By In a July 7 letter, Committee Chairman Tim Walberg, R-Mich., and Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions Subcommittee Chairman Rick Allen, R-Ga., demanded that Weingarten provide detailed records by July 21 concerning AFT spending, staff time, contracts, royalties and other financial arrangements tied to the book.
The probe follows reports and outside analysis alleging that the AFT spent more than $1.4 million in union resources on consultants, legal services, publication expenses, fact-checking, photography and other costs connected to the project. Lawmakers are examining whether rank-and-file educators’ dues were used to support a book that may have generated private financial benefit for Weingarten.
“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 letter states.
The committee’s inquiry centers on whether union funds, personnel and contractors were used to assist the book while Weingarten retained a portion of royalties or proceeds. Lawmakers are also seeking information about royalty payments directed to “Teachers Want What Kids Need, LLC,” an entity linked to Weingarten, and whether AFT resources were used in a way that produced personal income for the union president.
Weingarten has previously described the book as being undertaken “in partnership with the AFT” and said some proceeds would benefit the union, its Educational Foundation and Disaster Relief Fund. The AFT has pushed back against the reports, calling them error-riddled and defending its use of resources.
The investigation comes amid broader scrutiny of teachers unions’ political power and spending. New Conservative Post has previously covered questions surrounding teachers union political spending, Weingarten’s appointment to a Biden administration national security post, the Biden administration’s efforts to appease education activists during school reopening fights, and the political fallout from pandemic-era school closure policies.
The committee is requesting all AFT expenditures related to writing, editing, fact-checking, legal review, publication, marketing, promotion, distribution and book-tour activity. It also asked for contracts with outside parties, documentation of work performed by AFT employees, and details on revenues, advances, royalties, licensing payments and the distribution of proceeds.
Lawmakers are further seeking records on the formation, ownership and governance of Teachers Want What Kids Need, LLC, along with AFT policies governing the use of union resources for projects that may generate personal income for officers or employees.
The committee said the inquiry falls under its oversight authority over labor organizations and cited both House rules and the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act.
No hearings or legislative proposals have been announced, but the committee is seeking full cooperation from Weingarten and AFT leadership as it reviews how union dues were used.
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