July 22, 1998
VIA UPS OVERNIGHT
Ken Mee
July 22, 1998
Page 1
Ken Mee
42356 Greenbrier Park Drive
Fremont, CA 94538
Richard Leebove
RL Communications
18600 West 10 Mile Road
Suite 101
Southfield, MI 48075
Hoffa Slate
c/o Patrick J. Szymanski, Esq.
Baptiste & Wilder
1150 Connecticut Avenue, NW
Suite 500
Washington, DC 20036
James P. Hoffa
2593 Hounds Chase
Troy, MI 48098
Bradley T. Raymond, Esq.
Finkel, Whitefield, Selik,
Raymond, Ferrara & Feldman
32300 Northwestern Highway
Suite 200
Farmington Hills, MI 48334
Ken Mee
July 22, 1998
Page 1
Re: Election Office Case No. PR-175-IBT-EOH
Gentlemen:
Ken Mee, a member of Local Union 287 and a candidate for International vice - president, filed a pre-election protest pursuant to Article XIV, Section 2(b) of the Rules for the 1995-1996 IBT International Union Delegate and Officer Election (“Rules”) against James P. Hoffa, a candidate for general president. Mr. Mee alleges that Richard Leebove, president of RL Communications and former spokesman for the Hoffa Campaign, paid for a two-way radio communication system and a TV satellite hook-up during the IBT Convention, held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in July 1996. Mr. Mee further alleges that these alleged campaign contributions were unreported by the Hoffa Campaign and were otherwise improper. Neither the Hoffa Campaign nor Mr. Leebove was asked to respond to the protest.
The protest was investigated by Election Office Counsel David S. Paull.
Ken Mee
July 22, 1998
Page 1
All the allegations of this protest concern the initial election. The Election Officer has determined that the initial election must be rerun and it is therefore unnecessary to resolve such allegations absent extraordinary circumstances. Cheatem, Post 27-EOH (August 21, 1997) aff’d in rel. part, 97 - Elec. App. - 322 (KC) (October 10, 1997);[1] In re Cheatem, Post-27-EOH (KC) (November 17, 1997). No such circumstances exist.
Accordingly, the protest is DENIED.
Any interested party not satisfied with this determination may request a hearing before the Election Appeals Master within one (1) day of receipt of this letter. The parties are reminded that, absent extraordinary circumstances, no party may rely upon evidence that was not presented to the Office of the Election Officer in any such appeal. Requests for a hearing shall be made in writing and shall be served on:
Kenneth Conboy, Esq.
Latham & Watkins
885 Third Avenue, Suite 1000
New York, NY 10022
Fax: (212) 751-4864
Copies of the request for hearing must be served on the parties listed above as well as upon the Election Officer, 444 North Capitol Street, NW, Suite 445, Washington, DC 20001, Facsimile
(202) 624-3525. A copy of the protest must accompany the request for a hearing.
Sincerely,
Michael G. Cherkasky
Election Officer
MGC:chh
cc: Kenneth Conboy, Election Appeals Master
[1] In Cheatem, the Election Officer stated that “other adequate forums” exist “in which any continuing claims of improper conduct can be pursued.”