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u.s. news Diamars 15 December 2020

UAW agrees to monitor, voting changes after corruption probe

An independent moni- union another step toward
tor will watch the United "restoring the full faith and Schneider, whose office has
Auto Workers' finances confidence of our members." been investigating union cor-
and operations, and mem- ruption since 2015, had float-
bers will decide how they He said it puts in place safe- ed the idea of a government
pick future leaders under guards that go beyond what takeover and has advocated
a reform agreement with the union already has done, for direct voting by members
the U.S. Attorney's office. including a review of finan- to elect union leadership.
cial controls, hiring an ethics Currently the union's mem-
The deal was announced officer and retaining a third- bers vote on delegates to a
Monday in the wake of a party firm to review finances. convention, who then vote
wide-ranging federal probe on a president.
into corruption that reached "The UAW going forward
into the upper ranks of the is clean, and we are a better The monitor will adminis-
400,000-member union. union for it," Gamble said. ter the election, will have the
It forestalls a possible federal power to approve hiring or
takeover of the UAW due to The probe has led to 11 discharges of union employ- nis Williams in September for Williams for monthslong
the probe into bribery and convictions of union mem- ees, and can end or approve pleaded guilty in the govern- stays in 2015-18, according to
embezzlement that has lasted bers, including two former contracts, the agreement says. ment's investigation, and his a court filing.
more than five years. presidents. Schneider said successor as president, Gary
it uncovered embezzlement Lee Harris, a worker at a Jones, pleaded guilty in June. He faces a likely prison sen-
The monitor, to be nomi- of over $1.5 million in dues General Motors engine and tence of 18 to 24 months.
nated by the union and ap- money, kickbacks to union transmission factory in Ro- Williams, 67, was president
proved by the Justice Depart- officials from vendors, and mulus, Michigan, near De- from 2014 until he retired in The Detroit-based UAW is
ment, will stay in place for six $3.5 million in illegal pay- troit, said the union needs 2018. He was accused of con- best known for representing
years unless all sides agree to ments from executives at additional oversight because spiring with others to cover 150,000 workers at Detroit's
end or extend the term. The Fiat Chrysler who wanted to of the scandal. up the source of cash for lav- three automakers.
deal, spelled out in a federal corruptly influence contract ish meals, cigars and large ex-
court consent decree, still talks. He said he would love to see penses. Williams has repaid $55,000
must be approved by a U.S. members directly vote on in inappropriate travel ex-
district judge. The union, he said, already leaders because the old meth- The union's Region 5 lead- penses, the union said. Sepa-
has repaid $15 million in od was unfair to workers. ership, which was based rately, the UAW is selling a
Matthew Schneider, the improper charges to joint in Missouri and headed by lakefront house built for him
U.S. attorney in Detroit, said training centers set up with "I, as a dues-paying, rank- Jones, would hold weeklong at a union conference center
Monday that the probe of the General Motors, Fiat Chrys- and-file member, have no say retreats in Palm Springs and in northern Michigan.
union has ended, but inves- ler and Ford. It also agreed to whatsoever," he said. invite Williams along. He
tigators still are pursuing un- pay $1.5 million to the Inter- said he stayed beyond "what Eleven union officials and
specified individuals. nal Revenue Service to settle Many of the union officials my union business required." a late official's spouse have
a tax investigation. were accused by federal au- pleaded guilty since 2017,
But he said that current UAW thorities of conspiring with Williams told a judge that he although not all the crimes
President Rory Gamble is not Under the deal, union mem- others to cover up the use of wondered if money was be- were connected. The first
a target of the investigation. "I bers will decide by secret bal- union cash for boozy meals, ing misused but that he was wave of convictions, which
don't have any reason to in- lots whether they will vote premium cigars, golf and assured by Jones that "every- included some Fiat Chrysler
vestigate Mr. Gamble," Sch- directly to pick the union's lodging in Palm Springs, thing was above board." employees, involved taking
neider said. future leaders, within six California. money from a Fiat Chrysler-
Gamble said the settlement, months of when the monitor More than $53,000 in union UAW training center in De-
while painful, takes the is appointed. Former UAW President Den- money was used to rent a villa troit.

Electoral College makes it official: Biden won, Trump lost

The Electoral College formally ca, democracy prevailed,” Biden said it like a mini-Election Night while
chose Joe Biden on Monday as in remarks prepared for an evening not giving his challenges any airtime.
the nation’s next president, giving speech. “We the people voted. Faith The president had grown increasing-
him a solid electoral majority of in our institutions held. The integrity ly disappointed with the size of “Stop
306 votes and confirming his vic- of our elections remains intact. And the Steal” rallies across the nation as
tory in last month’s election. The so, now it is time to turn the page. To well as efforts for the GOP to field
state-by-state voting took on add- unite. To heal.” its own slates of electors in states. A
ed importance this year because Biden renewed his campaign prom- presidential wish for a fierce adminis-
of President Donald Trump’s re- ise to be a president for all Americans, tration defense led to TV appearances
fusal to concede he had lost. whether they voted for him or not, early Monday by Stephen Miller, one
and said the country has hard work of his most ferocious advocates, to try
Heightened security was in place in ahead on the virus and economy. to downplay the importance of the
some states as electors met on the day But there was no concession from the Electoral College vote and suggest
established by federal law. Electors White House, where Trump has con- that Trump’s legal challenges would
cast paper ballots in gatherings with tinued to make unsupported allega- continue all the way to Inauguration
masks, social distancing and other vi- cially to each man. tions of fraud. Day on Jan. 20.
rus precautions the order of the day. Biden handily beat Trump, who had Trump remained in the Oval Office Late in the day, he took to Twitter
The results will be sent to Washing- 232 electoral votes. The Democrat long after the sun set in Washington, to announce that Attorney General
ton and tallied in a Jan. 6 joint session had topped the incumbent Repub- calling allies and fellow Republicans William Barr was leaving the admin-
of Congress over which Vice Presi- lican by more than 7 million in the while keeping track of the running istration before Christmas. Barr’s
dent Mike Pence will preside. popular vote nationwide. Electoral College tally, according to departure comes amid lingering ten-
For all Trump’s unsupported claims California’s 55 electoral votes put White House and campaign aides. sion over Trump’s unsupported fraud
of fraud, there was little suspense and Biden over the top. Vermont, with 3 The president frequently ducked into claims, especially after Barr’s state-
no change as all the electoral votes al- votes, was the first state to report. Ha- the private dining room off the Oval ment this month to The Associated
located to Biden and the president in waii, with 4 votes, was the last. Office to watch on TV, complaining Press that the election results were
last month’s popular vote went offi- “In this battle for the soul of Ameri- that the cable networks were treating unaffected by any fraud.