Posted on 05/27/2003 9:37:47 PM PDT by LdSentinal
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Three board members of a labor-created nonprofit political organization have resigned, calling into question the future of a group set up to raise at least $30 million to turn out voters for Democrats in 2004.
Mounting opposition from minority groups against Steve Rosenthal, the former AFL-CIO political director who founded the Partnership for America's Families and is serving as executive director, and concerns about management led to the resignations last week.
Rosenthal did not return a message left for him at the partnership's office.
Minority groups, including the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists, complained that Rosenthal has been insensitive to their concerns.
Gerald McEntee, president of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, said in a resignation letter to Rosenthal that he has "lost confidence that the partnership can serve as an effective vehicle for achieving the political change that America needs."
McEntee also was concerned about management problems.
"The lack of communication between the partnership staff and its leadership has left me concerned about the shifting goals of the organization," McEntee said in his letter.
McEntee said in the letter he was resigning as chairman of the board and ceasing AFSCME's financial support. Also resigning were Carl McCall, Democratic challenger to New York Gov. George Pataki and former state comptroller, and also Linda Chavez-Thompson, AFL-CIO executive vice president.
McCall echoed McEntee's concerns about management of the partnership, saying in his letter last week that he had not heard from Rosenthal since he was asked April 10 to serve on the board.
The group was formed with the idea of pooling soft-money contributions from traditional supporters of the Democratic Party. Soft money was banned to parties under last year's campaign finance law, and the group now plans to use it for get-out-the-vote drives.
Several labor unions, including the Teamsters and the International Association of Machinists, refused to join the partnership. The machinists union complained that labor leaders weren't given enough details about oversight and management.
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