Report: Records search on Joe the Plumber improper

By JOHN SEEWER, Associated Press Writer
Thu Nov 20, 11:54 pm ET

TOLEDO, Ohio – An agency director improperly used state computers to find personal information on "Joe the Plumber," a government watchdog said in a report released Thursday.

There was no legitimate business purpose for the head of Ohio's Department of Job and Family Services to order staff to look up the records, Inspector General Tom Charles said.

Investigators weren't able to determine whether the searches were politically motivated, the report said.

"All these searches were done in the midst of a national political campaign," the report said. "But we did not find any evidence that shows the data was accessed or information released in response to media requests in an effort to support any political activity or agenda."

Gov. Ted Strickland suspended the agency director, Helen Jones-Kelley, for a month without pay after reviewing the findings. He rejected a request to fire her.

Jones-Kelley said she accepts Charles' findings and should not have allowed the database searches.

"While there is a disagreement as to whether those searches were done for legitimate business purposes, my only intent was to fulfill my agency's fiduciary responsibilities to Ohio's families," she told the Dayton Daily News in a statement. "I am committed to implementing agency procedures which better protect confidential, personal information."

Earlier this month, Strickland placed Jones-Kelley on paid leave over separate allegations that a state computer or e-mail account was used to assist in political fundraising for Democrat Barack Obama's campaign.
The inspector general's report concluded that she improperly used state e-mail to engage in political activity.

The report looked into 18 background checks into Samuel J. Wurzelbacher, a Toledo-area man known as Joe the Plumber. He became a household name in the final weeks of the presidential campaign after asking Obama about his tax plan at a campaign stop near Toledo.

Eight of the checks were done without any legitimate business purpose, the report said. Charles recommended tighter policies on access to confidential information in state computer databases.

The findings have been forwarded to the Franklin County prosecutor's office in Columbus.

Jones-Kelley has said the search of Wurzelbacher's records were part of routine checks her agency conducts when someone suddenly emerges in the limelight.

She told state Senate President Bill Harris in a letter that records were checked because Wurzelbacher had indicated he might buy a business and it was determined that he owed back taxes. The department wanted to make sure appropriate actions were taken if he owed child support, received public assistance or owed unemployment compensation taxes, she wrote.

Jones-Kelley's reasoning was at times contradictory, inconsistent and ambiguous, the inspector general's report said.

It also found no policies or procedures to support her claim that it was the agency's practice to look into someone thrust in the spotlight.

As Wurzelbacher's profile was elevated in Republican John McCain's campaign, criticism over the Ohio search rose to a fever pitch.

Republicans were furious that Wurzelbacher was targeted, saying that he was simply a private citizen who stood up and questioned the Democratic presidential candidate.

Wurzelbacher did not answer his phone Thursday, and his voicemail box was full.

What is the problem with a search? This guy had the audacity to ask a question let this be a lesson to you folks before you open your mouth, shut up and vote for the guy they tell you to vote for.

The system works, the malfeasance was detected and enforcement is being carried out, just like in those cases where hospital personnel peek at celebrity medical records.

Reminds of the Monty Python movie "Brazil."

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That was my thought, too. I'm glad to see people in government beauracracies take privacy seriously. They have a tremendous amount of information compiled about all of us. I'd like to think that they don't just allow people to snoop around in it willy nilly.

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Wouldn't it be interesting if the politicians could investigate the reporters as well? How many DWI's, affairs, bad checks, and who knows what would be found. Should we believe reporters with questionable backgrounds... 8-)

Too bad it didn't work BEFORE the malfeasance.

If you choose to stand in the political spotlight, then be prepared to take the political heat. The lesson to be learned here is simple. Don't misrepresent yourself when the whole country is listening.

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Are you kidding me? Privacy doesn't exist. The government can and will find anything about you if they want to. Read the Patriot Act.

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Yup. Joe can be proud of helping to sink the GOP campaign. Thanks, Joe.

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Bot, return that Netflix copy of "Minority Report" already . . .

Perhaps I should clear-up my poor choice of words.

Most people have ethical restraints on snooping in others folks private lives. Laws are for catching the cretins who cannot restrain themselves.

Too bad the bureaucrats in this case didn't have normal ethical standards that normal taxpayers believe is their right to expect of the bureaucracy.

The main effect of all that snooping is probably to enhance Joe's book deal.

And speaking of books, they should throw the book at the knuckleheads who did this.

Bingo, thats the real message. If you question the mighty Hussein we will do everything in our power to destroy your life. We'll illegally search government records and splash your history around on the internet. The ends justify the means..Just a bunch of left wing thugs

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OMG, you're so biased ... and fearful. But thanks for deciphering the "real message".

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