Non-endorsement season

Weeks ahead of the November election, a major firefighters’ union announced it would not endorse any candidate in this year’s presidential race. The unusual move by the executive board of the International Association of Fire Fighters brought to a halt the ­organization’s history of boosting Democratic tickets, and the Trump campaign called it a devastating blow to Vice President Kamala Harris. But the non-endorsement trend cuts both ways this year as some major unions decline to take sides.

The IAFF represents roughly 350,000 firefighters and emergency and rescue workers in the United States and Canada. The union was one of the first to publicly endorse President Joe Biden in 2020, but after a narrow vote in early October, the board decided not to get involved in the 2024 election as “the best way to preserve and strengthen our unity.” The only other time since 1976 that the union didn’t endorse was in 2016.

Unions have historically sided with Democrats, but Republicans hope to turn the tide. Former President Donald Trump said his would be the most pro-worker Republican ticket in history, and Sean O’Brien, general president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, addressed the Republican National Convention in July. At the time, O’Brien praised Trump for having “the backbone to open the doors to this Republican convention,” and the GOP hoped to bag his union’s endorsement.

Yet in mid-September, the Teamsters also declined to endorse either ticket. The general executive board found no consensus among its 1.3 million members after a year of roundtable discussions with presidential candidates and regular polling.

But local union posts sometimes break ranks. Several joint Teamsters councils across the Midwest have publicly endorsed the Harris-Walz ticket. On Oct. 3, the Minnesota Professional Fire Fighters, an IAFF affiliate, also backed the Democrats.

Tina Peters Larry Robinson/The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel via AP

County clerk jailed

Former Colorado county clerk Tina Peters was sentenced to nine years in prison Oct. 3 on criminal charges of breaching Mesa County’s election system, attempting to influence a public servant, and conspiracy to ­commit criminal impersonation. According to the charges, the Republican had allied with MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell and was concerned about widespread voter fraud. In 2021, she used someone else’s key card to give a MyPillow associate access to the election system. The associate copied the hard drive, which Lindell displayed at a cyber symposium during which he claimed the 2020 election was stolen.

At trial, the defense unsuccessfully argued that Peters’ action was within her authority to preserve election records even though the man was unauthorized. She said she acted without malice and still believes election fraud changed the 2020 outcome.

During sentencing, District Judge Matthew Barrett denied Peters’ request for a fine or probation instead. Supporters called Peters a hero for raising questions about the voting ­systems, but the judge criticized her as a “charlatan who used and is still using your prior ­position in office to peddle a snake oil.” —C.L.