State union boss questioned over donation to Booker campaign

NEWARK, N.J. - A state workers union leader is facing questions over a campaign donation her local made to Newark Mayor Cory Booker's political campaign.

Carla Katz may have made the $20,800 donation to Booker's 2006 campaign without seeking approval from CWA Local 1034's governing board, according an internal Communications Workers of America letter.

The April 30 letter from CWA President Larry Cohen to the union's national executive board says the CWA has appointed an investigator to look into the donation. The letter questions whether she may have approved it because of a "close personal relationship" with the chief executive of the state's largest city.

The content of the letter was first reported by The Star-Ledger of Newark on its Web site Wednesday.

An unauthorized campaign contribution isn't illegal, but would break the union's financial management regulations, which could result in penalties ranging from a fine to suspension or expulsion from the CWA, according to the letter.

Katz, whose local represents more than 16,000 New Jersey workers, has been in a series of disputes with her union's national leadership. The disagreements started a year ago when Katz disagreed publicly with a state workers labor contract that the national had endorsed. Katz is also seeking a national vice presidency.

"Any donation the local made to the Booker campaign was absolutely proper. These claims are outrageous, sexist and continued retribution for my opposition to the state worker contract last year. Frankly, it's disgusting," Katz said Wednesday night. She declined to comment on any other aspect of the situation.

Katz attorney Paul Fishman declined to comment on the specifics of the allegation, but said everything was "done in a fully appropriate manner."

"This is exactly why Carla retained our firm because she's just sick of the campaign of retribution by the union," he said. He said he hoped to meet soon with union officials, but wouldn't comment on whether Katz was considering a lawsuit.

Booker spokeswoman Esmeralda Diaz Cameron emphasized that the union said the donation was legal. "The mayor is very grateful for the support," she said.

She gained some notoriety during Jon Corzine's successful 2005 run for governor when it was revealed that she had once dated the multimillionaire Corzine, and that he paid off the mortgage on her a house and given her other generous gifts.

News of the gifts raised questions of impropriety, since Katz heads the largest state workers local.

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Information from: The Star-Ledger, http://www.nj.com/starledger