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The chair of the AFL-CIO's Public Affairs Committee has resigned for being kept out of the loop on the labor federation's reform plan. Harold Schaitberger, President of the International Association of Firefighters quit in a letter to AFL-CIO President John Sweeney. Schaitberger's union held a reception for Republican House Speaker Dennis Hastert at the GOP national convention and gave about a third of its political money to Republicans in the 2004 election. But he supported John Kerry's presidential campaign. Schaitberger was reportedly offended that Sweeney would stage a major press event on AFL-CIO reform without his advance knowledge. In a statement the AFL-CIO president said that he and the federation are deeply sorry that Schaitberger is quitting and that his leadership and insight are valuable to the labor movement.