Lawrence A. Triche

Review Board Hears Case Against Detroit Bosses

Submitted by Michael Nelson on Mon, 02/19/2001 - 01:00

Two federal investigators testified Feb. 5 that the leadership of Int'l Bhd. of Teamsters Local 337 in Detroit misused members' dues to fund their own reelection campaigns. At a hearing of the Independent Review Board, retired Dep't of Labor investigator Craig Woodhouse said officers in the local nion voted to give themselves a $100-a-week pay raise in 1996 without approval of the rank and file, and that some of that money went into the local officers' reelection campaign.

On June 2, IRB recommended that six Local 337 board members, including president Lawrence P. Brennan, be disciplined over allegedly funneling at least $14,000 in union dues into their reelection coffers, without members' permission. An IBT panel dismissed the charges and referred its decision to the board, which now will decide whether to take action. Brennan, who is also president of Joint Council 43 and a close ally of IBT boss James P. Hoffa, denied the allegations.

Pennsylvania Unionists Sentenced for Assault

Submitted by Michael Nelson on Mon, 11/06/2000 - 01:00

Three members of the Int'l Bhd. of Teamsters Local 115 were scheduled to be sentenced Oct. 25 in connection with the 1998 beating of Clinton protesters during a fundraising trip by Bill Clinton to Philadelphia. Mark Hopkins, Charles Davis and Norma Bottomer pled guilty in Sept. to various charges, including assault and conspiracy, in connection with the beating of protester Don Adams and his sister, Teri. Now five Teamsters have pled guilty in the case.  In 1999, Marc Nardonne and Kevin McNulty pled guilty to charges of riot, conspiracy and assault.

Both Adamses were beaten to the ground by Teamsters after a fight broke out during Clinton's Oct. 1998 at the height of the House impeachment inquiry in the Monica Lewinsky scandal.

Adams later filed a criminal complaint accusing Local 115 president John P.  Morris of starting the fight and of instructing union members to attack him.  The beatings, broadcast on local television stations, left Adams with a gash under his eye and multiple bruises. A federal civil rights lawsuit brought by Adams against  Morris is pending. [Wash. Times 10/25/00]

Syndicate content