A major transportation union invested millions into Democratic-aligned political activity while also pouring member funds into leisure and recreational events, according to a report first obtained by the Daily Caller News Foundation.
The American Accountability Foundation report alleges SMART-TD poured money into Democratic candidates and liberal groups while spending heavily on entertainment, travel, casinos and resorts. The report also argues the spending shows union leadership is out of step with the purportedly “MAGA” blue-collar workers it represents.
SMART-TD represents nearly 230,000 rail, bus and transit workers and is part of the Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers.
The report noted that SMART spent more than $35 million on political advocacy from 2017 to 2024. It found that that no spending went to Republican-aligned groups, while over a million dollars went to Democratic Party organizations and even more went to left-wing interest groups.
AAF President Tom Jones told the Daily Caller News Foundation the spending shows union leaders are out of step with the workers they represent.
“While the SMART union claims to champion blue-collar Americans, its leaders stay busy blowing millions on left-wing causes, despite the overwhelming majority of their members voting Republican,” Jones said. “In the last few years alone, SMART has funneled over $35 million to woke groups and even defended an alleged MS-13 gang member on CNN. How long will it take before union leadership learns American workers are sick of being sold out?”
SMART’s political committee sent the overwhelming majority of its federal political money to Democrats, according to the report. The PAC gave more than $2.3 million to Democratic party committees compared to $72,500 to Republican committees, and nearly $1.9 million to Democratic federal candidates compared to $194,500 to Republican federal candidates.
The report claims the union is moving away from many of its blue-collar workers, whom it maintains have “broad support for the Trump-Vance agenda,” through its endorsements of Democratic presidential nominees Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris.
The report also notes substantial political spending of $136 million, as well as spending on legal expenses, hotels, conferences, merchandise, entertainment, travel and food. It also highlights that the union spent $10 million on casinos and resorts, with an additional $1 million on theme parks.
AAF’s report also highlights the 30-year-old hate crime charges against SMART senior vice chairman Zachary Nagy, saying he had served prison time for burning a cross outside a black family’s home in 1996. The report’s section on Nagy comes after it describes multiple members of its leadership as staunch Democrats.
LM-2 spending — the annual financial report unions file with the federal government — was sourced from the Office of Labor-Management Standards, and PAC spending and independent expenditures were obtained from the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
SMART-TD did not immediately respond to the DCNF’s requests for comment.
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