advocate" for mental health. What does that mean exactly? That Burton thinks we should all take mental health seriously? That we should be kind to those struggling with mental health problems, and that we should treat them with "dignity"? These are hardly controversial concepts, or even novel ones. Burton's ideas do not seem to be particularly profound or even unique, and there is little evidence of notable achievements coming from his so-called advocacy other than the messages he claims to have received from people he's helped.

Though Burton is well within his rights to refer to himself as an advocate, a review of the evidence leads one to wonder if Burton is perhaps most interested in merely being seen as a mental health advocate. Whether or not this may be a calculated ploy to draw a clear line in the sand between himself and his own mental health struggles, I am hard pressed to think of any notable service that Burton is providing aside from his own "lip service."

John Burton’s press release boasts of numerous concerts and achievements that are entirely invented

Perhaps most absurd are the numerous claims made about Burton's success as an acclaimed musician in a press release dated from June 2020, in which multiple performances at world-class institutions are highlighted:

John Burton is a singer/songwriter from Rhinebeck NY. He has toured the entire United States and has been featured at Lincoln Center, Avery Fisher Hall, New York City Opera, and Juilliard. Burton blends compelling and hilarious storytelling of most unusual life with a folk-pop arpeggio guitar style and a “James Taylor baritone.” Burton’s concerts are musical and theatrical experiences, moving from a riveting account of depression and prison and fatherhood and love lived and lost to crushing folk ballads and bossa nova rhythms. Burton is the host of the nationally syndicated show Hohm From Here and the leader/producer of John Burton & the CoffeeHouse Band. He has performed An Evening With James Taylor & Friends all throughout the Northeast and is presently performing a two-year residency at the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center in Westchester, NY.

Upon inquiring with the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center, an employee with the Hudson Valley venue confirmed that not only had John Burton not had a "two-year residency" during the time frame indicated, they haven't had any residencies since their founding in 2017.

Representatives from Juilliard and the New York City Opera also responded to indicate they had no record of Burton having performed with their institutions.

Though officials from Lincoln Center did not reply to my requests seeking information about Burton having performed at their facilities, an online search for performances in the Lincoln Center Theater archives dating back to 1985 did not yield any results demonstrating Burton had ever performed there.

Additionally, I was unable to find any evidence that Burton has performed "An Evening With James Taylor & Friends all throughout the Northeast," much less having "toured the entire United States."

While Burton did not respond to my inquiries regarding the performances, none of these esteemed venues or events were mentioned when host Allison Chawla asked about his live performance history on Talk With Allison (Episode 30, 3:45). Burton only noted that "the venues that [he's] performed at may not still be there" before naming "The Colony in Woodstock" and "some stuff in Tarrytown."

It goes without saying that the world-renowned Lincoln Center, New York City Opera, and Juilliard are all active endeavors.

It is also worth noting that the breathless commentary in the press release is not credited to any named individuals. It is simply labeled as praise from "critics." This effusive praise is nowhere to be found online outside of the press release itself.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the entire premise of John Burton's press release is also based on two significant lies. The first being that he would be releasing his "next album" (absent any evidence he ever released a first album), and the second being that his podcast (which did not even launch its first episode until over two years later in July 2022) was already being nationally syndicated on the Spotify platform.

Burton's so-called “next” album, which as far as anyone knows may never have even been recorded, remains unreleased.

It bears repeating that the major news John Burton's press release was announcing about his album, concert series, and podcast was entirely invented.

"Authenticity is admired and pomposity is the calling card of a dunce"

Apart from this seemingly endless series of brazen falsehoods, John Burton has also positioned himself as a "public figure" who has pontificated at length about his philosophy of "Ivy" values underpinning the style:

I am a person who values thought and work ethic. I understand the value and stability of classics, and I welcome a little rebellion to keep things moving. Morals are important to me, or less controversially put, being fair and decent is important to me. I am inclusive, I like music, and dependability is part of My Personal Tradition. Authenticity is admired and pomposity is the calling card of a dunce. I spend money on quality and won’t buy anything I can’t wear ten years from now. Manners matter, but because I think so much of thought, manners are reflexive. What things mean is as important as how things look, how things look is important too though. I am a good person.

Regardless of the noble attributes he has taken pains to equate with his Ivy Style brand, a review of Burton’s recent and past history inevitably suggests that he is not as concerned with these values as he is with burnishing his own reputation.

Perhaps most tellingly, Burton has all but confessed to a willingness to lie with his offhand admission to Allison Chawla that at some point in his life he "stopped caring what was true." The reasonable assumption given the weight of the evidence is that John Burton is not the celebrated figure whose writings “have been read and praised by hundreds of thousands” but a blatantly self-aggrandizing fabulist.

John Burton did not respond to requests for comment or clarification.

Trent Broughton is a freelance writer based in Seattle.

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