Four more disciplined in Joe The Plumber snooping case

Four more senior staffers in the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services got taken to the state woodshed on Friday, Nov. 21 in the “Joe the Plumber” snooping case. Two were suspended without pay - one for four weeks, a second for two weeks.

The action comes a day after Gov. Ted Strickland suspended department director Helen Jones-Kelley of Clayton for a month without pay. Ohio Inspector General Tom Charles found that Jones-Kelley improperly authorized searches of state databases to get information on Samuel Jospeh - “Joe the Plumber” - Wurzelbacher and improperly used her state e-mail account to raise money for Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.

Cincy Fan 44 wrote:http://www.daytondailynews.com/o/content/shared-gen/blogs/dayton/ohiopolitics/entries/2008/11/21/four_more_workers_disciplined.html

Four more senior staffers in the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services got taken to the state woodshed on Friday, Nov. 21 in the “Joe the Plumber” snooping case. Two were suspended without pay - one for four weeks, a second for two weeks.

The action comes a day after Gov. Ted Strickland suspended department director Helen Jones-Kelley of Clayton for a month without pay. Ohio Inspector General Tom Charles found that Jones-Kelley improperly authorized searches of state databases to get information on Samuel Jospeh - “Joe the Plumber” - Wurzelbacher and improperly used her state e-mail account to raise money for Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.

They should have all been fired for abusing their office.

Helen Jones-Kelley has resigned as director of the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, Gov. Ted Strickland’s office announced today, Dec. 17.

State Inspector General Tom Charles found that Jones-Kelley improperly authorized database searches of Samuel Joseph “Joe the Plumber” Wurzelbacher during the presidential campaign.

Strickland had suspended Jones-Kelley for a month without pay on Nov. 7 because of reports that she used her state e-mail account for political fund raising. Charles’ report also confirmed those allegations.

“My professional career and the legacy of service I have established has been and continues to be far too important for me to allow my reputation and my commitment as a servant to be disparaged,” Jones-Kelley said in a statement released by Strickland’s office. “I also remain concerned for the safety of my family and myself.”

meta4 wrote:It was unfortunate that she lost her job over this. I'm glad she and her accomplices found what they had found. After all, it was the truth and the American people had benefited. Still, I think she abused the resources at her disposal for political motivations.

Cincy Fan 44 wrote:

meta4 wrote:It was unfortunate that she lost her job over this. I'm glad she and her accomplices found what they had found. After all, it was the truth and the American people had benefited. Still, I think she abused the resources at her disposal for political motivations.

So you're okay with public officials abusing their office over non-life-threatening situations?

COLUMBUS — Gov. Ted Strickland has signed legislation aimed at ending "Joe the Plumber"-style government snooping.

Substitute House Bill 648, sponsored by Rep. Shannon Jones, R-Springboro, creates civil and criminal penalties for violating rules regarding access to personal information on state databases.

It grew out of the search of state databases for information on Samuel Joseph "Joe the Plumber" Wurzelbacher during Ohio's presidential campaign. Helen Jones-Kelley of Clayton resigned as director of the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services in the wake of an Inspector General's investigation that found she improperly authorized the searches.