A Pittsburgh law firm has been caught on video teaching people the art of screwing Americans (and, obviously, Pennsylvanians) out of good jobs so they can go to immigrants. Cohen and Gribsby held a forum which was recorded and the tape wound up on YouTube. In the video lawyers explain how to place "fake" help wanted ads to comply with the law.
The way the scam works, a company hires a legal immigrant for a job then helps them apply for a Green Card. In order to comply with the requirement that no American is available for the position Cohen and Grigsby teaches a mini course in how evade this requirement.
It's basically a sham to screw Americans out of good jobs. These jobs should go to Pennsylvanians instead of immigrants if an interested, qualified person applies. It also occurs to me that these companies are defrauding those who do actually reply to their ads. Since the help wanted ads are essentially fraudulent (the company has no intention of hiring anyone) the applicants are wasting their time and money applying and going to job interviews. It's all Playhouse 90 on the part of the company since they already have an immigrant in the position and are simply having to prove there's no interested, qualified American for the job.
The issue here is proving the argument that "we need to bring people here to work because Americans won't do these jobs" is a sham. If there's a level, fair playing field and if companies paid a living wage for the millions of menial jobs filled by undocumented workers, I'm sure Americans would do them willingly. We won't work under substandard conditions, in unsafe environments and for slave wages however, just so your companies can ring up huge profits.
This is just one more example of what my dad sarcastically would have called the Almighty Dollar at work. Lest you misunderstand me, there's nothing wrong with earning money or becoming wealthy. But is the pursuit of increased profit more important than what it does to job applicants who already live here? More important than the values of honesty and fair dealing? Does more profit trump all else and justify ignoring the spirit (if not the letter) of the law? There's far too much worship in this country at the church of the Almighty Dollar.
Posted by: Lee Levan | June 23, 2007 at 08:53 AM
Does anyone know to whom this little law skirting seminar was delivered? Economic development programs in the state, which are in essence corporate welfare, are justified by arguing that they create jobs. If this law firm is presenting seminars to companies or universities that get economic development money from Harrisburg, then it isn't only the US citizen applicants who are being defrauded, it the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. So I ask again, to whom has this law firm delivered these seminars?
Posted by: veblen | June 23, 2007 at 11:42 AM
But, Lee....you forget: it's OK if you're a Republican. Are you saying it's Republicans selling us down the river for the almighty dollar?
veblen, it was at a seminar on immigration. I'm not sure who the attendees were but this has been all over the news the past few days.
Posted by: John Morgan | June 23, 2007 at 12:54 PM
Lawrence Lebowitz, the speaker in the video, was listed in the Pennsylvania Super Lawyers 2007 two weeks ago. LOL
Also, Sen. Chuck Grassley has requested an investigation into the firm and sent a letter demanding to know how many visa petitions the firm has filed over the past 5 years.
veblen raises a really interesting point, too! I'd be curious to know the recipients of these "words of wisdom".....
Posted by: Melissa | June 23, 2007 at 01:57 PM
Sadly, John, the congregation of the Almighty Dollar church is not limited to Republicans. It's everywhere you look. Take your pal Paris Hilton for example. She's a High Priestess. Other than being a wealthy heiress, why would anyone in his/her right mind even care what she does? Can you imagine what the cost of all of her meida coverage plus all of the hours of potentially productive time wasted by consumers of that media could have accomplished?
I'll give the Republicans one thing: this country does need to change its values -- just not in the way that the Republians want them changed.
Posted by: Lee Levan | June 23, 2007 at 04:42 PM
Good research M. The repubs want you to think they are about wholesome, "christian" values. In fact, it is all about profit. We have legitimized crime as long as it is profitable. Where are these people getting educated that they have no qualms about their daily work? A Buddhist tenet is "right avocation." What do they do - go home and massage their egos with golf club memberships and trips to Saks? The republicans (corporations) are all about selling, that is the value they espouce. The sad thing is the number of American's who "buy it."
Posted by: dl | June 23, 2007 at 05:15 PM
dl, you have just recited 2 of the commandments of the Church of the Almighty Dollar.
"What do they do - go home and massage their egos with golf club memberships and trips to Saks? The republicans (corporations) are all about selling, that is the value they espouce. The sad thing is the number of American's who "buy it." "
Posted by: Lee Levan | June 23, 2007 at 07:56 PM
I've had help from my Uncle, a nice, 60 + repub, who joined an extra year to go to S.Pacific instead of Nam and worked his way up the printing company corporate ladder until the early 80"s when he sold the group of businesses, made a lot, and went into small executive work. He emails me a lot of that golf club mentality stuff - its interesting, has a lot of anti-aclu, pro war bs. But he means well and has been in court with me and witnessed them in action. So, like you've mentioned, they are not all bad and they are the ones who can help create change. We just need to find what we have in common.
Posted by: dl | June 23, 2007 at 10:28 PM
I sent our senators and my rep this post and told them to consider this aspect when devising the next immigration bill. Thanks!
Posted by: Joyful Alternative | June 25, 2007 at 06:53 AM