Daniels Appointee Put on Leave During Probe (ICJI)

[hippiechick]

... looks like the sharks are starting to circle ...

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060427/NEWS02/604270428&SearchID=73243546119623

Daniels appointee put on leave during probe
Chief ethics officer investigating unspecified problems

By Mary Beth Schneider and Michele McNeil

The executive director of the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute has been put on paid leave until the state's chief ethics officer completes his investigation into unspecified problems. Heather Bolejack, who has led the agency since April 2005, is the first appointee by Gov. Mitch Daniels to be removed, even temporarily, from her job.

Details about why Bolejack, 31, was forced to step aside were sketchy. Neither Daniels' office nor Inspector General David Thomas would comment on why the action was taken. However, a public log that Thomas' office must keep shows a complaint was received Feb. 3 "regarding problems with contract process."

Thomas issued a written statement saying he expects to "have results within the next two weeks," which will then be made public. If any criminal problems are found, Thomas likely would refer those to a prosecutor. Marion County Prosecutor Carl Brizzi has not been involved in the inquiry, said his spokesman, Roger Rayl.

… more at link …

[Voltaire]

1. Unbelieveable.....NOT!

And if the Indiana Democratic Party does not beat Little Boots soundly about the head and shoulders on this they need to fold their tent. What has occurred here is AGAINST INDIANA STATUTE!!!! That's why they make us go through ethics training every year. Stupid me, that training is for the proles, not for THEM.

Have I said today how much I HATE these people?

[Indy_Dem_Defender]

2. 31 Years Old

seems a little young to be executive director of Indiana Criminal Justice Institute to me at least. I mean that's what caught my eye about the article, what is the longest she's probably had her law License 4-5 years at the max. That isn't enough experience for a job of that stature.

[hippiechick]

3. CJI is near and dear to my heart ...

... my first real job when I moved to Indy in 1998 was in the Crime Victim Compensation Division & I saw mismanagement, cronyism, disorganization and plain old stupidity there that I simply could NOT believe. The agency has been a disaster ripe for (re)discovery for a very long time (I beleive they were the subject of a Channel 13 investigation back in the mid 90's).

I don't question her age so much as her background - she should have some sort of Public Admin or Policy Admin education. She comes from a law firm which, I assume, knows alot about defending criminals and lobbying for or against particular laws. ICJI is an agency that makes policy which affects Hoosier CITIZENS and has its hands on/administers federal grant monies left and right. Not sure she's coming with the correct constituency in mind, and the temptation for her and those directly below her who have all that money and nobody to watch over it, in combination with lack of appropriate 'agency perspective' could be a bad thing.


Just my .02

[LiberalFighter]

11. She got her law degree @ Indiana U -Indianapolis in 1999

General Corporate Counsel for McFadden Solutions Group
law clerk and associate for the firm Bingham McHale
Joined Ice Miller Law Firm in 2004

Admitted to practice 11/8/1999

[hippiechick]

4. Update:

Having worked there, I can truly say that this agency has a history of mismanagement and corruption, regardless of which party controls it. Time for some hiring policy re-evaluation at the State, methinks.


http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060512/NEWS02/60512014

9:57 AM May 12, 2006
Daniels: Agency head should be fired

Star report

Gov. Mitch Daniels has asked the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute to fire its embattled executive director, Heather Bolejack, and a deputy director, Katalina Gullans. The state’s inspector general began an investigation into the institute in February and Bolejack was placed on administrative leave April 25. The investigation looked into reports of irregular travel expense reimbursements and a grant awarded to a Bolejack family friend without the knowledge or OK of the institute’s board.


“The inspector general briefed the governor Thursday afternoon, and the governor immediately recommended these terminations. At a minimum, evidence suggests unacceptable misconduct and poor judgment. Whether any actions are more serious is a matter for prosecutors to decide,” said Mark Massa, the governor’s general counsel, said in a news release. Criminal Justice Institute has scheduled an executive session today to discuss personal and employment matters, according to the agency’s Web site. A public meeting will be held later this afternoon.


Bolejack, who has led the agency since April 2005, is the first appointee by Gov. Mitch Daniels to be removed, even temporarily, from her job. Bolejack is an attorney who joined the Daniels administration from the Indianapolis firm of Ice Miller, where she had worked with Daniels' chief of staff, Harry Gonso. When Daniels appointed her to the state post, which pays $86,716 annually, he called her "an outstanding young woman who is willing to interrupt a flourishing professional career to answer the call to public service."

The institute is the state's planning and research agency for numerous areas, including criminal justice, juvenile justice, traffic safety and victim services, and administers more than $60 million in federal funds.

… more at link …

[Voltaire]

5. What about Roob over at FSSA?

Wife-beating prick. His ass should go too for that ethically-challenged shit he got caught trying to pull this week.

[hippiechick]

6. Yep, fire him TOO!

Clean out the whole damn lot of them and start over with some actual qualifications, background checks and an above-board hiring policy.

Well, except for one certain employee at DOC ... ;)

[hippiechick]

7. Ms. Bolejack, you're FIRED.

:evilgrin: (Sorry, couldn't resist.)

Interesting that The Paper with A Prayer has an op-ed today calling on the Daniels Administration to put some 'spending safeguards' in place so that CJI and other State Agencies won't continue to be tempted to ... uhh ... misappropriate ... state and federal grant money.

About 8 years too late for this disgruntled former Civil Servant.

BUT, Woo Hoo on whoever the Whistleblower in this case was ! :applause:

[hippiechick]

8. This just gets more and more bizarre !!

www.starnews.com

Grant-winning program looks like another
Consultant's plan has same name, goals, ideas as one run by coalition
By Michele McNeil

The consultant who landed a $417,000 criminal justice grant that later was canceled amid a state investigation copied a local program and pitched it as his own, organizers of a similar program say.

"That's our program," said the Rev. Charles Harrison, president of the Indianapolis Ten Point Coalition and a senior pastor at Barnes United Methodist Church. He said investigators from the inspector general's office, which is examining the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute and its top officials, interviewed Ten Point Coalition members about their ongoing Saving Kids of Incarcerated Parents program.

McKenna's program and Ten Point's have the same name, goals and ideas: using mentoring and summer camps to break the cycle of incarceration that plagues families. That's according to McKenna's grant application, his own description of the program and a description of Ten Point's program.
An e-mail released Monday under the state's public records law showed that McKenna's grant application draft lacked details. The August 2005 e-mail, from fired institute deputy director Katalina Gullans to youth division director Michelle Tennell, said the application had very little detail.

Part of the money was used to pay some of the $55,000 annual salary of the program manager, Denise Moore. She was the state child welfare caseworker convicted of obstruction of justice in the 2002 death of 4-year-old Anthony Bars. :wtf: The Indiana Court of Appeals overturned her conviction this year, saying her actions might have been negligent but weren't criminal. The attorney general's office is appealing that decision to the Indiana Supreme Court.

... more at link ...

[hippiechick]

9. Update: Goddammit!

What is it going to take for any of these State House embezzlers-of-the-people to actually get charged with a crime??



http://www.wthr.com/Global/story.asp?S=5550665


Bolejack won't face charges

Oct 17, 2006 12:00 PM EDT

Indianapolis - Heather Bolejack lost her job over accusations of wrongdoing, but now a special prosecutor says the former head of the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute should not face criminal charges.

Bolejack was fired from her position five months ago. A state ethics investigation found that Bolejack's friend got a $417,000 grant without board approval. Bolejack denies any wrongdoing.

She says the Daniels administration didn't give her an adequate chance to defend herself.

[Voltaire]

10. FEH

Republicans don't commit crimes dear. Its biblically impossible. Didn't you know that?

[hippiechick]

12. ICJI may not be long for existence, anyway ...

... can't recall where I read it, but the Chimpster is eliminating Federal Funding for the Victim's Comp programs ... so since there won't be a federal mandate that it must exist anymore, Mitch and crew can shitcan the whole operation ASAP as a "money saving" move for "taxpayers".

Sigh. How frustrating. :(