happened to this Union and its outspoken leaders for any of us to now stand silent. Although I have long been an advocate of reform in the Teamsters, I know also that this great Union has, too often, been unfairly characterized. Recently, we have suffered the worst of humiliations, where the anointed "reformers" of the Union have devastated the Union's treasury and seriously fractured its cohesiveness. Accordingly, hearings of the nature taking place today are absolutely necessary for a complete and total catharsis to take place. The membership must now fully know what happened to its money, who was responsible for the losses and why the Government monitors failed to take corrective action. Hopefully, the misdeeds of this regime will never, never be repeated.

In addition to the actions of the International officers themselves, it is clear that many mistakes and miscalculations were made by people supposedly overseeing the administration of this Union's affairs and purportedly acting for the good of the membership. Most certainly, the intrusion of the Government into the affairs of this Union has been a dismal failure.

I would hope that this Committee can focus upon and, perhaps,

find answers to the following questions:

1. What happened to the $20 million that was spent by the Government to provide Teamster members with a clean and fair election and how did it fail with all of the resources of the Federal Government?

2. What happened to approximately $80 million of Teamsters

dues money that was spent on maintaining and enforcing the Consent Decree?

3.

What happened to approximately $800 million of Teamsters dissipated during the Carey

dues money that was

Administration?

Finally, my purpose for coming here today lies with my hope that this process can somehow lead to the rightful return of this Union to its membership. We need to get back to the fact that labor unions are organizations that belong to their members, that they should be independent of employers, independent of organized crime and independent of political parties and, most certainly, must be independent of the Government and be free to express their members' interest through a democratic process. Union members must be free to determine the destiny of their union.

Thus far, I have seen both objectivity and honesty in this Committee's investigation of the travesty that has taken place. I can only ask that these hearings and this process continue with the integrity necessary to permit the Teamsters Union to get back on the right course.

This Committee, Congressman Hoekstra, must leave no stone unturned in finding the truth and telling the American people and hard-working Teamster members what happened to their money.

You, Mr. Chairman, are the last, best hope in achieving those

goals!!

Respectfully submitted,

Dated: March 26, 1998

C. Sam Theodus

APPENDIX C-WRITTEN STATEMENT OF ROBERT G. DERUSHA, FORMER INTERNATIONAL TRUSTEE, INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD OF TEAMSTERS

Testimony of Robert G. DeRusha

Rep. Hoekstra, members of the Committee, my name is Robert DeRusha. I

thank you for the opportunity to testify on this important subject. And, I thank you and

the Committee for undertaking the difficult and controversial task of investigating what has happened to the International Brotherhood of Teamsters and its members because of the Government's failure to protect the Union from corruption.

The Teamsters Union was an important part of my life for almost 45 years. In fact, for much of that time, the Union was my life. I was privileged to represent my brothers and sisters as a Local Union Officer for 28 years, as an officer at Joint Council 10 in Boston for more than 20 years, and as an International Union Trustee for 7 years.

I retired from the Union at the end of 1995 largely because of my health. It was a difficult decision. Anyone who knows me will tell you that I'm stubborn and determined old so-and-so, and I was in a fight that I did not want to give up. The three International Union Trustees - Bob Simpson, who is here with me today, Ben Leal and

I - were trying to determine how and why General President Carey and his administration were spending the Union into bankruptcy.

You may not be familiar with the structure of the Teamsters Union. The

International Union is run on a day-to-day basis by the General President, then Mr.