From Gongwer News Service:
Senate President Bill Harris (R-Ashland) asked Gov. Ted Strickland today to provide a copy of the policy – or an explanation of the practice – that let a state agency use a database to check the background of “Joe the Plumber.”
Sen. Harris said in a letter to the governor he was “alarmed” to learn the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services logged onto a child-support computer system to determine the status of Joseph Wurzelbacher of Toledo.
Sen. Harris found “even more disturbing” a disclosure from ODJFS Director Helen Jones-Kelley that the agency often conducts such probes of persons thrust quickly into the national spotlight.
“Further, despite the fact that there is an ongoing investigation, your administration indicated that it was confident that there were no ‘political overtures’ to the check,” Sen. Harris told the governor. “This seems a little premature, and I do not share your confidence.”
Sen. Harris said in a letter to the governor he was “alarmed” to learn the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services logged onto a child-support computer system to determine the status of Joseph Wurzelbacher of Toledo.
Sen. Harris found “even more disturbing” a disclosure from ODJFS Director Helen Jones-Kelley that the agency often conducts such probes of persons thrust quickly into the national spotlight.
“Further, despite the fact that there is an ongoing investigation, your administration indicated that it was confident that there were no ‘political overtures’ to the check,” Sen. Harris told the governor. “This seems a little premature, and I do not share your confidence.”
