The Cover Up, What Did D’Errico Know and When Did He Know It

Dirty Tricks Scandal at Local 157 – Part Four

With all the controversy continuing to swirl around the Trusteeship of Local 157, an important question remains. What did D’Errico know and when did he know it? There have been many different versions of an answer to this question put forth by sources close to D'Errico, but so far the newly appointed so-called “leader” and candidate for president of local 157 has avoided being questioned or held accountable in connection to the corruption in local 157.

Background...
In a still sealed report, (because it involves an ongoing investigation) to the District Council dated November 13, 2007 issued by the Independent Investigator, William Callahan describing the allegations relating to Local 157 stated, among other things, that "the local is in disarray and a missed managed mess where business representatives come and go as they please doing little if any work and following few if any rules."

In a letter dated December 5, 2007 addressed to the membership of Local 157, District Council EST Mike Forde said, “business representatives (which we now know were Bill Hanley, George Dilacio, Fred Kennedy and Danny Demorato) assigned to work in Local 157 were not performing their jobs in the manner expected of them by the District Council and that they had, in other respects, acted inconsistently with the standards expected of District Council employees."

On December 11, 2007 UBC Eastern District VP Frank Spencer said, “Local 157 is an atrocious mess where the left hand don’t know what the right hand is doing.”

Last-man-standing...
Lawrence D’Errico is the Recording Secretary of Local 157, Labor Trustee for the NYCDCC Benefit Funds and one of the five business representatives assigned to local 157. Mr. D'Errico was a part of this "disarray, atrocious, missed managed mess", "where the left hand did'nt know what the right hand was doing,” who witnessed daily, the other four business representatives "doing little if any work, following few if any rules, not performing their jobs and acting inconsistently with the standards expected of District Council employees."

D'Errico has been accused of defrauding the membership, enabling and covering-up acts of corruption and using union funds to promote himself through the locals official newsletter and website. Rank and file members are expected to file formal charges against D'Errico for "Defrauding the Brotherhood."

Sources said council insiders close to District Council President Thomassen tipped off D’Errico to the hot line call and D’Errico knew about the pending investigation of local 157. D’Errico has insisted he was “never tipped off to the investigation and has no recollection or knowledge about the activities of the other four business representatives.”

Informed sources maintain that D’Errico knew and helped orchestrate the events that brought down the local officials, “when you speak to Lawrence he can’t look you in the eye”, this source said. Is it "consistent with the standards expected of a council employee" to witness, enable, cover-up and keep silent about acts of wrong doing?

Mr. D’Errico would have you believe that somehow he worked in a self-imposed bubble with blinders over his eyes and was unaware of the day to day functioning and activities of the other local business representatives, day after day, week after week, month after month and year after year. This not only defies logic and common sense, it is absurd.

Mr. D’Errico would also have you believe that it was not his responsibility to keep record of the other business representative’s time, whereabouts or activities and because his time records were accounted for and accurate that somehow excuses him of his trust, fiduciary duty and obligation by law, from acting in any manner adverse or contrary to the interest of the membership of this union. Again this defies logic, common sense and is absurd.

Mr. D’Errico also believes that the membership should just “trust” him and not raise any questions or issues concerning the trusteeship or the events that led up to it, especially on this blog. This also defies logic, common sense and is absurd; D’Errico has stated he is "running for president of local 157," he has avoided being questioned or held accountable about his direct knowledge of the corruption in local 157. The membership of Local 157 has the right and duty to question and hold elected officials accountable.

Lastly, Mr. D'Errico is claiming ignorance as a defense after finding himself at the center of the worst corruption scandal in the history of the carpenters union. By being ignorant and turning a blind eye D'Errico has seriously violated his fiduciary duty and trust and has contributed, enabled and encouraged acts of corruption to fester and flourish.

So if Mr. D’Errico knew enough about the business representatives daily work, constantly praising their hard work and efforts, weekly to our shop stewards and monthly at our union meetings, why does he now say he has "no recollection or knowledge" about what these business representatives ever did?

Here is a fact of my own, these words are nothing new. They reflect who Mr. D’Errico is and who he has always been. It all comes down to honesty and believability. There is a lesson I assumed all union leaders have learned from Watergate, the cover-up is always worse than the original offense.

Series at a glance:
Week one: The Set-Up, Union Politics
Week two: The Sting, Callahan’s Investigation
Week three: The Trusteeship, Defrauding the Membership
Week four: The Cover Up, What Did D’Errico Know and When Did He Know It