DeMint files FOI for NLRB info

WASHINGTON -- Sen. Jim DeMint filed a Freedom of Information Act request Monday seeking communications that the federal labor agency may have had with union and Obama administration officials tied to Boeing's attempt to open an aircraft plant in South Carolina.

DeMint, R-S.C., for the first time questioned whether the National Labor Relations Board's complaint against Boeing was a payoff for $1.9 million in political contributions to Democratic candidates in 2009 and 2010 by the union that represents Boeing workers.

"Local 751 (of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers) would appear to be openly engaged in a pay-to-play system of political influence," DeMint wrote in a letter to Lafe Solomon, the NLRB's acting general counsel. "The question is unavoidable: Did Local 751's political activities or campaign contributions 'gain access to officials' at the NLRB?"

DeMint said he was quoting from a newsletter in which Local 751 leaders said its members' political donations opened doors to elected officials.

Solomon filed an April compliant in April alleging that Boeing decided to build an assembly line for its 787 Dreamliner in North Charleston because of past labor strikes at the aerospace giant's production hub in Everett, Wash.

An administrative law judge is scheduled to hear the case next week in Seattle. The judge can drop the case, refer it to the full NLRB or seek more information.

Whatever the outcome, the dispute is likely to end up in federal court.

"We need transparency into NLRB's bullying of workers and businesses in right-to-work states," DeMint said. "It's important that we have all the facts surrounding this controversial decision."

NLRB spokeswoman Nancy Cleeland declined to discuss DeMint's FOIA request Monday, saying she hadn't seen it.