Labor Council Names Committee To Deal With McLaughlin Probe
BY JOHN TOSCANO

Denis M. Hughes, president of the New York state AFL-CIO, in announcing the action, said that McLaughlin (pictured at right) would remain in charge of the council, but would not have any say in decisions regarding the FBI investigation.

A top labor official has announced that he is appointing a special committee to deal with a federal probe of the New York City Central Labor Council and its president, Assemblymember Brian McLaughlin.

Denis M. Hughes, president of the New York state AFL-CIO, in announcing the action, said that McLaughlin (D-Flushing) would remain in charge of the council, but would not have any say in decisions regarding the FBI investigation.

Hughes also said that Ed Ott, a top staff person at the 1.1 millionmember council would henceforth handle some of the public functions usually performed by McLaughlin.

Council Spokeswoman Carolyn Daly reported that McLaughlin insisted he was innocent of any wrongdoing. His attorney, Paul Driscoll, previously stated that McLaughlin "denies all allegations against him."

The FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation) searched McLaughlin's Assembly district office in Flushing last Thursday and the labor council's Manhattan offices, but to date no charges have been filed against anyone.

FBI officials told reporters they were investigating whether McLaughlin had allegedly gotten improper payments from electrical contractors in Queens for suspected bid-rigging deals.

In other actions, the FBI also went to the offices of the Petrocelli Electric Company in Long Island City. Besides the Petrocelli Company, Welsbach Electric of College Point maintain streetlights and traffic lights.

As a result of these searches, the FBI agents took away office records as well as computers. According to press reports, Welsbach won $67.6 million in streetlight contracts between 1997 and 2004 and Petrocelli won $47.6 million from 1997 to 2006.

Daly acknowledged that McLaughlin was acquainted with officials at both firms. "How could he not know them?" Daly asked. "He's been an electrician all his life."

Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who was endorsed by McLaughlin in his re-election campaign last year, acknowledged that he has known about the FBI's investigation since 1999.

The probe comes eight weeks after McLaughlin unexpectedly announced he would not seek reelection to his Assembly position this year. He has held the Assembly seat since 1992. He has held the labor coalition post since 1995. He grew up in the labor movement, where he worked as an electrician.

In his retirement announcement, McLaughlin said he was leaving public office to concentrate on his labor union duties.

Since the probe began, McLaughlin has received strong support from other labor leaders. Arthur Cheliotes, president of Local 1180, stated: "This is a fishing expedition by the feds. Until anyone proves otherwise, I'm with Brian and supporting him completely."

United Federation of Teachers union President Randi Weingarten, one of McLaughlin's closest associates in the labor movement, said, "Brian's been with us in very tough fights and many of us on a personal level are rooting for him."

In asking McLaughlin to limit his role in the labor coalition while it is under siege by the FBI, AFL-CIO president Hughes noted in the Daily News: "Brian hasn't been accused of any crime and we have to be careful about a presumption of innocence. But this is the beginning [of the probe] and I don't know where it is going to go."

Media reports indicate the federal probe is likely to take months and Hughes and other labor leaders don't want the labor coalition, comprised of about 400 unions and 1.1 million workers, to be in any danger of not being able to operate under normal parameters.