Hoffa Denounces Appearance By Gov. Scott Walker in Congress

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International Brotherhood of Teamsters

Apr 14, 2011, 11:17 ET

Teamsters General President Calls Walker Testimony 'Political Theater'

WASHINGTON, April 14, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa dismissed an appearance today by Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker before a House committee as "political theater."

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Walker was to testify before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee at a hearing titled, "State and Municipal Debt: Tough Choices Ahead."

"The only 'tough choices' are being made by the people of Wisconsin," Hoffa said. "They've made sacrifices to help their state, while Scott Walker wouldn't even sit down with them to help fix the budget mess he made. Rather than create good jobs for the hardworking people of Wisconsin, Scott Walker took away their collective bargaining rights. All he's interested in is payback to corporate backers like the Koch brothers.

"What does Scott Walker know about debt, other than getting into it? Wisconsin was projected to have a surplus of $121 million before Walker took office. He gave $116 million in tax breaks to corporations and now he wants to give another $83 million in tax breaks for corporations and investors."

Walker was joined at the hearing by representatives from the anti-worker group National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation, which was founded by the Koch brothers, and American Enterprise Institute, which is supported by the Kochs. Thirteen Republican oversight committee members received money from the Kochs.

"This hearing is nothing more than political theater by Scott Walker and his corporate cronies. They are the ones who deserve oversight," Hoffa said.

Founded in 1903, the Teamsters Union represents 1.4 million hardworking men and women throughout the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. Visit www.teamster.org for more information.

SOURCE International Brotherhood of Teamsters