Something that INDY REPUBLICAN and all right thinking Hoosiers figured out long ago is, that in this state the powers that be enforce the laws only when they wish to. Since 2005 when "Godfather Governor" Mitch Daniels created the office of Inspector General to cover up investigate and ferret out wrongdoers. The amount of criminal activity and corruption has exploded a thousand fold in this state. Earlier this week one of IR's favorite Indiana journalists Kara Kenney had an outstanding story about a Department of Corrections Supervisor accused of running a business on state time:
The Inspector General’s office launched an investigation in October 2018 following a complaint about a Department of Correction supervisor selling essential oils during work hours.
According to the complaint, an IDOC employee told investigators the supervisor approached her about selling products during an IDOC meeting and gave her a product sample.
“Employee also indicated that she saw another DOC employee give the supervisor money during state time for what she assumed was payment for the purchase of essential oils,” read the OIG report. “Employee alleged that the supervisor recruited at least three other DOC employees to sell the products.”
In an interview with an OIG investigator, the supervisor said she began offering and promoting products through a private company during the fall of 2017, but stopped when IDOC launched an internal investigation.
The supervisor also said three of her Department of Correction subordinates joined the company and engaged in the business outside of work.
The OIG investigation found the IDOC supervisor received a percentage of the application fee for the three IDOC employees who obtained company memberships through her.
IDOC investigators found an email the supervisor sent from her state email related to the essential oils business.
“Although the investigation revealed the supervisor engaged in limited misuse of state property and a violation of DOC policy, her misuse of state property was low in volume and spread over a time frame of several months,” read the report.
The Office of Inspector General found “insufficient evidence” to bring a formal complaint against the IDOC supervisor before the State Ethics Commission.
“The evidence did not clearly show how much state time the supervisor spent promoting or offering products because some of this activity occurred during the supervisor’s lunch hours and after state work hours,” read the OIG report, dated May 23.
But fear not fellow hoosiers! Because even though the IG has declined to bring a formal complaint against the IDOC employee who by their own admission engaged in a commercial venture on state time. An offense that could get an employee terminated by the state. The IG has agreed to take the following action so that they not be forced too often to pretend to investigate wrongdoing at the state:
The OIG recommends the Indiana Department of Correction distribute a written notice to all IDOC employees reminding them that if they engage in any outside business, they must do so on their own time without using state time or state property/resources.
The Inspector General also recommends IDOC and its supervisors use caution when talking to subordinates about outside businesses they’re involved in.
Yeah have IDOC actually explain to DOC employees that they aren't supposed to engage in outside business on state time. That'll teach people not to commit ghost employment! As for recommending that IDOC and the supervisors their us caution when discussing outside business at DOC. Why not just tell them NOT to talk to anybody at work about outside employment? You know due to something called common sense and professionalism.
Lastly the Inspector General's office had this final bit of Solomon-like wisdom to offer the DOC:
“The OIG encourages DOC to consider providing additional training or instruction for all DOC employees in supervisory or managerial roles on the ghost employment and use of state property rules,” read the report. “Employees in authoritative positions often have the ability to wield undue influence over their subordinates, even if unintentional.”
Our response to the IG is "No Shit"! There are single celled organisms that know that people in authority have the ability to wield undue influence over their employees. Kudos to Kara Kenney for this outstanding report. Feel free to read the IG's so called report here if you wish. This reminds us all here of a similar case of blatant ghost employment reported on by Kenney back in 2012. Both Gary Welsh and Paul Ogden blogged about the case at that time. Paul Ogden had this interesting observation of that case:
Let me get this straight. I write a memo to the Commissioner of the Indiana Department that my supervisor was misappropriating money from the title insurance division that I ran and committing other legal violations. Within minutes of getting that memo, I am immediately fired and left two years short of my pension. I'm not alone. Whistleblowers who are routinely fired by the state and I am not aware of a single one who has ever prevailed in court. Judges do not enforce the laws protecting state employee whistleblowers.
If you are a state employee who dares to report ghost employment, the whistleblower can expect to be fired and have absolutely no recourse. Meanwhile the state employee who commits the ghost employment gets a short suspension and continues on in state employment or gets his full pension should he choose to retire.
In the interest of saving taxpayers money at this point the Indiana General Assembly should just abolish the Inspector General's office. After 14 plus years of existence it has only served to shield wrongdoers from being held accountable. And to punish those employees who have tried to uphold the laws and protect the taxpayers money. In the past the IG has used their office to cover up and protect former Indiana Secretary of State and Congressman Todd Rokita. The administration of former Governor Mike Pence further allowed the Inspector General's Office to cover up wrong doing by a former BMV official.
Given the track record so far of Governor Eric Holcomb we can expect more, not less of these incidents to occur. Seeing as Holcomb is a servant to his demonic master Mitch Daniels it is not surprising that he has appointed Daniels flunky Lori Torres to the post of Inspector General. Torres was Commissioner of the Indiana Department of Labor for part of Daniels time as Governor. So naturally she has continued to do the bidding of her masters in hoosier politics. What we suggest to our readers is that they write, call and email Ms. Torres and her office until she decides to actually do her job. Also contact Governor Eric Holcomb, as well as your state legislators about this. Tell them that Gary Welsh called and he wants to give them all an earful.
You can reach Miss Torres at:
Office of the Inspector General
315 West Ohio Street, Room 104
Indianapolis, Indiana 46202
Telephone: 317-232-3850
Toll free: 866-805-8498
Email: info@ig.in.gov
Twitter: @LoriTorres2013
Governor Eric Holcomb when he exits his coffin can be contacted at:
The Inspector General’s office launched an investigation in October 2018 following a complaint about a Department of Correction supervisor selling essential oils during work hours.
According to the complaint, an IDOC employee told investigators the supervisor approached her about selling products during an IDOC meeting and gave her a product sample.
“Employee also indicated that she saw another DOC employee give the supervisor money during state time for what she assumed was payment for the purchase of essential oils,” read the OIG report. “Employee alleged that the supervisor recruited at least three other DOC employees to sell the products.”
In an interview with an OIG investigator, the supervisor said she began offering and promoting products through a private company during the fall of 2017, but stopped when IDOC launched an internal investigation.
The supervisor also said three of her Department of Correction subordinates joined the company and engaged in the business outside of work.
The OIG investigation found the IDOC supervisor received a percentage of the application fee for the three IDOC employees who obtained company memberships through her.
IDOC investigators found an email the supervisor sent from her state email related to the essential oils business.
“Although the investigation revealed the supervisor engaged in limited misuse of state property and a violation of DOC policy, her misuse of state property was low in volume and spread over a time frame of several months,” read the report.
The Office of Inspector General found “insufficient evidence” to bring a formal complaint against the IDOC supervisor before the State Ethics Commission.
“The evidence did not clearly show how much state time the supervisor spent promoting or offering products because some of this activity occurred during the supervisor’s lunch hours and after state work hours,” read the OIG report, dated May 23.
But fear not fellow hoosiers! Because even though the IG has declined to bring a formal complaint against the IDOC employee who by their own admission engaged in a commercial venture on state time. An offense that could get an employee terminated by the state. The IG has agreed to take the following action so that they not be forced too often to pretend to investigate wrongdoing at the state:
The OIG recommends the Indiana Department of Correction distribute a written notice to all IDOC employees reminding them that if they engage in any outside business, they must do so on their own time without using state time or state property/resources.
The Inspector General also recommends IDOC and its supervisors use caution when talking to subordinates about outside businesses they’re involved in.
Yeah have IDOC actually explain to DOC employees that they aren't supposed to engage in outside business on state time. That'll teach people not to commit ghost employment! As for recommending that IDOC and the supervisors their us caution when discussing outside business at DOC. Why not just tell them NOT to talk to anybody at work about outside employment? You know due to something called common sense and professionalism.
Lastly the Inspector General's office had this final bit of Solomon-like wisdom to offer the DOC:
“The OIG encourages DOC to consider providing additional training or instruction for all DOC employees in supervisory or managerial roles on the ghost employment and use of state property rules,” read the report. “Employees in authoritative positions often have the ability to wield undue influence over their subordinates, even if unintentional.”
Our response to the IG is "No Shit"! There are single celled organisms that know that people in authority have the ability to wield undue influence over their employees. Kudos to Kara Kenney for this outstanding report. Feel free to read the IG's so called report here if you wish. This reminds us all here of a similar case of blatant ghost employment reported on by Kenney back in 2012. Both Gary Welsh and Paul Ogden blogged about the case at that time. Paul Ogden had this interesting observation of that case:
Let me get this straight. I write a memo to the Commissioner of the Indiana Department that my supervisor was misappropriating money from the title insurance division that I ran and committing other legal violations. Within minutes of getting that memo, I am immediately fired and left two years short of my pension. I'm not alone. Whistleblowers who are routinely fired by the state and I am not aware of a single one who has ever prevailed in court. Judges do not enforce the laws protecting state employee whistleblowers.
If you are a state employee who dares to report ghost employment, the whistleblower can expect to be fired and have absolutely no recourse. Meanwhile the state employee who commits the ghost employment gets a short suspension and continues on in state employment or gets his full pension should he choose to retire.
In the interest of saving taxpayers money at this point the Indiana General Assembly should just abolish the Inspector General's office. After 14 plus years of existence it has only served to shield wrongdoers from being held accountable. And to punish those employees who have tried to uphold the laws and protect the taxpayers money. In the past the IG has used their office to cover up and protect former Indiana Secretary of State and Congressman Todd Rokita. The administration of former Governor Mike Pence further allowed the Inspector General's Office to cover up wrong doing by a former BMV official.
 |
| Inspector General Lori Torres |
Given the track record so far of Governor Eric Holcomb we can expect more, not less of these incidents to occur. Seeing as Holcomb is a servant to his demonic master Mitch Daniels it is not surprising that he has appointed Daniels flunky Lori Torres to the post of Inspector General. Torres was Commissioner of the Indiana Department of Labor for part of Daniels time as Governor. So naturally she has continued to do the bidding of her masters in hoosier politics. What we suggest to our readers is that they write, call and email Ms. Torres and her office until she decides to actually do her job. Also contact Governor Eric Holcomb, as well as your state legislators about this. Tell them that Gary Welsh called and he wants to give them all an earful.
You can reach Miss Torres at:
Office of the Inspector General
315 West Ohio Street, Room 104
Indianapolis, Indiana 46202
Telephone: 317-232-3850
Toll free: 866-805-8498
Email: info@ig.in.gov
Twitter: @LoriTorres2013
Governor Eric Holcomb when he exits his coffin can be contacted at:
By Phone: 317-232-4567
By Mail:
Office of the Governor
Statehouse
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204-2797
Office of the Governor
Statehouse
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204-2797
Or contact Eric Holcomb via twitter: @HolcombForIN, or @GovHolcomb
Click here to contact your state legislators and give them a piece of your mind. Come on everybody! Let's go out there and raise some hell for Gary Welsh! That's it friends! Troll the living daylights out of the political class! DEFY Eric Holcomb! Call and tweet like hell motherfuckers! Till next time this is your favorite midwestern brigands and rabble rousers saying "Keep up the good fight"!
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