Having weathered two previous bribery charges, the head of a New York City carpenters' union, Michael J. Forde, will step aside, at least temporarily, after his latest indictment. Forde and the union's business manager John Greaney face a 29-count racketeering and bribery charge, are accused of stealing millions of dollars in union benefit funds, and of accepting bribes to hire illegal aliens, pay lower wages, and otherwise subvert the existing labor contracts. After his resignation, Forde is expected to enter a 28-day drug rehabilitation program, after testing positive for cocaine and marijuana at his indictment. Union delegates are scheduled to meet this afternoon to discuss the futures of Forde and Greaney. They can vote to fire, reassign, or limit the duties of the two indicted officials.
See "Again facing bribery case, union head is to resign", William K. Rashbaum, The New York Times, August 11, 2009