Government intervention in the Teamsters is a blatant attempt to deal a blow to the union, dampen the significance of the victory by 185,000 of its members against UPS in the August strike, and ultimately discourage and demoralize rank- and-file workers by turning them into objects who have to be "protected" against allegedly corrupt officials.
The ruling class and its political representatives in Washington are the enemy of labor. Barbara Zack Quindel, appointed by Clinton to "oversee" the Teamsters, is looking after the interests of big business. She voided last year's election days after the Teamsters victory against UPS. By maintaining the threat of disqualifying Carey now, Quindel and her bosses are trying to derail efforts to parley the momentum from the UPS strike into organizing workers at Federal Express and elsewhere and set an example of what the employing class will do against the unions every time workers stand up.
The calls by James Hoffa, Jr., Carey's opponent in the Teamsters, and Carey himself for federal intervention play right into the hands of the employers. Appeals to government intervention only serve to weaken the union.
Only the union members should decide who they elect as their officers and how, or whether improprieties took place at any election - in the Teamsters or any other union.
Get the government out of the Teamsters now!