“Edzo” - No Integrity – This is what you have to look forward to

Edzo spent three years praising General President Harold Schaitberger as the greatest leader our union has ever known.

Then Harold said he intended to run for re-election.

That’s when Edzo became unhinged.  Stabbing our union’s president, every previous GST and executive board member, past and present, in the back. He leaked his trumped up fake "fiduciary" bullshit to anti-union media. 

He says from the stump he's not popular on the board because of what he's uncovered.  Says crazy shit like he's being "rifled" off the board.  Like he's some kind of martyr.  

 

He literally believes destroying the union for his own personal gain is a good way to lead. 

He has no fucking clue. 

Edzo is unpopular on the board because he's a lying sack of shit who instead of raising his concerns with his elected DVP colleagues and allowing them to look into them, he went to the anti-union Washington Free Beacon and the Wall Street Journal. He also leaked to Eric Lamar, who's no stranger to making up and printing nonsense. 

What should Edzo have done? What would a real trade unionist have done? He could and should have gone to the Board and let them do their jobs. That's who we all elect to fix problems in our union. But he didn't because most of what he was and is saying is complete bullshit.

Edzo has been willing to harm the reputation of our union internally and externally for his own political gain. He has ignored our core value of due process.

He also circumvented our local and state leaders, those elected to deal with this kind of thing, and sent emails directly to the members.  Why?  Because the real leaders of this union, the one's whose backs he went behind, are rightly skeptical of his actions and accusations and would like some actual facts, which is where Edzo fails the test.

As many on our Executive Board have accused him of, Edzo's worked to divide us and take our union down all to set up his own run for General President and himself as the knight in shining Boston-made armor.

Then there's (as his friend Eric Lamar likes to call him) Edzo the clown's supporters who like to say that "you're either on the train or you're under the train." 

 

He and his goons have been calling around our union threatening leaders. Telling us that FIREPAC and fighting back support will not be going to those of us who don’t support him. Somehow some people who call themselves IAFF leaders are cowering to these threats instead of telling Edzo and his pals to go fuck themselves.

 

Should we reward his bad behavior as our new path forward? My answer and my vote says no fucking way Edzo should be our next president.

 

President Schaitberger decided to retire.  This election ain't about him anymore.  It’s now about the candidates who are running. 

 

Edzo Kelly’s behavior tells you who he really is. How he would lead, if he were elected. Based on his behavior, you have to question his fitness for office and his judgment.

 

We have choices for General President in the upcoming election. Choosing Edzo is choosing a corrupt, fear-mongering, anti-union future for our union.

 

As a leader in this IAFF, if you're looking for a fresh start with a 20-year president retiring, is this the kind of “leader” and behavior (and this is just the tip of the iceberg) you want as the face and voice of our union going forward? (Hint: the answer to this question is NO FUCKING WAY!)

 

If you’ve already endorsed him, reconsideration is the responsible path forward. 

 

Stay tuned.  We are just getting warmed up…