FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 12, 1999
CONTACT: Dan Rene, 703-847-3088 or drene@nlpc.org
WASHINGTON -- Today the National Legal and Policy Center blasted the Clinton/Reno Justice Department for further delaying the union corruption trial of former Teamsters political director and Ron Carey aide, William W. Hamilton.
"Further delay of Hamilton's corruption trial is an outrage," said NLPC Chairman Ken Boehm. "Hamilton was indicted in May 1998 for crimes that were allegedly committed during the 1996 Teamsters election -- hasn't justice been postponed long enough?"
Hamilton has been charged with conspiracy, embezzlement of union funds, mail fraud, wire fraud, making false statements to a court-appointed union election officer and perjury in connection with grand jury testimony. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine on each of the six counts.
"More troubling, however, is that the trial's delay appears to be politically motivated," added Boehm. "The delay seems to be timed to protect Al Gore from the appearance of being endorsed by a bunch of corrupt union bosses."
Al Gore is widely expected to received the AFL-CIO's endorsement for President this week in Los Angeles. The endorsement has been hotly contest by rival Bill Bradley. Gore has heavily relied on the lobbying of AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Richard L. Trumka and AFSCME President Gerald W. McEntee to secure the endorsement. Trumka and McEntee were implicated in the Hamilton and the Carey campaign's scheme by a Nov. 17, 1997 court report that disqualified Carey from running for reelection. Trumka invoked the Fifth Amendment. This court report, issued by former-U.S. District Judge Kenneth Conboy, and a flow-chart summary are available at NLPC's website: www.nlpc.org.
"Just because the Clinton/Reno Justice Department have repeatedly put politics over justice since 1993 doesn't make it right," added Boehm. "This delay is icing on the corruption cake."
"One can only hope that once the trial begins that prosecutors will vigorously fight to have Hamilton -- and others like Carey, Trumka and McEntee -- brought to justice,” added Boehm. "But this politically convenient delay indicates Clinton/Reno politics are likely to prevail over justice yet again."
On Oct. 20, 1997, NLPC formally requested Conboy to disqualify Carey from running in the 1998 rerun-election for Teamsters' president. Carey was disqualified on Nov. 17, 1997. On Nov. 6, 1997, NLPC filed a complaint with the IRS requesting an investigation into Citizen Action and its alleged role in the Carey campaign's fundraising scandals. The IRS responded to the investigation request.
NLPC's Organized Labor Accountability Project is investigating and exposing corruption in the Teamsters, LIUNA, HERE, AFL-CIO and other labor organizations. NLPC publishes Union Corruption Update, a fortnightly newsletter. NLPC is a nonpartisan, nonprofit foundation promoting ethics and accountability in government through research, education and legal action.
Organized Labor Accountability Project