INDEX OF AUCTION TOPICS DISCUSSED
BY THE LOUISIANA AUCTIONEER LICENSING BOARD (LALB)

 

 Cronyism


September 1, 2015

 

 

 
Audience member Quan Nguyen, who has filed a formal
complaint with the Louisiana State Board of Contractors entailing
a problematic residential contractor, expresses his dismay at
what all he observed on LAPA's website entailing auctioneers.  Nguyen
wanted to pursue auction for making a home purchase and, in
conducting research on the matter, came across LAPA's website, and
contacted LAPA Vice President Robert Burns about his concerns.  Burns, in turn,
encouraged him to attend the next LALB meeting and voice his concerns publicly.
Nguyen's concerns over auctions resulted from him
 visiting LAPA's individual auctioneer issues page.

 

 

The following table contrasts inconsistency of treatment of auction complainants by LALB and thereby illustrates its cronyism and patsy nature.  Table created:  January, 2015. 

 

                                                      AUCTION COMPLAINANT

Item Under Consideration or Being Examined

 

 

 

BRANT THOMPSON (son of State Sen. Francis Thompson)

DAVID SWIFT

JUDY FASOLA

BETTY STORY (82 years old @ time of auction)

Auctioneer

Bruce Miller (died two days after alleged auction)

Gary & Randy Hayes (holders of firm license).

Mac Buhler (holder of firm license employing son, Ken)

Marlo Schmidt

Reason for contracting with auctioneer

Wanted to liquidate personal belongings.

Wanted to liquidate estate of deceased father.

Wanted to liquidate her personal belongings being housed at her 93-year-old mother’s residence only months before her mother's impending death.

Wanted to liquidate her personal belongings and two (2) houses in order for HER to move into an assisted living facility (she wanted to move into the Canterbury House in Alexandria, LA)

Did LALB file a bond claim against auctioneer’s bond?

YES.

YES.

NO.

NO. N/A.  LALB incredibly declined to even find auctioneer guilty, thus negating any successful bond claim.
Did auctioneer intend to remain in auction business?

(Read this entry
straight across
rows rather than column by
column).		 NO.  He's dead!!!

Notice the
above.  THAT is
to file claims (any
(any presence of
examine some of
contradicted
NO.  CLICK HERE.

inverse
is the REAL reason
presence of  LALB's
the B/S reasons
themselves in
 		YES.

 relationship
for the difference
"pushback" from
continuing
the LALB gave
doing so.
 		YES.

between the two rows
in the LALB's willingness
auctioneers).  Now let's
auctioneers).
 and how they readily

LALB’s assessment of contract sufficiency

Accepted undated “contract” for which detailed descriptions and apparent EXPECTED prices were supplied AFTER-THE-FACT!!

Didn’t require ANY contract, and G & R readily admitted they had none and "didn't even know what a contract was."

Chairman Steinkamp sharply criticizes Fasola for not obtaining WRITTEN contract with RESERVES SPECIFIED.

 
Direct evidence that merchandise actually consigned to auctioneer? No. Investigator Jim Steele:  No evidence Mr. Thompson was a consignor at this auction whatsoever. Undisputed. Undisputed. Undisputed

Evidence of Consignor making formal request for reserves?

No.  Nevertheless, LALB said it would be happy to file bond claim and "let the bond company worry about value."

No.  Nevertheless, LALB happily filed bond claim and let Ms. Swift and the bonding company settle up on the valuation.

Yes.   Watch Ms. Fasola relay how Buhler handled her requests for reserves.

Yes.  Watch Ms. Story relay EXACTLY which items she for which she requested reserves and the reserve amounts requested.
What was LALB told about auctioneer's handling of request for reserves?        

 


To return to LAPA's Index Page of Auctioneer Issues Discussions by the LALB,  CLICK HERE