Posted on 11/20/2008 10:25:52 AM PST by buccaneer81
Inspector general says Joe the Plumber's files searched improperly Thursday, November 20, 2008 12:47 PM By Randy Ludlow THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
A state agency director had no legitimate reasons to check state computer systems for confidential information on "Joe the Plumber," according to a report released this afternoon by Ohio's inspector general.
Helen Jones-Kelley, the suspended director of the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, "had no legitimate agency function to purpose to support her decision" to check on the newly minted political figure, the report states.
The investigation by the office of Inspector General Thomas P. Charles found that the reasons that Jones-Kelley offered for the checks "were not credible and they included contradictions, ambiguity, and inconsistencies."
The report also faults other agency employees for their role in the computer checks on Toledo-area resident Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher, who was popularized as "Joe the Plumber" by Republican presidential candidate John McCain.
Democrat Gov. Ted Strickland placed Jones-Kelley on paid leave Nov. 7 after e-mails requested by The Dispatch revealed she used her state e-mail account to help raise campaign funds for President-Elect Barack Obama.
The Dispatch reported earlier that Jones-Kelley had ordered a check on Wurzelbacher through her agency's child-support computer system.
She later revealed that checks on "Joe" also were run in public-assistance and unemployment-compensation-tax databases, but stressed that none of the confidential information was made public.
Wuzelbacher became a national political fixture after he questioned Obama's tax policies during the Democrat's campaign appearance in the man's neighborhood. Republican John McCain then frequently referred to "Joe the Plumber" during his Oct. 15 debate with Obama.
Jones-Kelley said there were no political motives behind the checks run the day after the debate. Jones-Kelley had contributed $5,000 to Obama campaign funds in late July.
She later wrote that the computer checks were "consistent with past departmental practice" of checking on persons thrust into the pubic spotlight, amid suggestions they may have money, to determine if are receiving public assistance or owe taxes or child support. Wurzelbacher, who expressed outrage at the checks, had said he was considering buying a plumbing business.
The agency has no such policy in writing or records documenting such checks on the newly famous or rich, but state officials said the inspector general was provided with several examples of the practice from recent years.
The checks on Wurzelbacher became a national story, with McCain mentioning them on the campaign trail and Republicans claiming they were political retaliation over Wurzelbacher's questioning of Obama's tax policies.
The Dispatch also revealed three improper inquiries on secured computer systems into Wurzelbacher's driving and vehicle registration information at the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles.
The checks were traced to a state contractor who has been fired, a Toledo Police Department clerk who faces discipline and a computer at the Cuyahoga County Child Support Enforcement Agency in Cleveland.
A state agency director had no legitimate reasons to check state computer systems for confidential information on “Joe the Plumber,” according to a report released this afternoon by Ohio’s inspector general.
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Just a very ugly view of government oppression, intimidation and abuse of authority -— things to come.
Ohio ping!
Welcome to East Germany or what?
Shades of the Stazi..
This is a big story for us. This needs to be kept in the news and in the courts and pursued relentlessly by our side. Otherwise the Obama Admin will be working this as their regular M.O. without any fear of legal action.
Helen Jones-Kelley......HYPHENATED NAME ALERT!!..........
And the “discipline” the clerk faces is exactly what? A note in her HR file that will expire if she attends a Diversity class?
Thrown under the bus for following the orders of her supe. Next.
Dontcha hate it when THAT happens!
VI. REFERRAL A copy of this report will be provided to the Franklin County Prosecutor’s Office for review and consideration.
Alinsky says to combat an enemy, identify it, freeze it, personalize it, demonize it, give it a person's name- (It's Bush's Fault for example).
If someone today says on Free Republic, “Barack Hussain Obama is a murtad fitri”, they can't do to the poster what they did to Joe the Plumber.
As soon as “Joe” was identified they were all over him. The “volunteers” in media and government dug up stuff in two days that the man himself did not know.
The report reached no conclusion on whether Jones-Kelley's approval of the checks were politically motivated.
This statement is BEYOND even "Willful Disbelief"!
Even Helen Keller could see the political connection here.
This incredulous statement to the public the office of the Inspector General reminds me of that story of how the blind man went to the show and then came home and told the deaf man what he saw.
“Helen Jones-Kelley, the suspended director of the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services,”
SUSPENDED, WITH PAY!!!!!!!! At this point, she’s just on a paid vacation!
What would happen if this were done to Hispanics or Muslims or gays (insert other victim status here) thrust into the spotlight?
During the course of this investigation, we also received information that Director Jones-Kelley may have used state resources to engage in political activity. Jones-Kelley had asked Charles Huston, ODJFS’ network service technician, to synchronize her personal Blackberry with the ODJFS email system. As a result, all emails sent from her Blackberry went through the ODJFS email system. Among the emails that went through the ODJFS system were four in which Jones- Kelley provided lists of names of potential contributors to the Obama campaign. One of those emails included Jones-Kelley’s offer of a $2,500 contribution to the campaign. On all four occasions the emails were either sent from, or received at, Jones-Kelley’s state email address. This use of the ODJFS system violates the Governor’s policy on political activity and constitutes an inappropriate use of state resources. Consequently, we also find reasonable cause to believe that Jones-Kelley committed a wrongful act in this instance.
Remember how doggedly they worked to identify Buckhead and try to demonize him for being the first one to recognize the proportional fonts used in the Dan Rather memos National Guard memos.
Joe the Plumber needs to sue the pants off of Helen Jones-Kelley and the State of Ohio.
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