According to an Indy Star piece by Mary Beth Schneider, a legislative committee of the General Assembly questioned BMV Commissioner Joel Silverman over placement of 24 ex-Galyans workers in BMV positions. Silverman, of course, was formerly head of Galyans. Ten of the 24 were placed in positions created by firing or reassigning individuals who had held the jobs.
I suspect this wouldn’t have caused too much of a stir if Silverman hadn’t angered legislators by more or less unilaterally deciding to close a bunch of BMV branches, all of which are inevitably in some legislator’s district. He compounded his problem by admitting that he waited until the General Assembly adjourned to make the announcements so that they would be less able to stop him. I’m on record as believing that, provided Silverman’s criteria for closing are impartial and sensible, proceeding with the shutdowns in this fashion is probably the only way to go. With too much legislative involvement, you’ll have closings that reflect the relative power of various legislators rather than a rational assessment of which branches are least necessary. Having said that, however, you pretty much have to be pure as the driven snow to survive the resulting shitstorm. Putting his former employees on the public payroll after firing good, hard-working public servants (I’ll presume) is just giving your enemies a brick to beat you with.
Good luck, Joel.
Sen. Earline Rogers, D-Gary, told Silverman she would seek a constitutional amendment to let the legislature hold confirmation hearings on executive branch appointments. She said such hearings might head off controversial hires.
Rep. Charlie Brown, D-Gary, went further, calling for Silverman to resign immediately. A Gary license branch has been targeted for closing.
. . .
While Rogers doesn’t have a Republican co-sponsor for her proposed amendment — a practical necessity in the GOP-controlled legislature — Sen. Brent Steele, R-Bedford, said, “She’ll not have any problem finding one.”
Confirmation powers or not, welcome to the wonders of Madisonian Democracy. We have one-party rule in Indiana, and the checks are still being balanced. Madison designed our system with the idea that the inclination to grab power and protect turf would keep various branches of government at each others throats enough to keep them off the backs of the citizens. Seems like maybe it’s working. Bravo, Mr. Madison. Bravo.
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