DE GOP Abuse of Legislative Perks
That is the topic of a fine piece of reporting by Ginger Gibson in this morning’s News Journal, providing some detail how how the GOP spent their budgets to support themselves when they were in control of the House. This report has the feel of a tip of the iceberg — as in there is likely more there to look at. But it is very good to see how the people who want to lay claim to making a better use of tax money (largely via hyping their own bete noirs, insensible math and trying to paint everyone else as being profligate) are especially profligate on their own behalf. Using Delaware tax money.
Among the items Democrats say were partisan and should not have been funded with tax dollars were the salary of a political consultant who many longtime staffers say never came to work, thousands of dollars in improper tuition payments to a former Republican legislator, questionable payouts to political advisers for unused vacation and sick time, and money for a Web site that delivered Republican perspectives.
A no-show legislative job, giving themselves more benefits than prescribed and trying to build a partisan messaging website that was supposed to be a stand-in for a vehicle that actually told the people of Delaware about the business being conducted on their behalf. Perhaps that is what they mean by open government.
Majority Leader Pete Schwartzkopf notes that:
Attorneys for House Democrats are researching measures in other states, Schwartzkopf said. He hopes the two caucuses will come to an agreement to approve legislation that would impose rules on Delaware lawmakers and their staffs.
The sooner the better, really. And even better would be if they post their proposed new rules up as soon as they are ready to discuss with both caucuses — so we can all get an idea of what is on the table and perhaps have a chance to weigh in.
ps. This:
Wozniak, who now serves as policy director for the right-leaning Caesar Rodney Institute think tank, received $4,525.50. Brittingham received $6,251.90.
(Emphasis mine) is a WIN for everyone who called out the CRI’s “non-partisan” BS.
Wozniak, pay the money back even if you have to borrow it from Copeland. Will we see this as a headline blog on CRI, or Copelands blog?
Great reporting here. CRI is such a ridiculous joke. All of their emails about “gun bans” and other nonsense… apparently the big domestic policy concern right now is gun control? What a bunch of tone-deaf, amateurs.
Just wrong, GW showed up to work, I know because I interacted with him many times. He did a lot of field work which may be beyond some sit around types to understand. That charge is just bogus.
Payouts for sick time and vacation time are the law. You earned those as part of your compensation. They are property.
The website to inform people cannot be a serious charge unless you have a problem with Markell, Steward, and Denn. More information is good. Does it have a point of view, sure. If it takes partisan attacks or overt vote for me campaigning then I can agree that it shouldn’t be tax funded. If it is reflecting the initiatives of the Republican or Democratic caucus, it is good. The otherside is just as free to do the same.
Republicans have not been perfect when it comes to tax payer dollars in Delaware, but this line of attack is misguided.
David, you truely are a idiot.
I’m a bit confused – who was the person who got paid for not coming to work? Boy, I sure am glad that our tax dollars are being funneled to CRI.
David is an idiot. Especially since if he read this article, no one claims that Wozinak is the no-show employee. Michael Lukach is specifically named as the supposed no-show guy.
Wozniak took a payout for unused vacation and sick time that he was not entitled to.
The article didn’t say, but you made an inference that it was GW. I am saying that is wrong. As for CRI, it is not funded by tax dollars in anyway. Where did you get that?
Anon, Out of arguments, aye? I am all for Pete saving money. Unsurprisingly, he cut Republican perks and staffers and not Democrat ones. That is okay. Let’s not pretend that it is some great concern for taxpayers.
Once again, the law requires that you pay sick and vacation time.
U.I. did you read the post here? It did imply GW. That is just wrong. Where do you get no one? Have you read half of the thread? This is yet anthoer back track. The article seemed underwhelming. Your post is worse.
The name of the operative who didn’t come to work was Lukach, according to the article.
This article makes me so angry. Whether or not the state wastes money on G.A. staff shouldn’t depend on the party in charge. Someone needs to be operating some oversight here.
David, pleaes re-read the story. Pete did cut Ds by not filling the jobs? Can you comprehend what the story says?
Cut the democrats, cut the republicans.
Maybe we should cut Joe “It’s easy being vice president. You don’t have to do anything” Biden too.
The less government, the better.
What a bunch of frauds. Everyone needs to hit the boot straps while they make like Agustus Gloop sucking on the tit end of the government custard machine.
Kudos to the NJ and Gibson for going after this low hanging fruit (I guess).
Politician’s that live in glass houses, should not through stones.
I suspect we will soon start to see some of the information about some of the Democratic abuse of our tax payer’s money.
I guess this is good transparency and openness for the public, but adds to the public’s realization that we cannot trust our elected officials.
No wonder the public’s support and trust in elected officials is low.
Oh well, I guess they’ll all spin things from both sides. I really hope that the wheels start to fly off so we can start to get some real “Change we can believe in”.
David is still an idiot.
There is no implication in my post that Wozniak had the no-show job. The NJ article — which you really should read before jerking your knee — is pretty clear about the bill of offenses here.
And as for that payout of sick and vacation time — it seems to me that if the rules are good enough for the rest of the government, it should be good enough for the legislature.
Shorter anon@11:15 – BUT..BUT BUT…THEY DO IT TOO! May I live to see the day that a Republican says, “Yeah. We Fucked up.”
And I wouldn’t be surprised if the *response* to this comes from the CRI, who, we remind those following at home, are not impartial observers.
as a state employee, I’m pretty sure cassandra is right here and David is totally wrong. If I were to resign at the end of school year, then I would not be entitled to my sick pay. It’s only for those who are retiring per state law.
Term limits a must. If any politican has been in office more than two terms, vote em out! All of them in both parties. These people take an oath of office to protect and serve and do so with their fingers and legs crossed. As soon as the Oath is taken they begin supporting the developers, the corporates and show up at election time to ask for our vote. Does’nt matter which of the two corporate parties is in office, they spend our money like its theirs. They have no problem cutting funds for the people, shutting down much needed programs and services. The desk drawer veto is controlled by The Chamber of Commerce, the Delaware Public (Private) Policy Insitute, and which ever party is in power in DC. Citizens are too busy trying to survive or too dumb and brain washed to realize they are getting screwed. Why not ban all trips, dinners, and extra activities they engage in. Why not force every elected to post on line exactly what they did with our “street fund monies”. That money should be taken away from all of them. Count it up its in the millions. Their private little vote buying slush fund. Their private little hoard of money to get their “people” on the states payroll. Ban all State Health Insurance policies for legislators. Most are working on the state dole in some other capacity anyway. No more pensions for electeds. The electeds are a bunch of double or triple dipping and the beat goes on. Its up to the people to make real change. Start by voting out EVERYONE who has already served two terms.
Get outraged don’t just blog about it. Run for office if you feel you can do a better job without being immediately corrupted by the power and influence.
According to the article, Wozniak and Brittingham were not state employees long enough to qualify for unused sick time. However, according to the Office of Management and Budget, employees of the legislature are exempt from the law.
How many times is the legislature exempt from the law? Far too many. Let’s start putting the heat on our reps and senators — D and R — to subject themselves to the same laws everyone else has to follow.
Also, Lofink apparently was eligible only for about $4,000 in reimbursement. Will anyone in Dover have the stones (watching curling) to go after the other $8,000?
Another Mike, depending on the timing of the reimbursement, most State agencies have cut the educational reimbursement. It’s possible that Lofink wasn’t actually eligible for any money.
The article didn’t report it, but at least one House employee was paid with House $$’s to pursue a Master’s degree. This person, not GW, had their hands deep in the House Rethug operations and still works there.
El Som, quit teasing and give us a hint. Pretty please?
Wozniak hasn’t worked for CRI for a few months.
more about this please
Is there something wrong with pursuing a Master’s degree? Doesn’t your job reimburse for it?
g
Paying someone who is a political aparatchik with state funds to pursue a Master’s degree is unethical. That’s what Terry Spence did.
And, no, the Delaware General Assembly does NOT do this as a matter of course. I’d never heard of it before in the legislative branch. Spence threw money around as if it was in limitless supply. And now a Rethug is defending it. Just what do Rethugs stand for, Repukelican David? If this isn’t waste, fraud, and abuse, then what is?
Is there something wrong with pursuing a Master’s degree? Doesn’t your job reimburse for it?
If that is a benefit available to all your employees, fine. But if there is any state employee out there pining for a masters degree who got turned down for reimbursement, they have a legitimate beef.
Plus, the problem with going to school while working isn’t only the money, it’s the flexible scheduling and time off. If your supervisor gives you schedule flexibility to attend school, that is worth at least as much as the money.
While I have no problem that someone’s job pays for a Master’s–I do have a problem w/ a legislator falling into a “job” category that underwrites such. It’s civic service people–that you are to be paid a modest, surviving wage–not a career pathway. What next? A paid internship in another state agency, to go w/ your Masters?
you all do realise we are paying our PART-TIME legislators over $40k a year with a pension And Health Insurance ?!?!
And romeo–can’t speak for others, but my rep. in the 8th–Quinn Johnson–sure doesn’t seem part-time to me–he’s busy, and certainly earning his keep. Sometimes this is great, and sometimes I wish he wouldn’t work so hard:).
Everyone repeat after me – David, put down the crack pipe.
The State didn’t pay for my master’s. Maybe I should have shined Spence’s shoes instead of working for an agency.
“Wozniak hasn’t worked for CRI for a few months.” Fired for gross incompetence no doubt. But wait, if he was an incompetent Republican he would be fired upward. I think that’s how the wingnut welfare works.
‘Bulo, it’s only waste, fraud or abuse when money is spent on people Republicans don’t like.
So whose campaign is the Woz working for now? Castle’s got his team together. Unless Copeland really is going to jump into the House race, the only other people would be Wagner or Bonini.
“According to the article, Wozniak and Brittingham were not state employees long enough to qualify for unused sick time. However, according to the Office of Management and Budget, employees of the legislature are exempt from the law.”
even if Woz & Britt were not elegible for unused sick time payment…
Do the house R’s run their own payroll system or were the checks cut by made by State Payroll/HR staff?
I believe that the payroll cuts the check for what an authorized person tells them to cut the check for.
HR/Payroll are not in the business of challenging lawmakers on authorizations that they sign.
LG, That’s silly, no legislator is smart/skilled enough to calculate the amount due for unused vacation/sick/personal time.
At most they sent a note saying Employee X’s last day is xx/xx/xx please issue a final check for unused vacation/sick/personal time and forward to him an “End of Service” package.
What would be silly is of there is a payroll system in Delaware where someone with the right authority doesn’t approve payroll actions — whether it is a timesheet or a final payout.
If we had a functioning State Auditor who was not simply part of the Delaware Way, an audit/investigation would already be under way. Since the legislature won’t police itself, it’s time for the Governor or the AG to initiate an investigation into what happened during the Spence Years with an eye toward recouping misused public funds. This WAS just the tip of the iceberg. Speaking of which, when are we EVER going to see the travel expenses from the House during Spence’s time as Speaker? What, exactly, is the hold-up? Come to think of it, ‘hold-up’ is a pretty accurate descriptor of what Spence, Smith, Cathcart and Company have done to the State of Delaware.
Both Republican David and Ginger Gibson are wrong in part in the dust-up about unused sick leave and vacation time.
First, Dave is wrong on sick leave. “State law” doesn’t mandate payment for unused sick leave when an employee leaves state service except when due to retirement, layoff, death or disability. [Merit Rule 5.3.4.1]
On the other hand, Gibson is wrong to imply that departing state employee are only entitled to pay for unused vacation time if they “qualify for retirement.” Every classified employee who leaves state government, “for any reason including dismissal” is paid in cash for any unused annual leave. [Merit Rule 5.2.8]
Merit Rules only apply to classified employees, but these policies have been adopted throughout other branches of state government, so unless Gibson can point to a policy that, in defiance of almost universal personnel practice, denies legislative branch employees payment at severance for unused vacation, she’s dead wrong here.
[To be clear, vacation pay is only available to employees. A cabinet secretary, judge or elected official gets the line item appropriated for his/her salary, nothing more.]
El Somwrongo knows that the state auditor only has the jurisdiction granted to him by the legislature or the constitution. Separation of powers does not allow him to audit the General Assembly unless they permit it. When you look at the sums of money in state government, the amount spent to support the GA would not be worth the diversion of resources.
Thank you John, but did not the people in question suffer a layoff. The fact that they were allowed to leave instead of a formal layoff does not change the defacto nature of it. I would therefore consider it a gentlemen’s agreement.
Geez, David. What a rationalization THAT is. He went after Norman Oliver (justifiably) on questionable wrongdoings that involved a state legislator( Al Plant). For far less funds than what the GA spends. An infinitessimal amount, as a matter of fact.
And, Rethug David, now that the D’s are in charge, Tom ‘Suspendered Disbelief’ Wagner might just ask and Speaker Gilligan might just say ‘yes’.
In Repuke Dave’s World, corruption is OK as long as (a) it’s done by Rethugs and (b) it doesn’t reach Repuke Dave’s definition of critical mass.
Oh, and BTW, I’d be totally fine if Wagner looked at the General Assembly in toto although, it must be pointed out, only Terry Spence’s mismanagement of the House has created any real stench so far.
One more thing: I’m tired of a State Auditor saying that his hands are tied. The knots, Dear Brutus, are self-inflicted.
David – I don’t believe that anyone seriously argues that those voluntary departures in June 2008 were due to “layoff.”
Tom Wagner’s 2010 Campaign Theme: “Re-elect me and I promise to shrug my shoulders and claim that my hands are tied and that I can’t do anything about corruption in state government.”
El Som and others: It’s not like members of Minner’s staff didn’t get jobs in the new administration (they did) and it’s not like some of the positions were vacant (they weren’t). In a case or two positions were created for them. So I’m not sure that any of this is limited to R’s, but El Som’s very right about Spence.
Mark H — I don’t think you’ll find anyone here to defend Minner’s burrowing of some of her staff in Government. But certainly there is a particular hypocrisy of people having the vapors over stoppingthespending who were awfully profligate — even ignoring rules against some of it. You can say that “they all do it” when there is some evidence that the Dem caucus is doing campaign work on state time or paying themselves benefits they should not.
Mark H: I couldn’t agree with you more about the Minner ‘burrowings’, not to mention the ‘Delaware Way’ machinations that enabled Minner’s Chief of Staff to resurface as Lonnie George’s handpicked successor.
ALL this stuff is sickening. Which is why, I guess, I’m sick.
This site’s criticism of the Minner administration, and indeed more than a handful of Delaware Democrats, is part of the archives. The pathetic rationalizations of the Republican commenters here only serves to highlight the difference between this web site and those that are friendly to the GOP.
Brainard is headed for the DelTech Presidency? As Minner COS, he was responsible more than any other person for the second-term fiasco.
As Cary Grant said in one movie, “That’s enough to make you want to vote Republican.”
Tom Wagner’s 2010 Campaign Theme: “I am the mighty enabler” sung to a Billy Joel tune.
*
A few people handed Tom Wagner the FOIA’s documents from DelDOT (an infrastructure agreement for Bayberry signed by Pam Scott and Nathan Hayward that amounted to an open check for the sewers and roads south of the canal) and we asked him to audit DelDOT.
Tom hemmed and hawed and said he didn’t have the staff. This was in 2005. Then Hayward said the Transportation Trust Fund was empty and the legis asked Wagner to do the audit. I guess he finally did it.
There are a hell of a lot more competent and experienced people than Brainard to run DelTech after George retires. Ileana Smith in Georgetown would be a superb choice. She outranks him in every area – education, institutional hierarchy and experience.
Picking a political hack over a hard-working educator would certainly be in keeping with DelTech’s way of doing things, but I really hope the board sends Brainard to the back of the line.
Geezer, who you calling Republican???
Um, the guy who calls himself ‘Republican David,” for one.
Wasn’t Brainard Lonnie George’s and Speaker Gilliagan’s political hac who went to law school while he was working at the Dem’s Cheif of Staff in Leg Hall….who paid for that.?????
Brainard did. Brainard went out to (I think) San Diego State to pursue his degree. He resigned his (then) post as Senate Majority Administrative Assistant to do so. While I’m critical of Brainard’s stint with Ruth Ann and critical of his Delaware Way ties to Lonnie and Bob, there is absolutely no basis to hurl around a false charge like this.
Either bring facts to the table or STFU.