Wow: Ohio agency head who snooped on Joe the Plumber resigns
posted at 8:16 pm on December 17, 2008 by Allahpundit
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Huh. Remember, she was given what we thought was a wrist-slap suspension for one month following the election. Not such a wrist slap after all, as it turns out: Not only is she out, two other managers involved in accessing Wurzelbacher’s records are gone, too.
Ah well. Jobs come and go, but there’s only one One.
Jones-Kelley was scheduled to return to work Monday following a one-month suspension without pay.
Today’s action comes just hours after the Senate approved a measure cracking down on state workers who improperly conduct checks involving people’s personal information. Republicans complained that Gov. Ted Strickland, who promised to set a high ethical standard as governor, was letting her off far too lightly…
The administration last night fired Doug Thompson, the deputy director of child support who was scheduled to return to work Monday following a one-month suspension without pay.
Fred Williams, assistant agency director, has resigned effective January 31. He recently returned to his job after a week suspension without pay.
I guess Thompson wouldn’t, ahem, “resign.” Question: Did Strickland intend to fire them all along and put them on leave to buy time until public interest died down so he could do it quietly? Or was he hoping to bring them back and had his hand forced by the prospect of another round of bad publicity after the Senate bill passed, replete perhaps with a civil suit filed by the JTP? (Cynical blogger says: The latter, of course.) Here’s her resignation statement, via the Dayton Daily News. She’s very worried indeed about politics becoming a distraction from urgent state business. Now, that is. During the campaign? Not so much.
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YES!!!!!!
GOOD RIDDANCE!!!!
TheMightyQuinn on December 17, 2008 at 8:19 PM
The One will give her a job in his Administration.
jgapinoy on December 17, 2008 at 8:21 PM
Where will His Majesty put her in the federal bureaucracy?
JiangxiDad on December 17, 2008 at 8:21 PM
Buh-bye
eucher on December 17, 2008 at 8:22 PM
They’re just leaving to get plum jobs in the new Obama administration.
clancy_wiggum on December 17, 2008 at 8:23 PM
“Justice delayed is justice denied – William Gladstone.” While I am happy to see her gone, the damage is already done. Her slap on the wrist won’t deter any one from doing this same type of thing in the future. Of course what she did was for the greater good, so that makes it alright.
Tommy_G on December 17, 2008 at 8:30 PM
I hope that Vanessa Niekamp, the woman who got dragged into all this but was ethical enough to blow the whistle, gets a big fat Christmas bonus… and a promotion.
Y-not on December 17, 2008 at 8:31 PM
She resigns…quietly. The MSM is awfully silent on these things…
JetBoy on December 17, 2008 at 8:31 PM
They will be taken care of….
d1carter on December 17, 2008 at 8:34 PM
And don’t let the door hit you on the way out.
DuctTapeMyBrain on December 17, 2008 at 8:37 PM
If a dem resigns in disgrace and ignominy, and nobody hears it, does it make a sound?
JiangxiDad on December 17, 2008 at 8:40 PM
Good for her for realizing her own unethical behavior and incompetence. Bye.
echosyst on December 17, 2008 at 8:42 PM
Resign or be Prosecuted!!!
Raw Deal!!
Ahnold should take his own advice.
BigWyo on December 17, 2008 at 8:44 PM
So, she announce her book deal yet? Or is she sticking with the talk show and public speaking circuits?
This, to me, is far worse than the wiretapping program, which had so many people screaming for people to go to jail. That was done for security reasons. This was done for partisan politics.
malclave on December 17, 2008 at 8:46 PM
Another scenario: she was given the boot immediately but Strickland granted her a paid “suspension” as a disguised form of severance.
Whatever happened, I’m glad to see her gone.
beancounter on December 17, 2008 at 8:46 PM
…wouldn’t piss on her if she was on fire
FlatFoot on December 17, 2008 at 8:47 PM
Karma.
christene on December 17, 2008 at 8:47 PM
Wow is right.
Hog Wild on December 17, 2008 at 8:50 PM
Wait a sec here….So what post is she getting in Captain America’s Dream Team????
Head of Vindictive Snoopers?
Minister of Personal Information Sales?
Grand PooBah of the Division of Stifle All Decent Through Means of Personal Destruction???
Will The One hold a presser tomorrow and announce it???
BigWyo on December 17, 2008 at 8:50 PM
Who wudda thunk? There is still some justice in this country. Good riddance!
ORrighty on December 17, 2008 at 8:52 PM
Meet the new Director of the Central Intelligence Agency. She comes with a sparkling track record of rooting out undesirables.
BobMbx on December 17, 2008 at 8:53 PM
She will get a position in the One’s cabinet.
She will assume the position well.
Jed1899 on December 17, 2008 at 8:53 PM
Now, now — the left will always do what’s right — when all else fails and they’re forced into a corner and it’s do or die. Of course, she can always land a new job in the Obama/Soetoro administration. They seem to be on the look out for crooked bureaucrats.
starboardhelm on December 17, 2008 at 8:54 PM
More people need to be fired. But this is a start.
jencab on December 17, 2008 at 8:54 PM
That’s easy: 1) CIA, 2) Justice Dept, 3) FBI
Her qualifications make her a shoo-in. She’ll do better than Hillary and the FBI files
AZfederalist on December 17, 2008 at 8:55 PM
PAYCE OUT!
blatantblue on December 17, 2008 at 8:56 PM
Something in Thinkpol, no doubt.
malclave on December 17, 2008 at 8:57 PM
Why does she always wear the same jacket?
JiangxiDad on December 17, 2008 at 8:57 PM
At the request of The Great Gazoo, The One will hold off making this announcement.
BobMbx on December 17, 2008 at 8:57 PM
She remembered to include mentioning the Democrat requisite threats to her safety/family, death threats (no proof ever required), to deflect criticism. Well played!
Bill Brasky on December 17, 2008 at 9:00 PM
[Channeling Gomer Pyle] Sur-prise, sur-prise.
Dr.Cwac.Cwac on December 17, 2008 at 9:02 PM
Oh, and for the record……….this all smells of raaaaaaaaaaacism.
/sarc
Dr.Cwac.Cwac on December 17, 2008 at 9:02 PM
She’s get a job within…I’ll just guess…the State Department.
SouthernGent on December 17, 2008 at 9:06 PM
It’s OK………….
Democrats are never taken off the payroll………….
…………. and I hear Obama is hiring.
Seven Percent Solution on December 17, 2008 at 9:07 PM
can she take the 535 clowns in DC with her?
gatorboy on December 17, 2008 at 9:11 PM
Flacks like this always land on their feet. Ms. Jones-Kelley won’t be without a job for long.
ddrintn on December 17, 2008 at 9:14 PM
SOMEONE needs to head the Obarfy Internal Security Force.
Bishop on December 17, 2008 at 9:15 PM
No jail time, huh? Wonder what government post she’ll be chosen for next. After all, she’s got “experience”. Joey should still get a lawyer.
GarandFan on December 17, 2008 at 9:15 PM
Never trust a woman with two last names.
Kevin M on December 17, 2008 at 9:31 PM
An admission and apology something like this was missing from her resignation letter:
In my overzealous support for Senator Obama’s Presidential candidacy, I broke the law for the purpose of destroying the reputation of a prominent McCain supporter. It was very wrong to do so, and I’m sorry. I apologize to Joe the plumber and to all citizens of the state of Ohio. They trusted me, and I broke that trust. Again, I’m sorry, and ask for your forgiveness.
Paul-Cincy on December 17, 2008 at 9:34 PM
Thompson, who was fired, is the director who ordered his employee to lie and cover up the violation.
aunursa on December 17, 2008 at 9:35 PM
So, what kind of pension will she be paid?
someone2 on December 17, 2008 at 9:35 PM
Never trust a President with two names, two other nationalities, two races, two faces . . .
starboardhelm on December 17, 2008 at 9:36 PM
From her resignation letter..
so much for the separation of church and state..
Anyway..
She’ll find a new job.. some cushy state job somewhere..
DaveC on December 17, 2008 at 9:37 PM
When it’s a thug Democrat, no proof is required. If it were a Republican and the issue somehow became public, the media would be downplaying it while demanding to see the police reports. If it were not public, the media would just ignore it.
91Veteran on December 17, 2008 at 9:39 PM
.
Wow, I mean it’s not like she tried to get a trooper fired for beating up his own stepchild child and threatening the lives of others.
Mark30339 on December 17, 2008 at 9:53 PM
FINALLY, a public official with a brain.
I wonder if we will ever see such an event again.
notagool on December 17, 2008 at 9:56 PM
Anything less than a long jail term for Jones-Kelley is a sick joke. This is a rampant, intentional abuse of state power to destroy an individual citizen and defraud all voters in a Presidential election. It merits at least 20 years in prison, at the very minimum.
progressoverpeace on December 17, 2008 at 9:59 PM
Resigned?
Should have been fired fired fired.
Dave Rywall on December 17, 2008 at 10:02 PM
No wonder Glenn Beck goes on about disenfranchisement sentiment in America by those who play by the rules – this should have happened before the election.
HotAirJosef on December 17, 2008 at 10:05 PM
any word on whether JTP is pursuing a civil case?
Red State State of Mind on December 17, 2008 at 10:06 PM
Yah, resigned. Not summarily FIRED!!!!
Amendment X on December 17, 2008 at 10:09 PM
It’s not enough! If the abuse had not been exposed, how much of this man’s life was going to be destroyed. There has to be a fundamental change in the consequences of abuse of power. This is more than just fixing a traffic ticket.
davo on December 17, 2008 at 10:39 PM
please, she did her job and gave the media a distracting talking point so they could undermine someone who questioned Obama. She will end up at some think tank, non-profit, making just as much money. Whatever.
rob verdi on December 17, 2008 at 10:43 PM
Obamastapo Chief Ohio…
SuperCool on December 17, 2008 at 10:46 PM
savor the moment. one less public employee to coddle.
timwashu on December 17, 2008 at 10:47 PM
Does this mean no jail time? >:(
mindhacker on December 17, 2008 at 11:08 PM
I’m amazed this happened. Would she have been fired if Obama were not weakened by Blago and Emanuel?
Sure was a self-serving letter of resignation.
snaggletoothie on December 17, 2008 at 11:16 PM
She should be prosecuted. But a forced resignation is much better than I expected.
theregoestheneighborhood on December 17, 2008 at 11:19 PM
Great news!
kahall on December 17, 2008 at 11:52 PM
Bet she’s getting 90% of her salary in retirement from her “union.”
drjohn on December 17, 2008 at 11:58 PM
Let this be a good lesson for all the little libtards.
Mallard T. Drake on December 18, 2008 at 12:21 AM
I hear they’ve got an empty Senate seat in Illinois…
Jim Treacher on December 18, 2008 at 12:27 AM
They’re doing a CYA to try to stave off Joe’s lawsuit. They also probably had a policy to follow. Public sector jobs have processes that must be used.
Now, the private sector? You can be fired for wearing white after Memorial Day, and there’s no legal recourse.
Meryl Yourish on December 18, 2008 at 12:32 AM
‘Bout time.
Johan Klaus on December 18, 2008 at 12:40 AM
Good riddance to bad trash.
Geronimo on December 18, 2008 at 12:48 AM
Any bets she doesn’t join the OB transition team, after all the sacrifice she’s made?
SJBill on December 18, 2008 at 1:12 AM
Another one will come to replace her. They will be no more conservative than, no more liberal than the resigned.
Ship the guy from Toledo to another state and tell him not to come back. I’m sure Texas or such would be glad to receive him. It would serve him right that he is not welcome in a state that runs counter to his wishes. Now that would be good riddance to bad trash.
We have about ~11 million Ohioans, his departure would barely register. He could take his family, it would be a mere statistic. So he should take the hint: Ohio doesn’t want him, fighting it makes it worse.
He can do two things: 1) leave, or 2) go broke defending himself.
Well, it worked for Mr. Blackwell. After a humiliating defeat, he now goes to a think tank. Ohioans delivered that one. This resignation was forced from those without.
sethstorm on December 18, 2008 at 1:24 AM
Yeah, I loved the “I’m a martyred Christian Drama Queen” tone. Buh bye.
What’s the over/under on this doofus popping up in the salons of the left? Progressive Insurance? One of Burkle’s dumps? Spielberg film? Wait…a professorship! Two weeks.
Jaibones on December 18, 2008 at 1:27 AM
“…, it is with sadness and clarity that I have decided to resign my position as director of the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. This decision comes after having a time of pause, in which I realize that I continue to be used as a political postscript, providing a distraction from urgent state priorities.” ~ From Helen Kelly-Jones’ resignation ’statement’.
Notice how she, “after having a time of pause” (whatever the hell that means), is the victim in all this, not that she did anything wrong (”I continue to be used as a political postscript”). She should be fined and in jail for at least a year for violating the public trust. Based upon her resignation ’statement’, being an arrogant and narcissistic twit like her man, Obambi, doesn’t help her case for leniency, IMO.
RickZ on December 18, 2008 at 2:06 AM
Yea well at least she’s gone..
SgtSVJones on December 18, 2008 at 2:11 AM
See what happens when those damn “Republicans” insist on forcing liberals to live up to their promises! Good people like Jones-Kelly are caught up in the net, and cast aside like another unintentional “bear kill” (a little Sarah Palin side joke).
Republicans must start taking their cue from “true conservatives” like Colin Powell and john McCain. No matter how many times you reach across the aisle and get kicked in the groin, you must never give up.
THIS MESSAGE WAS BROUGHT TO YOU BY COLIN POWELL,JOHN McCAIN, DAVID BROOKS AND A HOST OF LIBERALS WHO HAVE INFILTRATED THE REPUBLICAN PARTY WITH THE SOLE PURPOSE OF DESTROYING IT FROM WITHIN!
RMR on December 18, 2008 at 2:21 AM
The LA Times yesterday had a human interest article about a plumber in Arizona who voted for Obama. His reason was because McCain’s campaign advertised McCain’s hidaway as being in Sedona, when it wasn’t. Amusing.
The reporter of the article made a big to-do about the fact that Joe wasn’t a licensed plumber [implication -- Joe lied about his occupation]. The guy in the article (who owns his own business) also does fencing (as in barbed wire, not epees, sabers, or foils), so I’m betting he’s some form of general contractor, but I’m also willing to bet (given his relatively small income of only $50K per year at the job) that he doesn’t have a license either. Maybe the Arizona authorities will come down on him with at least the same tonnage of bricks that the Ohio people used on Joe.
unclesmrgol on December 18, 2008 at 2:52 AM
She is now qualified to be President.
MrX on December 18, 2008 at 3:32 AM
From her opening sentence:
She must not have been listening well, or she would have known that the close-quote goes after the period.
(Insert a big Semi-Colon and Close Parentheses wink here.)
Captain Scarlet on December 18, 2008 at 3:32 AM
Will do nothing to stop the behavior. It will just be kept under the radar and leaked to the media who will protect their sources. Same song, different verse. Nothing will change.
SKYFOX on December 18, 2008 at 4:48 AM
Clear racisim! Crackers!
sabbott on December 18, 2008 at 5:39 AM
No jailtime?
James on December 18, 2008 at 7:36 AM
Don’t let the door hit you on your bubble booty on your way out the door.
GOOD RIDDANCE!!!!!
Winebabe on December 18, 2008 at 8:37 AM
That’s ok. His Imperiously High Holiness will reward his loyal servant with a position in his regime. Perhaps he’ll pick her to head up the newly-formed Office That Investigates Those Who Defame The Chosen One.
Vic on December 18, 2008 at 9:01 AM
You just may be right, I hope Joe the Plumber’s attorney’s are hip to that angle.
Ernest on December 18, 2008 at 9:05 AM
Good tihng she started her statement out with some religious stuff. It made me feel so bad for her, so sympathetic to her.
Because we know from Jerry Wright that religion is so, so sacred, and people who cling to it are extremely good and wonderful, marvelous and all that stuff.
What a disgusting person that wench is.
benrand on December 18, 2008 at 9:13 AM
You can bet taxpayers somewhere will be paying for her next job….already lined up I’m sure or she never would have been fired.
ex-Democrat on December 18, 2008 at 9:27 AM
She was told to resign lest she get Strickland in the court’s sights.
This is a residual of Blago actually being held to task. The GOP needs to bang the reform drum in every rust belt state that has games being played since our ideology has been successfully destroyed in the minds of the voters by a media jihad in each state therein. If it were not for donk hubris we’d have to write off the region for a decade or more but I think their rage at Bush’s wins in 2000 and 2004 will lead to inartful overreach within half that time.
sven10077 on December 18, 2008 at 9:50 AM
FIFY
Branch Rickey on December 18, 2008 at 9:54 AM
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