A petition calling for the resignation of Athens City Councilman Chris Seibert is gaining traction online after a group of concerned citizens accused Seibert of corruption and questionable business dealings related to recent mass Haitian immigration.
"We are writing to express our deep concern about the corruption of city council, in particular Chris Seibert. We have sought answers to very basic questions and those concerns have been ignored by elected city officials," the petition stated. "As members of this community, we feel that it is our constitutional right to seek answers to the many questions that we have and to demand that the current situation change."
After seeking answers to a sudden influx of Haitian migrants in the area — as many other cities in Alabama have experienced — citizens began to investigate on their own when their questions to city leadership went unanswered.
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"This issue started when we noticed that there was an increase in the number of Haitian migrants in the city and when we reached out to the city leaders with questions, the questions were not answered," the petition said. "As we started looking into public records and comparing notes, we have found more corruption, and it all comes from within city leadership and links back to the duration of the Mayor and all the City Councilmen's tenure."
The petition called out Seibert for having "at least seven different LLCs" in Athens, none of which have an Athens business license attached.
According to the Alabama Secretary of State's website, Seibert owns or is connected to multiple LLCs and businesses, including Athentic, Inc., Seibert Investments, LLC, and CB Seibert Properties, LLC.
"He has used his political position to cheat the people of Athens out of tax revenue desperately needed for the large influx of growth in this community," the petition continued. "He has a vested interest in migrants that fill his and family members properties quickly, and it is unclear whether Athens citizens have been harmed by this conflict of interest. It is also a conflict of interest for a sitting Council Member to investigate inhumane treatment of these migrants in housing properties that he owns."
The petition organizers, who asked to remain anonymous, told 1819 News they received threats after they started asking questions. They said the petition has received a lot of support so far despite some people being afraid of retaliation for signing on.
Multiple attempts by 1819 News to contact Seibert were unsuccessful. However, he has previously denied allegations that he has profited off Haitians or other immigrants.
"I don't get any private subsidies from the companies that I'm assuming have brought a lot of these people here," Seibert said last month on Huntsville WVNN's "The Dale Jackson Show." "I don't get any federal subsidies from any of them. They're just like any other tenant. They have legal documentation… I'm unaware of anybody receiving any subsidies."
The City released a statement on August 14 downplaying residents' concerns over the influx of migrants, saying they were in the country legally for work and that Athens is not a sanctuary city.
The petition concluded, "We, the undersigned, believe that [Seibert's] resignation would begin to address this issue and the safety and security that the citizens of Athens once living here will be restored."
Read the full text of the petition letter below. Find a link to the petition here.
To connect with the story's author or comment, email daniel.taylor@1819news.com or find him on X and Facebook.
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