FBI searches Detroit-area home of UAW president
Agents also searched the union's northern Michigan retreat
Federal agents are searching the suburban Detroit home of the president of the United Auto Workers, apparently another step in an investigation of union corruption.
FBI spokeswoman Mara Schneider confirmed the search of a home in Canton Township on Wednesday but declined further comment.
TV stations posted photos and video of agents outside Gary Jones' home.
Agents also searched the Corona, California, home of former UAW President Dennis Williams and the union's northern Michigan retreat.
Watch helicopter footage gathered above Gary Jones' Michigan home:
In response to the searches the UAW has issued the following statement on its website:
The UAW and President Gary Jones have always fully cooperated with the government investigators in this matter. As the leader of the UAW, Pres. Jones is determined to uncover and address any and all wrongdoing, wherever it might lead. There was absolutely no need for search warrants to be used by the government today — the UAW has voluntarily responded to every request the government has made throughout the course of its investigation, produced literally hundreds of thousands of documents and other materials to the government, and most importantly, when wrongdoing has been discovered, we have taken strong action to address it. The UAW will continue to cooperate with the government in its investigation, as we have been doing throughout.
Trust in UAW leadership is never more important than during the bargaining process, when profit-laden auto companies stand to benefit from media leaks, false assumptions, and political grandstanding. The sole focus of President Jones and his team will be winning at the bargaining table for our members.
Eight people have pleaded guilty in an investigation of union officials and Fiat Chrysler executives enriching themselves with money from a job training centre in Detroit.
But the probe appeared to widen two weeks ago when a former union official was charged with accepting kickbacks from union vendors.