The Election Appeals Master issued a ruling today denying members a rerun of the International Union election. Judge Kathleen Roberts declined to overrule the Election Supervisor, saying he could only be overturned for “abuse of discretion” and that the appeal did not meet this high standard. (Reprinted from Teamsters United)

Teamsters United argued that the Hoffa administration delayed corruption proceedings against IBT Vice President Rome Aloise and others to avoid damage to Hoffa-Hall’s reelection campaign. After many delays, Aloise was finally found guilty last week. He will likely be removed from office and expelled from the union.

The Hoffa administration argued that they stonewalled Aloise’s hearing and other corruption investigations to advance the union’s interests and not to help Hoffa-Hall candidates.

The following facts are all undisputed:

• After Hoffa-Hall slate member Rome Aloise was charged with corruption in February of 2016, the Hoffa-Hall administration began spending millions in members’ dues to delay Rome Aloise’s hearing on corruption charges and to stonewall corruption investigators’ requests for IBT emails and documents.

• Hoffa’s attorneys, in emails among themselves, agreed that Aloise would almost certainly be “convicted and probably in pretty short order” of corruption charges by the Independent Review Officer [Page 11].  Hoffa nominated Aloise as his running mate anyway.  

• Outside attorneys hired by the Hoffa administration openly talked about “eating up the clock” on the Aloise charges “to get past the election season” [Page 16].

Despite these facts, Election Supervisor Richard Mark ruled that, “The IBT’s decisions on these matters did not have the purpose or object of influencing the election of any candidate on the Hoffa-Hall 2016 slate or of Aloise in particular.”

Teamsters United, TDU and Tim Sylvester appealed. But Judge Roberts upheld the Election Supervisor’s ruling saying that his determinations “are entitled to deference and may be overturned only for abuse of discretion.” Teamsters United is reviewing the decision. 

"The Teamsters United coalition is moving forward. We are uniting members to fight contract givebacks and benefit cuts, defeat corruption, and rebuild Teamster power," said Fred Zuckerman.