Merit hire employee fired by Fletcher for political reasons wins ethics award.
Michael Duncan, the Transportation Cabinet Deputy Inspector General who was wrongly fired for political reasons by Gov. Ernie Fletcher's administration, is among those to receive a state ethics award.
Guess who is giving the award? The Executive Branch Ethics Commission, whose members are appointed by Fletcher.
Guess what the basis for the award is? According to available information, the new award is meant to honor state government employees who make ethical decisions in difficult situations, Executive Director Jill LeMaster is quoted as saying at last month's meeting.
Here's more from Pol Watchers:
An investigative report by the inspector general's office played a key role in an ongoing probe by the ethics commission of attempted bid rigging in the Transportation Cabinet.
The ethics commission has already settled charges against former state highway engineer Sam Beverage and deputy state highway engineer William David Jones. Both agreed to pay fines and admitted to ethics violations involving their efforts to funnel a bridge contract in Harrison County to a particular engineering firm.
The commission has found probable cause to believe State Highway Commissioner Marc Williams also violated ethics laws, but no final ruling has been made in the case. Williams denies the charges.
Also, Beverage has alleged in testimony to the commission that Williams was told to influence the contract-award process by Dave Disponett, a former unpaid adviser in Fletcher's office. Disponett has not been charged with any ethics violations.
The ethics award is named for the commission's first chairman, the late Livingston Taylor, a long-time Frankfort reporter for The (Louisville) Courier-Journal. The commission was created in 1992.
"It's an honor for the office to take it," Ray said of the award. "We try to put out a good product for the citizens of Kentucky."
His office is charged with investigating all alleged acts of corruption and wrongdoing related to the Transportation Cabinet.
Ray is now the subject of a Personnel Board investigation instigated by Personnel Cabinet Secretary Brian Crall, who raised concerns that Ray may have inappropriately "pre-selected" Duncan for his job in violation of state hiring laws.
Ray denies any wrongdoing.
Guess who is giving the award? The Executive Branch Ethics Commission, whose members are appointed by Fletcher.
Guess what the basis for the award is? According to available information, the new award is meant to honor state government employees who make ethical decisions in difficult situations, Executive Director Jill LeMaster is quoted as saying at last month's meeting.
Here's more from Pol Watchers:
An investigative report by the inspector general's office played a key role in an ongoing probe by the ethics commission of attempted bid rigging in the Transportation Cabinet.
The ethics commission has already settled charges against former state highway engineer Sam Beverage and deputy state highway engineer William David Jones. Both agreed to pay fines and admitted to ethics violations involving their efforts to funnel a bridge contract in Harrison County to a particular engineering firm.
The commission has found probable cause to believe State Highway Commissioner Marc Williams also violated ethics laws, but no final ruling has been made in the case. Williams denies the charges.
Also, Beverage has alleged in testimony to the commission that Williams was told to influence the contract-award process by Dave Disponett, a former unpaid adviser in Fletcher's office. Disponett has not been charged with any ethics violations.
The ethics award is named for the commission's first chairman, the late Livingston Taylor, a long-time Frankfort reporter for The (Louisville) Courier-Journal. The commission was created in 1992.
"It's an honor for the office to take it," Ray said of the award. "We try to put out a good product for the citizens of Kentucky."
His office is charged with investigating all alleged acts of corruption and wrongdoing related to the Transportation Cabinet.
Ray is now the subject of a Personnel Board investigation instigated by Personnel Cabinet Secretary Brian Crall, who raised concerns that Ray may have inappropriately "pre-selected" Duncan for his job in violation of state hiring laws.
Ray denies any wrongdoing.
Labels: Keeping them honest
posted by KYJurisDoctor at 7:45 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home