WASHINGTON –Today, Education and the Workforce Committee Chairwoman Virginia Foxx (R-NC) sent a letter to Association of Legal Aid Attorneys/UAW Local 2325 (Local 2325) President Lisa Ohta after the union failed to comply in full with the Committee’s subpoena demands. The letter dismisses Local 2325’s meritless claims that the subpoena is overly broad, violates the First Amendment, and is outside the Committee’s jurisdiction. The letter states additional enforcement actions will be taken if the union fails to produce the remaining documents.
In the letter, Foxx writes:“The Committee on Education and the Workforce (Committee) is conducting oversight of alleged infringements on the rights of union members by the Association of Legal Aid Attorneys/UAW Local 2325 (Local 2325) to determine, among other things, whether existing labor laws adequately protect these rights. Local 2325 appears to have infringed on several statutory rights of its members through actions related to the adoption of the ‘Resolution Calling for a Ceasefire in Gaza, an End to the Israeli Occupation of Palestine, and Support for Workers’ Political Speech’ (Resolution).”
The letter continues: “On March 8, 2024, after efforts to obtain Local 2325’s voluntary compliance proved unsuccessful, the Committee issued a subpoena for relevant documents. Local 2325’s response is deficient, raises inapplicable objections, and has materially impeded the Committee’s oversight efforts. … On March 25, the subpoena response deadline, counsel for Local 2325 produced some documents, which were accompanied by a cover letter that set out inapplicable and inappropriate objections.”
Foxx concludes:“Local 2325 objects that the subpoena is ‘vague and overbroad.’ This objection is meritless, both practically and legally. …[I]f Local 2325 fails to comply in full with the subpoena’s demands, then the Committee will consider invoking one or more enforcement mechanisms.”
January 29, 2024: The Committee sent a letter to Local 2325 requesting information on the union’s vote and adoption of the “Resolution Calling for a Ceasefire in Gaza, an End to the Israeli Occupation of Palestine, and Support for Workers’ Political Speech” by February 12.
February 8, 2024: Local 2325’s attorney contacted the Committee via email requesting additional time to respond to the Committee’s inquiry, which the Committee graciously granted during a call with the attorney by extending the deadline to produce materials to February 19.
February 19, 2024: Local 2325’s attorney contacted the Committee via email and stated that Local 2325 would not be cooperating with the Committee’s inquiry “at this time.”
February 20, 2024: Committee staff replied to Local 2325’s attorney offering an additional two days to reconsider and produce materials by February 26, 2024.
March 8, 2024: Chairwoman Foxx served a subpoena to Local 2325 requiring it to produce documents and communications related to the vote and adoption of the Resolution by March 25, 2024.
