Weingarten endorses Malloy, says Connecticut should not let Koch brothers take it
NEW HAVEN >> Randi Weingarten, the national president of the American Federation of Teachers, told an enthusiastic group of union members Tuesday that the only way to stop the reach of the conservative Koch brothers and the new restrictions on labor is to re-elect Dannel P. Malloy as governor of Connecticut, and not vote for her friend Jonathan Pelto, or Republican Tom Foley.
“The only way to stop the Koch brothers, the only way to change the trajectory, the only way to do this is to start right here, right now in Connecticut by re-electing Gov. Dan Malloy,” Weingarten told the delegates to the Connecticut AFL-CIO convention, who jumped to their feet in a standing ovation.
The Koch brothers, Charles G. and David H. Koch, billionaire supporters of libertarian and conservative causes, and Scott Walker, governor of Wisconsin, who led the effort to repeal collective bargaining rights over pensions and healthcare for public employees, are not on the ballot in Connecticut, but labor sees Connecticut as the next battleground between what they represent and the future of unions and the middle class.
The brothers, according to Politico, just announced a new super PAC, Freedom Partners Action Fund, to which they will give $15 million for the midterm elections, part of $290 million for causes they favor.
Weingarten said there are a lot of third party candidates around and one of them “ happens to be a dear friend of mine - Jon Pelto. And he has done really good work in terms of calling out what is wrong in a lot of the so-called reform efforts in Connecticut and all across the country.”
“But let’s be real here. Is this about helping out a friend or is this about what we need to do in Connecticut to get back to the American dream?” Weingarten said as she raised her voice and pounded on the podium.
After her appearance as the main guest during the second day of the Weingarten endorses Malloy, says Connecticut should not let Koch brothers take it:
