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Home > Blogs > Ohio politics > Archives > 2009 > November > 16 > Entry
Yost, DeWine call for AG Cordray to withdraw his representation in “Joe the Plumber” case
The two Republican candidates for attorney general in 2010 on Monday, Nov. 16, called on Attorney General Richard Cordray to withdraw the attorney general’s office’s representation of three former state employees being sued by Samuel Joseph “Joe the Plumber” Wurzelbacher.
“To take this case, the attorney general has to be able to say that what these three did was part of their jobs - and that’s not an argument you can make with a straight face,” David Yost, the Delaware County prosecutor, said in a press release.
Former U.S. Sen. Mike DeWine of Cedarville said Cordray “should stop doing it.”
Cordray’s office had no reaction beyond comments the attorney general made last week.
Wurzelbacher sued the three former employees - Helen Jones Kelley, Douglas Thompson and Fred Williams - in U.S. District Court, charging that they violated his rights by accessing confidential information through state databases when they were working for the state.
Cordray, a Democrat, said last week that by providing representation he was following state law that “says in effect if you’re a state employee and you’re sued for work done in the course… of your employment, you’re entitled to a defense by the state attorney general’s office.”
He acknowledged that there are exceptions to this requirement but said that his decision would “minimize taxpayer exposure.” That’s because if representation is denied, the employee later can try to recover expenses after a lawsuit is settled, he said.
The exceptions are: if the employee “was acting manifestly outside the scope of his official employment or official responsibilities, with malicious purpose, in bad faith or in a wanton or reckless manner.”
Jones-Kelley formerly was director of the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. Williams was assistant director and Thompson was deputy director of child support.
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Comments
By drunken orangetree
November 18, 2009 3:46 PM | Link to this
The state employees were stupid to snoop on Joe’s info. Almost as stupid as Joe.
By Jay
November 17, 2009 9:55 AM | Link to this
this isn’t Brain surgery,these three employees BROKE THE LAW for Political reasons, to help Elect a Socialist President. Remember Mr Cordray for Now you still work for the tax paying citizens of OHIO. GO JOE
By Squirrellygirl
November 17, 2009 8:53 AM | Link to this
“That’s because if representation is denied, the employee later can try to recover expenses after a lawsuit is settled, he said.”—so the State needs to make some rule changes so they can operate more fairly. Stop protecting the criminals, stop using excuses and do your job!
By Squirrellygirl
November 17, 2009 8:40 AM | Link to this
The exceptions are: if the employee “was acting manifestly outside the scope of his official employment or official responsibilities, with malicious purpose, in bad faith or in a wanton or reckless manner.” Can we say, “DUH!”??? Now we know thanks to these meatbags that the gov’t will not protect our privacy information, even from the media. I hope Joe gets rich and the State needs to make some bigger changes!