Posted on 01/26/2005 7:46:46 AM PST by SmithL
The State Personnel Board hammered another nail into Secretary of State Kevin Shelley's political coffin Tuesday with a devastating report declaring that he maintained "an abusive working environment ... for those employees who have to work directly with the secretary."
The question is not whether Shelley's political career, which began with local office in San Francisco and included a stint in the Legislature, is toast, but only what form his departure will take, and whether he may face criminal charges as well.
Shelley's fellow Democrats in the Legislature, who clearly were trying to shield him, now want him to disappear and take the heat off their party. Privately, he's been talking about resigning the position he's held for just two years, but some are floating the notion that he may try to remain in office by announcing that he would not run for re-election in 2006.
The Personnel Board report officially confirms one aspect of the three-part bill of particulars against Shelley that had been assembled by aggressive newspaper reporting and by an examination of the federal Help America Vote Act funds by the state auditor's office. In addition to allegations of abusing and harassing employees, it's been alleged - and pretty well proved - that Shelley used much of the HAVA money to hire political operatives whose primary job appeared to be improving Shelley's political standing, and received heavy campaign contributions from those who received funds for a never-built San Francisco community center in a budget appropriation he sponsored.
(Excerpt) Read more at sacbee.com ...
ShmelleyGate Ping
Liberal rags want Shmelley Gone. :-o
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