Savannah Community Members Call on Chambliss to Testify in Imperial
Sugar Case

Savannah, Ga. - Community leaders in the Savannah area called on Sen.
Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) to provide details about his involvement in the
Imperial Sugar Case during a news conference today, following his
refusal to answer a subpoena to testify about his actions.

A fire and explosion at the company’s Port Wentworth plant killed 14
workers and injured many more on February 7.

“What are you trying to hide by trying to dodge the subpoena?” asked
Stewart Acuff, assistant to the president of the AFL-CIO. “It’s very
simple, Senator Chambliss--show up, answer the subpoena, help us find
out what happened, why it happened, who is at fault, and help us bring
them to justice.”

Georgia AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Charlie Ray said Chambliss “has not
stood up and spoken up for the interests of Georgia. It’s a tragedy. It
could have been prevented.”

“We are here to speak justice to power, truth to power,” said Reverend
Dr. Sam Williams of the Faith Missionary Baptist Church.

Brett Hulme, president of the Savannah Regional Central Labor Council,
pointed to the 14 American flags lining the road next to Imperial Sugar
during today’s event. “Those flags represent Americans who gave their
lives, who went to work that morning, who were planning on coming home
and didn’t.”

The Occupational Health and Safety Administration levied $5 million in
fines against the company for “willful and egregious safety violations,”
and a Senate subcommittee meeting in July found that the company had no
plan to deal with the dangerous combustible dust and ignored multiple
warnings about plant safety.

“Mr. Chambliss, do the right thing. If you have nothing to hide, what’s
the problem? Acknowledge those workers who gave the ultimate sacrifice
and answer these questions,” said Hulme.