-I don't think you can underestimate the influence the Dems have on -the union leadership: what Bob Fitch calls the get out of jail free -card. Dems in office, no indictments. Dems out, indictments.
Doug, this is a completely bizarre statement from historical standards, since it was the Kennedys who declared blood war on Hoffa Sr. and it was your favorite Republican, Nixon, who pardoned him. And of course Reagan looked completely the other way in exchange for Teamster endorsements.
And Carey was disbarred from office and the other folks involved indicted under Clinton. The President of HERE was driven from office and his son barred as well for corruption. And don't forget all the investigations of New York unions like Bevona and AFSCME under the Clinton administration.
Implied by yours and Fitch statement is that a large number of unions actually deserve indictment, thereby explaining Democratic endorsement by unions, which is essentially rightwing rhetoric that unions are all mobbed up. A lot of unions may have democratic problems, but it is a tiny minority that have anything approaching illegal corruption problems that make indictment a serious threat against them. To imply that the threat of indictment is a major factor in Democratic endorsements is to endorse the most reactionary rhetoric about unions.
-- Nathan Newman