Former Teamsters President Ron Carey pleaded innocent to charges that he lied about his campaign using union money.

Carey was indicted last week on charges of perjury and making false statements for allegedly lying to investigators and a grand jury about the illegal diversion of $885,000 to his 1996 re-election campaign.
He was released without bail after agreeing to surrender his passport. No trial date was set. Carey could get up to five years in prison on each of seven counts.
In late 1999, Carey's political director, William Hamilton, was convicted for embezzlement, mail and wire fraud, and perjury. Hamilton authorized $885,000 in contributions from the financially struggling Teamsters union to four political organizations in exchange for contributions to Carey's 1996 re-election campaign. He was sentenced to three years.
The situation apparently was a way for Carey's campaign team to get around laws prohibiting the union from paying for the election campaigns of union members. Carey has said he was unaware of the scheme.
Carey's 1996 re-election over James P. Hoffa was overturned after investigators alleged he participated in the diversion of union money. He was later ousted from the union. Under Hoffa's leadership, the union filed suit against Carey last year.