Tuesday, November 6, 2007

Investigative view: AFSCME professional campaign staff uncovered




November 6, 2007
Guest correspondent: Inspector Clueso
Duluth News Tabloid
http://www.duluthnewstabloid.blogspot.com/

The other DNT, TODNT, ran a story today, Big issues, hotly contested races define election 2007 in Duluth .

The story includes “In the 1st District, challenger Todd Fedora raised and spent double what his opponent and incumbent Laurie Johnson did”.

This statement is clearly biased or the TODNT is completely incompetent because they did not disclose the enormous independent expenditures that contributed to the Laurie Johnson campaign. (Click here for the definition of independent expenditures).

Duluth voters have been exposed to record breaking political expenditures this election. Voters have been inundated with intrusive campaign telemarketing phone calls, daily direct mail flyers, billboards, television ads and radio ads.

Contributors leading the way in the record independent expenditures are:

AFSCME
AFSCME Local 66
DFL
Duluth AFL-CIO Central Labor Body
Duluth Firefighters PAC

In addition to independent expenditures above, Laurie Johnsons campaign signs were delivered to AFSCME’s local office and set up in local yards by AFSCME employees on the job. It is unknown what the dollar value of a professional campaign staff is, but reviewing the AFSCME salaries appears to demonstrate a substantial worth.

The Department of Labor allows for the public to review the happenings within labor unions. (Click here to do your own search).

For Union Abbreviation, choose AFSCME

For State, choose Minnesota

Click on Submit

Choose 543-153 2006 Report for State & County Muni Empls AFL-CIO Leadership Council 5, at the top.

Hang on as you review the $19,486,341 of AFSCME Council 5 wages and disbursements including a whooping $555,813 for the professional Duluth AFSCME campaign staff of Eric Lehto, Sarah Lewerenz, Laurie Johnson, Pam Lofquist, Ken Loffler-Kemp, Marshall Stenerson and Mary Theurer.

This Duluth News Tabloid guest correspondent concludes either the TODNT does not want you to know the truth or is incapable of understanding and investigating the political process they are reporting to the public.

Lack of truth or credibility, you decide by voting on the poll to the right.

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