Auditors with the Fed. Elect. Commission (FEC) found a widespread failure of Teamster officials to maintain proof that individual members had authorized deductions from their paychecks to the Teamsters’ political action cmte (PAC), as well as poor record-keeping of donors.
The FEC audit of “Democratic Republican Independent Voter Education” (DRIVE) and its 2000 election activities began April 15 of this year, and was completed on Oct. 4. In their initial examination of DRIVE records, FEC auditors discovered that nearly 40% of DRIVE’s listed contributors lacked any proof that they had authorized payroll deductions to the PAC. Teamster PAC officials then began to reconstruct these authorizations by contacting local affiliates to either fax authorization cards for contributors, or send new ones to DRIVE headquarters in Washington, DC. After this effort, 12% of the listed contributors still lacked a record of permitting the deductions. Eventually, acc. to the FEC, DRIVE reconstructed the records of most of its contributors to the auditors’ satisfaction.
Also, in violation of fed. law requiring the disclosure of individuals contributing more than $200 to the PAC, DRIVE officials failed to disclose the identity of contributors who gave $24,618 to DRIVE, 15% of the $163,500 for which such disclosure was required. The problem seemed to stem from local affiliates not transmitting the names of individual contributors along with the contributions. And when local officials did later pass on the names of contributors giving over $200, DRIVE staff in Washington failed to update their records. [FEC 10/4/02]
Convicted Extortionist Goes from Mass. Sheriff to Union
In 1994, Middlesex County Sheriff John McGonigle confessed to extorting cash from his employees and other racketeering charges. After completing a nearly five-year sentence, McGonigle began a new life — thanks to his friend, James P. Flynn, which ran the movie crew of Intl. Bhd. of Teamsters Local 25. For chauffeuring cast members, McGonigle is paid $2,000 a week, plus guaranteed overtime and expenses.
Local 25 officials, incl. Flynn, are under fed. investigation for allegations of featherbedding and shakedowns of the movie-making industry in Boston. Flynn is accused of plotting to kill Susan Christy, a snack truck driver on the set of “What’s the Worst That Could Happen” who refused to turn over her concession contract to Teamster member Robert Martini. Local 25 president George W. Cashman instead had a teamster thug beat her. After Cashman, Flynn, and other Local 25 officials made a deal allowing Christy to continue her work on the set in exchange for her non-cooperation with police, Flynn allegedly argued for double crossing Christy, but was overruled by Cashman. [Boston Herald 10/21/02]