Union tells state workers to back Martha Coakley for Senate

A large union backing Attorney General Martha Coakley for the United States Senate race is admitting a major mistake. The union representing state employees sent an e-mail urging state workers to volunteer for Coakley’s campaign.

The e-mail, obtained by FOX25, raises questions about whether it violates laws barring the use of public resources for political activity.

Within hours after the e-mail was sent to 7,500 employees on Thursday, Local 509 sent out another e-mail telling employees to “disregard” the previous message.

The union said in a statement to FOX25, “Local 509 accidentally sent an e-mail to its state employee members asking them to volunteer for the Martha Coakley for US Senate campaign. This clearly should not have been done and Local 509 regrets the error.”

Coakley says she knew nothing about the e-mail before it was sent.

Her clean law enforcement credentials and her backing from unions have helped her become the frontrunner in the race.

"This mistake was and is Local 509's alone. The Martha Coakley campaign had no knowledge of the email and was in no way responsible for its production or distribution," the statement from Local 509 said.

State law says campaigned cannot use state resources for political purposes, but it’s unclear whether this would apply to e-mails sent to public employees.