FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- The president of a national labor union twice rigged union elections to ensure his victory and then used members' money as his personal piggy bank, a federal prosecutor told jurors Tuesday.
The accusation opened the Fort Lauderdale racketeering trial of Michael McKay, 59, president of the American Maritime Officers union, and his brother Robert McKay, 56, the union's treasurer-secretary. The union represents most of the licensed officers on U.S.-flagged Great Lakes vessels, including stewards, deck and engine officers.
The men are charged with a long list of crimes, including theft, fraud and a conspiracy to cover up illegal campaign contributions from the union. If convicted, each could be sentenced to more than 30 years in prison.
Miami attorney Neal Sonnett, who represents Michael McKay, called the allegations "an insult to a great union."
"When all is said and done, you will find there is no criminal case here against Michael McKay," he said.
ADVERTISEMENT
Robert McKay's lawyer, Fred Haddad, chose not to make an opening statement. The trial before U.S. District Judge James Cohn is expected to last about six weeks.
Prosecutor Robert Lehner said Michael McKay used money intended for the retirement, medical, training, and vacation benefits of union members to purchase cigars and hockey tickets and to pay for repairs to his personal boat.
The brothers routinely padded their expense accounts and permitted friends and relatives to live rent-free in housing, Lehner said.
He described several methods allegedly used by the McKays to evade rules barring unions from making political contributions, except through political action committees.
During the trial, jurors will hear taped conversations secretly recorded by David Merriken, a former union official.
Merriken agreed to work undercover for the government when he realized he had become involved in corruption, Lehner said.
In addition to Merriken, several former union officials who pleaded guilty to crimes are expected to take the stand.
Sonnett warned jurors they would hear Michael McKay, who did not know he was being recorded, using "salty" language on the tapes.
ADVERTISEMENT
"He curses like a sailor," Sonnett said. "You're going to hear a lot of the 'f-word.' "
But Sonnett said the tapes do not show his client committed a crime. Some incidents portrayed as crimes by the prosecution were innocent accounting errors, Sonnett said.
Chartered in 1948, the American Maritime Officers union represents licensed officers on U.S. ships, including some members of the military. The McKays' father helped build the union and served as president for 36 years.
After his death in 1993, Michael McKay, the union's treasurer-secretary, was elevated to president. He was re-elected in 1996 and 2001.
