SC

What Really Happened To Nikki Haley’s Welfare Czarina?

A month ago, FITS exclusively reported that S.C. Gov. Nikki Haley’s scandal-scarred welfare czarina had been hospitalized. The initial word we received was that Lillian Koller – a political appointee whose tenure as director of the S.C. Department of Social Services (SCDSS) has been an unmitigated disaster on all fronts…

A month ago, FITS exclusively reported that S.C. Gov. Nikki Haley’s scandal-scarred welfare czarina had been hospitalized.

The initial word we received was that Lillian Koller – a political appointee whose tenure as director of the S.C. Department of Social Services (SCDSS) has been an unmitigated disaster on all fronts – had suffered a “mini-stroke.”

Now we’re hearing conflicting reports …

“It was some sort of bi-polar episode,” one source familiar with the outburst that led to Koller’s hospitalization tells FITS. “She just lost it – went into hysterics. Had to be restrained at one point.”

Koller is currently on medical leave, ostensibly “working from home,” according to the left-leaning (Columbia, S.C.) State newspaper.

Of course her paid medical absence (the 58-year-old makes $154,879, not counting benefits) did enable her to skip out on a bipartisan hearing called by – among others – S.C. Senators Katrina Shealy (R-Lexington) and Brad Hutto (D-Orangeburg).

And trust us, this is a serious investigation if ever there was one …

Which begs the question …

“If Lillian Koller can work from home  during her medical leave of absence (and get paid with our tax dollars to do so), why can’t she testify remotely (Skype, Facetime) for the Senate DSS subcommittee?” one political operative asked.

Exactly …

Government spends tens of millions of dollars each year on technology for its bureaucrats. Of course the last time we checked, Skype was free.

One of three things is happening here: 1) Koller is faking sick in an effort to save her job, 2) Koller had a genuine episode of sub-psychotic rage and her aides are trying to keep it under wraps (while leveraging a generic medical condition to escape damning legislative hearings), or 3) Koller is really too sick too work, in which case she should be relieved and replaced.

Democrats and Republicans probing problems at SCDSS have grown beyond frustrated with Koller.

“Playing sick until after the election is not going to cut it – not when children’s lives are at stake,” one lawmaker FITS. “If she is sick then she needs to step down. Otherwise she needs to stand up and be held accountable for her agency.”

Related posts

SC

Monkeys Escape From South Carolina Research Facility

Jenn Wood
SC

FBI Searches John-Paul Miller’s Home

Will Folks
SC

Midlands Police Search For Missing Teen

Will Folks

50 comments

CNSYD January 15, 2014 at 10:37 am

“one lawmaker FITS”
FITS is a lawmaker? Who knew?

Reply
The Colonel January 15, 2014 at 10:51 am

Will, your “diction” is showing.

Reply
TontoBubbaGoldstein January 15, 2014 at 11:27 am

A man walked into a supermarket with his zipper down, and his fly wide open. A lady cashier walked up to him and said, “Your barracks door is open.” This is not a phrase men normally use, so he went on his way looking a bit puzzled. When he was about done shopping, a man came up and said, “Your fly is open.”

He zipped up and finished his shopping, and remembering what the cashier had told him, finally understood. He then intentionally got in the line to check out where the lady was that told him about his “barracks door.”

He was planning to have a little fun with her. When he reached her counter he said, “When you saw my barracks door open did you see a tall soldier standing in there at attention?” The lady thought for a moment and said, “No, no I didn’t. All I saw was a disabled old veteran sitting on two duffel bags.”

Reply
scotty January 15, 2014 at 10:49 am

I guess since she is a political appointee state leave policies don’t apply or not?

Reply
Jay Ellington January 15, 2014 at 10:52 am

Sounds like one of those “diplomatic illnesses” made chic by Hillary during the Benghazi hearings.

Reply
shifty henry January 15, 2014 at 11:44 am

“diplomatic illnesses”
—– such as, “cunt-sular fever”…??

Reply
It's good to work for the king January 15, 2014 at 11:03 am

You know what happens to private sector employees that suffer a mental breakdown?

Yea, well not what’s happening Ms. Koller, that I can assure you.

Reply
SCBlueWoman January 15, 2014 at 11:49 am

Since that type of illness falls under the ADA, I’m sure the same thing would happen, unless the company just likes flaunting the law and hoping there will not be any legal action.

Reply
It's good to work for the king January 15, 2014 at 11:51 am

You are assuming that some doctor issued diagnosis was floating about. I wouldn’t make that assumption.

Reply
Hwy. 52 January 15, 2014 at 11:06 am

Hell, I thought she was the woman who had the three hour orgasm.

Reply
shifty henry January 15, 2014 at 11:40 am

One report mentioned that each orgasm was more intense and pleasurable than the one before. The guy has formed an LLC and is attempting to sell time sharing on his penis.

Reply
JJEvans January 15, 2014 at 12:13 pm

Did you hear about the woman that had an orgasm every time she sneezed? She went to the doctor and he wrote her a prescription for pepper.

Reply
shifty henry January 15, 2014 at 1:25 pm

OK, JJ. you made me repeat this one —

A guy goes to his doctor for help with a little problem
called premature ejaculation. The doctor gives him a tube of cream which will help him. The next day the guy calls the doctor, “Dammit! I ejaculated while wiping it on!”

Reply
shifty henry January 15, 2014 at 3:13 pm

Anybody remember Balsak? One evening I went to his convenience store at 11 pm, and he was locking the doors. I pointed to the sign that said OPEN 24 HOURS. He told me that was true — just not 24 hours in a row!!

Reply
Observant January 15, 2014 at 6:40 pm

Whatever happened to Balsak?: He was one of the better commen”taters”.

Reply
shifty henry January 15, 2014 at 6:49 pm

Yep! Sometime I’ll try to find his posts to save them — they are hilarious!!

Reply
shifty henry January 15, 2014 at 11:35 am

It would not be unthinkable that she is shamming, and has done this before. Shealy should investigate…..

Reply
miss suzanne January 15, 2014 at 12:55 pm

Check with Hawaii.. Wonder what’s going on with that Federal lawsuit?

Reply
shifty henry January 15, 2014 at 1:20 pm

See my reply to Jackie Chiles above….

Reply
Cindy January 15, 2014 at 11:37 am

Lesbians can be a tad different now.

Reply
shifty henry January 15, 2014 at 11:40 am

Do ya’ think she was having phone sex?

Reply
Cynthia January 15, 2014 at 12:29 pm

Over the phone or with the phone?

Reply
shifty henry January 15, 2014 at 12:40 pm

Don’t most cell phones “vibrate”…?

Reply
Cynthia January 15, 2014 at 12:43 pm

Good one shifty!

Jay Ellington January 15, 2014 at 12:48 pm

I dunno, ask Barry… apparently he has a phone… and a pen.

shifty henry January 15, 2014 at 12:52 pm

Are you referring to his daily call from Candy Crowley..??

Jay Ellington January 15, 2014 at 3:59 pm

Yes, Candy looks just enough like a man for this to work for Barry.

jimlewisowb January 15, 2014 at 11:58 am

Hey willie, you left out (4 – She is bat shit crazy

Word down at the Git’nGo is that Ms. Koller’s partner has left her for another

Ms. Koller is in the process of auditioning applicants to be her new partner which requires her to be at home in an environment suited to proper assessment of compatibility, eclectic taste(mackrel,bass, cod, whale, etc.), scissoring, pillow humping and tater hole tasting

Once she gets a new partner she will be right back in the crotch – oops – saddle

Reply
shifty henry January 15, 2014 at 12:47 pm

She’s returned all of my movies (except three) that I loaned to her during her illness. I can’t get her to return (1) Ilsa, The Wicked Warden, (2) Nazi Love Camp 27, and (3) Prison-A-Go-Go.

Reply
venomachine January 15, 2014 at 3:03 pm

So when can i get my copy of Nazi She Wolves back?

Reply
shifty henry January 15, 2014 at 10:42 pm

A promise – just as soon as I get it back from Lillian McBride…

Reply
Thomas January 15, 2014 at 12:10 pm

If it was not for all the 150k jobs in state government buying Mungo homes, our local economy would collapse says one political operative. Our sources say that this was the idea along, to boost state worker salaries over the 100k a year range so someone could by those 150k homes springing up in Richland and Lexington counties.

Reply
venomachine January 15, 2014 at 12:16 pm

I believe state workers received a massive 1% raise since 2007 (and I heard the insurance increases ate that up, but I don’t know), I’d think your sources are bravo sierra.

Reply
Thomas January 15, 2014 at 1:13 pm

There is a huge number of state jobs paying over 100k a year. For some perspective, a store manager at Home Depot makes 86k a year. Sen Graham and Rep Wilson each make 174k a year. A 30 year Level 2 union veteran at ATT makes only 50k a year. We have salary bloat in our state government. Where does salary creep stop?

Another thing, does any level headed voter really think an appointee can clean out the bureaucratic bloat at SCDSS without becoming tagged a racist or becoming a political target? She inherited a colossally fucked up SCDSS. BTW, her private medical history is supposed to be…private. Ever hear of the HIPPA Privacy Rule? Seems to me she can sue Fits?

Reply
venomachine January 15, 2014 at 1:18 pm

What is the huge number and what percentage of state workers doe s this represent?

Not saying there aren’t a bunch of overpaid yahoos, but the worker bees appear to be getting the shaft.

Oh, and Lindsay and “You Lie” Joe are not state workers, they are elected US Government officials.

Reply
Jesus H. Christ! January 15, 2014 at 3:38 pm

“Sen Graham and Rep Wilson each make 174k a year”
While I agree that those two assholes are way overpaid, those are not “state jobs,” they are federal elected offices.

Reply
Puh-lease January 15, 2014 at 12:39 pm

I know of a few state employees who got big-ass pay boosts – Sic Willie, some of Nikki Haley’s top buddies – but the average state employee hasn’t seen much of an increase.

Reply
Jesus H. Christ! January 15, 2014 at 12:36 pm

Now you want the state to violate the ADA? Seems like just the other day you were posting an outraged screed lambasting a school district for (allegedly) violating the ADA.

Be consistent.

Reply
Jackie Chiles January 15, 2014 at 1:01 pm

If she’s really having a bi-polar episode, you can’t just fire her thanks to the Americans with Disabilities Act. Allowing her to work from home sounds like an attempt at a “reasonable accommodation” which employers are required to offer under the ADA.

Reply
Jay Ellington January 15, 2014 at 1:10 pm

Low blood sugar maybe?

Reply
shifty henry January 15, 2014 at 1:18 pm

True – but if she really is bi-polar then Nikki must have known that before hiring her, and should know that it create problems at some future time. And it could have contributed to Koller’s problems at her previous job.
Anyway, poking fun at Nikki’s choices seems to be fair game on this site, and it’s probably because they all seem to be an extension of her – and they all screw up or cause discord in their agencies.

Reply
Jackie Chiles January 15, 2014 at 2:13 pm

ADA applies to hiring practices as well. If Nikki said “oh, she’s been diagnosed as bi-polar, we can’t hire her” then Fits would be slamming her for that as news of the inevitable discrimination lawsuit hit the presses. You can’t just not hire someone because they have a disability.

Reply
Jay Ellington January 15, 2014 at 2:57 pm

But you CAN hire them despite the fact that they are inept, derelict and unqualified. Nepotism, ruining America one gubmint position at a time.

Reply
Jackie Chiles January 15, 2014 at 4:43 pm

I think those are the minimum requirements to work for Haley.

Mmmhmmm January 16, 2014 at 9:32 am

“You can’t just not hire someone because they have a disability.”

As I’m sure you know, it’s very hard to prove intent.

Reply
Jackie Chiles January 16, 2014 at 9:37 am

For discrimination cases, once the employee shows facts that look like there could be discrimination, the burden is on the employer has to show that they did NOT discriminate. You can also try to prove intent by showing disparate impact- i.e. that a certain hiring practice resulted in xyz protected group from getting jobs.

Mike at the Beach January 16, 2014 at 12:43 am

True enough amigo, but as your “if” infers, “kooky lesbian bitch” isn’t a condition protected by the ADA…

Reply
dedicated13 January 15, 2014 at 4:45 pm

Amen!!

Reply
Child Advocate January 16, 2014 at 11:25 am

I have worked in the child advocacy system in Columbia for almost 25 years. I am not a Koller or Haley fan. Koller has made the terrible problems at DSS even worse during her tenure . I heard about Lillian Koller’s “illness,” so you can imagine my surprise when, a few days before Christmas, while I was shopping at Belks at Village at Sandhill, there was a page for Lillian Koller – twice actually. If you can’t go to work, you sure shouldn’t be out on shopping expeditions! Koller needs to resign. I don’t think stupidity is ADA eligible.

Reply
ELCID January 16, 2014 at 1:26 pm

Typical Haley appointee: an unqualified, Haley payoff, crazy whack job.
Just like the rest of her hand picked cabinet.

Reply

Leave a Comment