| Home -> November 1997 -> You Are Here, Hoffa Is Not |
There's been a lot in the news lately about the Teamsters Union. Seems that things aren't cleaned up there yet, and the government is frustrated.
Let's take a closer look.
The current scandal is that Teamsters president Ron Carey used Teamster funds to fuel his recent campaign against the son of former Teamsters' boss Jimmy Hoffa. Reiterating, he misused resources provided by his constituency to gain reelection.
Isn't that what Clinton and Gore are accused of doing?
Take a step back now. The whole reason that the government cares in the first place is that for years, the Teamsters were accused of nepotism, corruption from outside funding, and misuse of dues for pet projects.
Well, that sounds like Congress to me.
In fact, the worse thing I can remember the Teamsters ever doing was to loan out pension fund money at a generous interest rate so that the mob could build casinos in Las Vegas.
Believe it or not, Minnesota legislators were considering just such a move recently. Some proposed using public funds to build a casino to provide the finances for a new baseball stadium.
Maybe the Politicians ought to leave the Teamsters alone, and clean up their own act. At the very least, if they stop investigating, they won't learn any new tricks.
Last Updated: 21 November 1997
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