Nancy Pelosi Bails Out Her Husband

[Guest J Belitza]

In January, 2007 when the minimum wage was increased from $5.15 to $7.25, Pelosi had American Samoa exempted from the increase so Del Monte would not have to pay the higher wage. This would make Del Monte products less expensive than their competition's.

 

Last week when the huge bailout bill was passed, House Nancy Pelosi added an earmark to the final bill adding $33 million dollars for an 'economic development credit in American Samoa '.

 

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi's home district includes San Francisco .

 

Star-Kist Tuna's headquarters are in San Francisco , Pelosi's home district.

 

Star-Kist is owned by Del Monte Foods and is a major contributor to Pelosi.

 

Star-Kist is the major employer in American Samoa employing 75% of the Samoan work force.

 

Paul Pelosi, Nancy 's husband, owns $17 million dollars of Star-Kist stock.

 

Pelosi has called the Bush administration "CORRUPT" ? ?

[Guest Luke]

The power of urban myths are disturbing...

 

This myth began way back January 12, 2007. Paul F. Pelosi does not even own that stock.

 

Democratic Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi has been subject to false claims in chain e-mails and in the American blogosphere such as Gateway Pundit, Newsbusters, claiming that she and/or her husband own stock in Del Monte and that she has thus pushed for keeping the tax loophole for Del Monte. Those claims partially originated in vandalism of this Wikipedia page. In fact, neither of them own any such stock. Pelosi has not received any contributions of $200 or more from Del Monte employees as well. Democrats who have worked with Pelosi say that Del Monte representives have not talked to her at all.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Del_Monte_Foods

 

It is untrue that Del Monte is a "major contributor" to Pelosi, or a contributor at all. The company doesn't rank among her top contributors in any year, and neither does the National Food Processors Association PAC, to which Del Monte contributes. A search of contribution records covering the last 18 years shows that Pelosi has not received any contributions of $200 or more from Del Monte or StarKist employees.

 

http://www.factcheck.org/askfactcheck/did_...breaks_and.html

 

 

StarKist Co. is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Dongwon Group. US - Dongwon Group (DW) acquired all the outstanding stock of Star-Kist Foods Inc (SK), a manufacturer of canned seafood products, from Del Monte Foods Co, for $359 mil.

 

A spokesman for Pelosi said the bill excluded American Samoa at the request of nonvoting Delegate Eni Faleomavaega, a Democrat who represents the Pacific island territories in the House.

 

The minimum-wage bill was drafted by [House Education and Labor Committee Chairman George] Miller's committee, and Pelosi had little input on the nitty-gritty details of the legislation, House sources said.

 

 

Wage Rates in American Samoa

 

The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), applies generally to employment within American Samoa as it does to employment within the United States. Prior to July 24, 2007, the minimum wage rates for American Samoa are set by a special industry committee appointed by the U.S. Department of Labor. The Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007 (Public Law 110-28) now sets minimum wage rates within American Samoa and provides for additional increases in the minimum wage of $0.50 per hour each year on May 25, until reaching the minimum wage generally applicable in the United States. The wage rates are set for particular industries, not for an employee's particular occupation. The rates are minimum rates; an employer may choose to pay an employee at a rate higher than the rate(s) for its industry.

 

The Act contains a number of additional requirements, including the payment of premium rates to certain covered employees who work more than 40 hours in a workweek (29 U.S.C. 207), limitations on the employment of minors, and provisions relating to the Act's coverage and exceptions to and exemptions from some of the Act's general requirements.

 

Please be advised that an employer must pay all its employees, including casual and seasonal laborers, at a rate at least in the amount prescribed for the employer's industry. This applies even though an employee's job might appear to better correspond to the description of another industry classification. For example, an employee hired by a maritime shipping agency to provide duplication services must be paid at least the minimum rate set for the maritime shipping classification, not the lower rate that would apply to the same work if performed by an employee within the printing industry.

 

http://www.dol.gov/esa/minwage/americanSamoa/ASminwage.htm