Will Schaitberger Sue the IAFF?
Union says they are a “victim”
As “Shady” Schaitberger again becomes a focus of the Feds, his union, the one he used to “own”, had this to say about cooperating with the investigation:
“The IAFF intends to cooperate fully with this investigation given that the organization’s status, if any, is that of a victim,” said the union’s attorney, G. Zachary Terwilliger. (Politico)
(Mr. Terwilliger is a former U.S. Attorney and is now at Vinson and Elkins.)
To Mr. Terwilliger we say the IAFF does, indeed, have a status: rancid, corrupt and beleaguered.
It sounds as if Schaitberger has been cut off from the great IAFF teat, no longer able to suckle at will.
Not only will the IAFF not back his play, if he is incurring legal debt over the affair he may be picking up the tab.
If cast adrift, it would be a nasty shock for a man who has lived off the IAFF for most of his adult life, having multiple IAFF credit cards to play like a hand full of aces.
(He once billed a $12 Scrabble game to the IAFF.)
But in this matter the IAFF playing the victim may be a stretch.
The IAFF is its principal officers, vice presidents and trustees.
Many of Schaitberger’s egregious transgressions occurred with the full support of these same players:
- no-bid contracts
- phony consultant gigs
- improper pensions
- abusive expenditures
- fleecing charities
They agreed with his schemes, voted for them in committee and as a whole, or sat on their hands in complete silence.
Claiming innocence or amnesia is not an option though plain old incompetence and stupidity might just fly.
They are on record aligning themselves with his pillaging of our union.
How then, can the IAFF cut Schaitberger loose if it is that same IAFF who heartily approved of his actions?
We call “bullshit.”
“Shady” Schaitberger should go fetch himself a bulldog attorney and sue the IAFF while naming names, dates and facts proving collusion and agreement.
List every time that a secretary treasurer, vice president or trustee was solidly on board with an idea now seen as an obvious and blatant act of malfeasance.
Now, that would clean up the IAFF.
If he does it, sues his fellow scoundrels and prevails, he can put me down for a $1,000 contribution to his legal defense fund.
Cheers.
