The Gephardt for President Campaign is being accused of making threats to two Missouri unions which are openly supporting former Vermont Governor Howard Dean in his bid for the Democratic Presidential nomination. According to officials with the Service Employees International Union and AFSCME – the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees – the threat was issued during a December 1st meeting at Congressman Richard Gephardt’s St. Louis County office. At that meeting, according to the union officials, Gephardt’s national campaign vice chair Joyce Aboussie threatened the unions with political retribution if their Missouri members campaigned for Dean. Gephardt was not present at that meeting, but the unions say Governor Bob Holden was there. Late Wednesday afternoon, the Governor’s office issued a statement in which the Governor expresses his support for Congressman Gephardt and the workers of the state. Missourinet spoke to Holden spokesman Mary Still to try to get a comment on the allegations, but Still would not comment on the specifics. A call to the Gephardt campaign office has not been returned.
