Gov. Mitch Daniels has been firing thousands of state workers to keep the state's budget balanced in these tough economic times. Officially, he has imposed a state hiring freeze. Yet, his administration managed to find a job at the Department of Corrections for former State Rep. Dennis Oxley, Jr., Jill Long Thompson's running mate during the 2008 gubernatorial race against Daniels. This past year, Oxley has faced charges of drunk driving, public intoxication and impersonating a state lawmaker. According to a WTHR report, Oxley will be responsible for assisting inmates at the Branchville Correctional Facility for their re-entry into society. The job pays $52,000 annually.
Why would the Daniels' administration go out of its way to find a job for Oxley, Jr.? Something doesn't smell right. Was Oxley, Jr. a mole for the Daniels' campaign during the 2008 gubernatorial campaign? Is this his reward? Regardless of his motivation for giving Oxley, Jr. a job, Daniels' judgment in this matter is not good, particularly after he has fired so many long-time state employees due to the state's financial woes. It's a slap in their faces.
9 comments:
I cannot see a justification - based on qualifications, his drinking history, and his attempt to falsely pose as a legislator when questioned by the police.
I think he's been put on the wrong side of the bars.
There are so many areas of state government that Gov. Daniels excels at. I particularly applaud him for his effort at handling the budget.
Daniels has an extraordinary Achilles heel though - administration. He makes a lot of bad appointments and doesn't supervise the agencies well. He just doesn't seem interested. I know that it should be his people supervising thoses agencies and not Daniels directly, but still at some point the buck stops on Daniels desk.
Gary,
It's funny. When I was head of the title insurance divsion, my selection was approved by Governor Daniels. When I repeatedly tried to get the Daniels administration to look at wrongdoing and illegal activity by a Democrat appointee (appointed by then Gov. O'Bannon) at the Department of Insurance, Governor Daniels' people would not even look at the allegations I tried to present. They did not care.
Perhaps it was an act of compassion. I know that doesn't fit into the family values agenda of the Republicans but that might explain it.
Art, I see your point, but I didn't get any "compassion" when I was immediately terminated from the DOI job when I wrote a memo outlining the legal violations committed by the Democratic supervisor at DOI.
Where it not for a good friend of mine who has a law firm, I could have been unemployed for a long time. I guess I should have just gotten liquored up and told the cops I was a state legislator. Then I would have gotten another state job.
His father did not become ill until after Oxley, Jr. ran around acting like an out-of-control frat boy for a year. His father's illness should have no bearing on whether he should get a state job. Didn't Oxley have a job working for Bauer? What happened to that job?
I hope that Governor Daniels explains his decision re the employment of Dennis Oxley. Interesting suggestion, by AA.
This action was totally inappropriate and constitutes a betrayal of the ethical standards of this great governor.
What great governor is that?
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