'Strength and Experience':
DC 37 Gives Clinton Presidential Nod

By MEREDITH KOLODNER

District Council 37 delegates voted last week to endorse Sen. Hillary Clinton for President, following their parent union's lead, but some officials said their locals may endorse independently.

HILLARY CLINTON: A big labor endorsement.

DC 37 Executive Director Lillian Roberts, a strong supporter of Ms. Clinton, praised the New York Senator's work on behalf of 9/11 responders, health-care reform and economic issues. No one spoke against the endorsement, but about 22 of the 56 locals were not represented at the delegates assembly.

'She'll Fix Bush's Mess'

"[Ms. Clinton] has the strength and experience to clean up the mess the Bush administration will leave behind," Ms. Roberts said in a statement. "She will have the full backing of DC 37's powerful political operation."

DC 37 has always endorsed the same presidential candidate as the executive board of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, which voted 23 to 10 for Ms. Clinton in October. DC 37 locals, however, have the right to endorse independently.

LILLIAN ROBERTS: 'We'll back her fully.'

The presidents of the council's five largest locals had different approaches to the endorsement. Two of the leaders, Local 1549 President Eddie Rodriguez and Civil Service Technical Guild President Claude Fort, said that they voted for Ms. Clinton and predicted that their executive boards would follow suit. "She has been a strong supporter of DC 37," said Mr. Fort.

Local 420 President Carmen Charles said that her local leadership was still undecided. "I wasn't there at the meeting," she said. "It's still early in the process, and our political action committee hasn't met yet to discuss it."

Leaving It to Members

Local 371 President Charles Ensley said that his local rarely took a position on Presidential elections and that AFSCME President Gerald McEntee had made it clear that endorsements in nationwide races should be left to the national union. "That endorsement does not always carry support," he said. "[Former Sen. John] Edwards has support, [Sen.] Barack [Obama] has support. We usually just stay away from it. Our people are bright. They can assess the situation, and they can make up their own minds."

A DC 37 spokeswoman said that Local 372 President Veronica Montgomery-Costa, who did not respond to a request for comment, had voted in favor of Ms. Clinton.

Several of the smaller locals said that they would likely abstain from making an endorsement in the primaries.

DC 37 represents 121,000 active city employees and 50,000 retirees and is planning to mobilize members for the campaign. "We'll work hard to support her in the primary campaign and in the general election next November," Ms. Roberts said.