Schaitberger Drafts Mikell as Latest Human Sacrifice?
James “Cricket” Mikell, past president of Norfolk, Virginia, Local 68, has apparently decided to enter the race for 4th district vice-president out of the blue.
Could this be yet another attempt by Harold Schaitberger to prevent either Art Martynuska or Andy Pantelis from winning as they, God forbid, have minds of their own?
Schaitberger’s (Very) Fickle Love
So much for the summer romance.
Baltimore’s Rick Hoffman may be the latest to feel the chill wind of rejection as Schaitberger drops his (tepid) support after wooing him with sweet nothings.
Has Schaitberger (finally) figured out what everyone else knew: Hoffman can’t compete with Pantelis or Martynuska?
Sources say that Schaitberger’s meddling strategy may be to force a second ballot featuring Mickell against either Art or Andy where he can buy some votes and throw them Cricket’s way.
Frankly, if Schaitberger is going to continue to engage in his obsessive backroom electioneering he needs to find someone younger and currently engaged in our work.
Oh, wait–that’s Andy and Art, but he realizes he can’t control them.
7th Round Draft Pick
Does Cricket know he would hardly be Schaitberger’s first choice?
In fact, it takes two hands to count his predecessors.
Pretty soon we’ll be needing to unlace a shoe.
(One piggly-wiggly…)
Cricket must have been hibernating if he missed the way Schaitberger enticed Jim Lee to enter the GST’s race and then didn’t lift a finger to help him.
Does Cricket actually think he’ll get better treatment?
What’s at Stake
The New York Times pointed out that Schaitberger is a “one-man case study in how to consolidate power…”
That consolidation has come at the direct expense of the ethical foundation of the IAFF.
He has weakened the board and degraded our ability to carry out our basic mission.
Under Schaitberger the IAFF has become chubby and self-satisfied.
It’s time for IAFF members, in the 4th district and elsewhere, to pick candidates who will be loyal to the principles of the IAFF rather than Harold Schaitberger.
And, Cricket should go chirping into the night before Schaitberger squashes him as he has so many others.