U.S. Dist. Court-appointed Election Officer Michael Cherkasky has delayed certifying James P. Hoffa’s Teamsters presidency due to a protest filed by his opponent Tom Leedham. Leedham contends Hoffa and four vice-presidents elected are guilty of violating the union’s rules and should be barred from office. J.D. Potter of Tex. was charged by the union’s Independent Review Board with lying about contributions to Hoffa’s campaign. James Santangelo of Cal. was accused of wrongly receiving money from a union severance fund. Donato DeSanti of N.J. was accused of associating with a barred member. Thomas O’Donnell of N.Y. was charged with filing a false campaign report concealing a convicted felon on the payroll. The delay means bosses loyal to the corrupt ex-president Ron Carey remain entrenched in the union’s “Marble Palace” in D.C. The D.C. monthly payroll is over $2 million. [Detroit News 1/12/99]
Indicted Kentucky Boss Retires
Lon Fields, Sr., retired as president of Teamsters Local 89 in Louisville Jan. 12. In Sep., a grand jury indicted Fields and three others for allegedly violating campaign-finance laws during Gov. Paul Patton’s (D) 1995 campaign. Fields was a boss for 25 years. His 1997 salary, excluding benefits, was $145,838. Fields also serves as a member of the Kentucky Racing Commission. He was appointed to that post by Patton in 1996. [Courier-Journal 1/13/99]