James Hoffa removed Michigan Joint Council President Larry Brennan from his International position effective Jan. 1. Brennan lost a $50,000 salary but will continue to head the Michigan Joint Council and Detroit Local 337. The firing, along with that of Brennan’s assistant Dennis Hands, shocked Teamster insiders, because it was Brennan who gave Hoffa a no-show job as an assistant for two years to make him eligible to run for office in the Teamsters Union....

December 5, 2006: A Look at the Facts & Figures Hoffa won with 65 percent of the vote, in a 21 percent turnout. That is the same margin as in 2001, but with a slightly smaller turnout this year. The Hoffa campaign spent over $3 million to Leedham's $300,000 according to forms filed by each campaign with the Election Supervisor. The IBT and Central States and Western Conference Pension Plans spent millions more on propaganda...

December 5, 2006:All local and International officials from the Western Region have been invited by International Vice President Jim Santangelo to spend a week at Waikiki Beach in Honolulu in late February. Then, officials with local pension funds can stay an extra week in early March at a pension trustee educational. Some local officials have pointed out to Santangelo their embarrassment at having to face questions from members about these union-paid trips to tropical resorts....