Published: November 12, 2007 11:44 am            

Nepotism rears its ugly head in Johnson case

Our View

Nepotism is the showing of favoritism toward relatives, based upon that relationship rather than on an objective evaluation of ability or suitability.

For instance, offering employment to a relative, despite the fact that there are others who are better qualified and willing to perform the job, would be considered nepotism. The word nepotism is from the Latin word ‘nepos’, meaning “nephew” or “grandchild.”

You can toss sons-in-law into that mix as well.

Last week, embattled Pulaski County Road Supervisor Steven Johnson filed a lawsuit against his employers, the Pulaski County government, for having the audacity to suspend him when serious allegations concerning misuse of Pulaski County Detention Center inmates popped up.

Every high-ranking official in Pulaski Fiscal Court was named — with the exception of one. Deputy Judge-executive Donnie Girdler, Johnson’s father-in-law, was spared.

Imagine that.

Johnson was hired when the Barty Bullock administration assumed the throne — despite the fact that he had no previous experience with the road department or any aspect of county government. As a matter of fact, before being hired to oversee roads in the third-largest county in the Commonwealth, Johnson ran a lawn service with a mere handful of employees.

Last week’s development is a glaring example of why nepotism is a bad idea.

It is alleged that Johnson took several Pulaski County Detention Center inmates onto his property to do work. It has also been alleged by several sources close to county government that Johnson has sold materials belonging to the county and pocketed the money.

These allegations have yet to be proven. They may be absolutely false.

But what’s happened here is that, right or wrong, Johnson is caught in political crossfire. And he’s caught because he’s an easy target — a young man brought into a high-ranking job in a new administration simply because his father-in-law is second in command.

The cruel irony is now that a lawsuit has been filed, Girdler has been compromised.

Johnson is not only facing serious allegations, but has retaliated by suing fiscal court and Judge-executive Bullock, who, by the way, is Donnie Girdler’s boss.

Why on earth would Bullock stand by Girdler at this point?

Girdler told the Commonwealth Journal last week that he felt there was no conflict of interest for him in this matter. He said this even after admitting he knew there might be a lawsuit filed on behalf of his son-in-law as early as a week ago, but did not inform Bullock.

No conflict of interest?

We know Girdler’s too politically savvy to be that naive.

In coming months, Bullock, fiscal court and County Attorney Bill Thompson will have their heads together trying to figure out how they should proceed in defending the county against this lawsuit.

Would Girdler be privy to these conversations? And if so, where do his loyalties lie?

With the county?

With his boss?

Or with his daughter’s husband?

It’s a sticky wicket.

Just mark it up to the evils of nepotism — and how it can come back to bite you in the behind.

        

• Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.