Incumbency protection racket: Capito shakes down carpenter's union

by: Clem Guttata

Thu Jul 19, 2007 at 15:22:13 PM EDT

This post is all about one egregious example of how difficult it is to unseat an incumbent Republican Rep. no matter how poorly they represent their constituents.

Make no mistake about it, John Unger's campaign to defeat vulnerable Republican Shelley Moore Capito (WV-02) is an uphill battle. As Bow Tie Boy pointed out this week, even though he was surprised by the "relatively low cash on hand for Capito (by off year incumbent standards)", she's still well ahead of Unger's campaign.

Below the break, find out why Marcus W. Estlack of Morgantown, WV has shot himself in the foot and why it is so dang-on hard to defeat incumbents who are willing to accept money from Political Action Committees they don't actually represent the interests of.

Rep. Shelley Moore Capito has consistently supported Bush administration actions to make it difficult for workers to improve their wages and working conditions. The most egregious example is her opposition to the Employee Free Choice Act. With that vote she showed in the time of greatest worker need she sided with corporate greed, not with you and me.

Incumbent Protection

Each election cycle Capito has received some money from labor unions. You would think, though, that after her egregious anit-union stance on the Employee Free Choice Act that they would finally wise up. Apparently, not quite!

* On 3/1/2007, Capito voted against workers and unions.

* On 3/27/2007, the CARPENTERS LEGISLATIVE IMPROVEMENT COMMITTEE of the UNITED BROTHERHOOD OF CARPENTERS AND JOINERS contributed $2,500 to her election in 2008.

* On 4/6/2007, Marcus W. Estlack of Morgantown, WV gave $377.00 to CARPENTERS LEGISLATIVE IMPROVEMENT COMMITTEE of the UNITED BROTHERHOOD OF CARPENTERS AND JOINERS.

These contributions defy rational explanation. They should be funding her opposition, not her re-election.

You Can Do Better

Are you a member of the UNITED BROTHERHOOD OF CARPENTERS AND JOINERS? Are you embarrassed that your proud union that fought so valiantly for an 8-hour work day is now rolling over on the fight for union rights?

Demand your union leadership contribute twice as much to Capito's challenger. Vote for new union leadership, too. Heck, I'd even suggest you form a new union... except I know how difficult the Bush-Capito regime has made that.