No Comment: Unions Upset With 'Human Train Wreck' Eric Massa

In less than a month, Democrat Eric Massa has gone from relative obscurity to shock and speculation, then short-lived notoriety, and, finally, the ignominious FUBAR of what Democrat strategist Bob Shrum is calling a "human train wreck."

It's not a particularly good way to spend one's 15 minutes of fame but, it is politics after all and, so often, pols' careers end with a *SPLAT.*

Poor, unfortunate Democrat Eric Massa.  He's been caught with his hands (reportedly) in on the proverbial staff cookie jar, forced to resign, which has led him to admit and deny the groping (read more about "Massa Massages" here), boast complain of a nude confrontation with Rahm Emmanuel, a White House conspiracy, a waste of Glenn Beck's audience's time and, now, he's got his union donors to face.

Over the course of Massa's short political career, unions have given the staff-groping pol $538,000 of their members' money and they're none too pleased at the waste.

"[P]eople say Washington politics is a freakshow, and Eric Massa is writing a whole new chapter," said CNN senior political analyst David Gergen.

So, where does this leave Massa's legion of bankrollers who supported him during times less lascivious?

Alternately disappointed and angry, with an undercurrent of bamboozlement.

Some say they believe Massa should consider donating or returning his remaining campaign funds, which through December totaled nearly $644,000. Others want no part of such discussion – or Massa himself.

Jim Spellane, media director for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, said his organization is experiencing some "buyer's remorse" regarding its $34,500 in contributions to Massa.

The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers PAC first decided to donate to Massa "in consultation with the local level" of its organization, Spellane explained.

"The goal was to elect those who supported the issues of working people," he said.  But Spellane declined to comment on whether he believes Massa should refund that money – the largest total contribution to the embattled politico by any single PAC.

Other PACs and organizations that had once supported Massa with five- and six-figure donations are completely disinclined to now discuss their association with him.

"We have no comment on any of that," said Paul Doell of the American Maritime Officers PAC, which has donated $10,000 to Massa this election cycle.

It just goes to show when you cross paths with a human train wreck, there's bound to be carnage.
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“I bring reason to your ears, and, in language as plain as ABC, hold up truth to your eyes.” Thomas Paine, December 23, 1776

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A NOISY IBEW PROTESTS OUTSIDE AT&T HQ

On Friday, on Day 89 without a new contract and apparently with nothing better to do, a bunch of IBEW members made a bunch of noise outside of AT&T's offices.

Today would be Day 90.

We wonder, did the noise help get a contract? Or, will there be a bunch of members with hearing problems?

Here's the video:



For some reason, today's union bosses think that noisy protests make some sort of point (rather than asses of themselves and their members).

Update on Union Pensions: Officers Funds Flush as Rank & File Suffer

Following our post below wherein we described the sorry state of union pensions, the following article was forwarded to us.

The Washington Examiner is reporting that:

Pension plans for union officers remain healthy and well-funded even as rising liabilities threaten to consume the savings of their rank and file counterparts who participate in different funds within the same labor organization, according to a Hudson Institute study.

This disparity became evident from a sample of the 21 largest union and staff pension plans from the same organizations. They are: The Service Employees International Union (SEIU), UNITE-HERE, the United Steelworkers, the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW), the Plumbers and Pipefitters, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), the Sheet Metal Workers and the Bakery, Confectionary, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union.

“This issue of rank and file pension plans being funded less than the officer pension
plans is extraordinarily serious and shows a great moral failing on the part of the unions,” said Diana Furchtgott-Roth, a senior fellow with the Hudson Institute who authored the study.

Read the entire article here.

Hat-tip to Bret Jacobson