Conflicting Evidence in Story that Billy Long Closed the Doors on Billy Long Auctions

The Springfield Business Journal makes it sound like Billy Long did the noble thing. He walked away from his auction business, closing the doors, so he could focus 100% on being a Congressman. (Does this mean Billy Long's endless hours at casinos are over too? You know you wouldn't want anything to interfere with that 100% focus.)

However, evidence doesn't really match the story reported in the Springfield Business Journal. They write Long sold what assets were in the auction business to competitors.

U.S. Rep. Billy Long was expected to sell his auction company but instead he decided to just close the doors.

After 29-years Long closed the doors on his auction company and according to his former vice president at Billy Long Auctions Llc. Long sold the company's assets to competitors.

Competitors? That's a funny way to put it. For over the past week, if you had tried to visit the Billy Long Auctions Web site, you were redelivered to the new Bob Kollmeir Auctions. As well, anyone who tried calling the 882-LONG phone number may have heard Bob Kollmeir's voice asking them to leave a message. It's hard to call Kollmeir a competitor when he has been part of Long auctions for so long. The story gets more interesting.

Rumors are abound that Kollmeir may be receiving a federal paycheck. For the past few weeks, I have heard it discussed in political circles that Kollmeir is Long's new agriculture advisor, something a few bloggers are working hard to confirm.

It just appears to me, as usual with Billy Long, that we aren't getting the entire story here. Did he close the doors or did he sell it to Kollmeir who may now be working on Long's staff in DC, helping Long pass bills benefiting companies like Monsanto, a large donor to Long's campaign? What assets did he have to sell? He went on the radio last year claiming the entire auction company was worthless without his name on the door.

There are plenty of holes in the SBJ story that need to be answered, and still there is no word what Billy Long is going to do with his 1/3 interest in Murney and Associates.