Chamber Intrigue Over Boeing
Success has plenty of fathers, according to the old saying … and one of them apparently took the state’s most visible “pro-business” advocate to task for getting ahead of the train … err, plane … on the recently-concluded Boeing deal.
S.C. Senate Finance Chairman Hugh Leatherman reportedly blasted S.C. Chamber of Commerce President Otis “Otie” Rawl for public interviews he gave prior to the 3,800-job deal being announced last week.
Last Tuesday, a day before the deal was concluded, Rawl spoke at length about the particulars of South Carolina’s incentive package to the Seattle Times. Those comments reportedly prompting Leatherman to place an angry phone call to William Boyd, the Chairman of the Chamber’s Board of Directors.
“The Little Digger gave him a big earful,” a source familiar with the conversation tells FITS, calling Leatherman by his famous nickname.
Sources tell FITS that South Carolina’s leaders were given specific instructions not to discuss the specifics of the incentive package in the days leading up to the deal. They were also told not to discuss the role of unions in the negotiating process after the deal was concluded.
Comments
By Katherine Jenerette on November 2nd, 2009 at 9:16 pm
Isn’t this a little like the guys who dance with the ‘buck-toothed’ girl at the High School prom when everyone finds out her daddy is rich and will pay out of both legs for anyone who treats his little girl like a princess?
The Free Market seems to have many fathers when the music is playing.
Dance boys – dance!
By OhNoNotAgain on November 2nd, 2009 at 11:00 pm
This is nice. It means that they can lie about why this plant was won, or at least absolutely conceal some of the reasons it was won.
By Ynot on November 3rd, 2009 at 6:47 am
3800 jobs in Charleston over 7 years Hooray.
What about the little towns in the state with the record numbers of unemployment?
All economic efforts are to fit big wigs molds, not needs of the people.
Allowing Boeing to decrease hourly rates of employees from around$28.00/hr to $14.00… and we are supposed to be happy.
Yep right.
By Lenny on November 3rd, 2009 at 11:03 am
Ynot is right, Damm carpetbagers forcing their airplane factory on us.
By James the Foot Soldier on November 3rd, 2009 at 8:18 pm
ynot – ynot just pull some bogus numbers out the air?
Got news for you – the folks in Washington make waaaay more than $28 (I have an uncle in Seattle).
And when those folks in WA go on strike over their “low” pay guess what happens to the first production line (call that line Tom)? Do you think Boeing is only going to run with the one line in SC (call that line Dick)? Only if your a machinist union kool-aid drinker.
South Carolina will then be the proud parents of line number three (the “Harry” line).
And Boeing will have pulled off The Great Escape from union hell in Washington.