Fact Checking Rajas Fact Check

Raja continues to distort his record on outsourcing & fines

Allegheny County Executive candidate D. Raja continues to mislead the public about his companys outsourcing practices and to deny that he was fined $133,000 by the U.S. Department of Labor for failing to pay his workers the minimum wage and overtime. In response to Rich Fitzgeralds latest ad, Rajas campaign sent out a so-called fact check press release filled with misleading statements and outright falsehoods about his abysmal record on jobs. Raja became wealthy by outsourcing jobs overseas and exploiting his workers by refusing to pay the minimum wage or overtime, Fitzgeralds campaign manager Mike Mikus said. Raja continues to mislead the public instead of owning up to his dubious business practices that hurt workers and sent American jobs overseas. It is time for Raja tell the truth

Rajas Rhetoric vs. Reality

Rajas Claim Allegheny County unemployment has doubled in the past 10 years (Bureau of Labor Statistics). Rich Fitzgerald instituted the largest tax in Allegheny County history. Just yesterday, Saks Fifth Avenue announced they were closing their Pittsburgh store. Over the past ten years the border communities of Cranberry, Cannonsburg, and Peters Township have flourished as business has fled Allegheny County. 94% of Raja's payroll is in the United States. CEI specializes in making software for large companies and has had its corporate headquarters in Allegheny County since its founding. Rajas Reality Allegheny County ranked near the top No. 6 Best U.S. City to Earn a Living (Forbes) No. 7 Lowest Number of Foreclosures out of Top 100 Metropolitan Areas (Brookings Institution 2011) No. 8 Economically Strongest Metropolitan Areas (Brookings Institution 2011) Additional rankings attached. Rajas lies, true lies, and statistics It is important to note that Raja says payroll not employees. His press release says he created over 300 jobs. To make the math simple, lets just say 300. If 94% of his employees are in the U.S. that would mean that he only has 18 employees overseas. In 2005, it was reported that Raja was tripling the number of employees in his overseas office from 85 to 250. That same article also quoted Raja saying that outsourcing would grow from 20% to 80% of his companys revenue. [BusinessStandard.com, March 8, 2005}

CEI has never been fined by the Department of Raja fined $133K by the Dept. of Labor Labor for not paying minimum wage or for any The U.S Department of Labor cited CEI for violating the Fair Labor Standards Act when it other reason. ruled that Raja had to pay $133,000 for not paying his workers the minimum wage or overtime. [U.S. Department of Labor] U.S. DOL Report Attached No mention of 250 overseas employees Raja once again fails to mention the tripling of his overseas office from 85 to 250 to employees. These are jobs that could have been created here in Allegheny County. [BusinessStandard.com, March 8, 2005} ###

Raja has created over 300 jobs in the United States including over 100 jobs right here in Allegheny County.