This is in response to a Sun Journal article (Nov. 3) that called into question the 13 years that Congressman Bruce Poliquin worked for Wall Street firm Avatar Associates. In the article, three employees of Bath Iron Works were quoted detailing their accusations that, during his tenure with Avatar Associates, Poliquin intentionally mismanaged the then-in-place pension fund of Bath Iron Works for his own personal financial gain.

The accusations by John Portela, Glenn Burroughs and Ralph Hinton are reckless and without merit. To accuse Poliquin of intentional mismanagement for personal financial gain without a shred of evidence is beyond the pale, but indicative of union tactics. The pension fund in place at the time was agreed upon by both union leadership and BIW management.

I call upon those three men to present their evidence of wrong-doing or issue a retraction of their baseless accusations, but I won’t be holding my breath for either action to occur. The union leadership at BIW is not concerned with the truth, but only with the advancement of whichever candidate has the ‘D’ behind his or her name.

I work at BIW and have witnessed how IAM Local S6 leadership supports the campaigns of Democratic candidates. I question why the union is using those three men to accuse Poliquin some 23 years after the fact, and also why none of it was mentioned two years ago during Poliquin’s first congressional campaign.

Folks shouldn’t be fooled by such a cheap attempt to smear Congressman Poliquin.

The union leadership at BIW should be ashamed of itself, as well as the three men quoted in the article for allowing themselves to used as pawns in such a baseless attack.

Les Gibson, Sabattus

Copy the Story Link