Unions? Corruption?...I'm shocked........
Posted on 12/11/2008 1:33:33 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
The Service Employees International Union has long boasted that it is on the cutting edge of the labor movement. But it found itself badly embarrassed this week when it was linked by name to Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich’s maneuvering to secure some financial gain from picking the next Senator from Illinois.
The federal criminal complaint filed against Mr. Blagojevich said his chief of staff, John Harris, had suggested to a service employees’ official that the union should help make the governor the head of Change to Win, the federation of seven unions that broke away from the A.F.L.-C.I.O. The complaint said Mr. Blagojevich was seeking a position that paid $250,000 to $300,000 a year.
In exchange, the complaint strongly suggested, the service employees union and Change to Win would help persuade Mr. Blagojevich to name Valerie Jarrett, President-elect Barack Obama’s first choice, as the state’s new senator. And the union would get help from the Obama administration, presumably for its legislative agenda.
Several union officials in Chicago and Washington said that the service employees official approached by Mr. Harris was Tom Balanoff, the president of the union’s giant janitors’ local in Chicago and head of the union’s Illinois state council. Mr. Balanoff, one of the union officials closest to Mr. Obama, is widely seen as an aggressive, successful labor leader, who has helped unionize thousands of janitors not just in the Chicago area but also in Texas.
Reached by telephone on Tuesday, Mr. Balanoff said, “I can’t comment on anything right now.”
The Illinois branch of the service employees issued a statement on Wednesday night saying, “We have no reason to believe that S.E.I.U. or any S.E.I.U. official was involved in any misconduct.” It added that the union and Mr. Balanoff “are fully cooperating with the federal investigation.”
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Unions? Corruption?...I'm shocked........
I’m shocked to hear there might be union corruption in this country....shocked, I say.
You really don’t believe this do you? Unions envolved with with crime? I never heard of such a thing. Hoffa would be turning in his grave.......or laughing.
Two years of popcorn and it STILL hasn't stopped?
I'm too fat to care anymore .. someone get me another beer.
If only that darn cement weren't so confining.
Unions+Politicians = Corruption
And we’re being asked to believe that the Dalai-Bama who swam in the sewer with these miscreants — remained “clean”...
And we’re being asked to believe that the Dalai-Bama can prove he is a natural born citizen - but no one will ask “Your papers please”....
Clearly, America has sunk to the depths required to allow this bozo to become the President Elect - due to the efforts of the 60’s freaknics and their control of the Indoctrination Centers — that you call Public Schools.
Sad thing is on January 21st this all goes away.
I see a single car tragic auto accident in Blanoff’s future.
I don’t think the mafia ever left Chicago. They just moved operations into politics. They legalized it and let the voters decide who would run the rackets.
Reached by telephone on Tuesday, Mr. Balanoff said, “I can’t comment on anything right now.”
Well I can!! How is that you say? Because I am not in the middle of the scandal, it’s easy.
This made it to the NYT?
I'm thrilled to see this mess is getting some real coverage.
Maybe the MSM will figure out that digging into this story will sell newpapers...
SEIU and ACORN are in need of serious RICO investigations. Their sole purpose is to undermine Capitalism and the U.S. Constitution.
We are way beyond the undermining of America’s institutions, with no return in site. What next? Prepare yourself.
The “cutting edge” of the labor “movement”?
Can someone explain to me how you can be on the “cutting edge” of Luddite anti-industrial guild socialism?
Ms. Rand had it right. Unionism, and its partner environmentalism, are nothing more than the Return to the Primitive.
JANITOR UNION?? ALL Unions are led by CORRUPT THUGS!!
Unions + Mob + Racists = Chicago Democrats
If you have access to streaming, tune into Michael Savage, he’s taking this head on tonight. Must listen if you can:
http://560wind.townhall.com/pages/michaelsavage and then “Listen Live”
right on
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