House Republicans have opened an investigation into claims that dues paid by members of the American Federation of Teachers were used to support union president Randi Weingarten’s work on and promotion of a controversial book.
The inquiry, led by the Republican-controlled House Committee on Education and Workforce, follows a May report by The Post that said Weingarten relied on hundreds of thousands of dollars in union resources while developing “Why Fascists Fear Teachers: Public Education and the Future of Democracy.”
“The prospect that rank-and-file educators’ dues may have financed a project that generated private financial gain raises serious questions about transparency, accountability, and fiduciary responsibility within one of the nation’s largest labor organizations,” the committee’s chairman wrote Tuesday in a letter to Weingarten.
The letter was sent by Chairman Tim Walberg (R-Mich.) and Rep. Rick Allen (R-Ga.), who chairs the Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor and Pensions. The lawmakers cited The Post’s reporting, which was based on an analysis by the Freedom Foundation of the union’s federal labor filings, as the basis for their concerns.
Walberg and Allen said the disclosures raised questions about “whether union funds, personnel, contractors, and other resources were utilized to support the development and promotion of your book while you (Weingarten) simultaneously retained a portion of the resulting royalties and proceeds.”
“According to these reports, AFT expended substantial funds on consultants, legal services, publication-related expenses, fact-checking services, photography, and other activities connected to the book,” the lawmakers wrote.
The Post previously reported, citing the Freedom Foundation’s review, that individuals who helped Weingarten with the book received more than $1.4 million from AFT funds. That included an attorney whose firm was paid $977,000 for various union-related work while he was said to be assisting with the book pro bono, as well as an alleged ghostwriter who received more than $400,000 from the union overall, according to its 2024-25 financial report.
“These allegations, if accurate, raise significant questions regarding transparency, fiduciary obligations to union members, and the use of member dues,” Walberg and Allen said.
Weingarten publicly stated that some of the proceeds from the book would go back to the AFT, the AFT Disaster Relief Fund and the AFT Educational Foundation.
Union records revealed that two “royalty payments” totaling $125,000 were made to a Weingarten-controlled entity called “Teachers Want What Kids Need, LLC,” which the Freedom Foundation analysis pointed out was not a tax-exempt charity but “an opaque corporate entity incorporated in Delaware.”
The lawmakers noted that Weingarten said the book project was undertaken in partnership with the AFT and claimed she did nothing wrong but, “the available information warrants further review to determine the extent to which union resources were devoted to a project from which you may have personally benefited financially.”
And the committee gave Weingarten homework.
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As part of its sweeping investigation, it requested Weingarten turn over by July 21 all AFT expenditures related to the drafting, publishing, promoting and tour activities associated with the book; all agreements between AFT and outside parties and documents of all work performed by AFT employees on the book.
Walberg and Allen said they have a responsibility to ensure that unions representing American workers operate “transparently and that union members receive a full accounting of how their dues are utilized.”
“The Committee expects your full cooperation,” they said.
A lawyer for Weingarten suggested the House probe “looks like a fishing expedition” because the allegations about union spending on her book are “baseless.”
“The Committee’s letter appears to be based largely if not exclusively on the allegations in the Freedom Foundation’s `report’ issued several months ago. At the time, the AFT released a statement refuting the report’s principal allegations…..The report was a partisan hit job, which merits no follow-up from a Congressional committee that has important, substantive issues to address,” said Weingarten’s attorney, Michael Bromwich.
“In light of the source of the allegations, and AFT’s prior refutation of them, we ask that you review your letter and streamline any remaining requests, if not withdraw the letter in its entirety. Otherwise, this looks like a fishing expedition designed to impose substantial costs in time, money, and resources on the AFT.”
Bromwich pointed to five other previous Republican-led congressional investigations of the AFT or its affiliates—four in the House and one in the Senate — that have not produced any negative findings and not “been worthy of further investigation.”
“This is a disturbing pattern that is deeply inappropriate. We ask that it end now,” said Bromwich, Weingarten’s attorney.
She previously panned the Post’s report as based on a “fishing expedition” by a right-wing group, but admitted that the proceeds of the book were “shared equally” between her and the union.
Weingarten, who is paid $469,442 by the AFT and who previously headed the union’s New York City affiliate, the United Federation of Teachers, claimed she never hid that she would split the proceeds.
“Educators need people making the public case for them, for critical thinking and for public schools. I am glad to have been in full partnership with the union on this project — and any and all proceeds from the book are shared equally,” she said in May.
Weingarten was also asked by the committee to submit documents spelling out all revenues, advances, royalties, licensing payments, speaking fees generated by the book; and the distribution of all proceeds generated by it, including payments made to AFT, The AFT Educational Foundation, The AFT Disaster Relief Fund and Teachers Want What Kids Need, LLC.
The lawmakers additionally requested all documents concerning the formation, ownership, governance, and purpose of Teachers Want What Kids Need.
In addition, the massive request seeks documents for all travel, lodging, security, communications, and promotional expenses paid by AFT associated with events promoting the book as well as communications between AFT leadership and the publisher, literary agents, consultants, or outside vendors regarding funding, promotion, or allocation of proceeds related to the book.
Finally, the committee requested copies of AFT policies governing the use of union resources for projects that may generate personal income for Weingarten or other union officers.
