Date: Mon, 18 Aug 1997 23:17:20 EDT
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From: uvx196@juno.com (Jim Thompson)
Subject: Libelous Remarks (Long) (Was Re: Bus Boys Saga continues)
On Mon, 18 Aug 1997 15:37:37 -0700 Rob Clay <rob@traveller.com> writes:
>Hello all:
>I finally got a return call from Doug Hufnagle? owner of
>Bus Boys. It turns out he is a dentist, and doesn't even
>run Bus Boys.... I will admit it was good to finally get some
>communication started.... Albeit rather weak...
>
>Here's how it went:
>
>He wanted to know if I wanted to hear his story. I said sure.
>He begins by asking me if I know Jim, when I say yes, he wants
>to know how. I tell him I don't aactually 'know' him, but that
>I am familiar with who he is etc....
>
>He then proceeds to tell me how Jim & Bill tried to destroy
>his company. They stole things out the back door, erased computer
>files, destroyed records, etc..... Goes on and on about how there
>is a CASE #, and they're going to jail.... blah blah blah.....
>Telling me how it's all their fault and BS to that effect. I quickly
>reminded him that it was his company and therefore he was responsible
>for the actions of his employees.
>
>(In no way am I trying to slam Jim or Bill, I am just relating what
>the guy who *stole* from me told me, so take it for what its worth.)
>
>I tell him that is all besides the point and as far as I am concerned
>it has nothing to with my situation. I think this guy chuckled more
>during our short conversation than I have in a week... he kept
>avoiding the real issue. Wanted to talk about company policy etc..
>Trying to say it wasn't company policy to credit an account unless
>they had received the parts back. To that I asked, is it company
>policy to steal from people? no real response to that one.
>
>Finally, after me asking several times, he says he *can* credit
>my account instantly, DUH!!! But, does not say he will!! He does
>say he *wants* to make things right. Yea me too!! Then he wants
>to call me back, etc.... Conversation ended with him saying he
>would call me back.
>
>He brought up the internet :) asked if I was the one who had been
>posting, I told him yes indeed it was me. He wanted to know if
>I was going to post more, I said yes indeed. He wanted to know
>what I was going to post. I told him whatever you do is what I
>will post. no response again.
>
>So, maybe there is light at the end of the tunnel. I can only hope!
>
>I'll let you all know what happens.
Ok folks, now it's time for me to step into the fray, FWIW.
I wish to go on record here to state that the remarks made by Doug
Hufnagel, particularly the allegations made in Paragragh 4 of this text
is totally false, is a result of mis-information, unconfirmed rumours,
suspicions and without foundation as applicable to myself. I have spoken
to Rob and he agrees that statements of this type are inflammatory and
libleous. It only confirms what I have been slowly gathering from my own
sources of information that Dr. Hufnagel is on a search and destroy
mission to discredit my integrity in the VW community as a whole. There
are people on both lists, people in this business that I have dealt with
for up to 20 years that know of my fairness and integrity. If I was
supposed to have "destroyed" records and such, why do I still live 2
blocks from Doug's house (yes, it's been uncomfortable to say the least
these last 3 months) and have had no plans to re-locate out of the area?
Does he think I'm that stupid to pull something like that and still stick
around? What Case Number? If there was a case number, I would have been
already served and known about it.
In the few months since leaving Bus Boys, I have spoken to great many
people in the community that literally despise Dr. Hufnagel and his
business practices, evasiveness and tactics. They never wanted to say
anything before while I was running BBI because maybe, just maybe I could
straighten the place out to have some respectability in the VW Biz. But
buttin' heads with him after 4 years was all I could take and I am
thankful I'm outa there.
However, these allegations made to Rob are serious and can be detrimental
to my continued pursuit of reactivating my semi-dormant business and have
sent the following letter to him via FAX in response to these
allegations:
(Please note - attachment #1 is Rob's original posting above, attachment
#2 is a letter sent to Doug on the 21st of May, 1997 in regards to other
misinformation being spread to others that immediately contacted me [not
shown here but similar to this letter]).
Dear Doug,
It has again come to my attention via third party E-Mail in the
past 24 hours informing me of possible mis-information regarding my
status of past employment, association and the circumstances of my
termination of said association (at my request) at Bus Boys, Inc.
Information that has been provided to me by person(s) include
statement(s) of a derogatory matter of unconfirmed and unfounded
suspicions and accusations of what I feel are of an inflammatory and
libelous manner to the internet community as a whole and specifically to
wit: The Type 2 Internet Mailing List and The Vanagon Internet Mailing
List, which could preclude my possible continued efforts to reactivate
and continue my own business, Sherwood Automotive/Old Volks Home or if I
so choose, the pursuit of gainful employment.
I am securing permission from these person(s) to provide legal
documentation to confirm these conversations. Such documentation will be
provided to my legal counsel for appropriate action, as necessary. A
copy of one particular E-Mail tramission is supplied in Attachment #1 of
this letter.
I must make it clear that if any unfounded accusations,
allegations, suspicions are spoken, written or otherwise transmitted to
friends, customers, potential customers and vendors by any employee of
Bus Boys, Inc., without my knowledge or permission and without
substantial proof, that the employee(s) of Bus Boys, Inc., involved, Bus
Boys, Inc., itself and you will be met with immediate legal action. In
addition, I specifically request that retraction of the statement(s) made
to this person shown in Attachment #1 regarding my past association with
Bus Boys and must indicate that there are no confirmed instances of
fraud, theft or destruction of records of Bus Boys, Inc., until a full
investigation of the situation is concluded and an apology be made to the
Type 2 Internet Mailing List and the Vanagon Internet Mailing List as a
whole in regards to these inflammatory and libileous charges.
A further note to this situation is that this is the second time
I have had unconfirmed alledged information regarding my past association
with Bus Boys. On May 21, 1997, a letter was delivered, via fax to your
office regarding a similar situation and from appearances, that situation
was immediately attended to. A copy of that original letter is on
Attachment 3, this letter.
A copy of this letter has been provided to the person(s) who have
informed me of these circumstances, The Type 2 Internet Mailing List, The
Vanagon Internet Mailing List, my legal representation and to the local
labor relations board.
Your immediate attention into this matter is requested and will
be certainly appreciated.
Respectfully
Yours,
(Signed)
James E. Thompson
CC: Type 2 Internet List
CC: Vanagon Internet List
CC: Rob Clay
CC: Legal Representation
CC: State of California, Dept of Labor Relations
------------------------------------------------------
I have also reassured Rob that I have been working behind the scenes with
Laura at Bus Boys to insure that Rob does get his credit when the parts
do return to Bus Boys' doorstep. Although I wasn't even there when this
situation began, Laura felt it was necessary to call me and ask for
guidance about this situation and have done all I can do to rectify the
problem and I have been more than happy to assist her.
One more thing to add - Walt and Laura are the only people there at Bus
Boys these days trying to keep the place alive. Out of all the people
there (and that were there), I know them well enough that they can be
trusted to do the right thing by anyone having a problem (they are the
only ones I could ever trust). They call me several times a week to ask
this and that and I have had no qualms about giving them advice. So, as
a listmember, I say give these two people a break, they're really trying
as best as they can. But I wouldn't trust nor rely on Doug Hufnagel as
far as I could throw him and no amount of money in the world could
persuade me to go back and work for him as an employee or a partner ever
again.
OK - Enough of this thread - let's see what happens. "Now back to your
regularly scheduled programming" (besides - I'm missing Indiana Jones on
HBO right now - oh well, Bruce Willis is next in Die Hard With A
Vengeance).
Cheers
Jim Thompson
Sherwood Automotive * The Old Volks Home
http://www.c-zone.net/jim96003/oldvolks.htm
oldvolkshome1@juno.com (916) 221-5342
84 Westy 2.1 * 62 Beetle Sedan * 90 Fox Wagon
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