Merit system inquiry expands

[ridgerunner]

Hiring investigated at 2 more cabinets

By Mark Pitschand Elisabeth J. Beardsley
The Courier-Journal

FRANKFORT, Ky. -- The attorney general's office has expanded its investigation into alleged illegal hiring by the Fletcher administration into the Justice and the Environmental and Public Protection cabinets.

Until now, the attorney general's office had confirmed only that it was focusing on the Transportation Cabinet and Gov. Ernie Fletcher's office.

But Attorney General Greg Stumbo said in a motion filed last week in federal court that a special grand jury has called environmental employees to testify about hiring practices and more likely will be subpoenaed.

At the Office of Drug Control Policy in the Justice Cabinet, executive director Teresa Barton said her office received a subpoena yesterday related to personnel actions involving the office's eight merit system workers.

more:http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050629/NEWS0104/506290434

[jarab]

1. Expand it does ...

There's a "bright" side in that as the investigation broadens, it'll just take "one" deepthroat to turn this into the explosion which I think it already is.
On the downside, the expanded investigation could spread the investigatory resources too thinly - and the whole thing will become mired.
At some opportune point soon, Stumbo will have to say he's running with what he has.

...O...