What Do You Have to Lose? Part 2

Take note of this word. 

I love a good story. So gather 'round kids while Tio Jaime tells you a great story.

Everybody comfortable?

Cool. This is a story your ol' Tio Jaime came across on the inter webs. If you want to read it, just click this link to a story in the Los Angeles Times.

Now kids, this is an old story - from 1985. But the latest chapters in the saga were just a couple years go.

Here we go.

Once upon a time in a far off magical land called California, lived a bunch of young students. These kids went to a school called Eshelman Avenue Elementary School. Their parents had formed a PTA and wanted to do a fundraiser for the kiddos. So some of the parents walked their first graders around their neighborhood selling holiday-themed items like chocolate Santa's and Christmas ornaments.

They did pretty well too, racking up about $17 grand in sales. That was supposed to net the PTA about $8,000 in profit - just in time for the holidays. But the company didn't come through with the money at the date they indicated they would.

Weeks passed.

Weeks turned into months.

At one point they were even given an unsigned check by the company and told that the company didn't have the money but would in a month.

According to the article above, the company's president was a man named Rick Seeberger.

But Tio Jaime, I've heard that name before.

Thats right mijo, you have. Now calmala and don't interrupt, I'm getting to that.

Where was I? Oh yes, months had gone by and the kiddos never got their cash.

So the Los Angeles Times did an interview with Rick Seeberger.

In the interview, "Seeberger said that he left the company in March, when its inability to pay bills--including Seeberger's salary--forced him to file for personal bankruptcy." 

But Tio Jaime, isn't that the guy with the big bill -

Hey, hey. Didn't I tell you to chata already mijo?

Chata?

Yeah, chata hell up and let me tell the story.

Sorry Tio Jaime.

Its cool mijo, just let me finish and don't ruin it for everyone else. Where was I? Oh yeah, the vato is the president of the company, but said he left the company because they weren't paying the vato and he had to file bankruptcy.

This is where things get really interesting...

Turns out that the newspaper kept asking questions. They wanted to know who else worked for the company. Here's what the paragraph in the article said,

Seeberger would not name any other officers in the company, saying the information is "nobody else's business." Records filed in the secretary of state's office, dated February, 1985, list Seeberger as chief executive officer, chief financial officer, director and agent of the company. Huntington Beach resident Jenny Weddle, the only other person listed as an officer of the company, is named as secretary, but Weddle could not be reached for comment. The company phone number has been disconnected.

Thats cray-cray Tio! 

I know, huh?

So after they filed bankruptcy Seeberger said he still intended for the school to get paid and told the paper that he offered to have the kids do another fundraiser sale.

What? Tio, esta mas loco que la chin-

Hey! Watch your mouth cabron!

Sorry Tio, but does he think those people are stupid o que?

Hold on foo, let me get there. I'm telling the story here...

Anywho, the school district in LA had bad policies in place that opened the door for these kind of pendejadas to take place. The company was approved by the district to do business with schools. The district has since changed policies to make sure that schools get their cut first.

Now kids, that Rick Seeberger name sounds familiar doesn't it? Well there is a Republican guy running for congress here in El Paso with the same name right now.

Is it the same vato, Tio Jaime?

Good question mijo. I don't know for sure. Its not a common name. But, I did try to find out of it was the same vato. I sent a message to his official campaign Facebook page and asked if he was the same guy featured in the article and if so, if he wanted to give his side of the story.



Now, I don't know who Wesley Anthony Lawrence is, but that was the auto reply I got last night when I reached out in an attempt to verify if it was the same Rick Seeberger.

As you can see in this screen shot, someone has read the message this morning at 6:41, but no one has answered my query.

What's a query Tio?

Look it up.

While you're at it, read the article I posted above. After all, what do you have to lose?