BWC employee fights reprimand over whistle-blower e-mail

[The Straight Story]

BWC employee fights reprimand over whistle-blower e-mail


A lawyer for the state who was reprimanded last month for alleging wrongdoing in state government says the punishment sends a chilling message to other potential whistle-blowers.

Joseph C. Sommer, a veteran attorney for the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation, is contesting the reprimand he received Dec. 17 for asking the state watchdog to investigate alleged problems with the process of nominating a candidate to a state board.

In May, Sommer used his state e-mail account to request an investigation of the process that led Gov. Ted Strickland to name a new member of the Industrial Commission. The three-member commission hears appeals of bureau decisions.

Sommer said the panel that suggests candidates for Industrial Commission vacancies failed to follow a state law requiring that it suggest three candidates within 60 days of a vacancy.

Not only did Inspector General Thomas P. Charles dismiss Sommer's allegation, but now Sommer finds himself in trouble at work.

http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2010/01/17/bwc-employee-fights-reprimand-over-whistle-blower-e-mail.html?type=rss&cat=&sid=101

[NYC_SKP]

1. I never cared for Ted Strickland.

I'm not from anywhere near his state, but he creeped me out during the primaries standing behind SOS, then Senator, Clinton when she was speaking.

Does he have a pattern of good old boy politics?