Bipartisan D.C. Swamp Has Long Aided and Abetted Doug McCarron
Federal prosecutors may finally be closing in on top current bosses of the President Joe Biden-allied United Brotherhood of Carpenters (UBC) union.
Nearly four years ago, former union official John Ballantyne and two of his former staff members filed a civil suit charging that UBC President Doug McCarron and other UBC kingpins had engineered the elimination of their jobs in retaliation for Mr. Ballantyne’s whistleblowing.
In 2017, Mr. Ballantyne had advised law enforcement regarding multiple cases of alleged financial crimes in the highest ranks of the UBC and its subsidiaries.
For example, he charged that George Laufenberg, who until 2016 was the administrative manager of the UBC New York/New Jersey benefit funds, had pilfered large sums of workers’ pension money. The suit was ultimately settled out of court, with the terms undisclosed. But in September 2019 Mr. Laufenberg was indicted for embezzling retirement and other union funds.
This June, Mr. Laufenberg entered a guilty plea, admitting to embezzlement of roughly $140,000 and to making false statements in federal filings.
Union Bosses Said to Have Improperly Raked in $300,000 In Dues-Funded Payments
The retaliation suit against Carpenters union kingpins charged that, along with Mr. Laufenberg, UBC General Vice President Frank Spencer and UBC Eastern District Vice President Mike Capelli (who retired in early 2020) had used their positions of power to enrich themselves at workers’ expense.
For example, Mr. Spencer and Mr. Capelli allegedly raked in a total of $300,000 in forced union dues-funded payments to their annuities from the Northwest Regional Council at a time they were no longer employed by that entity.
In 2020, five former employees of a UBC subsidiary with jurisdiction over six states filed a suit alleging that Mr. McCarron had helped engineer their wrongful terminations in retaliation for their alliance with Mr. Ballantyne.
National Right to Work Committee Vice President Greg Mourad commented:
“As he awaits a sentence of up to 10 years’ incarceration, George Laufenberg has a strong incentive to cooperate with federal prosecutors. If he does, there is good reason to suspect several other former, as well as current Carpenters union bigwigs, will before long be joining him in the federal prison system.
“The fact is, no one who has followed the excruciatingly long record of Doug McCarron should be at all surprised that he has recently been accused in two separate lawsuits of punishing staff members and union officeholders who fight corruption.
“In 2002, facing legal pressure partly due to National Labor Relations Board charges filed by the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation, Mr. McCarron announced he would return nearly $300,000 he had made in personal profits through a notorious union-boss insider trading deal.
“While several other union bosses who similarly benefited from rigged insider trading at shareholders’ and workers’ expense subsequently resigned from their offices in disgrace, Mr. McCarron did not.
“Incredibly, in 2003, George W. Bush Labor Department operative Andrew Siff, Andrew Siff, a former staffer for U.S. Senate GOP heavyweight Mitch McConnell [Ky.], persuaded Labor Secretary and McConnell spouse Elaine Chao that her agency should back Mr. McCarron in a lawsuit filed against him by UBC dissidents.”, persuaded Labor Secretary and McConnell spouse Elaine Chao that her agency should back Mr. McCarron in a lawsuit filed against him by UBC dissidents.”
George W. Bush’s Labor Department Helped UBC Czar Consolidate His Power
Mr. Mourad continued:
“The lawsuit correctly alleged that a so-called ‘restructuring’ of the UBC concocted by Mr. McCarron deprived the rank-and-file of their statutory right to directly elect regional union officers.
“According to a 2019 Bloomberg account recapping the incident, then-Labor Department Solicitor Eugene Scalia knew the UBC dissidents were legally correct, but the Bush Labor Department sided with Mr. McCarron anyway, hoping to reap political benefits for the GOP.
“Of course, the UBC continues today to funnel the vast majority of its political contributions to union-label Democrats, and in the last two presidential elections, Mr. McCarron personally campaigned with Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden.
“If federal prosecutors, with George Laufenberg’s help, finally bring Doug McCarron to justice for his decades-long abuse of his office, it will be a stern rebuke for the GOP establishment, as well as a vindication for the union dissidents who never gave up their efforts to hold Mr. McCarron accountable.”
DO NOT LIKE THE TRUTH?? TOUGH SHYTE FOR YOU!!
NOW CRY ABOUT THE SOURCE INSTEAD OF DISPUTING THE INFORMATION
A BIG THANK YOU TO THE RIGHT TO WORK COMMITTEE
HUGS HUGS KISS KISS
THANK YOU FOR WORKING TO EXPOSE THESE UBC INTERNATIONAL RATS
SPEAKING OF EXPOSING RATS.
THE ARTICLE DECLARES
"Andrew Siff, Andrew Siff, a former staffer for U.S. Senate GOP heavyweight Mitch McConnell [Ky.], persuaded Labor Secretary and McConnell spouse Elaine Chao that her agency should back Mr. McCarron in a lawsuit filed against him by UBC dissidents.”persuaded Labor Secretary and McConnell spouse Elaine Chao that her agency should back Mr. McCarron in a lawsuit filed against him by UBC dissidents.”
ANDREW SIFF HAS BEEN ON THE UBC PAYROLL SINCE AT LEAST 2007
LAST YEAR WAS REWARDED BY THE UBC OVER $201,000
SIFFILISS is a sexually transmitted infection caused by the PAYOFF OF LARGES SUMS OF MONEY AND UNION BUSINESS IN RETURN FOR POLITICAL PROTECTION...
ANDY SIFFLISS ALSO GETS PAID AT LEAST $80,000 A YEAR FROM THE UBC AS A LOBBYIST
I WILL TAKE BUY A CROOKED POLITICAL HACK FOR $200 ALEX
good stuff again. hope sprolles goes down in Laufenberg case he was trustee n all that. I can se it now the chimp tells fatty to transfer funds and dumb dumb says I don't think that's legal from all the law books he reads in his spare time. and frank says Doug said you are the est t you have to sign and fatty says ok
ReplyDeleteFirst and foremost I hope the author of this article is correct!! McCarron’s day can’t come soon enough!!
ReplyDeleteSecond I hope this article also helps those members who think only the democrats have supported Team McCarron. George Bush, a Republican, took the money from Doug and had Mitch McConnell have his wife save Doug at our terrible expense.
Political identity has no relevance regarding political corruption.
Doug, I think disruptive change may be in your near future.
In my opinion this all comes down to the prosecutor and whether or not he wants to force Laufenberg to cooperate. If he does want Laufenberg to play ball and become a witness he’ll offer him a deal he can’t accept, that forces Laufenberg to cooperate. If the prosecutor wants to close the case and protect Doug and his fellow criminal dirtbags, then he’ll give Laufenberg a plea deal so nice he’ll be glad to accept.
ReplyDeleteOnly time will tell…..
This is actually a verrry big deal... Coming from a " forgotten" source..
ReplyDeleteYa know. I remember about 12 or so carpenters who sent doug an official letter requesting the ubc internal investigations on capelli and spencer... As to what was done based on the allegations in new jersey superior court... That were settled out of court... But never " legally" rendered innocent or guilty..
Dougs response was ... Nada..
That too was an egregious violation of the ubc constitution and members individual rights... As dues paying members in good standing...
Pattern of corrupt behavior.
Again.
If you want more evidence of incestuousness between Republicans and Democrats from NJ, check out the link below. No access to the whole article. Long is an acolyte of Norcross and it would seem Republican Senator Testa's snout is heading in the same direction.
ReplyDeletehttps://subscriber.politicopro.com/article/2022/08/testa-represents-former-adversary-before-disciplinary-review-board-00052374?source=email
The only people/members who care about political identity are the common spectators who think there side is the “right” side while the players of the political game, the elected officials and non-elected influencers aka Norcross, laugh all the way to the bank!!
ReplyDeleteTo all the working members, Happy Friday stay cool, and to all the paid Union employees, say thank you to a working member who works real hard so you don’t have to.
The 9:38 posting is absolutely correct. The two political factions within congress are only loyal to their corporate donors, and the wealthy American . . . providing only lip-service to the rest of us. When will the rest of us wake up and understand that nothing will change in this country as long as the big-money donors controls congress. We have decades of history which proves that wealth buys and controls our government. And the supreme court ruling in 2010 created an expressway for corporate money to buy elections across this country. The billions of dollars spent on corporate political donations, and lobbying congress could have provided healthcare for everyone in this country. Working people must stop supporting any political candidate who accepts campaign contributions from corporations, Big Pharma, Health Care Associations, Big Oil, Wall Street/Banks, Unions, etc. We elect the representation . . . our representatives' campaigns must be funded by the people who vote them into office. If you want change in this country it starts with you. Everyone of us must scrutinize each candidates' donors . . . if they receive special interest money . . . they're out!
ReplyDeletehey feds mooney acounting. go threw them books and you will get your answers. right Spencer
ReplyDeleteThe feds know.. it is by design you are seeing the managed decline of all labor. This has to happen in a centralized/ socialized model... Does anyone not pay attention to socialized nations? The 1st thing to go is your unions...
DeleteDoug is actually far worse than a scumbag... He is a treasonous traitor.. communist sympathizer deranged loner... Remember... Communists and democrats project what they are..
All this was by design.
If Anonymous at 8:52 is correct, then the demise of labor is due solely due to forces on the left and within the Democratic Party. Such a position is incorrect. However, it is exactly what the ruling class in this country wants people to think. Forces within the Democratic and Republican parties on the left and on the right have worked and are working together to destroy labor. If you think that by rejecting Democrats and embracing Republicans you will be able to stem labor's decline, you are mistaken. The situation -- by design -- is far more complicated than that. The ruling class stages conflict between Republicans and Democrats to distract the masses as they reap millions in profits, profits that are wielded not in a socialist system but in a capitalist one.
ReplyDeleteI did not exempt either side... It is an orchestrated illusion particularly since 1913 and the entire fiat system weve been duped to believe..
DeleteIt is a uniparty. Using manufactured " differences" to distract the masses as they throttle your life, liberty, and anything else you think you have..
Hey billy how’s this years vrp. Working out on New Jersey ????? Just wondering billy
ReplyDeleteAll I want is a Union I and my fellow members can control through via a secret ballot vote. A national Union must be second to the local union not the other way around lest we suffer from a national tyrant supported by his employees.
ReplyDeleteThe enemy of my enemy is my friend which is why a group like the ABC supports McCarron because McCarron is opposed to the working member.
Look. I am not providing a forum for your "the democrats suck" no "the republicans suck" horseshyte.I will not post anymore of your comments.If you want to have that debate take it elsewhere. No disrespect intended but anybody with the IQ above a rock knows they both suck dogs ass. Always have and always will.Each party regardless of name is infested with political hacks,scum bags, rats,thieves and carpetbaggers.The truth is your argument is not about which party is better but which party you support because they suck the best Union criminal syndicate ass.Thank you.
ReplyDeleteNext up…..what’s the meaning of life???
DeleteWait Wait. Mrs Felthousen.Oh Oh..Over here. I know the answer to this one..Ok Ok.. "what’s the meaning of life" You are born. You die. Everything in between depends on how bad YOU suck dogs ass.
ReplyDeleteWhen I think of crooked Jersey politics I think Kevin McCabe Troy singleton and yours truly ass scope Tricia muller
ReplyDeleteAll of them just monkeys dancing to the organ grinders ditty..
DeleteGeorge Norcross III.
In the easrrc...
Don’t forget Dan Christy
ReplyDeleteAnother good for nothing
Deleteguess what tommorow is another country club foresome on the memers dime (BILLY SPROLLES). and the ilegal use of the members fund to suppoert his activities. lmrda if you can read law books maybe you brush up on this. you theif. go get um billy
ReplyDeletego get um billy. rape the funds until there gone and act like your on our side hey please let us know how are we doing in our first year of varable rate pension you forced on us. are we doing bettet like you said we will be doing. just asking for a freind
ReplyDeleteSo if all of this is true .. and im sure it is... And 1000s of other times they were not caught...
ReplyDeleteWhat do we do.
The vote has been taken away .
The appointed are absolute scumbags because the current appointees could never dare appoint a person with honor or integrity..
The local level are coward " get along to go along" pieces of crap..
Cause its all good as long as they have checks.... The irony these feckers are the true scabs because literally they are taking your work both in the field and at the ldrship level.... Because none of them are competent carpenters. Aint that right Lou?
Now you have an assist est who isnt qualified to hold the dummy end of a chalk line...
What do we do..?
The federal agencies only 1 time acted on our behalf ... Ya know ... Under A Trump NRLB ... Because extortion is actually illegal... Spare me the comments... The facts are what they are around that event... Extortion... Say it...
So what do we do?
The "vote" is rigged better than a dominion machine ... Which is what we LITERALLY used in our last vote..
So what do we do?
The old ways are poo pooed on this blog .. understandably so for liability and whatnot..
So what do we do?
There are some options. Not many of them are great. But you could find a competent attorney who is willing to file a lawsuit under the RICO Act against the UBC for being a criminal enterprise, and you or other members could also sue in Federal Court to make Union dues deductions from any working members wages subject to the members approval.
DeleteBasically, in my opinion, to reform the UBC will require legal challenges such as that filed against the MUP program via Roy Ernst. Legal action is the only way to get results at this point. Now if someone filed a RICO lawsuit against the UBC and a judge found the suit to have merit and allowed it to move forward, victory would at that point be in the hands of the plaintiffs as the defendants would have to answer questions under oath, they’d fold at that point and run for the nearest window to jump out of.
Outside of legal action brought by members, your only going to see more of the same, the UBC is not going to reform itself.
Not quite as easy as that sounds. I was intimately involved in the roy case..
DeleteThe lawfare they attempted would break the back of most members..
Finding an attorney outside of the federal structure would be a true task..im not disagreeing with you...
I just wish the members vould have witnessed the gull 18 months of shenanigans the council attys ( who we pay for) and their behavior with biased fed agencies ( who we also pay for) i wonder if some day that we could post the emails and chronological communications to show exactly what shitbags they are.
Retaining a competent lawyer and law firm could only be done a group basis where everyone is kicking in a contribution. An example of collective action……
DeleteGo to local 254 clay shoot
ReplyDeleteDo you Philadelphia pension fund participants know that the Pension Fund trustees voted on Monday to make significant changes to your fund?? Call the benefit funds office and ask to speak to Pete Tonia, if he’s busy, which I’m sure he will be for the foreseeable future, leave a message.
ReplyDeleteIt happened. And none of you will do anything about it, not one of you.
What are the changes?
DeleteOn of them ... Your retirement will be tied to a vrp and the stock market going forward..
DeleteWhich means 1 crash " could" wipe you out... And there is no way for you to recover it ... And it isnt insured by eisra ..
Im cliff noting bc i dont have adequate time to write..
Call your fund office..
Ask them..
Get it in writing. Take it to a financial advisor .. then get out of this union.. retain an attorney and sue the leadership individually..
I do know that all you young carpenters are screwed. No more double bubble for you! And the retirement age huh is going up good luck maybe now the Philadelphia members will start growing some balls we’ve been saying this for years
Delete