STATE LAWMAKERS TWISTING ARMS TO KEEP ILLEGAL JOBLESS BENEFITS FLOWING
Senior administrators at the S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce (SCDEW) routinely award jobless benefits to people who do not deserve them based on pressure from state lawmakers, sources within the agency tell FITS. In fact a top official at the agency was recently fired for refusing to sign off on an especially egregious example of this illegal practice – which is sadly par for the course in a state as corrupt as South Carolina.
The scandal is the latest in a string of terrible headlines to plague this agency over the last two years …
How has the its leadership responded? By taking taxpayer-funded vacations (click here and here) and attempting to silence its critics.
Of all the bumbling, stumbling and fumbling that has transpired in S.C. Gov. Nikki Haley’s cabinet over the past two years, SCDEW has distinguished itself as the most incompetent agency (at least until the massive – and preventable – security breach that took place at the S.C. Department of Revenue earlier this year).
Despite a state audit, federal warning and a legislative study attesting to its abysmal performance, SCDEW continues to flaunt its ineptitude – a cost that is being passed on to to South Carolina businesses and taxpayers.
Sad, isn’t it? And to think this is the agency that was supposed to serve as the shining example of “government restructuring” after it was placed under the governor’s cabinet in 2010.
Anyway, FITS is investigating these latest allegations of corruption – zeroing in on a pair of cases that are tied to the departed administrator.
Stay tuned for our report in the coming days …
***
12 comments
Haley’s 2011 scandal: Savannah River Sellout
Haley’s 2012 scandal: SCDoR Hacking
Haley’s 2013 scandal: SCDEW cracked down on by the feds?
It’s a great day in South Carolina!
Keep nipping at their heels……
I still believe it’s a 50/50 on NIMRATA completing her term.
From your post to God’s website. :)
99% of those reading this write up could care less. They don’t own businesses.
If you own a business you now have the proverbial star of David sewn to your jacket.
Interesting point. Business owners, under the Obama/OWS mentality have made capitalists into the new Jew, the scapegoat, the source of all our woe.
Nothing new. This has been going on for years. Surprised anyone stood up to it knowing they would get fired.
Many state employees have integrity and good principles – but few are able to stand up to a governor or legislator intent on getting their way. With some employees it is the lack of courage to stand up against the pressure, but with most it is the fear of losing their job, thus putting their family at severe financial risk. The state employees just have to keep going along with the program (written by the Governor, Legilators and Agency heads) and hope they can keep their jobs. So yes, it is surprising that an administrator at SCDEW tried to say; “No, that isn’t right!”. Governor and Legislators, I’m speaking to you now; “Stop doing what is clearly wrong simply to buy a vote for yourself! South Carolinians are fed up with this. You hurt all the rest of your constituents when you get agencies to do wrong for ONE of your constituents. It will come back to haunt you one day whether you remain in office or not. Your integrity is too big of a price to pay for a vote. Your good conscience is too big of a price to pay for a vote when you know that a state employee lost his/her job because of refusing to be pressured by you to do wrong. Stop thinking of pleasing all your friends and getting votes. Remember you have a sacred responsibility to respect and safeguard the well being and treasure of ALL the people in South Carolina. If you are not doing that, you are not doing your job and you should not have the privilege of holding office.”
“With some employees it is the lack of courage to stand up against the pressure, but with most it is the fear of losing their job, thus putting their family at severe financial risk.”
I’m sure the guards in the SS used similar justification for going along as well.
The lack of character can be rationalized away in a multitude of ways.
One can get a job(or jobs) even in this economy if they try hard enough. They might not make as much or have as good benefits, but they can at least look themselves in the mirro and say “I have integrity”. That’s why I respect McDonald’s workers and the average janitor far more than any gov’t employee.
I had the pleasure of working with the individual who was fired for a few months and he was one of the good ones. I really hope his honesty does not hurt his future career. Kind of strange how many of the good, competent staff have left or been fired since Da General came to DEW. When he stood up at one of his ego driven town hall meetings and told us the story of the legislature to whom he said (channeling the Justice Brothers with a rhyme) “today’s DEW, ain’t the DEW you knew” h.e wasn’t joking. If someone call Lowder or Da General and tells them to fire someone for not breaking the law and they fire that person, they are as corrupt as the dog who asked the favor in the first place.
Well, I guess this person was pressured into making a decision between integrity or not bowing down to the governor’s office or legislators. There will be more opportunities because he always displayed his integrity. I hope he comes forward and tells “why” someone of his character and intelligence got the boot. I would look at Haley’s office first.
I hear there were other reasons why he was fired not just this and from what I understand they were legitimate.