Thursday, March 12, 2009

Paul Pringle Strikes Again!

When history looks back at the story of SEIU's systemic corruption, one name is going to loom large, and that name is Paul Pringle, ace reporter of the Los Angeles Times.

Pringle has been white-on-rice on SEIU's corruption, and it appears he's broken another story on yet another Stern appointee having to 'resign' over financial improprieties:

Top SEIU official in California quits three posts

Annelle Grajeda resigns after a probe into whether she played a role in payments to her ex-boyfriend. That inquiry found no wrongdoing. She will take a different job with the union.

By Paul Pringle
10:30 PM PDT, March 10, 2009

The Service Employees International Union's highest-ranking California officer has resigned that position and two other leadership posts in the wake of an internal investigation of payments to her ex-boyfriend, it was announced today.

The SEIU said its inquiry found no wrongdoing by Annelle Grajeda, who was one of six executive vice presidents of the national union as well as the head of its California council and the local that represents Los Angeles County workers.

The union said Grajeda, who could not be reached for comment, had decided to become an assistant to the SEIU's secretary-treasurer in Washington, D.C.

Grajeda had been on leave since August, when the union began examining whether she played a role in payments to Alejandro Stephens, a former president of the Los Angeles local.

The SEIU has said Stephens violated a severance agreement by remaining on the county payroll after he lost his union position. Two local members had filed an internal complaint that suggested Grajeda used her influence to help Stephens continue receiving a government paycheck, something she denied.

One of the members, Ron Tanner, a retired county worker, said he was disappointed that the union didn't bar Grajeda from holding any future office. "I don't particularly care for this," he said. "I'd rather see her banned."

SEIU spokeswoman Michelle Ringuette said the internal probe determined that Grajeda "never stood to benefit" from any money Stephens received. She said Grajeda opted to step down after "sitting and reflecting" on what she wanted to do next.

"We're absolutely supporting her decision," Ringuette said.


When Andy Stern yanked SEIU 347 members out of their union - without a vote of the 347 membership - and placed them into a merged conglomerate union (SEIU 721), who was appointed the president of that new union, again without the vote of the membership? And the answer to that question would be... Annelle Grajeda.

When Andy Stern ran Sal Roselli off of the leadership of the California Labor Council, who replaced him? And the answer to that question would be... Annelle Grajeda.

Evidently Our Glorious Maximum Leader isn't in the habit of doing enough "sitting and reflecting" on the character traits of the people that he elevates into these semi-permanent positions that he keeps creating through his mergers, trusteeships and political machinations.

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