WASHINGTON, June 14 (UPI) -- Teamsters President James P. Hoffa, citing his union's support of several Republican candidates for governor and improved access to the White House, said the message should be clear that no political entity should take Teamsters' support for granted.
In an interview Thursday with The Washington Times, and reported in the newspaper's Friday editions, Hoffa said attention paid to his group and its causes by the Bush administration was indicative of how to get the union's backing.
In recent years, the Teamsters' financial support of Republican candidates has gone from about 7 percent of the union's donations to about 20 percent, the Washington Times reported. Hoffa said, "My message for Democrats and Republicans is don't take us for granted."
"Perhaps about 80 percent of our money goes to Democrats but we're not afraid to reach out across the aisle," Hoffa said. "It's not a matter of Republican and Democrat. It's about people who are pro-labor or do things that help the Teamsters."
The Washington Times said the Teamsters have endorsed GOP gubernatorial candidates in Ohio (Robert Taft) and New York (George Pataki) and was considering supporting Gov. Jeb Bush in his re-election try in Florida.
That endorsement, however, may have more to do with Bush's likely opponent -- former Attorney General Janet Reno -- than the president's brother.
"There isn't really anybody attractive running against him," Hoffa told the Washington Times. "I thought she was one of the poorest attorneys general ever to serve in that position. She was totally unqualified for the job."
Hoffa said the union's state legislative and political coordinators have been invited to a June 24 meeting at the White House. "He have more access to this White House than we did to the Clinton White House," the Teamsters president said.
