Carl Horowitz

On Aug. 17, a federal jury in N.J. found Robert “Bob” Lee, Sr., ex-boss and founder of the Int’l Boxing Fed’n, guilty on six counts of union corruption. He faces 37 to 46 months in jail for convictions on three counts of racketeering, two counts of tax evasion and one count of money laundering.

U.S. Atty. for N.J., Robert J. Cleary, charged Lee with taking $338,000 in bribes from promoters and managers to fix rankings and sanction fights. The jury, found Lee guilty in his dealings with Francisco Fernandez of Colombia, the IBF’s S. Am. representative. Lee was acquitted on charges of improper payments to him by promoters Bob Arum, Cedric Kushner and Dino Duva.

Federal prosecutors continue their civil case against Lee and his son Robert, Jr., in which they are seeking a permanent injunction to keep the Lees from any involvement in the IBF and attempting to recover … Read More ➡

Unidentified dissident members of the Clark County Education Ass’n in Nevada have recently circulated bulletins under the name the Committee to Impeach Sue Strand. Strand is the top boss of CCEA. They accuse Strand of greed and utter incompetence.

One bulletin focused on Strand’s apparent indifference to union corruption. It quotes some of her published statements from recent years when she was asked about the embezzlement charges against ex-CCEA director Steve Confer in Indiana, Strand dismissed it as “just a silly issue.”  Confer pled guilty to union embezzlement on July 26.

Another bulletin went after the boss’ salary. “Members got a 1 percent raise and no increase in their benefits, but their president got an 11.6 percent increase,” states one bulletin. That raise would hike Strand’s compensation package from $100,566 to $112,238. By contrast, a beginning teacher makes $26,060. [Las Vegas Rev.-J. 10/28/99]

Workers Loose Libel Case against Union
The … Read More ➡

The St. Tammany Fire Protection District (La.) board voted 3-1 Mar. 9 to fire Slidell Firefighters Ass’n boss Terrel Noland for illegal political activities by a civil servant. The District found Noland guilty of influence-peddling in the 1998 Slidell City Council elections. Louisiana law allows union officials who also are under civil service to have a right to speak and take certain actions on behalf of the union. But Noland allegedly offered several council candidates union financial and political support in exchange for agreeing to appoint someone new to one or both of the two board slots appointed by the council. Noland denied making any quid pro quo offers. [Times-Picayune 3/10/99]

Massachusetts AFL-CIO Pulls Plug on Buffalo’s Propaganda Radio
The radio program, “Prospering in America,” a union-funded, far-left radio program lost its funding Mar. 5, ending a 6-year run on WHTT-FM in Buffalo. The union show was forced to close … Read More ➡

DC37’s Local 2507 executive board suspended its president, Kevin Lightsey, vice-president, Kirk Delnick, and secretary-treasurer, Rudy Boyd, Jan. 6 amid allegations of financial corruption. The board gave no official explanation, but Richard McAllan, a board member, said, “There’s a pattern of deception that was going on, particularly relating to auto reimbursements.” Another source leaked that Lightsey and Delnick were suspended for double dipping. Allegedly, Local 2507 had leased Buick LeSabres for each boss while they also received a $7,200 annual vehicle allowance from DC37. The source also said that Boyd was suspended for mismanaging finances and obstructing investigations. There were also allegations that Lightsey and ex-secretary-treasurer Alfred Loving wrongfully obtained a union credit card and charged questionable items. Loving is awaiting trial for allegedly forging a union check for a car down payment. [N.Y. Times & Newsday 1/7/99]

Financial Chaos Envelops DC37
DC37 faces $4.5 million in unexpected expenses … Read More ➡

An 80-page report, released Sep. 22 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for N.J details discipline taken against 24 bosses of the Hotel Employees & Restaurant Employees Int’l Union have been disciplined under an internal reform process supervised by the U.S. Justice Dep’t. The “Fourth Report of the Monitor of HERE” describes the corrupt practices at the highest levels of the union including: Edward T. Hanley, who stepped down as general president in July after serving in that capacity for 25 years (see: UCU 1.4 7/27/98); and his son, Thomas Hanley, HERE’s director of organization until Aug. 31 (see: UCU 1.8 9/21/98). Others disciplined include locals bosses in Chicago, Milwaukee, Buffalo, Pittsburgh and Cleveland many of whom were linked to organized crime. The report is full of financial mismanagement, fraud, cronyism, nepotism, inadequate internal controls and undemocratic practices. It illustrates union officers using union funds for their own personal expenses; officers … Read More ➡