14 Oct 2001
Today a jury in New York of 12 men and women unanimously found Ron Carey innocent of all charges. Carey was on trial as a result of a money swap deal engineered by his 1996 campaign manager and consultants. He was not charged with taking part in the plot, but rather with lying about what he knew about it.
His chief accuser was his former campaign manager Jere Nash, who cut a deal with the Feds to testify against Carey. Although he pled guilty nearly four years ago, he still has not served one day in prison. In open court Nash was exposed as someone who exploited Carey and the Carey campaign for his own gain.
And Ron Carey was found innocent, after a day and a half of deliberation. This is a good day for the Teamsters and for the labor movement. Whatever mistakes Carey made, including allowing unsavory consultants into his campaign - consultants who betrayed Carey and reform - his legacy is one of reform, power and hope for Teamsters.