 |
New York carpenters union head pleads guilty to racketeering charges
By: Mark Hemingway
Commentary Staff Writer
07/29/10 5:05 PM EDT
Surprise! Corruption is still a major problem in organized labor:
After years of fighting criminal charges, the former head of the union that represents carpenters in New York City pleaded guilty on Wednesday to taking part in a racketeering scheme stretching back over a decade, the authorities said.
The former leader, Michael J. Forde, was accused along with nine other union officials and contractors of stealing millions of dollars from the union and its benefit funds.
The men were named last year in a 29-count indictment that charged that in exchange for bribes, Mr. Forde and the others allowed contractors to pay union members cash wages below union scale with no benefits, to hire illegal and nonunion workers, and to skip benefit contributions.
Forde is facing up to 40 years in prison on the charges. One would think that the prevalence of corruption would make Democrats think twice about exempting unions from campaign finance laws or calling for the card check legislation, as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi did today. But as long as unions keep writing big campaign checks to Democrats, I don’t think that’s going to happen.
More from Mark Hemingway
- With unemployment at 9.6 percent, why is the White House obsessed with sex?
- Rasmussen: Nevada Senate race deadlocked at 45-45
- Another day, another poll showing most New Yorkers oppose mosque at ground zero
- White House said to be considering tax cuts ahead of midterms
- Time magazine brands Obama ‘Mr. Unpopular’
Follow The Examiner
.jpg){kind=small}
