James P. Hoffa promised to guide the Teamsters union “back to greatness” after a federal judge affirmed his election win as president of the union once led by his father.

Friday, U.S. District Judge David Edelstein in New York affirmed Hoffa’s victory in a December rerun presidential election. The judge agreed with the Teamsters’ federal overseer that certification of the election results should not be delayed because of charges pending against some members of Hoffa’s slate.
Election officer Michael Cherkasky certified the results of Hoffa’s victory in January. However, he barred one of Hoffa’s running mates from taking office and delayed certifying the election results for two vice presidential posts representing Canadian locals.
Tom Leedham, who Hoffa defeated in the election, had argued that the election results should not be certified until investigations of other candidates on Hoffa’s slate had been completed.
“A reunited, financially sound, corruption-free Teamsters will now take its place in the family of labor,” Hoffa said in a statement.