Go get 'em, Vanessa!! Make it 'One for the Gipper'!!
Posted on 10/31/2008 5:48:32 PM PDT by buccaneer81
State employee says she was ordered to check out Joe the Plumber Friday, October 31, 2008 8:21 PM By Randy Ludlow The Columbus Dispatch Vanessa Niekamp said that when was asked to run a child-support check on Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher on Oct. 16, she thought it routine. A supervisor told her the man had contacted the state agency about his case.
Niekamp didn't know she just had checked on "Joe the Plumber," who was elevated the night before to presidential politics prominence as Republican John McCain's example in a debate of an average American.
The senior manager would not learn about "Joe" for another week, when she said her boss informed her and directed her to write an e-mail stating her computer check was a legitimate inquiry.
The reason Niekamp said she was given for checking if there was a child-support case on Wurzelbacher does not match the reason given by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.
Director Helen Jones-Kelley said her agency checks people who are "thrust into the public spotlight," amid suggestions they may have come into money, to see if they owe support or are receiving undeserved public assistance.
Niekamp told The Dispatch she is unfamiliar with the practice of checking on the newly famous. "I've never done that before, I don't know of anybody in my office who does that and I don't remember anyone ever doing that," she said today.
Democrat Gov. Ted Strickland and Jones-Kelley, both supporters of Democrat Barack Obama, have denied political motives in checking on Wurzelbacher. The Toledo-area resident later endorsed McCain. State officials say any information on "Joe" is confidential and was not released.
Today,Strickland press secretary Keith Dailey said neither the governor's office nor Job and Family Services officials could comment due to an ongoing investigation by Ohio's inspector general.
Republican legislators have called the checks suspicious and Jones-Kelley's reason for them flimsy. They are demanding to know whether state computers were accessed in an attempt to dig up dirt on Wurzelbacher.
Jones-Kelley has revealed that her agency also checked Wurzelbacher to see if he was receiving welfare assistance or owed unemployment compensation taxes. "Joe the Plumber" has said he is not involved in a child-support case.
About 3 p.m. on Oct. 16, Niekamp said Carrie Brown, assistant deputy director for child support, asked her to run Wurzelbacher through the computer. Citing privacy laws, Niekamp would not say what, if anything, was found on "Joe."
On Oct. 23, Niekamp said Doug Thompson, deputy director for child support, told her she had checked on "Joe the Plumber." Thompson "literally demanded" that she write an e-mail to the agency's chief privacy officer stating she checked the case for child-support purposes, she said.
Thompson told her that Jones-Kelley said Wurzelbacher might buy a plumbing business and could owe support. Thompson said he replied that he "would check him out."
Niekamp, 38, a senior child-support manager, said she never heard any discussion of politics amid what her supervisors told her about the checks on Wurzelbacher.
Worried about her $69,000-a-year job and potential criminal charges, the 15-year state employee said she went to Inspector General Thomas P. Charles on Oct. 24. She has seen employees fired, and dismissed one herself, for illegally accessing personal information in support cases. Niekamp, a registered Republican, said politics played no role in what she told investigators.
The e-mail that Niekamp said she wrote was not among records provided yesterday to The Dispatch in response to a public-records request. Nor did the agency, as required by state law, say it withheld any records.
Strickland spokesman Dailey later said one e-mail was withheld from The Dispatch because its release is prohibited by federal or state law. He did not explain under what specific law the e-mail was withheld.
I would like to see one other example of that happening and how Joe's case got leaked to the press.
Wow, awfully worked up, aren’t we? Are you paid with tax dollars, by chance?
At least a local newspaper had the audacity to report it.
Damn this police state bs lately. The Plumber has a lot more patience than my redneck side would if this were my God-given rights being put to the test.
Not Guilty! Her Demonrat bosses should be arrested.
**Damn this police state bs lately.**
It will not be BS should BO win Tuesday. Joe the Plumber’s Treatment will be SOP ...PDQ!
I hope Joe gets a good lawyer and sues.
I'm sure they've been banging on Joe's door since day one.
According to the article she's a Republican so why should she?
Tell me where to sign! I’m in Ohio and would like to see both the Governor, SOS and the person who ordered her to do this removed from their jobs. I would be beyond mad if it were me and the government were looking into my background for daring to ask only a question. Now days t=something like this should fall under “unlawful search and seizure” since this is his personal records. No one should ever just be able to check into stuff like this unless you have given them permission or you’ve committed a crime!
“Director Helen Jones-Kelley said her agency checks people who are “thrust into the public spotlight,” amid suggestions they may have come into money, to see if they owe support or are receiving undeserved public assistance.”
Guess they better start running checks on themselves now 0_-
No doubt, he has a good case, let them fork over some cash.
When is Brunner up for election? Get rid of her. She gives Ohio a bad name.
2010.
So let’s see if we can follow the breadcrumbs here: Jones-Kelley ordered Doug Thompson who ordered Carrie Brown who ordered Niekamp to run the check. Then Doug Thompson ordered the cover-up letter that has mysteriously been withheld from the FOIA response. Funny how they picked a republican worker to run the check. I wonder if that was part of it. Time to order up three indictments and see if Jones-Kelley tries to throw the gov. under the bus.
Yeah, I am sick of reading all the kneejerk comments.
And no, I don’t work for incompetent twits.
My point is, she wasn’t maliciously looking to give Joe a hard time.
You want to see justice done, fine.
Go find the ones responsible, ie. the obviously socialist bosses.
She isn’t of any consequence.
Or else you are all just witch hunting the wrong person.
A quick call from Jones-Kelley to Jennifer Brunner would reveal any registered Republicans in the office.
I think you're on to something.
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