Allegations of Wrongdoing by SEIU and Its President Andy Stern
First, via Instapundit, we have Big Government reporting on allegations of illegal tactics by the SEIU in a union election. The allegations, made in a sworn affidavit by a former SEIU worker, include “changing ballots and threatening to report a worker to immigration officials,” according to the Wall Street Journal.
Second, via Hot Air, we have an exclusive report of a letter from Americans for Tax Reform and the Alliance for Worker Freedom seeking an investigation of SEIU president Andy Stern for allegedly lobbying despite being unregistered as a lobbyist. The evidence includes Stern’s Twitter feeds, where he says things like this:
Lobbying with Mayor Bloomberg on health care. Leaving Senator Snowe. Mayor big proponent of keeping people healthy and the right public plan
Now might be a good time to recall that the release of White House visitor logs showed that Stern was the most frequent visitor to the White House. Browsing through Stern’s Twitter feed, I saw this entry from February 18:
just left White House where group from MoveOn to Chamber of Commerce but mostly progressives had cocktails with Prez and VP
It’s progressive heaven!
UPDATE: Meanwhile, an Eagle Scout clears a path through a park, and the local SEIU chapter considers filing a grievance against the city for allowing it to happen:
”We’ll be looking into the Cub Scout or Boy Scout who did the trails,” [local SEIU president Nick] Balzano told the council.
Might hafta bash a few skulls.
The little president man’s Administration invites corruption. Mostly cause of how the little president man is stealing monies and sprinkling them around to the scum that elected him. Andy’s SEIU saw how the little president man ganked the shareholders of GM and gave all the equity to his fat-ass illiterate UAW thug friends. The SEIU wants them some of that action.
happyfeet (b919e7) — 11/16/2009 @ 7:44 amBut SEIU is soooo generous!
For example, the city currently does not have an electrician available because of the layoffs and an employee on an extended sick leave. As a result, the city has been forced to hire an outside union electrician to oversee the installation for the popular Lights on the Parkway holiday display.
“In the spirit of the holiday, we decided to let that go,” Balzano said.
Brother Bradley J. Fikes, C.O.R. (0ea407) — 11/16/2009 @ 7:47 amThe SEIU is an EVIL organization run by Dr. Evil.
PCD (1d8b6d) — 11/16/2009 @ 8:56 am“It’s progressive heaven!”
m (26b3d2) — 11/16/2009 @ 9:11 amGood one.
Nothing to see here, just move along!
AD - RtR/OS! (785778) — 11/16/2009 @ 9:24 amThe financial collapse of California will be the real clarion call on the SEIU and its role in the corruption of the country.
Mike K (2cf494) — 11/16/2009 @ 9:44 am“Balzano said Saturday he isn’t targeting Boy Scouts. But given the city’s decision in July to lay off 39 SEIU members, Balzano said ”there’s to be no volunteers.” No one except union members may pick up a hoe or shovel, plant a flower or clear a walking path. ”
This is tyranny. Your child cannot help the community unless it’s going to make democrats rich. They will attempt to intimidate your family if you do not obey.
Democrats.
Dustin (bb61e3) — 11/16/2009 @ 9:52 amCalifornia’s tax base is shrinking while Andy’s SEIU whores lay claim to more and more monies.
This will not end well.
It never does.
happyfeet (71f55e) — 11/16/2009 @ 10:27 amOver at ZeroHedge, there was a post about the SEIU organizing a protest against Goldman Sachs in DC. From the comments:
Awesome. One group specializing in robbing taxpayers protesting another group specializing in robbing taxpayers.
Another Chris (2d8013) — 11/16/2009 @ 11:32 am“Might hafta bash a few skulls.”
LOL.
Ten SEIU guys might be able to take on a couple of cub scouts…but, only if they snuck up on ’em.
Dave Surls (f225d6) — 11/16/2009 @ 11:54 amBe careful about criticizing SEIU or ACORN. Sometimes, just being close to certain operations can be hazardous to your health.
Now, if it had been two gunshots to the head, I would really be suspicious. At least his family didn’t get a wrapped fish.
Mike K (2cf494) — 11/16/2009 @ 11:55 amI’m thinking (hoping) year #224 isn’t going to be so great for you either, Mr. Stern.
em (11cf60) — 11/16/2009 @ 12:12 pmSuicide or Chicagocide?
It’s too soon to make the call. So, keep a sharp eye out for signs of a cover-up. Real Estate transactions leave a paper trail in the public record. Efforts to close that door will tell the tale and that will point the way to bigger fish.
Lots of 2nd City big shots and political insiders got burned bad when the Olympics went to Brazil,
ropelight (797778) — 11/16/2009 @ 12:26 pmconsequently, quite a few once high flying heads are on the chopping block. This could get ugly fast.
Comment by Mike K — 11/16/2009 @ 11:55 am
The links states that he died of a GSW to the left-temple….
AD - RtR/OS! (785778) — 11/16/2009 @ 2:22 pmWas he Left-handed?
Interesting. I thought that Chicago was one of the places that tries to make law abiding citizens unarmed.
If it was a suicide, I guess the guy wasn’t very law abiding now, was he?
Dr. K (adb7ba) — 11/16/2009 @ 2:49 pmLeft handed, schmeft handed. This is Chicago.
When I was a little kid, my father was in the juke box business and knew Al Capone, among other gangsters. A couple of them used to bounce me on their knee and my mother was always afraid I would be there when someone came to call and leave a message. Two guys he knew pretty well were shot when I was in grammar school. One of them had been trying to become a “partner” in his business. One day, his brother called him and said, “Get the names of the people you are with. Red Fawcett was just shot.” He wasn’t into that stuff, though.
Which is why he wasn’t in that business for long after the war. You didn’t compete with the Mafia. Once they got interested in a business, everybody else got out. My father had been into nickelodeons in the early 1930s but it didn’t matter. I wish I had some of them now. He had some that had four instruments. By the time I saw them, they were stored in a loft. They’d be in a museum now.
I can remember walking to grammar school one morning and learning that a labor union boss, who lived on Merrill Avenue, a 1/2 block from St Philip Neri church, had been shot the night before coming home. We were looking for shell casings but didn’t find any.
Growing up in Chicago.
Mike K (2cf494) — 11/16/2009 @ 3:50 pmSome of those SEIU guys are kinda hefty. Hard to picture them getting a lot done out there with a shovel.
When you cut the bottom achieving 10% of your labor force, you don’t even miss them.
SteveG (97b6b9) — 11/16/2009 @ 4:02 pmFor Stern to count as a lobbyist per the statute, he has to devote >20% of his time to lobbying.
Seems pretty unlikely.
jpe (d7521d) — 11/16/2009 @ 4:41 pm”We’ll be looking into the Cub Scout or Boy Scout who did the trails, [local SEIU president Nick] Balzano told the council.”
SEIU
toughswhiny babies taking on the Boy Scouts? Desperate to feel relevant, I s’pose. The ironic thing as MM brings up, is that our President and First Lady have repeatedly been pushing volunteerism since he got into office. They’ve made it their cause du jour.Take away: follow your President and the thugs will come after you.
Dana (e9ba20) — 11/16/2009 @ 5:17 pmComment by jpe — 11/16/2009 @ 4:41 pm
If he’s not spending a minimum of 1/3 of his time lobbying, he should be fired.
AD - RtR/OS! (785778) — 11/16/2009 @ 5:40 pmThat’s what his job is, to represent his members.
22 visits to the White House in 7 months. That’s 3 days at the White House every 4 weeks. Any time spent in preparation for those visits also counts. How much time did he spend lobbying Mayor Bloomberg? How much time did he spend in preparation? How much time did he spend lobbying various Senators and Representatives? How much time did he spend in preparation? All of that time is considered lobbying time, per the law.
In the past 7 months, he has spent nearly 20 percent of his workweek specifically lobbying the President, according to the law. And that’s not counting all the time he has spent lobbying everyone else he’s been lobbying. I highly suspect he is spending more than 40 percent of his time lobbying, according to the law.
rockmom on November 16, 2009 at 9:19 AM (in the comment section of the above Hot Air link)
John Hitchcock (3fd153) — 11/16/2009 @ 8:24 pm@ John Hitchcock: thanks for noting that prep time also counts toward the 20%. Activity re: Bloomberg wouldn’t count, though: the statute only covers the US exec branch and the Congress.
jpe (08c1dd) — 11/17/2009 @ 6:39 amThanks for helping shine the light on this situation! I hope the Justice Department agrees to this request, for at least an investigation.
Aakash (1644a1) — 11/18/2009 @ 12:47 pm