John Samuelsen, the president of TWU Local 100 who represents over 38,150 New York City Transit Authority employees, has announced his certainty that god is in him in his communique of April 4, 2011. If he is, he has strange taste in autocrats. John Samuelsen’s communique was part of a campaign to overcome doubts placed in the minds of the members of TWU Local 100 by the accusations of corruption that have marked his time in office. Despite numerous financial irregularities John Samuelsen has not been found of any wrong doing. But if the Almighty is an ally of John Samuelsen, he’d better watch out - the closer you are to Samuelsen, it seems, the more likely you are to be ensnared in the web of wrong doing.
Israel Rivera former secretary treasurer of TWU Local 100 introduced John Samuelsen as ‘my brother’ and was then found guilty by the TWU Local 100 executive board for financial irregularities. Roxanne Rotger - former executive assistant to the TWU Local 100 president had the ability to procure the union credit card and is now ensnared in financial irregularities which may lead her in hot water.
God’s self-declared TWU Local 100 president spoke eloquently on placing the blame for his financial troubles on new stringent measures from TWU International auditors that don’t want him to accumulate power, rather than ‘$437,209 of the credit card charges that did not have "adequate support." -’ that he enjoyed with the membership dues. To add alleged insult to alleged injury the home where Samuelsen enjoyed those credit card charges is not where he says he lives. He pretends to live in the working-class district of Brooklyn but in reality he resides in a much tonier place.
Once he came to power he removed all of his predecessor’s pictures - especially the famous one of the NY Daily News when Roger Toussaint former president of TWU Local 100 stated that ‘Mayor Bloomberg should shut up’. That poster was motivational and inspirational to the TWU Local 100 members - the daring powers of the NYC Transit employee since its removal indicate the decline of that power.
A virtual hallelujah chorus surrounds John Samuelsen. Beside him stands everyone from his TBOU buddies, to political hacks. He speaks with passion, seemingly truly to believe in his own righteousness and probity to feel god within him - megalomania can do that to a person.
John Samuelsen may have worked to help his fellow co workers at one time, perhaps for many years. But now, even if he can’t see it John Samuelsen works only for his ego. It would seem, he has fallen into the same trap as President Richard Nixon - the belief that power justifies itself. ‘When the president does it, that means it’s not illegal’ Mr. Nixon said in 1977 mistaking himself for an omnipotent king.
If John Samuelsen mistakes TWU Local 100 objective of protecting the membership along with the financial irregularities then so what? He is the president after all and everyone should be grateful.
My, My, Manhattanville you must having a bad day.
ReplyDeleteMegolomania? Nixon?
a terrible piece of writing: unfair, mean-spirited and totally misrepresenting the facts.
Case in point:
you say:
"the closer you are to Samuelsen, it seems, the more likely you are to be ensnared in the web of wrong doing."
People using creditcards or using proxy signature stamps unauthorized were held accountable.
If this were not so you would be the first to say it!
Your post smacks of hypocracy.
Since you are quick to throw names at JS I will take the liberty to lob one your way:
Senator Joseph McCarthy who very much like your recent posts twisted facts in order to "expose" communists around every corner.
Will you continue to be McCarthy? or become Like Edward R. Murrow? Who spoke the truth to a nation blinded by the political ambitions of the now disgraced McCarthy?
The choice is yours.
The members are watching.