FRANKLIN, Tenn. (WTVF) — He's a relative unknown running for office based on what he says is an incredible resume: a former aerospace executive, head of an apparel printing company, even a trained therapist.
But a NewsChannel 5 investigation discovered that the resume claimed by Jeff Feldman, a candidate for Franklin alderman, may not be what it seems.
NewsChannel 5 Investigates began investigating after hearing Feldman, a man who moved here from California just a year ago, make sometimes grandiose claims about himself and his accomplishments.
"You can't talk out of both sides of your mouth, and I think we need some people in government here who are going to be honest and transparent," Feldman said during a recent candidates forum.
NewsChannel 5 had come to that forum, like Franklin voters, with questions.
"Mr. Feldman, we'd like to ask about your bio," we asked as the candidate left the podium.
"I don't have time, Phil," he answered.
We pressed, "You list on your bio that you had an aerospace company. What was that company?"
"Look it up," Feldman shot back.
Again, we tried to get answers: "How can you claim to be a therapist when you never had such a license?"
"Nice to meet you," he said, walking off.
Feldman would eventually agree to sit down and answer our questions.
We noted, "And you said you didn't trust me."
"Well, that is true. That is one of the things," he agreed.
Still, it quickly became clear that Feldman blamed NewsChannel 5 for a scene where Gabrielle Hanson supporters, who are also backing him, tried to physically block us from attending a mayoral forum in his Westhaven neighborhood.
"We like to keep things in Westhaven very insulated, and we did that until you showed up the other day and you posted people's addresses online," he claimed.
NewsChannel 5 responded, "I did not post people's addresses online. You just said something that's absolutely not true."
"Ok," he answered.
But it would not be the last questionable claim to come out of Feldman's mouth, especially as we quizzed him about his campaign bio where he claims to have been "managing partner/owner in several businesses" -- including an "aerospace" business.
NewsChannel 5 Investigates noted, "Your bio says that you have been managing partner or owner in several businesses, including aerospace."
"Yes," Feldman acknowledged.
Yet, his LinkedIn resume — which he took down as we were investigating — and a 2018 resume posted online showed no sign of any aerospace company.
"You know, I don't update most of this stuff. I haven't worked for anybody," Feldman said.
Again, we pressed for an explanation.
"So what was the aerospace company that you were the managing partner or owner of?"
"Well, I was the partner of that company. It was in California."
"What company?"
"I'm not going to give you the name. They work with the Department of Defense."
"If you were a managing partner or owner of an aerospace company..."
"I was a partner."
"Why would you not say the name of the company?"
"Because it's a privately held company, and they work for the Department of Defense, and it's not for me to put that out there."
"But companies are registered with the state of California. So why won't you say that?"
"Because I respect privacy."
At this point, NewsChannel 5 Investigates asked, "Why should people believe this company even exists if you won't give the name?"
"They don't have to, that's OK," the alderman candidate admitted.
Feldman's bio also lists an "apparel printing" company that he supposedly headed.
NewsChannel 5 Investigates noted, "I don't see an apparel printing company on your resume."
"Because I don't update my resume, Phil."
"So what was the name of that company?"
Feldman had trouble coming up with an answer.
"That was, that was. Wow, you're putting me on the spot. All of a sudden I'm..."
At that point, he sighed.
We pressed, "If you were the managing partner or owner shouldn't you remember?"
"Yes, yes."
Suddenly, he remembered.
"Oh, Print and Cultivate."
NewsChannel 5 Investigates later tracked down the owner of Print and Cultivate in Irvine, Calif., who told us Feldman worked there in sales, but was never a partner nor an owner.
By this point, Feldman had grown irritated with the questions.
"Phil, what is the obsession with my so-called resume?"
We noted, "Well, anyone who wants to run for office should be honest about their credentials."
"So why aren't we asking other people about that?"
"Because I have looked at other candidates' resumes. Theirs don't have the holes that yours..."
"Well, mine has holes because I don't work for anybody."
In candidate interviews and on his campaign bio, Feldman also says, "I went to school and became a therapist" — and he references his "psychology background."
We wanted to know, "So you would help people sort through their psychological issues, marriage issues?"
"Whatever they wanted, yes, whatever they wanted to talk about."
"Where did you go to school?"
"In Los Angeles."
"Which school?"
"I went to Anderson and Anderson."
But Anderson & Anderson, we discovered, is a California company that sells a 40-hour class for those wanting to become "certified anger management facilitators."
NewsChannel 5 Investigates asked Feldman, "That's a 40-hour course?"
"I don't remember how many hours it was," he claimed. "As a business person, I was able to turn that into a business, and it helped a lot of people."
A 2001 Los Angeles Times article described a situation in California where "anybody can set up a program, call it anger management and hope to get court referrals... You keep your fingers crossed and hope they are doing a good job."
But Feldman argued it's all the same.
"We don't necessarily always want to go to Vanderbilt where they support ideologies instead of real medical," he said.
Again, we pressed.
"You were not licensed as a marriage and family therapist?"
"I was not licensed"
"You were not licensed as a clinical social worker?"
"I was not."
"You were not licensed as a clinical counselor.
"I was not."
"You were not licensed as an educational psychologist."
"I was not licensed, no."
NewsChannel 5 Investigates wanted to know, "So isn't it a bit misleading to say that you were a therapist?"
"No," Feldman insisted.
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