Little Rock, AR (May 21, 2010) – On Thursday, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) announced that they would invest an additional $1.4 million in the Arkansas Senate race to support the candidacy of Lieutenant Governor Bill Halter. AFSCME President Gerald McEntee described the union’s effort as “an independent expenditure campaign on a scale likely to dominate the state’s airwaves”. (Ben Smith, “AFSCME Will Put $1.4 Million Into Arkansas Runoff,” Politico, 5/20/10)

National labor unions have spent more than $5 million in Arkansas in support of Bill Halter thus far, with the lieutenant governor receiving at least $33,000 in direct contributions from out-of-state unions. Meanwhile, Halter has repeatedly refused to say where he stands on Big Labor’s number one priority, the Employee ‘Forced’ Choice Act (EFCA).

This new influx of cash by AFSCME raises an important question about what the union bosses expect in return from Halter. In a 2008 interview with The Washington Times, McEntee specifically named EFCA as “payback” for the labor movement’s massive campaign effort on behalf of President Obama and Democrats. (David R. Sands, “Labor’s ‘Priority’ On Back Burner,” The Washington Times, 12/29/08)

“National labor bosses like Gerald McEntee have stated very clearly that their money comes with strings attached. By their own admission, when they invest millions of dollars on behalf of candidates, they expect them to vote for EFCA as ‘payback,’” said Robert Coon, state director for the Coalition for Arkansas Jobs (CAJ). “Bill Halter has repeatedly refused to tell Arkansans where he stands on this job-killing legislation, but what has he told Big Labor bosses behind closed doors? Will Halter publicly denounce Gerald McEntee’s involvement on his behalf in the Arkansas Senate race being that the labor boss is expecting ‘payback’ for his millions in political support?”

The Coalition for Arkansas Jobs is an organization committed to protecting jobs in Arkansas and standing up for the small businesses and workers in the state who grow the economy and create opportunities.

To learn more, please visit: www.coalitionforARjobs.com. To schedule an interview with a Coalition for Arkansas Jobs representative, please contact Robert Coon at (501) 352-8332 or email robert@coalitionforARjobs.com .

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