Sen. Rockefeller connected to SEIU

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October 7, 2009 In addition to accepting donations from health insurance companies during the time he was promoting the "public option" in the Senate, Sen. Jay Rockefeller, a Democrat from West Virginia, accepted donations from the Service Employees International Union (SEIU).[1]

[edit] SEIU

The SEIU strongly supports government-run health insurance just as Rockefeller is a staunch public option supporter, having recently pushed for the public option amendment to the Senate Finance Committee Chairman’s Mark of America’s Healthy Futures Act of 2009.

Rockefeller accepted $10,000 from SEIU in his 2008 re-election campaign, a substantial increase in donations to Rockefeller from the $1,000 SEIU donated to his 2002 re-election campaign.

On the night of the November 2008 election, SEIU issued a press release congratulating Rockefeller on his re-election stating, "Members and leaders of the nation’s strongest and fastest growing union, Service Employees International Union, tonight extend their congratulations to Senator John Rockefeller on his re-election to the U.S. Senate."

“SEIU members proved that they make politics work and elected a candidate who not only talks the talk, but walks the walk,” said SEIU Secretary-Treasurer Anna Burger. “Now, instead of sitting back and waiting to see what happens, members are staying out in the streets and holding our new leaders accountable for the promises they made over this past campaign season on affordable health care and rebuild the middle class by restoring workers’ freedom to join unions.”[2]

West Virginia has two SEIU chapters. SEIU Local 1199 is located in Huntington and SEIU Local 553 is in Ranson

[edit] Family connections

Rockefeller is connected to SEIU by blood. His cousin, Anne Bartley, is married to Larry B. McNeil. According to Bartley's biography, McNeil is “a former Saul Alinski organizer for 25 years.” He is now director of the SEIU’s Institute for Change.

Bartley is currently a board member of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund and the Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors. She was once a board member of the Rockefeller Family Fund, which funds anti-coal extremists in West Virginia.

[edit] ACORN

SEIU had connections to ACORN, the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now until recently when the union cut off ties.

ACORN is currently under investigation after undercover reporters revealed employees at five different offices helping set up illegal, underage brothels.

Burger shocked observers last week in telling a congressional hearing that SEIU "cut all ties to ACORN.” It came days before Louisiana Attorney General Buddy Caldwell announced October 6 that former ACORN official Dale Rathke allegedly stole $5 million from ACORN. This differed from the original reported sum of close to $1 million. ACORN director Bertha Lewis denies the new $5 million figure.

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  1. ↑ "Rockefeller’s SEIU Connections," West Virginia Watchdog, October 7, 2009
  2. ↑ SEIU congratulates Rockefeller, SEIU website
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