AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka, the former boss of the United Mine Workers, knows his union history.
And thanks to a gift, when he forgets a detail or two, he can tap a library of speeches from Big Labor’s founder, John L. Lewis.
When he headed the mine workers, which Lewis also ran, the wife of the union’s research director brought in five boxes of Lewis’ speeches, a full collection of every one he gave. “Some of them,” said Trumka, “are on the old tissue paper.” He plans to reproduce them to circulate to researchers. …
- Being President Trump’s interior secretary and a former energy lobbyist means facing a constant string of ethics attacks from critics. But Secretary David Bernhardt has a way around getting into trouble, especially when meeting with former clients. According to colleagues, he carries a special “ethics recusal card” that shows who he shouldn’t meet with. An aide described it as an “easy pocket card” for his boss. …
- Longtime NPR legal affairs reporter Nina Totenberg has become ailing Associate Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s companion at public events. She joined Ginsburg twice this month after reports the justice underwent new cancer treatments. Each time, she appeared as a friend of the justice. At the National Book Festival, Totenberg said, “I do know that if you want to call the Ginsburg residence … on a weekend day, you do not call before noon.” Three days later, with Ginsburg at the Clinton Center in Little Rock, Arkansas, she even won a compliment from the former president, who said, “I think we’ve reached the stage in our life when I can admit without hurting her career, one of my favorite journalists, Nina Totenberg.” …
PHONE CALLS:
Nina Totenberg with Ginsburg at NatBookFest: “If you want to call the Ginsburg residence …on a weekend day, you do not call before noon.”https://t.co/Ref8GHAgpf
Totenberg with RBG in Little Rock last night: “I called you up and you gave me an hour-long lecture.” pic.twitter.com/Y77RgubmO1
— Howard Mortman (@HowardMortman) September 4, 2019
