Making public records requests is a big part of our job at the Investigations corner of The News & Observer. One of the most routine requests we make is for the salary of a state employee.Typically, a phone call or email gets the answer the same day.
Not so with the former director of the SBI crime lab.
Last month, Attorney General Roy Cooper removed Jerry Richardson as head of the SBI’s crime lab and announced a national search for his successor.
The N&O thought readers might want to know about Richardson's new job and salary. We asked that question of new SBI director Greg McLeod on Aug. 27, the day Richardson was removed. McLeod said the details hadn't been worked out yet. That was reasonable.
On Sept. 2, Tne N&O sent this request to Noelle Talley, Attorney General Roy Cooper’s public affairs director: "What is his new job and title and pay?"
On Sept. 8, Talley answered part of the question: “In his new role, he will work directly with the Case Records Management System and Criminal Information and ID sections.”
On Sept. 9, The N&O replied: “What's Jerry Richardson's salary in the new job?”
Again on Sept. 13: “What is Jerry Richardson's salary?”
And on Sept. 21: “What is Jerry Richardson's current salary and job?"
That elicited the following reply from Cooper’s office the same day: “The last I heard the SBI was working with Human Resources on this issue. I will check to see if that has been resolved.”
The N&O replied that day: “Please send us his salary and title as of today. If it changes in the future when things are resolved, please give us an update at that time.”
No reply.
The N&O asked again today, Friday Sept. 24. We’ll let you know what we find.
Update
The Department of Justice sent this message late Friday afternoon, that didn't mention Richardson's current salary ($98,481) but does say it will be adjusted in the future:
The Office of State Personnel maintains control over certain positions and therefore, DOJ administration is still working with it to get approval of an appropriate position at a lower pay grade equivalent to the position he held prior to becoming an exempt employee as SBI lab director. Currently he has been reassigned to work with the case records management and Criminal Information and ID sections. The department cannot reduce his salary until this process is complete.
Joe Neff came to The N&O in 1992 and has covered prisons, police, courts and the legislature. His most recent major work was "Agents' Secrets," a four-part series about problems in the N.C. State Bureau of Investigation. He can be reached at
Comments
Open records denial bias
Fri, 09/24/2010 - 15:50 — cicero01F. Lane Williamson funneled information to Neff to "spice" his articles during the disbarment trial of Michael B. Nifong. For example, e-mail communications sent by Nifong to Williamson--were released to Neff secretly. Neff summarized them in print. Albeit those emails were public records. But, when F. Lane Williamson, who is currently running for a Mecklenburg County superior court judgeship, was asked by this private citizen to release all his public record e-mails that he received during the Nifong disbarment prosecution, he refused. Now this is a story. Let's see if Neff shall ever write about this denial.
Cooper knows better
Fri, 09/24/2010 - 15:33 — grantncsuPut the headline in context. Cooper is the state's attorney. He knows or should know the public disclosure records as well as anyone. The issue is that while Cooper wants political credit for cleaning up the SBI, he is still protecting the guy that drove the agency off the tracks.
The bottom line is the taxpayers of this state have a right to know what Richardson's paycheck will look like next week.
Looks like Cooper's pals are astro-turfing
Fri, 09/24/2010 - 15:17 — The_Nags_HeadThis is a legit story and the N&O is going about it in a professional manner. They asked a question and the cronies, bootlicks, and wastrels in Cooper's office are stonewalling in hopes the reporter will forget about it and go away.
The only quibble is that the first request should have been punctuated a little better. Three 'and' in row needs a comma or two (depending on whether you use the serial comma over in Raleigh).
This is News?
Fri, 09/24/2010 - 15:08 — swissmanThis is News? This whole SBI business is nothing more than an effort by the News and Observer and Defense Attorneys to put pressure on the legislature on the Death Penalty. Stop wasting our time with dribble like this.
jaymzclark, State employee
Fri, 09/24/2010 - 15:04 — farmer42jaymzclark, State employee salaries are public record. I'm not one to cut the N and O much slack but they have a right to ask. The question should have been answered by now. It's been almost a month.
The problem with the SBI
Fri, 09/24/2010 - 15:02 — FireStormMany years ago I worked with Probation/Parole. One day we got a call- we had a new employee- a former Carolina Basket Ball star. We didn't have an opening and didn't need a new person- a position was created and filled with no interview or need. The "star" had trouble understanding the job, could not write complete sentences (even though he was a Carolina grad), and was eventually forced out of our agency for inability to do the job. The staff in our office received calls from the SBI and interviews were set. At the interviews our staff told the SBI the "star" could not do the job, but confessed they had to hire him- Democratic politicians and Coach Smith had worked it out. Then and there we laughed at the SBI interviewers and told them they would become like the "Keystone Cops" from the era of silent films, which just came to pass as predicted. If you don't allow departments to hire the best candidates without political appointments, you will get people that can't do the job. The SBI became a dumping ground and it shows. And they always make top dollar.
Tabloid Journalism
Fri, 09/24/2010 - 14:06 — jaymzclarkShame on the N&O. The headline "Roy Cooper has a secret" is beyond ridiculous. I’m amazed that the attorney general himself didn’t take time out and personally deliver the salary to the N&O. Guess what? Unlike the N&O reporters, who have nothing better to do than fabricate conspiracies and salivate over the prospect of scandals (instead of actually reporting facts….); our attorney general’s office work to do. Are N&O reporters trained in the TMZ School of journalism? Is non-action really news? Gee... I emailed the president; he never emailed me back. I guess I should I scream, “He’s hiding something!”? I know sensationalism is seductive, but I expect the printed press to be the last bastion of quality journalism. Please do better N&O.