Labor leader has the perfect response to Scott Walker's presidential announcement

AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka dismisses Walker's White House chances in six-word press release

By Sophia Tesfaye

Senior Politics Editor

Published July 13, 2015 7:31PM (EDT)

Scott Walker                        (Reuters/Carlos Barria)
Scott Walker (Reuters/Carlos Barria)

Scott Walker officially entered the race for the White House today, becoming the 15th Republican to vie to lead the nation. Walker, who has become a rising Republican star by attacking unions and gutting protections for public-sector employees as governor of Wisconsin, received quite a welcome from the head of the largest federation of unions in the United States.

Richard Trumka, president of the 12 million member strong AFL-CIO, welcomed the Wisconsin governor with few words. His full statement simply read:

Scott Walker is a national disgrace.

That's it.

In March, Walker signed right-to-work legislation barring private-sector employees from being required to pay union fees and his campaign's announcement video Walker touted his record fighting unions, promising to bring the "fight and win" to Washington, D.C. Ahead of Walker's announcement, the AFL-CIO issued a press release pointing out that Republicans in Wisconsin were preparing to vote for Walker's latest budget proposal that includes an attempt to take away workers’ right to a weekend—even a one day weekend.

Walker reportedly wrote in a letter to supporters today that “our country is at a crossroads and we need a proven conservative leader who is not afraid to fight for what is right -- even when it’s not politically expedient ... My decisions are guided by my relationship with God -- not by what might win me a few votes.”

h/t: Rolling Stone


By Sophia Tesfaye

Sophia Tesfaye is Salon's senior editor for news and politics, and resides in Washington, D.C. You can find her on Twitter at @SophiaTesfaye.

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2016 Elections Afl-cio Richard Trumka Scott Walker Unions