Sherrill group will return $25,000 from group seen as anti-union after labor leaders object

A group allied with Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-Montclair) is returning a $25,000 contribution from an organization viewed by some as rabidly anti-union after being called out by labor leaders for taking money from a trade association that mostly supports Republicans, including President Donald Trump.

One Giant Leap Action, a non-profit affiliated with Sherrill’s super PAC, One Giant Leap, took the money on November 18, 2024 – the day Sherrill announced she would seek the Democratic nomination for governor – from the NJ Merit PAC, the dark money arm of the Association of Builders and Contractors (ABC).

The ABC supports weakening prevailing wage laws, banning project labor agreements, and blocking attempts to organize and collectively bargain.

“It is deeply concerning to see anti-union funding flowing into a campaign that seeks support from the men and women of the building trades,” said Bill Mullen, the president of the New Jersey State Building and Construction Trades Council and a supporter of a Sherrill opponent, Steve Sweeney.  “Candidates’ choices about who they align with speak volumes about their priorities.”

Mullen said he can’t ignore contributions from organizations that “actively worked to dismantle union protections and drive down wages.”

“Accepting support from organizations and individuals who have cannot be ignored, particularly by those who claim to stand with us,” the labor boss said.

Mollie Binotto, a senior advisor to One Giant Leap Action, said the group initially deposited the money into an operating account until they could research the donor.

“Once the donor was vetted and its mission was discovered, the contribution was slated for refund, which will occur this quarter,” Binotto said.

A Sherrill spokesman, Sean Higgins, said that as “the granddaughter of a union worker, she supports labor to her core” – and wanted the money returned.

“Any group advocating for Mikie Sherrill should reject contributions from groups that undermine the rights and safety of our building trades workers,” said Higgins, noting that the Democratic gubernatorial candidate is “unwavering” in her support of the right to organize, collective bargaining, and protecting prevailing wages.

But for Sweeney, a union ironworker and former Senate President, the return of the money came too late.

“ABC is one of the most anti-union organizations in the country, dedicated to underpaying workers, weakening labor protections, and undermining middle-class families. As a lifelong member of the building trades, I’ve seen firsthand how unions uplift hardworking people and improve their quality of life. It’s deeply troubling that any Democratic candidate for Governor would accept money from ABC,” he said.  “While I’m glad Congresswoman Sherrill’s backers are returning the donation, doing the right thing shouldn’t require getting caught first.”

NJ Merit PAC donated $20,000 to Kitchen Table Conservatives, a super PAC supporting Republican Jack Ciattarelli for governor, and another $5,000 directly to Ciattarelli’s campaign.

The head of ABC’s New Jersey chapter, Samantha DeAlmeida Roman, bashed the building trades group for spreading disinformation.

“Our membership is not anti-union by any means. In fact, approximately 10% of our members do have union affiliation.,” DeAlmeida Roman said.  “ABC advocates for the construction industry as a whole, regardless of labor affiliation and despite more than 85% of the construction industry in New Jersey choosing to not belong to a union, we have openly stated that there is more than enough sand in the sandbox for everyone to compete and be prosperous.”

Rob Lewandowski, the communications director for the Laborers’ International Union of North America, which is supporting Sherrill, said he found  it “curious that the ABC, a group that has taken positions against worker protections and the right to collectively bargain, would support Mikie Sherrill, the most pro-union candidate in the field.”

“As the great Michael Aron always said about New Jersey politics, it never lets you down,” Lewandowski stated.