UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
NORTHERN
DISTRICT OF ILLINOIS
EASTERN
DIVISION
UNITED
STATES OF AMERICA, and )
LABORERS’
INTERNATIONAL UNION )
OF
NORTH AMERICA by and through
)
ROBERT
LUSKIN, in his official capacity as )
General
Executive Board Attorney, )
)
Plaintiffs, )
)
v. ) 99 C 5229
) Judge Gettleman
CONSTRUCTION
& GENERAL LABORERS’ )
DISTRICT
COUNCIL OF CHICAGO AND )
VICINITY,
an affiliated entity of the Laborers’
)
International
Union of North America, )
)
Defendant,
)
Pursuant to Section 18 of the Consent Decree, the Monitor is required to file a Quarterly Report describing the actions he has taken toward achieving the objectives and purposes of the Consent Decree. This First Quarterly Report describes the Monitor’s actions from the period August 29, 1999 to November 29, 1999. The Second Quarterly Report describes the Monitor’s actions from December 1, 1999 to February 16, 2000.
Election Certification
§ 17 of the Consent Decree requires the Monitor to “rule on the eligibility [of candidates] to run for and hold office in the CLDC”. § 22 of the Consent Decree requires the Monitor to consult with the Trustee, GEB Attorney, LIUNA Inspector General and United States Attorney in rendering any disqualification decision.
On January 3 and 4, 2000, nominations for the election of Chicago District Council officers were received by the Trustee. The following slate and individual nominations were submitted to the Trustee:
Slate
Nomination
Frank Riley
Liberato Naimoli
James P. Connolly
Jeff M. Ziemann
John Michael Lazzaretto
Scott Pavlis
Randy L. Dalton
Tod Masters
Dennis R. Johnson
Joseph Coconato
Joseph A. Mann
Individual Nomination
Charles V. LoVerde Jr.
Following receipt of the nominations, the background, prior union activities and other available pertinent information for each nominee was reviewed by the Monitor. The United States Attorney, GEB Attorney, Trustee and LIUNA Inspector General were then solicited for their views regarding each candidate's eligibility for office. Following this process, each candidate was certified by the Monitor as eligible for election.[1]
Document Review and Analysis
During the second quarterly period, voluminous documentary materials were received from Locals 1, 1001, 1006 and the Training Fund, in response to subpoenas issued in the first quarterly period. In addition, during the second quarterly period, the files of the GEB Attorney and the LIUNA Inspector General were examined in Washington D.C. by the Monitor, for the purpose of identifying evidence relevant to enforcement of the Consent Decree. These materials consist of detailed financial records of various locals and fiduciary funds, interviews, investigative reports, minutes, LM-2 Forms, Form 5500’s, and hearing transcripts (including trials, depositions and internal disciplinary and trusteeship hearings).
Upon completion of document review, depositions will commence.
The Monitor anticipates filing the first disciplinary charge within the next sixty days.
Other Investigative Activities
Interviews continue of persons with possible knowledge of Consent Decree violations.
Respectfully
Submitted,
Steven Miller
Monitor
The Monitor has conducted interviews of other individuals with possible knowledge of conduct constituting violations as set forth in _____.
Organizational Activities
Because of the potentially
vast scope of the Monitor’s jurisdiction, the limited time frame and budget
available to accomplish the assignment, prudent choices must be made as to the
focus of the investigative efforts. Additionally, in light of the
investigations, disciplinary and trusteeship proceedings previously conducted
by the LIUNA GEB Attorney and the rulings of Independent Hearing Officer Peter
Vaira in those matters, it has been necessary to carefully review their work in
order to identify relevant evidence and avoid duplication of efforts.
Toward this end, I and/or my
designees have met and conferred with the following people[2]:
1.
Robert
Luskin, GEB Attorney
2.
Dwight
Bostwick, Office of GEB Attorney
3.
Matthew
Paul, Office of GEB Attorney
4.
Peter
Vaira, Independent Hearing Officer
5.
Seymour
Simon, Independent Hearing Officer
6.
Douglas
Gow, LIUNA Inspector General
7.
William
Rice, LIUNA Deputy Inspector General
8.
Quest
International Consulting (private investigative firm retained by the LIUNA
Inspector General: Robert Scigalski, Joseph Griffin, Jack O’Rourke, Leone
Flosi)
9.
Vincent
Connelly, Counsel to Bruno Caruso
10.
Ed
Hogan, Counsel to Local 1
11.
George
Leighton, Counsel to Local 1001
12.
John
Mallul, FBI
13.
Dave
Buvinger, United States Attorneys Office
14.
Craig
Oswald, United States Attorneys Office
15.
Robert
Bloch, CLDC Trustee
16.
Peter
Dowd, Counsel to various Taft-Hartley funds administered by the CLDC
17.
Various
former delegates to the CLDC
18.
Manny
Ramirez, United States Department of Labor
19.
Tom
Moriarty, Criminal Investigation Division, Internal Revenue Service
20.
Thomas
M. Bourgeois, FBI
21.
Ernest
Luera, FBI
Document review of the evidentiary and litigation materials possessed by the LIUNA Inspector General and GEB Attorney has been conducted in Washington D.C. In addition, selective transcripts from the CLDC trusteeship hearings and disciplinary hearings of members of CLDC – affiliated LIUNA locals and various rulings of Hearing Officer Peter Vaira have been reviewed.
An investigative plan has
been formulated which identifies the individuals and entities that will be the
focus of the investigation. The list is subject to revision based on a variety
of factors, including new leads and development of evidence as our work
progresses. Because of the confidential nature of the investigative plan, it is
not disclosed in this Report. Upon request, a copy will be provided to the
Court in camera.
The
Monitor has issued eleven subpoenas to date.
The subpoenas have been directed both to LIUNA - affiliated entities and
to third parties. The entities to which
subpoenas have been directed are not disclosed herein because public
dissemination at this time will not advance the objectives of the Consent
Decree, may compromise the Monitor’s investigation or prematurely subject
certain people or entities to unfair criticism simply by virtue of subpoenas
having been issued. The subpoenas are
available for the Court’s in camera review.
In
lieu of a subpoena, a comprehensive letter request for documents from the CLDC
has been served upon its Trustee.
Witness Interviews
Interviews
of individuals with possible knowledge of actions constituting violations under
the Consent Decree have commenced. Because disclosure of the interviewees at
this time will not advance the objectives of the Consent Decree and may pose
security issues, the names are omitted from this Report, but will be disclosed
to the Court in camera upon request.
The
Monitor reserves the right to disclose items treated confidentially in this
Report at a later date, when in his Judgment, it will advance the objectives of
the Consent Decree.
DATED: February 26, 2000
Respectfully
Submitted,
_________________________________
Steven
A. Miller
Monitor
Steven
A. Miller
SACHNOFF
& WEAVER, LTD.
30
South Wacker Drive
Suite
2900
Chicago,
IL 60606
(312)
207-1000
288100
[1] The Monitor’s Certification is made without prejudice to his future ability to bring disciplinary actions if and when warranted.
[2] Certain names have been omitted from this list because public disclosure at this time would, in the Monitor’s judgment, not promote the objectives of the Consent Decree, pose possible safety risks or otherwise compromise the investigation.
Laborers for JUSTICE© 1999 All Rights reserved- not for
republication on the internet.
Jim McGough, Director
55 S. Northwest Highway
Palatine, Il 60067
847-202-3838 (tel)
630-604-4496 (eFax number)