In New Haven, Get Indicted for Corruption — Retire With BIG Union Pension

September 30, 2007 | Filed Under Budget, Business, Democrats/Leftists, News, Publius Contributor, Society/Culture, Uncategorized, Unions, Warner Todd Huston |

-By Warner Todd Huston

One of the most absurd things about unions is their penchant for rewarding criminal behavior. In the real world, most people would not agree to allow a convicted criminal or someone under a cloud of corruption to benefit from a big pension paid for by everyone else. But, not in union land. In union land even those convicted of crimes should be carried from the cradle to the grave by the work force.

Well, in New Haven, Connecticut lawmakers are trying to change this ridiculous union requirement by crafting a new law to deny the pensions of public employees and union members who have been convicted of a crime or those who are in the midst of being indicted for corruption.

This new initiative is fast on the tail of the story of Billy White and Justen Kasperzyk, two New Haven narcotics cops who were indicted as a result of an FBI corruption investigation, both of whom retired with large pensions — one of them at $91,000.

Sadly, if New Haven passes this new law, they will join only a tiny handful of states and cities that sensibly deny luxurious pensions for people who have violated the public trust.

Blumenthal and Bysiewicz have already been researching the legal possibilities of such legislation, in the wake of a string of corruption convictions of state officials in the past few years. At Thursday’s hearing they offered their personal expertise and access to state files on pension reduction resolutions. They also advised aldermen to sit down with union officials and other objectors in order to address their concerns. They said if New Haven were to gain the power to reduce or revoke convicted city employees’ pensions, it would become the first city in the nation to do so. Thirteen states have similar judicial or administrative processes in place. Blumenthal and Bysiewicz been involved in four so-far unsuccessful efforts to convince the legislature to make Connecticut the 14th.

No cities and only 13 states have such laws!?

Disgusting.

It all goes to show that crime often pays if you’re a union member!

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Warner Todd Huston’s thoughtful commentary, sometimes irreverent often historically based, is featured on many websites such as newsbusters.org, townhall.com, men’snewsdaily.com and americandaily.com among many, many others. Additionally, he has been a guest on several radio programs to discuss his opinion editorials and current events. He has also written for several history magazines and appears in the new book “Americans on Politics, Policy and Pop Culture” which can be purchased on amazon.com. He is also the owner and operator of publiusforum.com. Feel free to contact him with any comments or questions : EMAIL Warner Todd Huston