Independent Review Board Choice Could Help Lead To Independent Teamsters

The choice of Joseph diGenova as the Teamsters' appointee to the three-member Independent Review Board could be a step closer to the union's goal of being released from federal supervision.

DeGenova is a former U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia and served as counsel to the congressional committee, chaired by Michigan Rep. Pete Koekstra, that investigated the 1996 Teamsters election.
The Bush Administration must now name its selection, and together the two will pick a third member.
"Joe diGenova has a strong understanding of the Teamsters Union and the consent decree," Teamsters President James P. Hoffa told The Detroit News. The 1989 consent decree put the union under the supervision of the Independent Review Board as part of a settlement over racketeering charges.
The three-member board has the authority to investigate allegations of corruption and the influence of organized crime and to order locals placed into trusteeship.
In an editorial, The Detroit News said that diGenova's appointment "is a good start toward establishing an Independent Review Board whose ultimate goal is freeing the Teamsters from government control."