SECOND MCKEON BROTHER FILES BANKRUPTCY NOTICE.

Byline: Jason Takenouchi Staff Writer

The failure of Howard & Phil's Western Wear has swept up another McKeon brother in its wake.

Citing over $8.3 million in corporate and personal liabilities, former Howard & Phil's executive Timothy J. McKeon filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy late last month. The filing came just weeks after another McKeon brother, Monte, filed for bankruptcy.

Timothy, Monte and two other brothers - Joseph B. and John D. - managed Howard & Phil's before its collapse earlier this year. The once high-flying retail chain had struggled under a 1996 Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization.

Rep. Howard P. ``Buck'' McKeon, R-Santa Clarita, also owned 20 percent of the company. But a spokesman said the congressman was not involved in the operation of the company since 1992.

The company's collapse left a stream of lawsuits and unpaid creditors, including employees who claim they were left with over $12,000 in unpaid wages when Howard & Phil's closed its doors.

Timothy McKeon's Oct. 25 filing will remove him from a lawsuit by Howard & Phil's largest creditor, Coast Business Credit.

According to the petition filed by McKeon and his wife, Janette, both are unemployed and seeking living expenses of $7,903 a month, or about $95,000 a year. Those estimated expenses include $2,190 a month for car payments.