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Saturday, August 06, 2005
Law - Kentucky Governor charged with circumventing state merit law
In the latest in an ongoing series, the Louisville Courier Journal has a story today with these headlines: "Merit system investigation: 'A corrupt political machine' - Court filing alleges administration aimed to put supporters in merit jobs." Some quotes:
FRANKFORT, Ky. -- Top Fletcher administration officials formalized "a corrupt political machine" earlier this year to circumvent state civil service law and give more jobs to their supporters, according to a court filing.The filing yesterday by the state attorney general's office also said the administration put people into all nine state cabinets to act as "eyes and ears" on personnel matters so the secretaries could handle other business. * * *
The filing in Franklin Circuit Court summarized findings of a three-month investigation into allegations of illegal hiring based on politics for rank-and-file state government jobs.
Kentucky law requires that such jobs be filled on qualifications.
Nine current or former Fletcher administration officials have been indicted by a special grand jury, including Nighbert and two other Transportation Cabinet officials who were indicted on three misdemeanor counts each involving Duncan's firing.
All have denied wrongdoing.
Fletcher has repeatedly said since the investigation began that while some mistakes were made, he's unaware of any violations of the merit system, the state civil service law.
Posted by Marcia Oddi on August 6, 2005 08:55 AM
Posted to General Law Related