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11-18-2011, 05:04 PM
State Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer hired his girlfriend as a âspecial assistantâ in his department during the waning days of the 2011 gubernatorial campaign, in which he was a candidate for lieutenant governor.
According to the state Personnel Cabinet, Stephanie L. Sandmann was hired as a non-merit employee in the Department of Agriculture, to start work on Oct. 31, and is earning $5,000 a month, equal to $60,000 a year.
Department spokesman Bill Clary said that Farmer, 42, who is going through a divorce, declined to be interviewed on the matter.
Sandmann didnât return a phone call Thursday afternoon to Farmerâs administrative offices.
But Senate President David Williams, Farmerâs running mate, confirmed Thursday that Sandmann is Farmerâs girlfriend and said he had no idea Farmer had put her on the stateâs payroll eight days before the Nov. 8 election. He said he met her while on the campaign trail with Farmer.
âShe told me she worked for a gynecologist,â said Williams, the unsuccessful Republican candidate for governor.
According to her state personnel file, the 38-year-old Sandmann didnât apply for a specific job but said she was willing to work only in Frankfort.
Non-merit employees arenât required to pass civil-service tests and can be hired or fired at the discretion of elected officials and their top aides.
State Rep. Jamie Comer of Tompkinsville was elected agriculture commissioner last week and will take over in January for Farmer, who couldnât seek a third term because of constitutional limits. Asked if Sandmann would be retained in his administration, Comer said only that his office will handle hiring differently.
âObviously, Iâm not commissioner yet and wonât be until January,â he said. âBut I can assure you that changes will be made, and hiring of qualified personnel will be my No. 1 priority.â
Clary said he didnât know what Sandmannâs duties are in the department and had never met her.
âI donât even know who you are talking about,â he said when first contacted. âWe have 260-something employees. I donât know them all.â
http://nky.cincinnati.com/article/b2/201.../311180082
According to the state Personnel Cabinet, Stephanie L. Sandmann was hired as a non-merit employee in the Department of Agriculture, to start work on Oct. 31, and is earning $5,000 a month, equal to $60,000 a year.
Department spokesman Bill Clary said that Farmer, 42, who is going through a divorce, declined to be interviewed on the matter.
Sandmann didnât return a phone call Thursday afternoon to Farmerâs administrative offices.
But Senate President David Williams, Farmerâs running mate, confirmed Thursday that Sandmann is Farmerâs girlfriend and said he had no idea Farmer had put her on the stateâs payroll eight days before the Nov. 8 election. He said he met her while on the campaign trail with Farmer.
âShe told me she worked for a gynecologist,â said Williams, the unsuccessful Republican candidate for governor.
According to her state personnel file, the 38-year-old Sandmann didnât apply for a specific job but said she was willing to work only in Frankfort.
Non-merit employees arenât required to pass civil-service tests and can be hired or fired at the discretion of elected officials and their top aides.
State Rep. Jamie Comer of Tompkinsville was elected agriculture commissioner last week and will take over in January for Farmer, who couldnât seek a third term because of constitutional limits. Asked if Sandmann would be retained in his administration, Comer said only that his office will handle hiring differently.
âObviously, Iâm not commissioner yet and wonât be until January,â he said. âBut I can assure you that changes will be made, and hiring of qualified personnel will be my No. 1 priority.â
Clary said he didnât know what Sandmannâs duties are in the department and had never met her.
âI donât even know who you are talking about,â he said when first contacted. âWe have 260-something employees. I donât know them all.â
http://nky.cincinnati.com/article/b2/201.../311180082
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11-19-2011, 12:41 AM
Oh my goodness. Not the moral and pure Sir Richard of Manchester. I thought he was suppose to be Gods gift to Kentucky politics. He comes from a county that has the most former politicians in federal prison then any county in the state and he was the running mate of a John Gotti lookalike. What do you expect. I guess he will use his "farming" experience to get a job.
11-19-2011, 11:04 PM
Unfortunately crap like this goes on way too often at every political level.
11-20-2011, 12:19 AM
You mean the moral and pure republicans, have stuff like this in their ranks?
11-20-2011, 12:46 AM
TheRealVille Wrote:You mean the moral and pure republicans, have stuff like this in their ranks?
I know actions like this are the norm with the dems, but every once in a while it bites the GOP.
11-20-2011, 01:03 AM
Old School Wrote:I know actions like this are the norm with the dems, but every once in a while it bites the GOP.Do we need to get in a name naming match, naming them from both sides, and see who wins?
11-20-2011, 01:24 AM
TheRealVille Wrote:Do we need to get in a name naming match, naming them from both sides, and see who wins?
:lmao:
11-20-2011, 01:32 AM
Id do it to if i was in danger of getting cut off lol
11-20-2011, 11:47 AM
I doubt that hiring a girlfriend to a job is illegal. The problem with Kentucky's state government is not so much with the illegal corrupt actions that its elected officials take. The problem is that so much unethical behavior is perfectly legal. Eastern Kentucky is full of wealthy lawyers who sat on committees that have written workers compensation and other laws, who then returned home to exploit those laws to their financial advantage.
Democrats have historically controlled the state government more often than Republicans, so they have been more corrupt by the numbers - but Republicans have probably been equally guilty, given their fewer opportunities.
The system attracts unethical politicians in Kentucky. That is the beauty of it for crooked politicians - they can behave unethically without breaking any laws or risking jail time if and when they are exposed.
Democrats have historically controlled the state government more often than Republicans, so they have been more corrupt by the numbers - but Republicans have probably been equally guilty, given their fewer opportunities.
The system attracts unethical politicians in Kentucky. That is the beauty of it for crooked politicians - they can behave unethically without breaking any laws or risking jail time if and when they are exposed.
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