IAFF: An “Anonymous” Weighs In
Tough guy but not enough to own it
Nine days ago, an unsigned blog appeared which took Edzo Kelly’s pants down in no uncertain terms.
A chief criticism was that Kelly went outside the IAFF leadership structure, if it can be called that, to publicize information about Schaitberger’s many misdoings.
Was Kelly’s act the union equivalent of breaking the code of silence?
This was, the blog claims, an example of failing to follow IAFF “due process”, a charge which surely rings true but not in the way they intended.
Due process during the Schaitberger presidency has been to:
- keep all information tightly held within the do-nothing board
- seek to destroy anyone not falling into line
- spy on IAFF members and leaders
- amply reward Schaitberger’s friends with no-bid contracts
- reward others with no-show/low-show consultant gigs
In short, turning the IAFF into a corrupt banana republic run by a crook and his bumbling and corpulent minions.
In fact, not following Schaitberger’s due process could be reason for hope.
Emphasis on could be.
By the way, Harold Schaitberger has never cared one iota about ensuring due process, even when it came to IAFF members.
A majority of the IAFF executive board are pure-bred Schaitberger bitches never weaned from the always fat IAFF teat. They are surely looking for another teat to suck on; no wonder they are anxious at a good deal drying up.
They are understandably edgy about Kelly because he pulled the curtain back on some of their shadier deals.
Alas, the mystery blogger may be onto something when he questions his motivation.
If it was a tactic to dispose of Schaitberger, it apparently worked.
Still, one can see Schaitberger’s hand in the anonymous blog.
Harold Schaitberger may be going but he is hardly forgotten or likely to be.
Mahlon Mitchell, a candidate to succeed him, and Frank Lima, candidate for secretary-treasurer, are reminders that the Schaitberger Way comes in various models and sizes.
Neither Mitchell nor Lima will answer basic inquiries regarding whether they would:
- stop shaking down MDA for blood money from sick and dying kids
- stop compromising health and safety by accepting advertising money from manufacturers whom we should be overseeing
But to be honest, neither has Ed “Edzo” Kelly.
He, too, ducked those two simple but critical questions.
Those two items speak volumes about whether or not you are actually willing to clean up the IAFF and represent firefighters and paramedics on the line or continue the Schaitberger Way of shaking down everyone in sight for your personal gain.
Ill gotten money is no substitute for ethics.
And dodging the questions means they are dodgy too.
If they dodge the no-brainer issues imagine how they will run for the hills when the going gets rough.
So, now we know, the Schaitberger Way is to write cowardly anonymous blogs and dodge tough questions.
But is the Edzo Way any different?
Not much, it seems.
