Gee, seems like I’ve read this story somewhere else before. Oh, that’s right. Here. As much as I like Jonathan Starkey’s reporting and always credit him (and link to him) when I reference one of his stories, I guess that a newspaper doesn’t feel any responsibility to reciprocate when they’re scooped on a major story. Oh, well, the story was broken here at DL, and it will remain an open question as to whether the so-called ‘paper of record’ would have even covered it if we hadn’t. At least, they finally have covered it.
The story, which is a good one, raises as many questions as it answers. Oh, and it leaves out one of the key elements of the whole stinkin’ mess: Walker getting the job with an agency under the purview of the state police after carrying the cops’ water in burying the death penalty bill in her committee. Under the approving eye of former state cop and current Speaker Pete Schwartzkopf.
The questions revolve around how she got the job. First, read these excerpts from the News-Journal article:
Walker interviewed for the division director position last October, and was offered the deputy job because she was ranked second in the interview process, according to a spokeswoman for the Delaware Department of Safety and Homeland Security, which oversees the new forensic science division.
Walker started her new job in March.
Homeland Security spokeswoman Kimberly Chandler said the department “conducted a nationwide search” for the director position and Walker “came in through that process.”
…Both agencies say the deputy position was a carryover from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, and was exempt from state rules requiring public advertising of positions. The position was left vacant after the retirement of Hal Brown, formerly the deputy of the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.
(1) Just because certain unnamed state officials say that the job was exempt from the Merit System, the job, which did exist under the previous Office of the Medical Examiner, is and was not listed as an exempt position; Memo to said unnamed state officials: If I’m wrong, point out my error to me. The position was not listed as exempt under the previous office. The office was completely overhauled. The position is not listed as exempt under the new statute. So, how did it magically become an exempt position? Just saying it’s so doesn’t make it so.
(2) A ‘nationwide’ search? W/O publicly listing the position? Just what form did this nationwide search take? Brainstorming on the part of insiders? Oh, and if Walker ranked second in what already was a fixed competition, why did they pass over the person who finished first? I’d like to know.
(3) To what extent did Walker’s killing of the death penalty repeal bill aid in her hiring? And why didn’t the News-Journal even address this?
(4) No surprise that this was a Friday news dump story. (Not a question, just a wry observation.)
I think that Starkey should at least seek comment from the Speaker. I want to hear Pistol-Packin’ Pete patently deny any involvement in this sordid deal. Just because I like to watch a politician lie.