MI-07: Joe Schwarz is Labor's Liberal Lapdog
Liberal Republican Congressman Joe Schwarz is having a tough time raising money in his re-election bid in Michigan's 7th district. But one bright spot for him is the pile of cash he's received from labor unions.
In fact, labor unions appear to be tripping over themselves to support Schwarz, which you would think is kind of odd considering Schwarz is a Republican. But by our count, at least 30 labor unions have given Schwarz over $125,000 for this election cycle. He's received more money from labor unions than any other House Republican in Michigan. And more specificially, the UAW has given money to 238 various Senate and House candidates so far this year. Schwarz was one of the beneficiaries. In fact, he was one of only 4 Republicans nationwide to get money from the UAW.
It is a rogues gallery of labor unions, with some of the worst anti-taxpayer, anti-student, anti-economic growth unions like AFGE, AFL-CIO, NARFE and NEA.Here's the list and the date and dollar amounts given to Schwarz's campaign (all of this can be found in Schwarz's FEC filings):
| Labor Union PAC | Date | Amt |
| American Fed. of Gov't Employees (AFGE) PAC | 6/27/2005 | 1000 |
| AFGE PAC | 2/27/2006 | 500 |
| AFGE PAC | 2/27/2006 | 500 |
| AFL-CIO C.O.P.E. PAC | 3/17/2005 | 1000 |
| Air Line Pilots Assn. PAC | 5/26/2006 | 2500 |
| Air Line Pilots Assn. PAC | 6/30/2006 | 2500 |
| Amalgamated Transit Union COPE | 6/29/2006 | 1000 |
| Am. Maritime Officers- V - PAF | 4/28/2005 | 1000 |
| Am. Maritime Officers- V - PAF | 6/13/2005 | 1000 |
| Am. Maritime Officers- V - PAF | 9/9/2005 | 1000 |
| Am. Maritime Officers- V - PAF | 3/31/2006 | 1000 |
| Boilermakers, Iron Ship Builders CAF | 6/16/2005 | 1000 |
| Carpenters Legislative Improvement Cmte. | 3/30/2005 | 5000 |
| Carpenters Legislative Improvement Cmte. | 3/27/2006 | 5000 |
| CWA Cope PCC | 6/28/2006 | 1000 |
| Engineers Political Ed. Cmte. | 5/5/2006 | 5000 |
| Intl. Assn. of Fire Fighters | 5/12/2005 | 1000 |
| Intl. Assn. of Fire Fighters | 6/3/2005 | 1000 |
| Intl. Assn. of Fire Fighters | 9/14/2005 | 2000 |
| Intl. Assn. of Fire Fighters | 6/15/2005 | 1000 |
| Intl. Assn. of Fire Fighters | 6/30/2006 | 2500 |
| Intl. Union of Painters Political Action Together | 5/3/2005 | 1500 |
| Intl. Union of Painters Political Action Together | 2/15/2006 | 1000 |
| Intl. Union of Painters Political Action Together | 3/31/2006 | 2500 |
| Intl. Union of Painters Political Action Together | 6/15/2006 | 1000 |
| Intl. Assn. of Masters Mates & Pilots | 5/13/2006 | 2500 |
| Intl. Assn. of Masters Mates & Pilots | 6/30/2006 | 2500 |
| Ironworkers Political Action League | 8/25/2005 | 1000 |
| Ironworkers Political Action League | 12/22/2005 | 4000 |
| Ironworkers Political Action League | 6/15/2006 | 1000 |
| Laborers Political League | 5/2/2005 | 2000 |
| Laborers Political League | 11/17/2005 | 3000 |
| Laborers Political League | 6/10/2006 | 5000 |
| Letter Carriers PAF | 4/28/2005 | 1000 |
| Letter Carriers PAF | 7/29/2005 | 1000 |
| Michigan Boilermakers Federal PAC | 6/17/2005 | 1000 |
| Nat'l Assoc. of Active & Retired Fed. Employees (NARFE) | 10/27/2005 | 1000 |
| NARFE | 6/29/2006 | 3000 |
| National Air Traffic Controllers PAC | 5/3/2005 | 1000 |
| National Air Traffic Controllers PAC | 6/20/2005 | 1000 |
| National Air Traffic Controllers PAC | 8/12/2005 | 3000 |
| National Assn. of Air Traffic Specialists PAF | 4/12/2005 | 500 |
| National Assn. of Social Workers PAC | 6/30/2006 | 5000 |
| National Assn. of Social Workers PAC | 6/30/2006 | 5000 |
| National Assn. of Letter Carriers | 5/3/2005 | 1000 |
| Operating Engineers Local 324 | 3/10/2005 | 1000 |
| Operating Engineers Local 324 | 7/5/2006 | 4000 |
| Operating Engineers Local 324 | 5/30/2006 | 5000 |
| Pol. Ed. Fund of Building Con. Trades Dept. AFL-CIO | 12/12/2005 | 5000 |
| Service Employees Intl. Union Co | 5/11/2005 | 1000 |
| Service Employees Intl. Union Co | 6/28/2005 | 1500 |
| The NEA Fund | 5/25/2005 | 1000 |
| The NEA Fund | 10/27/2005 | 1000 |
| The NEA Fund | 6/21/2006 | 3000 |
| The NEA Fund | 6/21/2006 | 5000 |
| Transport Workers Union PAC | 6/17/2005 | 1000 |
| Treasury Employees PAC | 6/10/2005 | 1000 |
| UAW-V-CAP | 3/30/2005 | 1000 |
| UAW-V-CAP | 5/16/2005 | 1000 |
| UAW-V-CAP | 6/21/2005 | 1000 |
| UFCW Active Ballot Club | 4/12/2006 | 3500 |
| United Transportation Union PAC | 9/2/2005 | 1000 |
| United Transportation Union PAC | 3/30/2006 | 2500 |
| TOTAL | $127,500.00 |
Why do labor unions love Schwarz? Because he votes like a liberal. In one instance, he sided with the labor unions to make sure federal rebuilding contracts in the wake of Hurricane Katrina paid so-called prevailing wages (i.e., higher-than-market wages that rip-off taxpayers). And according to both the National Taxpayers Union and Citizens Against Government Waste, his record on fiscal issues is worse than 96% of all House Republicans.
And this guy calls himself a Republican?
On top of the labor support, Schwarz is also getting help from environmentalists. Roll Call reports ($) that the League of Conservation Voters is running a TV ad on behalf of Schwarz against Tim Walberg, the true Republican in this race and a Club-PAC endorsed candidate. The ad buy is over $86,000.
The Schwarz campaign is clearly on the ropes. Bill Ballenger, a political writer in Michigan, recently said, "The Schwarz people are running scared."
If you want to help stop the egregious spending in Washington; if you want the GOP to return to its principles of limited government, then please consider giving Tim Walberg a donation today so that we can send Schwarz packing (see donation link below). The primary is only a short 19 days away. If Walberg wins this race, and we believe he has a great chance, this will be a great win for fiscal conservatives and the right-of-center bloggers who trumpet his support. It will also be a thunderous shot across the bow, putting all RINO Republicans on notice.
PAID FOR BY CLUB FOR GROWTH PAC AND NOT AUTHORIZED BY ANY CANDIDATE OR CANDIDATE'S COMMITTEE. 202-955-5500.
