Labor leader Larry Hanley accused Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker of demonizing public workers as a “worse enemy than Osama Bin Laden” during a Sunday evening political rally.
In an attempt to stir up voters in favor of defeating Walker in Tuesday’s recall election, Hanley shouted, “and now we have watched people, including some politicians in this state, turn public employees into a worse enemy than Osama Bin Laden.”
The rally, organized by Citizen Action of Wisconsin, included appearances by various liberals and labor leaders including Reverend Jesse Jackson and Congresswoman Gwen More, a Democratic Milwaukee representative.
The usual cadre of political personalities and labor bosses spoke, but video of Hanley’s speech — posted by the conservative Media Trackers website — showed the unique and jarring nature of the bin Laden analogy.
Hanley is the national head of the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) and UnionFacts.com reported that he has taken in $1.2 million in salary and benefits from the union over the last six years alone.
According to Media Trackers, “Prior to his incendiary comment about Walker and bin Laden, Hanley had asserted that on September 11, 2001 it wasn’t ‘bankers’ who were charging into the World Trade Center to save people.”
Last year, Hanley reportedly faced a U.S. Department of Labor investigation after being accused of firing an employee for attempting to organize the ATU’s professional staff.