GOVERNOR SEEKS NEW GIG FOR LONGTIME SPOKESMAN’S GIRLFRIEND
|| By FITSNEWS || S.C. governor Nikki Haley is working overtime to find a new job for the live-in girlfriend of her longtime press secretary, Rob Godfrey.
Jamie Shuster – who resigned under pressure last week from the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC) – is reportedly being pitched for a new position at the S.C. Department of Health and Human Services (SCDHHS), which is part of Haley’s cabinet.
If that move doesn’t “take,” Haley will reportedly try to place the troubled employee in a position with one of her political donors.
Shuster’s abrupt departure from SCDHEC should come as no surprise to our readers. As we noted in this report, the agency basically collapsed earlier this year when Shuster took over in the aftermath of former director Catherine Templeton‘s departure.
“SCDHEC – which three months ago was among the most well-run, widely respected agencies in government – is clearly a powder keg at the moment,” we wrote at the time, and most of the combustibility was reportedly due to Shuster’s increasingly erratic interpersonal behavior.
In fact we’re told Shuster’s reign of terror created a royal mess for new director Catherine Heigel – who took over the agency in June after Haley’s first choice, Eleanor Kitzman, was forced to withdraw her name from consideration.
From our report back in March …
“(Shuster) was always a serious problem but (Templeton) managed to keep her contained,” one source told us. “Now she’s out of the cage, running wild – and running more and more of us away with each day that goes by.”
In fact a source who recently resigned from SCDHEC tells FITS the exodus of staff at the agency has picked up steam (and reportedly extended to professional, non-political ranks) as Shuster seeks to impose her will on subordinates.
In addition to being ineffective, these efforts are of dubious legality in light of the vacuum of duly appointed executive authority at the agency.
“There is no one with the authority to do anything over there – creating some real difficulties legislatively,” one source familiar with the drama told FITS.
Shuster is claiming this authority as her own, though – citing her history with the governor.
“She is invoking Nikki’s name left and right,” one source said. “She is telling everyone she is protected by Nikki – that Nikki will back her no matter what.”
Fun times …
Shuster worked on Haley’s 2010 campaign and briefly served as the governor’s budget director prior to being dispatched to SCDHEC to mitigate the fallout from the “Savannah River Sellout” scandal.
Remember that debacle? Yeah …
She stayed at the agency, though, ostensibly to track the political ascendency of Templeton – who took over at SCDHEC in the aftermath of the scandal, streamlining the antiquated bureaucracy and saving taxpayers millions of dollars.
Of course Haley’s real reason for leaving Shuster in place may have had nothing to do with keeping eyes on Templeton.
“Nikki never wanted (Shuster) back,” a source close to the governor told us. “She still doesn’t want her back. But she is obligated to (Godfrey) to find her a job.”
Which means South Carolina taxpayers are obligated to keep paying her salary …
FITS heard multiple horror stories about Shuster – who was reportedly single-handedly responsible for the resignation of at least ten health officials at SCDHEC.
“They simply couldn’t work with her,” one agency source told us. “At least ten employees who directly reported to her in health leadership left, leaving Heigel with a mess when she came in.”
Two former SCDHEC employees recalled the story of an Afghan War veteran who informed them he’d rather go do another tour of combat duty than work another day for Shuster. They also told us of a S.C. State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) employee who was briefly dispatched to SCDHEC but returned in short order after Shuster rendered him “combat inoperable.”
Whoa …
Where will Shuster land? And who will be on the hook for her salary? We’ll let you know when we know …
31 comments
I’m all for bureaucrats wrecking their agencies…as long as it’s the parasite within suffering and not any of the unfortunate hard working masses in the private sector suffering under their thumb.
Hell, put Jamie in charge of every government agency, make all the agency parasites quit.
I’ll buy her a Happy Meal at the end of her work day for a job well done.
She sure is one person who will not be missed there.
There are a few managers at a lower level on the environmental side who should be demoted or retired or fired to allow their areas to improve too.
Fotos! I want to know what this wrench (oops, I mean wench) looks like..!!
Yeah.If she looks good,she could get a job as a fluffer,and move on from there
She will not be missed.
The comments after the recent article in The State are not flattering at all.
Is there anyone who is that tight with Haley who leaves a job and then is actually missed? I can’t think of one.
Does a governor’s press secretary really have that much pull? I’d think it’d be one of the duties of her administrative assistants.
they shoulda put her in charge of dhec dept of water – theres quite a few parasites in that department that need extermination.
You aint just whistling Dixie. Quite a few there need putting out to a sludge soaked pasture.
Show us a pic, she may qualify as a ” knob gobbler “.
http://www.thestate.com/news/local/article27026404.html
Better than average, and I would buy her a few beers.
Come 2:00 am, for sure Shift.
“All cats are gray in the dark”
Wow. Standards… get some.
— read my later posts re
News Release
Governor Haley has just named Jamie Shuster to a new position, Director of Port Jasper
Ms. Shuster’s primary responsibility will be to sit in place at the Jasper County site and stay in place until the dredging of the Savannah River is completed
While making the announcement the Governor was heard to quip, betcha being buried under 40 feet of puff mud will shut the bitch up
The failures of DHEC are showing up everywhere across the State of SC … showing up in Hospitals, in Motels/Hotels, in businesses, on land and along side of roads, in the air …. .. . Never seen such a horrible failure in health and environmental law enforcement in my life.
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Even SC OSHA is a pathetic joke.
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What do these high paid state employees do all day? Sit around and play on their lab tops and smartphones generating needless BULL SHIT.
Most of Haleys cabinet agencies are in shambles, DOT,DPS and others. The sad thing is nobody cares.
Is he one of the kids constantly shooting selfies with Haley and VIPs?
Maybe she can go to the Department of Revenue? Doesn’t Rick Reames like to hire DHEC has-beens?
As far as I know, her Mother has had a high paid, no work job at SCDHHS as long as Nikki has been in office. What dirt on Nikki do these people have!?!?
I would suggest immediate placement in the care of Sen. Harvey Peeler. They are a perfect fit together.
Like Kitzman?
Is she a skirt chaser? No morals? No Ethics? Vindictive? Self important? Will do anything, to anybody, anytime? No too smart?
Are you referring to Nikki or Jamie?????
Or Peeler? Does it not fit all?
Wonder if Rob’s diet is still working for him. If so, Jamie might want to give it a try.
Seafood diet?
Being close to someone who worked under Shuster I can safely say her unprofessionalism is unparalleled. She treated those under her as invalids and spoke negatively of her employees and colleagues alike behind their backs. The morale within DHEC decreased immensely under her leadership. She is not a leader. The SC govt would do well to remove her completely from its ranks. That being said, Templeton was still DHEC director when a majority of this mess with Shuster was going on so although this article tries to paint Templeton as a “god within the SC govt” she is just as much to blame for the recent downfalls/shortcomings of DHEC as Shuster is.
Why not the lottery? They are always looking for good help.