Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Prison Time.

Wow.

Check out this article in the Los Angeles Times about former SEIU IEB member Alejandro Stephens heading off to jail for his guilty plea on corruption charges. The article mentions no fewer than 4 SEIU officials involved in recent corruption scandals (Alejandro Stephens, Tyrone Freeman, Anelle Grajeda and Janett Humphries) and provides new details about Andy Stern's role in awarding more than $300,000 in severance payments and consulting fees to Stephens in an effort to ease Stephens out of his role as president of Local 660.

The article says: "Federal investigators also have questioned people with ties to the union about whether Andy Stern, former national head of the SEIU who now sits on President Obama's deficit reduction commission, may have approved a no-show position for Stephens."

The article also offers new details about former SEIU Executive Vice President Annelle Grajeda's role in the Stephens' corruption scandal. In court filings, the FBI named Grajeda and her son as "co-schemers" in the crime. B/t/w, is Annelle still working in the Secretary-Treasurer's office in SEIU's purple palace in DC?

And most intriguing for Tasty is this excerpt. Can anyone name these SEIU officials?

The genesis of the case, according to Stephens, was a phone call he received in early 2004 from an SEIU official, whom he declined to name. The official, Stephens said, told him Contreras wanted to help Stephens be reelected as president of Local 660, where he faced opposition amid criticism that he was autocratic and ineffective.

Stephens said he was then summoned to Sacramento. There, he said, he met with the SEIU official and others, who advised him to find people willing to accept the nonprofit's money and then turn it over to him.

"All I had to do was identify someone or persons who will be able to pass the checks, and then pay for the campaign," Stephens said.

Stephens admitted recruiting friends and relatives to serve as what prosecutors called "phony consultants," who received $52,000 in VIP funds and were directed to "hand the money over to Stephens," federal authorities said in a statement.

Here's a link to the full article.