Andy Stern's LM-2 Forms Suggest He is Violating Federal Law
Service Employee International Union (SEIU) President Andy Stern’s 2009 numbers are in. While on the clock last year, Stern spent 32% of his time on “political or lobbying activities,” according to the newly released Department of Labor LM-2 forms. Stern’s access to the current Administration, he visited the White House upwards of 20 times, attended the most prestigious events, and was appointed to the “debt panel,” makes him one of the most influential people in Washington.
Naturally, someone who spends a third of his/her time on political activities with the movers and shakers Stern associates with must be considered a lobbyist. If not, then who is? The Lobbying Disclosure Act (LDA) defines a lobbyist as person who spends more than 20% of his/her time on “lobbying activities” and has two or more “lobbying contacts.” Using the LDA’s definition of a lobbyist, it would appear that Mr. Stern is, in fact, one.
And yet, Mr. Stern deregistered as a lobbyist in 2007 leading the Alliance for Worker Freedom (AWF) and Americans for Tax Reform (ATR) to formally request an investigation by the acting United States Attorney Channing D. Phillips, Esq., into the potentially illegal lobbying activities of the Service Employee International Union (SEIU) President Andy Stern last November.
Since AWF and ATR filed their case with United States Attorney Channing D. Phillips, SEIU and Andy Stern have offered confusing, to put it kindly, explanations for Stern’s non-lobbyist status.
Nov. 16, SEIU spokesperson Michelle Ringuette acknowledged the validity of the claim and, without offering evidence responded: “Andy Stern spends less than 20 percent of his time talking to elected representatives.”
And then...
Jan 5 Andy Stern told Carol Costello in a one-on-one interview on CNN: “We’re going to send them a letter and tell them the truth, which is we’ve complied with the law. And we assume whenever the investigation is done it will be fine.”
Yet, neither Americans for Tax Reform nor the Alliance for Worker Freedom have received any evidence vindicating Mr. Stern, despite being promised said information. Until Andy Stern or the SEIU provide substantial refutation we’ll have to take the DOL’s LM-2 forms at face value. Forms that strongly suggest Stern is a lobbyist and currently breaking federal law.
