Under fire, Gen. Turner quits state employment agency

This broke at about midday today:

SEANNA ADCOX
Associated Press

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP, WLTX) – The director of South Carolina’s unemployment agency has resigned, effective March 1.GeneralTurner2

Department of Employment and Workforce Director Abraham Turner turned in a hand-written resignation letter to the governor Friday.

In the letter, Turner says he’s resigning for personal reasons. His resignation follows questions from legislators stemming from the agency’s decision to eliminate one-on-one help for people seeking benefits in 17 rural offices statewide…

It first came to my attention because of this emailed comment from state Rep. Todd Rutherford, D-Richland:

“Governor Haley has allowed her agency, SC DEW, to become an absolute embarrassment. In the last two weeks the governor’s agency has made news because of crippling layoffs, massive pay raises, lavish taxpayer funded beach retreats, the closing of seventeen unemployment centers in rural counties, and now the resignation of the Executive Director. Governor Haley must regain control of her agency before it is too late. Millions of South Carolinians depend on this agency to be functional and effective. As it stands today, it is the opposite.”

But not only Democrats have been complaining about how the agency has been run under the retired general. As thestate.com reports:

The employment agency’s woes have become a subject of almost daily criticism in the Legislature.

State Sen. Ken Bryant, R-Anderson, took to the floor Thursday to blast what he said were outlandish raises — some of more than 50 percent — recently given some agency employees. Bryant also said the agency was claiming victory for lowering jobless benefits improperly paid to $50 million from $90 million.

Other senators joined in a bipartisan display of frustration.

At one point, Bryant and Senate Minority Leader Nikki Setzler, D-Lexington, exchanged criticisms of the agency, with Setzler, a moderate Democrat, and Bryant, a Tea Party Republican, both ripping the agency and its leadership, citing recent cuts in its staffing and the raises, the closing of rural offices and an oceanside management retreat…

3 thoughts on “Under fire, Gen. Turner quits state employment agency”

  2. Juan Caruso

    Abuse and mismanagement have been egregious at this agency since its founding thanks largely to the cronyism of our SC Legislature.

    Lets not point fingers too fast at Maj. Gen. Turner. The fallout that will come will be most interesting for legislators with ties to some who got 50% raises, etc. I can hardly wait for those stains to surface.

  3. Ralph Hightower

    First it was DOR with the breakin and theft of 6 million Social Security Numbers, now DEW.

    Maybe we should start a “Dead Pool” of who the next in Governot Haley’s cabinet is to resign.

    Who’s next?
    Department of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Services (Bob Toomey, Director)
    Department of Commerce (Robert M. “Bobby” Hitt III, Secretary)
    Department of Corrections (William R. Byars, Jr., Director)
    Department of Health and Human Services (Anthony E. “Tony” Keck, Director)
    Department of Insurance (Ray Farmer, Acting Director)
    Department of Juvenile Justice (Margaret H. Barber, Director)
    Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation (Holly G. Pisarik, Director)
    Department of Motor Vehicles (Kevin A. Shwedo, Director)
    Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism (Duane N. Parrish, Director)
    Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services (Kela E. Thomas, Director)
    Department of Public Safety Leroy Smith, Director)
    Department of Social Services (Lillian B. Koller, Director)
    Department of Transportation (Robert St. Onge, Jr., Secretary)
    State Law Enforcement Division (Mark A. Keel, Chief)

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