GOVERNOR MUST DITCH CURRENT SCDOT SECRETARY TO RETAIN AUTHORITY OVER POST
|| By FITSNEWS || The liberal, tax-hike supporting lobbyist tapped last year by S.C. governor Nikki Haley to lead the state’s Department of Transportation (SCDOT) is likely to lose her job within the next few weeks.
Janet Oakley – who took over last spring after Haley’s first secretary of transportation was busted driving under the influence – has been broadly criticized by state lawmakers over her failure to adequately address the state’s infrastructure issues.
“(She’s in) over her head,” one legislative leader told FITS.
We agree with that criticism … and have said as much.
But why would Haley get rid of Oakley? Especially given the governor’s reputation for standing by incompetent appointees …
In his case she has no choice …
Under the provisions of the utterly worthless 2007 SCDOT “reform” bill – a.k.a. “Act 114” – Haley’s authority to appoint the state’s transportation secretary expires on July 1, 2015. At that point, authority to appoint this position would fall to the S.C. Transportation Commission – which is dominated by legislative appointees.
Haley wants to keep that appointment power for herself … which is why sources close to her administration tell FITS she’s cut a deal with legislative leaders to fire Oakley if they agree to let her continue appointing the secretary’s position.
Both the State Senate and the S.C. House of Representatives have both voted to amend the “sunset clause” on Act 114 – meaning the governor would still appoint the secretary of transportation in the beginning of the next fiscal year (which begins on July 1).
“The understanding is that Oakley will be out and a more suitable person will be retained,” one legislative leader confirmed to FITS.
And who do lawmakers believe fits the bill?
“That suitable person could just be Templeton,” one lawmaker told us, referring to former S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC) director Catherine Templeton, who is widely credited for turning around the state’s largest and most unwieldy bureaucracy.
It’s unclear whether Templeton – who is said to be eyeing a gubernatorial run in 2018 – would be interested in the position.
Of course Haley won’t get the opportunity to make another pick unless she agrees to ditch her current secretary.
“(The) status quo must go,” the legislative leader told FITS.
Not to defend Haley (she and her two transportation appointees have been terrible), but frankly this whole exercise demonstrates the ridiculousness of state government “reform” efforts.
Lawmakers – and former governor Mark Sanford – told us in 2007 they had reformed SCDOT by prioritizing spending projects and putting a new cabinet-level official in charge of the agency to oversee the changes. In reality, they did absolutely nothing to prioritize transportation spending – and gave the governor’s office the right to appoint a puppet (on a temporary basis, at that).
Why Haley would feel the need to cut a deal in order to temporarily retain appointment power over such an impotent office is beyond us … but according to our sources the deal is done.
Bottom line? There has been a total failure on the part of our “leaders” to impose any real discipline over the way highway dollars are appropriated in South Carolina. Accordingly, corrupt, unaccountable bureaucrats continue approving costly pork barrel projects while critical needs go unaddressed.
That’s why our network of roads and bridges still sucks … not a lack of money.
UPDATE: Called it …
35 comments
Gee, didn’t the last SCDOT chief get a DUI too? It was some cabinet agency for sure. What does Haley do, appoint her all drinking buddies to high positions.
It could be the stress of the job, or just that positions of power in government draw low character people…or both for that matter.
The bad many give the good few a bad reputation.
That’s why the only solution is removing government. Republicans shouldn’t be campaigning on “effective leadership”, they should be campaigning on the evils of government in general and that the only solution is tearing it down.
Even if one thinks some government is necessary, society has to return to the reality that Jefferson and & company understood back in the day and was more widely accepted, that government is at best a necessary evil.
Republicans that claim it’s just a matter of the proper leadership play right into the hands of the Dems.
Another Right Wing kook.
This is site is full of em.
Wonder how much federal money this piece of garbage has slopped up?
Rest assured I pay way more in taxes than I “slop up”, way more than you and way more than most people in a lifetime. I purposely try avoiding slopping up any to the extent I can(like driving on roads, etc.), but when I have to-rest assured I paid for it several times over.
Funny that you come here and bitch about the kooks- is your life that sad that you have nothing better to do but hang around places you dislike?
The bad many give the good few a bad reputation.
Just like lawyers. It’s the 99.9% that give the others a bad name.
We should just call them liquor cabinet agencies.
Obama hires all his muslim loving,marxist and American hating ‘buddies’ to high positions.
I will take the drinking buddies.
They all buy their booze from the same businesses as Jeal Toal. That alone should give you a clue. But hey? Without Fitsnews, we would never know about the bozo circus acts going on behind the iron curtain. I, for one, appreciate what he does.
That Templeton woman must be one smart woman, she can lead DHEC, and she can lead DOT. Why I bet she’s as brilliant as HIllary Clinton.
Smarter than Hillary and honest to boot. WOW. SC may be on to something.
She has Clinton Integrity — and Bill’s libido!
She’s “Wonder Woman.” Isn’t it amazing (Tricky Niki must gaze at her photo with stars in her eyes).
Now, if only the Volvo deal would fall through because Haley can’t deliver on the millions in giveaway money she promised…
That is not wishful thinking, either. It could happen. Especially since economic indicators for the 3 and 4th quarter are not so promising for future automobile sales.
I no like you!
You go now!
It has been well proven, that higher levels of education beyond public schooling does not guarantee the attainment of common sense and the ability to manage and proficiently run a department, a company, an office, and not even a McDonalds or a Walmart.
GDP ‘growth’ reported at MINUS .07 last quarter which means we have ‘one foot’ in a recession.Blame the weather? Ha!
How about blaming all the unqualified minorities and lesbians the Obama administration have hired.They were hired based on race and sexual orientation NOT competence.The proof is in the puddin!
Name one Obama appointee who has anything to do with the economy who is not a straight – at least, married – white male…how about?
BTW, the USA has done better coming out of the recession than any other country on the planet because even with the Republicans trying to tank the economy and the country as hard as they can, he was able to fight off the ‘austerity’ they wanted and keep us from having 25% unemployment like Spain.
But, hey what do facts matter?
Dumb ass. Do the math.Labor participation is about 62%.38% of all adults are NOT working.
What I know is that labor participation didn’t mean a thing until a Democrat in the WH kept the country from going into Great Depression 2.
And, I go understand age and Baby Boomers retiring.
Blah blah blah.Muslim Obama!Gay marriage! Nikki Haley rules!LMAO!!!
We are going to be having a “Shimmy Down the Pimp” contest based on Pat Benatar’s ‘Love is a Battlefield” video!
WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) — The economy contracted in the first quarter for the second straight year, a disappointing start that could foil the chance of the U.S. reaching 3% growth in 2015 for the first time in a decade.
Read it and weep, nitshit!
Your facts are like cows. When you stare at them, they turn in fear and run away.
A lie
Heaven forbid someone with an engineering degree and a penis get that job. And don’t get me started on modern prohibition aka DUI laws.
Come on now, the next thing you’ll be asking is that Obama assign a staff position to a white person.
Comment omitted to avoid offending “You Will Be Busted” …
Keep hammering this one, Will, and eventually some responsible, intelligent folks may do the right thing(s)…..
“(She’s in) over her head,” one legislative leader told FITS.
Since that is definitely Haley’s problem, too – she knows nothing except pay to play – one would have to expect anyone she hires to have the same problem.
Why do I have to be the one to say it?
She looks just like Simran.
This is a real dilemma. Which is less bad: another appointment by Haley or an appointment by the SCDOT Commissioners? If there is a problem with SC roads, it is less the Secretary, more the Commissioners pushing their pet projects at the expense of maintaining the entire road network.