Federal Watchdog Opens Probe Into Pro-Biden Union Boss

United Auto Workers president Shawn Fain is under investigation by a court-appointed watchdog who has been tasked with stamping out corruption in the union in the wake of a widespread bribery and embezzlement scandal from several years ago, according to a report from Newsmax.

The monitor, Neil Barofsky, disclosed that he is investigating Fain and other senior UAW leaders in a report to Judge David M. Lawson on Monday. Barofsky accused the union of a “recent lapse” in cooperation with his monitoring duties, which began after he opened the probe into senior officials earlier this year.

The report, which was filed in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan’s Southern Division, took note of recent clashes within the union’s International Executive Board over recent months. Barofsky highlighted one particular dispute between Fain and secretary-treasurer Margaret Mock.

Fain stated that he was forced to strip several duties from Mock, claiming that she “engaged in misconduct while carrying out her financial oversight responsibilities,” according to Barofsky’s report.

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Fain also took responsibilities away from UAW Vice President Rich Boyer due to “’dereliction of duty’ in connection with certain collective bargaining issues,” the report noted. Details of the misconduct allegations were not included in the recent report.

Both Mock and Boyer have denied the allegations against them and have previously accused Fain himself of misconduct.

Barofsky wrote that Mock filed “allegations of her own” against Fain and that his actions against her were in “retaliation for her refusal or reluctance to authorize certain expenditures of funds at the request of and/or for the benefit of those in the president’s office.” Boyer has further accused Fain of retaliating against him for “refusing to engage in acts of financial misconduct to benefit others.”

Fain issued a statement Monday in which he denied the allegations. “Taking our union in a new direction means sometimes you have to rock the boat, and that upsets some people who want to keep the status quo, but our membership expects better and deserves better than the old business as usual,” he said in the statement. “We encourage the monitor to investigate whatever claims are brought to their office, because we know what they’ll find: a UAW leadership committed to serving the membership, and running a democratic union. We’re staying focused on winning record contracts, growing our union, and fighting for economic and social justice on and off the job.”

In 2021, the union agreed by consent decree to authorize the federal monitor in order to settle federal corruption charges after past union officials, including two past presidents, went to prison.

Fain endorsed President Biden earlier this year after previously withholding their endorsement.  He allowed Biden to join workers on the picket line during the recent auto industry strike, which resulted in a 20-minute appearance for President Biden.

He has accused former President Donald Trump of “not giving a damn” about workers and framed him as a member of the “billionaire class.”

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