February 1, 2006. There was a time when candidates for Convention delegate paid Hoffa to ride his coattails. Hoffa’s campaign would charge his supporters to pose for campaign photos with the General President. But Hoffa’s pension cuts and other failures have shifted the political winds—and sent Hoffa’s associates ducking for cover.

From Detroit to Nashville, from Seattle to Atlanta, some Hoffa delegate candidates never mention their candidate, and pretend that they will go to the Convention “neutral” or “uncommitted”. Some of those who claim they to be undecided are, in fact, on the Hoffa payroll.

Hoffa’s good friend, International Rep. Earl Walker, heads up Hoffa’s home Local 614 in Michigan. But Earl’s delegate campaign literature never mentions Hoffa, or that he will vote to nominate him at the Convention. His literature even copies Leedham’s platform.

Hoffa’s friends in Seattle Local 174 list their ten most important issues for the IBT convention; nowhere on that list do they mention that they will vote to nominate Hoffa. Their lead candidate pretends he is uncommitted, even though it is apparent that the Hoffa campaign is bankrolling his slate, and he joined the Hoffa walkout when Tom Leedham spoke at the 2001 Convention.

If Hoffa’s supporters really believe in their candidate, why are they hiding their identity in so many delegate races?