By Phil Trexler
Beacon Journal staff writer
The owner of a chain of McDonald's restaurants in Stark County has issued an apology after sending a letter with his employees' paychecks encouraging them to vote for three Republicans.
Businessman Paul Siegfried sent out the apology Friday after area Democrats and Canton attorney Allen Schulman threatened to file lawsuits.
‘‘Which we think is too little, too late,’’ Schulman said of the apology.
The original letter to dozens of employees encouraged them to vote for GOP candidates John Kasich for governor, Rob Portman of the U.S. Senate and Jim Renacci for the 16th District seat in Congress.
Schulman said the letter violates state elections laws governing employer influence and intimidation of workers.
In the letter, Siegfried writes that employee wages at his company can only be raised ‘‘if the right people’’ are elected.
‘‘If others are elected, we will not,’’ he wrote.
The owner then encourages his workers to vote for the three Republicans.
In a statement released Friday, Siegfried said the letter to his employees was an ‘‘error in judgment on my part.’’
Randy Snow, a Canton attorney representing the businessman, said Siegfried was unaware of the law and had no intent to violate it.
‘‘He was trying to protect his business and meant no harm or interference,’’ Snow said Friday.
The letter was first reported by the OhioDaily Web site.
Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner's office released a statement about alleged voter intimidating, saying her office would be ‘‘investigating this and any other similar incidents and reporting our findings to the Ohio Attorney General.’’
The statement also said: ‘‘Ohio law is clear that employees cannot be subjected to intimidation or threats by an employer stating that job benefits will be affected by the election or defeat of one or more candidates. The voting public must not be affected by votes gained or lost in this way.’’
Phil Trexler can be reached at 330-996-3717 or
ptrexler@thebeaconjournal.com.
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Paul Siegfried knew that encouraging employees to vote his way was illegal. He thought his employees were too numb to realize that voting intimidation was wrong and that they would vote his way. Hopeful that employee is not terminated. Republicans robbed the middle class for eight years. Siefgied must be the 2% that does not pay US federal taxes.
Actually about 40 percent do not pay U.S. federal taxes. A lot of them work for McDonalds, which is dropping their medical insurance due to Obama’s HCR bill.
Larry D, I am not sure what you are inferring with that comment…but let’s try this. If they don’t pay US taxes, is it because they don’t make enough and get every dime back? And this franchisee has decided to drop the medical insurance – not McDonalds Corporation. Siegfried made a conscience choice to drop the health insurance – What kind of health insurance did they have pre-HCR? I guess my only question is was it affordable and did it take care of the basic needs of the employees? There are many ways to trim health care costs – think about paying people to live health and work safely, lots of companies do it.You should not have to be rich to get health care nor should the burden be on the middle class backs who can barely afford anything for the last 10 years or so. Yep, USED to be a republician and never, never again – cost me too much and taking care of the wealthy and big business and not giving a hoot about the people. And yes this guy knew what he was doing and he can say he is sorry all he wants – it is call influence or should I say a threat – no more raises and no more health care if you don’t do what I say. It was that kind of stupidity that brought unions about and made them very powerful. If he really cared about their right to vote he would have ran a registration program, invited folks from both sides to talk about the issue he and his team face, give them PAID time off to vote – better yet – run a shuttle there and back!
How was the letter a “threat”? We have a secret ballot in this country and employees can vote as they wish without fear of retribution, at least until Obama and his goons decide to push for some kind of Card Check program for all citizens as well as union members. If this fellow made a conscious decision to drop healthcare for his employees in the wake of the ObamaCare fiasco, the corollary is he made a conscious decision to offer it before ObamaCare. What does that tell you?
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