AFL-CIO to call on a Republican member of NLRB to step down (linked to Romney adviser)

[ProSense]

The Morning Plum: A test for Romney

By Greg Sargent

The political world will understandably be fixated today on the first day of oral arguments before the Supreme Court over the constitutionality of Obama’s health care law, his signature domestic achievement. But before getting to that, there’s another sleeper of a story that deserves some attention.

The AFL-CIO is set to call on a Republican member of the National Labor Relations Board to step down in response to a new report alleging ethics violations, perhaps the first time the union has taken this step. But there’s also an angle involving Mitt Romney: One of his advisers has also been implicated in the tale.

Last week, the NLRB’s Inspector General released a report finding that one of its members, Terence Flynn, had violated ethics rules by revealing confidential information about internal NLRB deliberations to former board members who used the info to benefit their private sector clients. This has been referred to the Justice Department, and if the charges are true, he may have badly compromised the integrity of the agency.

One of the recipients of this improperly divulged information, the report alleges, was Peter Schaumber, a former NLRB board member and labor relations consultant who is now a co-chair of Romney’s Labor Policy Advisory Group. In a statement to go out today, the AFL-CIO will call on Flynn to step down and for Romney to disassociate himself with Schaumber:

Even for an agency that has at times been highly politicized, these unethical practices are unprecedented and indefensible. NLRB member Flynn should resign immediately. The Department of Justice should quickly investigate and bring criminal charges if violations are found....

These findings also will be a test for candidate Romney. A key advisor has been found to have used his inside connections in a way that resulted in the violation of ethics rules. Allowing Schaumber to remain as an advisor will speak volumes about candidate Romney and the value he places on ethics in government officials. He should renounce these violations and dismiss Schaumber.

- more -

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/post/the-morning-plum-a-test-for-romney/2012/03/26/gIQAPF8obS_blog.html

GOP Member of NLRB Committed Ethics Violations
http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002465005

[ProSense]

1. Kick! n/t

[NNN0LHI]

2. Reagan stacked the NLRB with right wing scum suckers

We have went down hill since.

Don