As much s $250,000 cannot be accounted for in CWA Local 1039 account, according to a published report.
CWA Local 1039 President Lionel Leach stepped down Thursday union officials pursue an internal investigation into possible missing funds. (CWA 1039) TRENTON -- The president of a local chapter of the Communications Workers of America has stepped aside amid an investigation into the disappearance of money from the local's coffers, a union representative confirmed Friday.
CWA spokesman Joshua Henne confirmed the local's President Lionel Leach has stepped aside while the investigation continues.
"Recently, Executive Board members of CWA Local 1039 -- one of CWA's 30 local unions in New Jersey -- notified the national union of allegations regarding the mismanagement of that local. CWA takes any allegation made by members very seriously," Henne said in a statement.
"Based upon information provided, the National Executive Board has voted to place Local 1039 under the supervision of a temporary administrator and relieve the president of Local 1039 and the members of the local's executive board of their responsibilities," the statement said.
Local 1039 represents about 4,000 state employees in the central and south Jersey area who work for the departments of Community Affairs, Children and Families and Human Services and Health, the Juvenile Justice Commission and the State Parole Board. The union also represents private day care workers, and in 2015, he unionized about 400 taxi drivers in the Newark area.
While the internal investigation continues, the temporary administrator "will ensure that members are fully represented ... until such time as the union determines Local 1039 can or should supervise itself," according to the statement. "This fair process is regulated by both the CWA constitution and federal law. And we will follow it to the letter."
Henne declined to answer questions regarding the probe.
Leach, 47, of Irvington, did not return a telephone call seeking comment.
Leach worked on U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez's and Gov. Jon Corzine's campaigns, according to his bio page.
Susan K. Livio may be reached at slivio@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @SusanKLivio. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.