Floriduh - Audit finds vast abuse of funds by elections office

Sun Sentinel ^

[Sub-Driver]

Broward County Elections Supervisor Miriam Oliphant violated state law and constitutional mandates while spending millions of dollars in tax money with few of the safeguards common in government agencies, a county audit revealed on Friday.

The mismanagement was on a scale that political observers say has seldom been seen in Florida. It also renewed questions raised after September's botched primary about whether Oliphant should be removed from office.

According to the scathing 50-page audit, Oliphant showered favored employees with double-digit raises and failed to hold political insiders accountable for meeting the terms of the contracts she awarded them. When she discovered her purchasing agent was buying goods from a family company in violation of state law, she moved the woman to a new job and gave her a 23 percent pay raise.

The audit concludes that Oliphant overspent her budget by almost $1 million in the last fiscal year because there were so few accounting procedures. A $603,429 state grant for voter outreach was so mismanaged

[LiteKeeper]

If I remember correctly, she is a DemoRAT, right?

[JulieRNR21]

While she should face some serious consequences for her actions....she will most likely just get a 'slap on the wrist'.....GRRRRRRRR!

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

This was Alcee in the Sun-Sentinel after the primaries (guess Miriam's party):

U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings, D-Miramar, said nothing Oliphant is accused of rises to the level of misdeeds he thinks were committed by former Secretary of State Katherine Harris in the 2000 election. He said Bush would face the wrath of black voters in the November election if he removes Oliphant.