disparate treatment. The critics and opponents of Carey were targeted for investigation and punishment. The mission of the Consent Decree was designed to attack organized crime, not to undermine internal union democracy or to provide any union administration with the power to pursue malicious prosecution of its enemies and become immune to any of its own wrongdoing. I sincerely believe that my out-spoken criticisms of the IRB have made me a target. In a letter dated December 11, 1996, I was advised by Charles M. Carberry, Chief Investigator for the Independent Review Board that a sworn, in-person examination would be taken of me on December 23, 1996, pursuant to the authority set forth in the Consent Decree. My sworn examination was taken on December 23, 1996 by an attorney from the Office of the Chief Investigator, and I was represented by legal counsel during the examination. Our greatest concerns and suspicions with regard to the purpose of this examination were more than confirmed as the examination progressed. The sole purpose of the examination, on the basis of the questions that were asked, was to probe deeply into my association with Gene Giacumbo, a former International Vice President and an extremely outspoken critic of the Carey Administration and the IRB. Although Mr. Giacumbo had been previously suspended, I knew of no decision or finding that had held Mr. Giacumbo to be a member of any organized crime family or any decision that had barred Mr. Giacumbo from associating with Teamster members. More importantly, I could not think of any conceivable reason why I shouldn't be able to associate with Gene, a person whom I respected and whom I had befriended from our service together on the IBT General Executive Board. Gene had a long and respected history of supporting reform within the Union. These objections were raised repeatedly during the examination, but the questions persisted to the point where I was questioned as to when the last time was that I had spoken with Mr. Giacumbo and whether I had, indeed, met with Mr. Giacumbo's counsel prior to one of Mr. Giacumbo's hearings at which I had testified on his behalf. I honestly and sincerely believe, unfortunately, that this examination by the IRB was for the purpose of giving me some sort of a message and to chill my right to criticize both the actions of the Carey Administration and those of the IRB itself. Hope for_the_Future I have to admit to you that I sit here today with a great deal of discomfort and concern. To me, the Government should never run a union. Further, Government intervention in the affairs of the Union does not, ever, in the long run, work to the benefit of the membership in my opinion. Further, as a lifelong Democrat, and, also, a person who has devoted the better part of his life to this Union, I must confess that I am uneasy about appearing in front of a Congressional Committee, chaired by a Republican no less, and give testimony that may cause this Committee to delve even more deeply into the affairs of my Union. However, from what I have seen, I wish to come forward and state my endorsement of these hearings. Too much has gone on in the past six (6) years and too many truly terrible things have 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 |