A controversial audit of the S.C. Department of Corrections has finally been released by the state’s Legislative Audit Council, even as the investigators themselves remain under fire for allowing a State Senator with a vendetta to allegedly interfere with what is supposed to be an “independent” investigation.
As reported previously on FITS, S.C. Senator Phil Leventis (D-Sumter) is being investigated by the S.C. State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) for allegedly tampering with the investigation and prematurely releasing its findings to the news media.
Leventis has been on the warpath against the historically-underfunded Corrections Department since 2006, when his neighbor and longtime campaign staffer – a Department of Corrections nurse – was fired along with another employee for using racial slurs and refusing to provide medical care to black Corrections officers.
Supported by Republican Senators Mike Fair (RINO-Greenville) and Hugh Leatherman (RINO-Florence), Leventis used the testimony of these two disgruntled employees as a basis for going after the Department and its director, Jon Ozmint.
Using Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests, FITS attempted to get to the bottom of this mess last month but our efforts have thus far yielded no fruit.
The Legislative Audit Council has responded to our request in writing, as required by law, but as of this writing they have not produced any documents. Meanwhile, Sen. Leventis’ office has refused to even acknowledge our FOIA request.
Who’s right? Who’s wrong? Read for yourself below …
WEB EXTRA:
LAC Audit (w/ Department of Corrections responses)
UPDATE: Well, well, well … whaddya know, the S.C. Legislative Audit Council has just emailed us to let us know that our FOIA request is ready!
By funnygirl October 15, 2009 at 8:22 pm
hmmmm Leventis ey?
He’s been flying on the state plane too. You can check the flight manifests at the aeronautics commission for yourselves.