LAWMAKERS STILL DEMANDING ANSWERS AT STATE’S WELFARE AGENCY
Too often in government, major scandals go away when the individual bearing the most responsibility for them loses their job …
Don’t get us wrong: We love to see corrupt or incompetent bureaucrats get canned, but too often the next bureaucrat in line is just as bad as the one they replaced.
Which means nothing changes …
Take the ongoing scandals at the S.C. Department of Social Service (SCDSS) – which resulted in the resignation of embattled director Lillian Koller last month. For those of you keeping score at home, Koller is the fourth appointee of S.C. Gov. Nikki Haley to step down amid scandal. Previously, Haley was forced to accept the resignations of Abraham Turner at the S.C. Department of Workforce, Jim Etter at the S.C. Department of Revenue and Robert St. Onge of the S.C. Department of Transportation.
Anyway … as we exclusively reported earlier this month, Koller’s departure hasn’t changed the climate at SCDSS one iota. According to our sources, the new leadership at the agency has been spending its time attempting to cover up its many scandals – as opposed to fixing them.
Specifically, the agency is reportedly scouring the social media pages of state lawmakers in an effort to determine which agency employees are blowing the whistle on the mismanaged bureaucracy.
SCDSS has been an unmitigated disaster since Haley took office – most notably as it relates to several cases involving the tragic and completely preventable deaths of children who were repeatedly placed in abusive homes.
Beyond that, there’s SCDSS’ ongoing failure with regard to the state’s child support enforcement database – or its total lack of follow-through regarding a food stamp waiver touted by Haley in her so-called “war on fat.” There are also questionable consultant payments and allegations of cooked books at its “welfare to work” program (as well as its food stamp system).
(For a recent report detailing one of these scams, CLICK HERE).
Sources tell FITS a long-awaited Legislative Audit Council (LAC) report regarding SCDSS will be released “sometime in August,” and that the report is “damning.” That audit was requested by S.C. Rep. Jenny Horne, who has been all over the scandals at this agency from day one.
Like us …
Meanwhile hearings are ongoing in Columbia, S.C. as several State Senators – most notably Katrina Shealy – are keeping the heat on the agency in the wake of Koller’s departure. Shealy – a longtime ally of the governor – nonetheless went head-to-head with Haley in calling for Koller’s resignation.
10 comments
I’m a bit surprised Ms. Horne took a break from introducing cheerleader praise bills to actually focus on something important.
Give me a C
Give me a O
Give me a C
Give me a K
Give me a R
Give me a O
Give me a A
Give me a C
Give me a H
What do you have – Cockroach, Cockroach, Cockroach – Go Jenny, Go Cockroaches
“We love to see corrupt or incompetent bureaucrats get canned, but too often the next bureaucrat in line is just as bad as the one they replaced.”
Exactly! This is why it is extremely hard to find any confidence in any system of politics when there are any politicians involved. The default judgment is corruption–and it should be until we someone proves otherwise.
…until someone proves otherwise.
The LAC audit will be released “sometime in August?” Really? You do realize this audit began back in January 2013, correct? Why are our tax dollars going to an agency that is either hiding the truth or is so incompetent and lazy that it really does take them that long to do their job? How can we demand accountability from DSS when the agency that’s supposed to be holding DSS accountable (the LAC) can’t be accountable themselves? It sounds like a change of leadership (not just the directors) needs to happen at both DSS and the LAC.
Now, THERE’S the dirty ole SCDSS building!
Hanak-Coulter “She said some of the heavy caseloads were caused by workers resigning, leaving county offices short-handed”
Lets fill in the blanks here… fired or bullied out and State Office did’nt give a F@#K.
County Offices begged for front line staff under Koller, Blanco, and Hanak-Coulter. Told over and over again more front line staff was not needed, but the answer was out of state consultants, more managers in Columbia, Regional Directors and Performance Coaches. What a bunch of idiots. Now they are saying “oh yeah” we need more front line staff after their poor management practices have been exposed. Nothing will change @ DSS until Hanak-Coulter, Regional Directors, and all the idiot managers they hired in Columbia are fired! Also, the Office of General Counsel staff needs to be replaced immediately. Most are nothing but fossils who are sucking SC dry!
I here ya…I watched for years while my wife struggled with massive case loads…begging for help. Working long hours, nights and weekends The new regime just kept piling on the work, along with the threats, bulling, intimidation and finally termination. Her Regional Director “still wet behind the ears” with no experience, what a joke.
If Sen Shealy thinks her position on this issue will help her get reelected in 2016, she is sadly mistaken. Lexington will fire her too. Your county, Sen Shealy, is rife with corruption in law enforcement, lack of jobs, crumbling roads, inadequate roads, no public bus service, high taxes, and lousy food. Fix it.