Sound Politics: Mistakes were made

March 28, 2007

Mistakes were made

The Olympian reports that a state worker has been accused of embezzlement:

A woman formerly employed at the state Office of Administrative Hearings is accused of embezzling about $55,000 from the state agency over an eight-year period.

The State Auditor and State Patrol investigated and forwarded the case to the Thurston County Prosecutor.

What's the big deal here? Mistakes are made in every accounting office. There is zero evidence that the employee made these mistakes intentionally. All this innuendo about embezzlement is so unfair to the poor woman, who has been described as a "long-term, trusted employee". Over what? $7,000 a year? That's like 0.00005% of the state budget. It's an accuracy rate that any bank would envy.

I have no idea why authorities even bothered to investigate this.

Posted by Stefan Sharkansky at March 28, 2007 10:28 AM | Email This

Comments

1. I am shocked I tell you, simply shocked. See comments in thread below.

Posted by: WVH on March 28, 2007 10:34 AM

2. I am sure she had a good reason to do this, that is, IF she indeed did it intentionally. Maybe she needed the gas money? At any rate, I think she should be made to write a book report to the state to atone for it.

Posted by: katomar on March 28, 2007 10:49 AM

3. Sam Reed was the Thurston County Auditor for 20 years prior to be elected SOS in 2000

Why should I be surprised that an employee stole $55,000 from Thurston County since Sam Reed, Ron Sims, Dean Logan, and pretty boy Mike McKay botched elections in 2000 and 2004

Posted by: Sam Reed is Incontinent on March 28, 2007 11:28 AM

4. could it be a sacrificial lamb story to quell any further digging in ohter areas? in any case, wrong is wrong if true. can't have selective enforcement with public funds & trust, but cost/risks of litigation to taxpayers s/be considered too.

Posted by: jimmie-howya-doin on March 28, 2007 12:18 PM

5. She's paying it back so she simply borrowed the money. Prosecuting this poor woman would be harsh and mean-spirited.

Besides, since it took seven years to uncover this matter it was a pittance and would make any bank proud.

Posted by: ron on March 28, 2007 02:06 PM

6. This funny!!!!!Bill Eickmeyer{35th leg}when running for re-election had campaigners using state cell phones.All they recieved was an abnonishment.Is the state employee an R???

Posted by: George on March 28, 2007 07:17 PM

7. This post and the comments have me confused. You guys are being sarcastic, right? Sarcasm never really works on the internet that well.

She's paying the money back. There's all the evidence you need that she stole it. People wrongfully accused of theft do not typically make restitution. Also, that she's paying it back because she got caught doesn't mitigate anything.

And I'm a hardcore R, but the constant politicizing of things just rubs me the wrong way.

Posted by: Aaron on March 28, 2007 10:52 PM